This Changes Everything

03. the very first night

They go to bed pretty early due to their twin babies so I doubt they're ringing my doorbell.

The grandfather clock in the corner of the living room reads half-past seven. Hmm, maybe it can be them? But what would they want?

Salt? No, they asked for that last week.

Corn? Maybe, they weirdly always seem to be needing corn.

Hesitantly, I get up from my spot and make my way to the kitchen where I place the bowl in the sink and run water into it until the bowl is half full.

I also knock on Anthony's door and tell him to shut the hell up. He yells back some half-hearted insult that I ignore as I make my way to the door.

"Coming, coming!" I call out as the knocking grows more impatient.

I stabilise myself with a measured breath before opening up the door. I don't know who I expect to be on the other side but I'm glad when it's just Amethyst.

She's changed out of her school get-up and is currently sporting low-rise jeans and a maroon off-the-shoulder long-sleeved top. There's a black spider print that spreads a web on the front of the top.

My eyes flicker from her top to her hands where she's struggling to carry my favourite Cathans Chocolatier almond-infused chocolates against her chest and a bouquet of light pink and white tulips.

My favourite flowers.

"Ames?" My voice comes out unsure and bewildered. I thought she had cheer practice.

Amethyst raises a perfectly brushed-out brow. "You didn't think I was just going to let you cry by yourself?"

I step to the side, allowing her into the house whilst simultaneously accepting the flowers. "I'm not going to cry," I muffle into the flowers that block my view of her.

"Really? Because Micaela told me you cancelled work."

I roll my eyes at that, "Micala needs to keep things to herself," I'm killing her for that. "And when did you guys start talking?" I ask with a slight frown as I follow Ames deep into the house.

We walk past the family photos that Dad hung up when we first moved into the house. Dad loves memories just as much as me, and if it were up to him he'd probably have the entirety of the house covered from top to bottom in baby pictures of Anthony and me.

Thank God Mom stopped him though. Some of my nightmares used to consist of me inviting Amos over to meet my family only for Dad to put up the ugliest baby photo of me where I've pissed everywhere or something. Ew.

"...Me Before You, seriously Loles?" Amethyst muses from her spot behind the kitchen countertop as she places the two boxes of chocolates down. I slip in behind her and open the cabinet directly above the stovetop to grab out a vase.

Despite the fact we spend way more time at Amethyst's house, she's accustomed to my kitchen and moves to the bottom drawer where she pulls out a pair of scissors.

I fill the oddly shaped glass vase with water under the sink whilst she takes the flowers from me and starts snipping at the stems.

"It was the first channel that came on," I lie, failing to mention that dozens of nature documentaries and kid shows that I'd had to skip to get it.

"Really? A depressing movie about love and the lack of lasting of it is the first that comes up on the day that your slimy disgusting rat of an ex-boyfriend is found out to be cheating on you?"

Well, she doesn't have to word it like that.

"Half of America is heartbroken." I refute, snatching the tulips from her before placing them into the vase.