By Her Side

Chapter 8: Sketching Solutions

A/N: Sorry for the wait, but school finals are starting and I've been cramming in so much studying. But here it is, the next chapter. This one is quite long, much longer than the other chapters of this book, it will switch from Amelia's to Claire's a couple times. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

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~ Amelia's POV ~

I arrived at her house half-an-hour later. She sent me the address and I parked my car at the curb. I took her jacket from the passenger seat and got out of the car. Locking it as I walked out and stood in front of her house. I took a few seconds to admire the nice front yard and design. I bet the inside looks even more amazing. Walking up the brick steps to her house, she had sent me a text saying she had a spare key under the mat. I looked under and found a silver key, I unlocked the door and came in, taking the key with me.

I stepped into the tiled floor and closed the door. "Hey Claire, I'm here. I brought your coat." I said. I walked in further as I heard no answer. Placing it on the living room couch and the key on the coffee table. I looked around, then heard a noise from up the stairs. Looking up to the ceiling, then shrugged, taking out my phone, I looked through the contacts for her number and called. No answer as well... Is she okay? I immediately flinched when I heard another loud slam. I began walking up the stairs slowly, a yell then came from a room. The door was closed as I heard the words that sounded like 'get off of me!' and I immediately ran down the hall and burst through, into the room.

I reacted the scene in front of me as I pulled a woman off of a painful looking Claire, "Hey get off of her!"

"Who the fuck are you?" The woman glared.

"A friend, now who are you?" I spoke and met her intense glare back.

"I'm her girlfriend." The woman said.

"E-e-ex..." Claire spoke, hoarsely, almost in tears. Her hand hugged her body. Her expression looked terrified, her bun had fallen out and is a mess, her blouse she wore was ripped and her jeans were half down her ankles.

"I think you should leave." I said calmly to the woman, while my eyes still glared intensely at her.

"What if I don't want to leave? What are you going to do about it? Like you said, you're her friend, where I would mean more to her than some friend would." She spat.

"Shut up." Claire said calmly. "Just shut up." She said making us both look at Claire. She then looked up at the woman. "Juliette, leave. We're done. I told you that a few hours ago. Just leave... Leave, I'm tired of dealing with this."

"Baby—"

"No, you don't get a say. Take your fuckin' clothes. Get the fuck out of my room and get the fuck out of my house. And get the fuck out of my life. Stay away from me... You broke me Juliette. You. Broke me! Now get out!" She yelled through tears.

"No, I won't leave. I came to apologize and I won't stop till you finally accept me back."

She stepped closer and I stepped in between then, "Please leave." I just said.

"Stay out of this, you don't get a say, this is our problem. Not yours."

"To hell it is, if youre going to abuse my friend right here, I have a damn right to fuckin' interfere." I said.

"You're just a kid, what are you fourteen, now move. We don't need a bitch like you in the way." She said angrily.

The next noise that came across the home and through the house was harsh. I watched as Juliette's face was now looking to the side, breaking our gaze and I could see Claire standing next to me. She had swung her hand across Juliette's cheek, as the sound of the slap echoed out the room. The tension was strong and the sound of silence stood for a minute.