Francis stood in front of the dark brown door with mixed emotions. His hands hovered over the door bell and for a moment, he contemplated if he did the right thing by coming here.
To be honest, Francis really didn't want to be here but he felt that Andrew was right. He had to talk to Amelia and get rid of the guilt and unease he felt whenever he looks at her.
After silently praying not to encounter her parents, he took a deep breath and press on the door bell.
The loud ding sound cause his heart to beat faster.
This was it. There was no going back.
The door suddenly pull open and Francis felt his heart stop when he saw Amelia standing before him looking shocked. He wasn't surprise at her expression after all he already told Andrew he won't he coming.
Francis couldn't help but stare at Amelia in awe. She was dressed in simple t shirt and short shorts that showed off her long legs. Her mid night black hair fell freely down her shoulder making her look more beautiful. Sometimes Francis finds it hard to believe that this Amelia was the same nerd he tortured two years ago. She was so different.
"Um_ hi" her nervous voice broke him out of his thought.
He immediately averted his eyes from her lovely face and stared at the ground. He didn't have any right to look at her this way when he was the one who made sure to remind her of how ugly she was in the past. Which was untrue. He just wanted to make her feel bad about herself.
Thinking back to what he did to Amelia made his fist clench. He didn't deserve her forgiveness.
Andrew had called him here so he could bond with her and maybe they might become friends but how was he even going to start talking and smiling at her knowing he was taking advantage of her memory loss
But Andrew wanted him to do it. They already lied to her so maybe it wouldn't be that hard to start a friendship with her.
"F_Francis, are you okay?" Only when he heard her voice did he realize he hasn't answered her.
He suddenly felt embarrassed "I'm fine" a short pause followed before he spoke up again "um_ Andrew invited me over, is he in?"
Her eyes held a little discomfort but her lips gave him a warm smile "yes he's in. Please come in"
She pulled the door wider to welcome him in. Francis felt so weird. This is probably the longest conversation they had ever since Amelia returned from Paris and it was so formal.
Francis wasn't used to this at all. He never thought a day like this would come where he and the nerd he once bullied would be in this sort of civil situation.
The voices coming from the sitting room as Amelia lead Francis in were clear indication that the others have already arrived.
On seeing Francis, Andrew grinned and approach his friend "good you came man. I almost thought you really meant it when you said you didn't want to"
"I didn't want to be home alone" he answered honestly. His parents had long gone to england. It was something that usually happens but Francis couldn't get use to the loneliness. Not after being friends with Andrew.
Andrew lead him to the couch where they crowded around the television.
Quinn greeted him cheerfully but Dave gave him nothing but a glare despite Amelia's scolding look.
Francis sighed. Although they were high chances that Amelia would forgive him, he wasn't so sure about Dave. Not only did he make Amelia's life miserable but Dave as well and a few others but after what happen to Amelia, he had decided to change and amend all his past actions by apologizing to those who he had wronged him.
"Did you invite Erin?" Amelia asked Dave.
He looked at her and sighed "I did but she said she had to study and couldn't make it"
Everyone in the room probably knows the real reason Erin declined the hangout.
Thankfully no one mentioned Kaitlin.
The moment felt a little awkward from the begining as they all focused on the movie but soon Quinn began commenting on the movie and making small jokes causing them to laugh and just like that, the tension lifted and they were all talking and making jokes at one another. Even Francis was having a good time.
Thankfully Andrew's parent weren't going to be home anytime soon.
They spent time together until it was dark and it was time to go home.
Dave got a call from his mum so he left first after giving Amelia a kiss on her head. For some reason, Francis didn't like his gesture but he didn't know why.
Dave said his good byes to Andrew and Quinn purposely ignoring Francis but he didn't mind. He was used to it.
Quinn also decided to leave early and Andrew offered to take her considering she didn't bring her car. It seems like Andrew is finally courting her after so many months. Francis was happy for them.
He was left alone with Amelia and the silence was beyond awkward. He wanted to leave but he knew he had to talk to her first
"Are you leaving now or would you like to wait for Andrew?" Amelia asked when she notice he wasn't moving from the couch.
Francis maintain a calm expression while he was panicking inwardly. He wanted this feeling of guilt to go away but he knew he has to ask for her forgiveness for that to happen but that would mean exposing the truth to her.
He took in a deep breath "w- we never really got the chance to know each other properly" he said with a smile, ignoring her earlier question.
The look on her face shows she was more than surprise that he said that.
Slowly she nodded her head "yeah, I guess"
Silence took over the room once again. Neither of them knowing what to say but once again, Amelia broke it "you know, I couldn't approach you before cause I find you kind of scary" she admitted looking at the floor so as not to meet Francis eyes "I mean you're always so quiet and reserved and you're so popular at school so I thought it would be difficult to even talk to you"
To be honest, Amelia never planned to approach Francis or even talk to him. She was scared of him; from the first day she saw him at the airport, she didn't like him and now to worsen her situation she had began having nightmares about him bullying her which seem so real but she choose not to believe the nightmares might be memories because she knew Andrew would never hurt her. Which he did in her dreams
This past weeks, he has been so caring and loving to her and she came to realize he really wasn't the bad guy she thought he was. But she couldn't say the same for Francis. There was something about him that doesn't sit well with her.
