The Crowd That Kept Us Apart // colorado avalanche

chapter 15

I was released from the hospital earlier that day. Newy drove me back home and helped me get settled into my apartment. He was gone getting me food when Manson came over.

"She told me everything," Manson started. "She didn't want me to tell you anything," slight disappointment hung in the back of my mind. "She said she will call you at around 8 tonight."

"Did she mention why she was off the grid?"

"Yes but she doesn't want to tell you."

"Why?"

"She didn't say,'' Manson chose his words carefully. I almost felt bad wanting to know more than he was willing to say. "Maybe I'm not in the right to say this but thank you. I don't know what would have happened to Amara if you didn't tell me to check on her. She..."

"It's okay you don't have to say any more,'' I reassured him.

"I'm still confused how you guys know each other?"

"That's a story for another time."

"How ominous," Manson joked. There was a knock on the door and Manson answered it. Newy was surprised to see someone who wasn't me opening the door.

The smell of food filled the room and my mouth started to water. Manson wasn't joking when he mentioned that the hospital food was not good. When Newy asked what food I would like I requested Chick-Fil-A. I'm usually good with staying healthy but Chick-Fil-A was the only meal I could have every single day with no guilt.

I ate while Manson informed Newy about the new findings of Amara.

"I'm sorry I dragged you guys into this," I said with a mouthful of wonderful chicken.

"Hey, I was the one who thought dating Maiyah was a good idea..." I can tell Newy was embarrassed by this. I wasn't bothered too much by it.

"Yeah and besides, she is my cousin. I was gonna get dragged into this eventually. I'm just glad it was now."

I groan and throw my body onto the coach.

"You okay?" Newy asked.

"No, my head hurts like hell."

"I think I'm going to go now. I'll let you get some rest." Manson gave me a little love tap before opening the door.

"I'm gonna go too. Do you need anything before I go?" Newy asked. I shook my head. Newy shut the door behind him.

"Jeez, I feel bad for him," I heard Newy through the door. I couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

I spent the next few hours reading. I was advised not to watch tv or use my phone. While normally this would be terrible news I wanted to read more. I had gotten some new books and I haven't had the time to read. I was so lost in my book I didn't even know what time it was. I glanced at the clock, 10:30pm. Amara was supposed to call me 2 and a half hours ago. I snatch my phone from the night stand. My phone illuminated my face, hurting my head, and I immediately dimmed the brightness. No new notifications. I knew she said she would call me but it's been too long. I took matters into my own hands and I called her. She didn't answer. I called again. When she didn't answer for the 2nd time something came over me. I grabbed my car keys and ran down to my car. I was advised not to drive till tomorrow but I didn't care. I pulled Amara's address on maps, she lived about 30 minutes from me. I chose to go the back roads. I was dumb to drive but not dumb enough to drive on the highway. Every time I passed a car its head lights blinded me. The lights made me nauseous. I pulled up to the first parking spot I saw. I wasn't in the lines at all.

"What am I doing?" I whispered to myself. I rested my head on the steering wheel "She's fine. She's fine," I kept saying to myself. It's now 11:21pm. "This was a mistake," I started to pull out of the parking lot when I saw her. She wore her pjs. She was at the dumpster throwing out a bag. I watched her as she walked. She was slumbing and looking frantically to her left and right, like she was looking for something. Something bad. She quickly ran up the stairs and escaped behind her door. I sat in my car for another ten minutes trying to build up the courage to get out.

Finally, I took a deep breath, and got out of my car. I quickly walked up to her door before I lost my nerve, and banged on the door. There was no answer, so I tried again. Again, no response.

"Amara, I know you're in there," I called through the door. I could hear her shuffle her feet from inside. Slowly, the door creaked open, hardly wide enough for me to see inside. Amara peeked her head around the door to see who it was. I could feel her eyes on me, trying to detect something. She was so cautious, like she was expecting I was going to hurt her.

"Hello?" she said timidly, her voice no louder than a whisper.

I waited for her to realize it was me, but there was no recognition in her voice. She spoke like I was a stranger.

"Hey," I said in the calmest voice I could. "Sorry to barge in on you like this, but I wanted to make sure you were okay." I waited for her to respond, but she didn't say anything. "It's me," I said, now regretting my choice to come over. Was she weirded out that I had come over? We had only spoken like four times, and now I was standing outside her door at midnight. I must've looked like a creep. "I...I just wanted to check in...um, it's me?"

There was a hesitated pause, where there was nothing between us but confused silence. After what seemed like an eternity, Amara finally took a breath to speak.

"Who?"