Tell me you love me

Chapter 15

I knew it. “I have witnesses supporting my story and does she have any injuries that show I badly hurt her? In fact, does she have any injuries at all?”

They both deliberated for a while and I just sat there, watching the clock hands move. Then it struck me. Nate was living with us. This was a complete disaster. How do you avoid someone when they sleep in your house?

The principle snapped me back into reality. “Two weeks detention. And I’ll have a talk with Hannah”

I nodded and quickly left the room. Detention. I’d never gotten it before in my life. And now I had two weeks full of it.

*       *       *

The rest of the day flew by. I had some of the tough guys come up and hit on me, since they thought I was suddenly attractive now that I was violent. Then in art class we had to paint our emotions but all I could paint were dark blue and purple. Hannah had crudely suggested I use red, as in her blood that I splattered.

The class had a laugh at that. But I told her to use yellow. For her ridiculously bleached hair. The teacher gave me a disapproving look after calming the class down, who had laughed up a riot.

Mum had told me that she was picking up Nate and I in the car. So I immediately hopped on the bus.

When I got home mum was really mad. Something about thinking I’d been kidnapped. I just told her that I’d forgotten she was picking me up.

I ran upstairs to my room and slammed the door shut. Dad had fixed it earlier.

I dove my head into my pillow and tried to go to my happy place. It was actually just anywhere but where I was. Maybe in outer space.

“Dinner’s ready” A gruff voice was outside my door and I knew it was him.

My thoughts darkened. “Why don’t you just eat mine, since you’ve already ruined my appetite and everything else”

There was silence for a moment before I heard him heading downstairs. Guilt ran through me no matter how much I hated it.

I closed my eyes and slept for a while. In my dreams angry people were chasing me. I didn’t know why they were mad, but they definitely wanted to hurt me.  I was woken by the sound of knocking on my door.

“Hey Amy. It’s me Jacob”

I kept quiet.

My door swung open and I sat up in an instant. “Ever heard of asking?”

He grinned. “I knocked and acknowledged myself. What else was there to do but barge in?”

I walked up and shut my door. “What time is it?”

“10:30. Your sisters are in bed but everyone else is watching that new movie, I don’t know what it’s called. Something about vampires. Boring” He yawned.

“So you decided to come annoy me?” I said dryly.

“Precisely”

I sighed. “Well I’m sorry Jacob, but tonight I just can’t put up with you”

“I didn’t know I was that bad. In fact at school I’m quite the ladies man”

I laughed faintly. “You keep telling yourself that”

“How about we play a game?” He suggested.

I rolled my eyes. “A game?”

“I’ll ask you a question and you answer” I knew where he was going with this.

“Sound’s like a pretty lame game to me Jacob” I muttered.

He chuckled. “Just stick with it. Okay, why are you mad at Nate?”

I frowned. “Cos he’s stupid. Can we play something different now? Like I don’t know, Marco Polo?”

Now he frowned. “But there’s no water around here”

“My point. So go jump in a lake”

“That’s nice”

I put on my best smile. “How about hide and seek. You hide and I’ll find you…eventually. In my own time. Be expecting a hiding time of about five years”

He rolled his eyes. “Now you’re not even trying to come up with good ideas”

I gritted my teeth. “Hey, give me a break”

He put his hands up defensively. “Calm down Amy, I’m just trying to cheer you up”

“Well you’re doing the exact opposite”

I sat down and put my head in my hands.

I felt the bed jolt as he sat beside me. “Would a chocolate bar make you happy?”

I nodded. “Of course. It’s chocolate”

Jacob grinned. “Well there’s a whole bowl downstairs. All you’ve got to do is go grab one”

This was his plan all along. To make sure I had to talk to Nate.

“Better idea” I said cheerfully. “You go get me one and I don’t kill you”

“You couldn’t kill me”

I glared. “Wanna try me?”

He backed away. “I’m sure you’ll feel much better after eating that Turkish delight”

“A Turkish delight?” This changed the tables. I loved those things and would do nearly anything for one. Nearly anything.

He nodded. “Lot’s of them. Just waiting for you. Can’t you hear them Amy? They’re calling you”

“No Jacob. Because unlike you, I’m not crazy and can’t hear chocolates talking to me!”

“Whatever. More for me” He teased and walked out of my room. My fingers twitched with the thought of sugar. I’d missed dinner and my stomach really wanted some food.

I slowly stepped out of my room and peeked down the stairs. I could see everyone sitting on the couch. And there, on the coffee table, was a big bowl of Turkish delights.

The temptation was large. I really wanted one. But was it worth it? What if mum got me to stay and watch the movie? No way was I being in the same room as Nate.

I gave a large sigh and walked back into my room. This would be a long hungry night.

After an hour or two, I finished reading my book and switched off the light. It seemed the movie had just ended, because my parents came upstairs.

I curled up under the covers and tried to block out all noises. But it didn’t exactly work.

There was a slight crinkling noise, the same noise I hear when Jacob tries to steal stuff from our pantry.

I peeked over the covers and saw Nate walking away. He’d left a pile of Turkish Delights on the floor. I smile was on my face before I could stop it.

I tiptoed over to them and scooped them up gently. Food!

It wasn’t until I heard the creaking noise of someone standing in the hall that I jumped back into my bed and held my breath.

“Amy?” I heard him whisper. Just stay quiet.

He slowly walked away and I let out a sigh of relief. But how long could I keep this up?

Suddenly my appetite had vanished.

Are you kidding me? No it hasn’t, I’m still starving! My stomach gurgled angrily.

Oh calm down. You’ll get your chocolate.

As I ate each chocolate I felt worse and worse. This was the most terrible situation I’d been in.

And I knew it was an uphill battle from here.