But she decided to push all those suspicion from her mind. Andrew wanted her to get along with his best friend and that's exactly what she would do.
"I'm sorry that you find me scary" he began with a soft voice which doesn't really match the way Amelia sees him. "I get that a lot though. Its nothing new"
Amelia didn't know how to feel about his soft tone. She didn't want to believe he was a good guy. Although he is Andrew's best friend, Dave didn't like him and she trust Dave's judgement.
But for now she'll let it be for Andrew's sake.
She smiled reluctantly at him "maybe we should get to know each other better" she suggested
Her words cause a smile to appear on his lips. It was easier than he thought "yeah I would like that very much"
"So friends" she stuck out her hand pushing down her uneasy feeling and he took it quickly oblivious of her dilemma.
"Friends" he confirmed.
****
Their friendship blossom for weeks without any obstacles. Amelia was actually beginning to see Francis as a nice guy which Dave didn't approve of but it made Andrew happy.
Amelia didn't miss the hateful glare Kaitlin threw at her whenever she was with Francis but she choose to ignore it although it only seem to grow worst.
Amelia noticed that Kaitlin was distant from the group now. She doest join them for lunch and instead choose to sit with the other set of populars at the cafeteria.
It seems like something happened between the friends but no one filled her in on it and she didn't ask because it really isn't her concern.
If she was being honest, she was happy that they no longer hung out with Kaitlin. The girl was so rude and she didn't even bother to hide it.
As for Francis, he was enjoying their new found friendship a little too much. The few times he spent with Amelia made him realize what a fool he was in the past.
She was fun to be with. It made Francis wonder why he didn't realize this in the past.
Sometimes Francis gets very jealous at the affection Dave was always showering on Amelia and it didn't take a genius to know that he sees Amelia beyond friendship and for some reason the thought disturbs him.
Francis do know the reason for his jealousy but he was in denial. He couldn't like Amelia more than just friends not after all he did to her. He might have been lucky that he became her friend but he wouldn't hope for more.
He wouldn't even try to compete with Dave because he knew it wasn't possible. Amelia would never choose him over Dave and he was okay with that.
He thought he was okay with them being together.
But then He saw Erin crying in an empty classroom on Monday morning and he was beyond shocked. He had always known Erin to be calm composed and little things moved her.
Why then was she alone crying in an empty classroom?
Even when Dave always negated her to be with Amelia, she never shed a tear.
Although they were friends, they weren't really close. The only person Erin was truly close to was Dave but ever since Kaitlin pushed her into abandoning him and joining the populars she had been miserable.
He noticed that even if others didn't.
He suddenly felt remorse cause he knew he was also one of the reasons she had to betrayed her friend. He created those stupid rules that only cause pain to those who doesn't deserve it. He was so ashamed of himself right now.
Slowly he pushed the door he had been peeping through further open and Erin's teary eyes look towards him startled.
"Erin, are you okay?"
She turn her face away on realizing who it was "what are you doing here?" She asked him coldly.
He ignores her cold tone and walk towards her "I was walking by and I heard you crying. Are you okay?"
"Don't pretend like you care Francis cause I know you don't"
"Of course I do Erin. You're my friend"
She half laugh and half snort at his words "friends?" She questioned but didn't look at him "do any of you even know what that word means. All you guys ever cared about is being the cool popular jocks. Everyone else can't be normal or a nerd because they'll only end up being bullied, insulted and humiliated and then it'll push them to go be among the populars" her voice was shaky and he knew she was trying hard to control her tears. She fell silent and for a moment, he thought she wouldn't say anything else but she went on
"I was weak" she continued "Dave endured all the bullying you and your goons threw at him but I couldn't stand Kaitlin's. I wasn't as strong as Dave. I left him to become who I'm not just so the bullying would stop"
She closed her eyes and a few tears rushed out "I regretted doing what I did. Dave might have forgiven me easily but I still lost him. I used to be the one who holds his heart. He use to treat me like a princess" she smiles at the memory although the tears didn't stop "I thought things would be the same after he forgives me. I thought we would finally go back to how we were but I failed to realize that my place has already been taken by Amelia long ago"
Francis didn't know what to say so he just let her go on "I thought maybe he would realize my feelings for him were not just base on friendship but he didn't and when I couldn't bear the sight of him and Amelia always together, I decided to confess my feelings" she gave a sarcastic laugh "I didn't even get the chance to tell him how i felt before he began asking me questions on how to confess his feelings to Amelia. I felt like an idiot"
Francis eyes widen in alarm. Dave was going to confess to Amelia? He didn't like the sound of that at all.
He look towards the teary eyed girl in pity and an idea came to mind. An idea that might ruin his new found friendship with Amelia if she finds out. But he didn't want her to be with Dave.
He thought he would be okay but clearly he was wrong.
He look at Erin with a determine look "Erin" she looked back at him and he continued "we can't let that happen"
"What?" She questioned her features held confusion as she tried to grasp what he meant.
"We can't let Dave confess his feelings to lia"
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Hi guys. Here is another update and thanks for all your votes and comments; it really means a lot to me.
And also I want to inform you guys that I'll be starting a new story soon. I'm gonna be having a lot of free time now so I want to add another book to my profile. The name is "Almost lost" and I'm hoping it would be much better than "A brother's regret".
I'll be posting the first chapter tomorrow so you can check it out if you're interested.
Thank you.