Torn Between Shadows And Love

TY TY

Adriano's POV

"This bi-" Diana started but I turned to glare at her before she could complete that sentence, which she immediately noticed and stood up with an awkward expression and shuffled away from the table.

"I'll go check on her." I announced and practically ran out of the cafeteria ignoring any signs of protest from Mia, Nathan, or Tyler for that matter. I couldn't be sure where she ran off to but I had a couple of spots in my mind. The library was at the top of my list as I hastily walked towards the opposite side of the building.

I noticed the absence of a librarian as soon as I entered but either way walked through the silent aisles and past the huge tables that were set up for students. I was close to giving up when I heard a small, almost inaudible sniffle and walked further through the aisles at the back of the library and found Amelia seated on the floor by the couch.

My heart broke when I looked at her tear-stained cheeks, her trembling hands which she held tightly together over her lap and her eyes downcast. She didn't notice my presence until I walked a little closer to her. She glanced down at my shoes and wrapped her arms around herself, refusing to look at me, and instead turned her face away.

I kept my bag at the side and settled down right beside her with a small sigh.

"It's okay to cry, you know." I murmured when I found her subtly wiping her tears away. "It's okay to be upset. In fact, letting it all out is always better than bottling things up." I forwarded my hand to her, a little reluctantly, "And it's okay to seek support sometimes. You don't always have to do things alone. Not when you have people who care just around the corner." I tilted my head a little to get a proper look at her face.

She glanced at my outstretched hand and hesitantly put her hand in mine making me instantly beam up at her. I engulfed her hand in mine, smiling down at her, wanting nothing more than to pull her in a close hug but I reminded myself to not cross any line.

"But, what if I don't even deserve the support? The help? Anything?"

"Doll-"

"She isn't wrong, you know. It was my fault. Everything that happened to Mom. It was all my fault."

I frowned as I felt my heart being torn open piece by piece at those words. "It was not your fault, Amy." I sternly muttered.

"You don't even know the whole story, Adriano." She whispered softly.

"But I know you."

"Do you?"

"I do. I do know you. I might not know things about you. But I know that whatever might have happened was not your fault. You can not blame yourself for something that was not in your hands. And I don't need the whole story to see that." My other hand reached out to her face and tentatively wiped her freshly spilled tears and passed her a small smile when she looked at me.

"I have something for you." I announced as I took out a Hershey's chocolate bar from my bag. "My coach won't exactly want me to have this but we'll have a cheat day today and share."

She gave me a small smile and immediately took the bar from me, more like snatched. "No cheat day for you Mr. Pietro." She announced as she opened the wrapper, ready to devour the chocolate. But she retracted her hand from mine to do so and my lips turned into a little frown but a smile still made its way to my lips as I looked at her happy face.

"That is not fair, love. You stole my chocolate."

"You offered it to me!" She defended, taking one piece from the bar and munching on it with a small smile.