Who They Are

~16~

Alyx's POV

"I think I found your mom, Amaya."

"W-wait, what? How? Where is she?!" she asks, urgency lacing her voice.

"I tried Liv instead of Olivia. I'm not one hundred percent sure if it's her, but there's similarities with the little bit of a description the website gives. She's at a place called O'Harion Psychiatric Center."

"Where is that? Is it close?"

"It's in Delaware."

"What the fuck? Seriously?" I hear her mumble under her breath. "Alyx?"

"Yes?"

"Will you come with me?" The sound of her voice makes me weak.

"Of course I will."

~

I close her car door after climbing in. She gives me a small, awkward smile before looking away. "Hey."

"Hey."

We agreed to go the next day since it was so late and New Year's Day. She called beforehand to make sure they were allowing visitors to find out they thankfully were. I also snuck out before my mom got home from work. She was supposed to around seven. It's currently six. I'm sure I'm dead when I get home, but this is more important. I have to be there for Amaya.

"Thanks for coming with me."

"It's no problem at all. I want to."

She smiles before cranking her car and pulling off of the curb a few houses down from mine. I'm glad she parked here, even though I know the doorbell camera caught me running across the yard, but at least Mom won't see Amaya's car. I'm sure she's going to know that's who I'm with, though.

"I already have the GPS set. It's going to take us five hours and forty-six minutes to get there, so if you want to take a nap, you can."

"I'm okay."

The awkward silence takes over us, and I realize I never responded to her message yesterday. We still haven't exactly made up. I was more worried about her mom. Which is more important. More important than my petty jealously. I mentally roll my eyes. I feel really bad now. I mean, I get her wanting closure. If she just randomly up and left me one day, and I saw her again, I'd want to know why, too. I feel like I need to apologize to her now.

After driving for around twenty minutes and thinking about what I want to say, I break the silence. "What did you two talk about? Why did you slap him?"

She takes a breath before speaking. "I just asked him why he suddenly left because I've always wondered why, and I just needed answers. His only excuse was because I was too young for him and 'not worth the risk of jail'. Which I get now that I'm older, but he could've just broke up with me before leaving. I thought I did something wrong for the longest. Then he told me he never felt the way I did. I was just 'fun' and 'someone to have sex with'." I feel anger stir inside at his disgusting way to describe her. But, at the same time, I'm glad he doesn't love her.

"Is that why you slapped him?" I ask in a low voice.

"No. I was just standing there, taking his shit. Until he mentioned you."

I glance over at her from the corner of my eye. "Me? What did he say about me?" Fucking dick.

"He just tried comparing you to him. I told him you're nothing like him. You're a million times better. You're the best thing in my life."

"Am I really?" I feel my heart start racing from her words. Damn it, I'm so easy.

"Yes." She glances over to me. "I'm so happy I met you. I wasn't trying to do anything to jeopardize our relationship. I swear." Her eyes break away from mine to stare back at the road. I notice her hand tighten around the steering wheel. "Please don't break up with me."