CHAPTER18
♤ Hurts so good - Astrid
~A heart Adrift~
Amilia is rudely awakened by the incessant ringing of her phone. Groaning, she reluctantly answers without checking the caller ID.
"What?"
She says lazily mumbling in a low tone
The voice on the other end replies,
"Hey, it's me."
Amilia's heart leaps into her throat as she jumps out of bed and looks at the phone, surprised.
"Why would you call?"
The person says,
"I get the impression my call wasn't welcome."
Amilia tries to steady her racing heart as she replies,
"Oh no no it's not like that, but Why did you call?"
She couldn't be happier that he called.
"Because I'm outside your apartment."
Amilia's eyes widen in shock, and she rushes to the door, stumbling in her haste. She flings the door open to find him standing there infront of her with all his might,
Gabriel.
Looking at her with a warm smile.
He is dressed in a cozy hoodie, a unique shade of forest green, accentuating his toned physique. His sleeves, pushed up slightly, revealing his strong forearms. Underneath the hoodie, he wore a simple t-shirt, adding to his casual yet stylish look. His jet black hair falls messily across his forehead and everywhere else, that gives him a relaxed, effortlessly cool vibe.
Gabriel clears his throat, drawing Amilia's attention back to him.
"Hello, beautiful."
Amilia couldn't help the sudden warmth that spread across her cheeks as she replies,
"Hi, Gabriel."
He places a big shopping bag in front of her, which she hadn't noticed before.
Curiously, she asks, taking it from him.
"What's this?"
He responded with a small smile
"It's a gift from someone to you."
Amilia smiles unknowingly, assuming it's from the guys.
"Oh, did the guys give it to you to bring it to me?"
Gabriel simply nods, not in the mood to talk about something else, and steps forward, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"You look more beautiful like this."
Amilia's heart skips a beat at his words, and she quickly looks down at herself, realizing she's still in her pajamas. Flustered, she hurriedly runs off before thanking him, stumbling on the steps, and she doesn't miss Gabriel's soft chuckle that follows behind her.
Rushing upstairs to the bedroom, Amilia throws the bag onto her bed and hurries into the washroom. Standing in front of the mirror, she takes in her appearance;
Her hair is a tangled mess, with stray strands sticking out in all directions. Her eyes look tired and puffy, with dark circles underneath from a restless night of crying. She's dressed in her pajamas, a cozy set of matching top and bottoms.
Feeling embarrassed and frustrated, Amilia can't help but wonder why Gabriel would call her beautiful when she feels like a mess.
She can't help but think that his "Rose" must be much prettier than her.
(Stupid heart stupid heart stop beating this fast, he was probably joking!!!)
AMILIA
Sitting in my room at 10AM, the weight of the graduation ball evening seemed to settle in with a mix of anticipation and a twinge of discomfort. It had been a whirlwind of activity since we woke up, with all the boys rallying by my side, offering laughs and brief escapes from the bubbling nerves. Yet, as they filed out one by one, leaving me to the quiet of my own company, I started becoming anxious.
I found out none of them had bought the dress, which led to a wild thought: could Gabriel have bought it for me? Joke of the year—why would he?
I'm pretty sure if he did buy a dress, it would be for that 'someone special,' not me.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the thought.
"Quit moving, Lia, you're going to ruin the mascara,"
Amie warned.
"Oh, sorry,"
I replied, realising my position.
We were in the thick of getting ready, the air filled with the scent of hairspray and the subtle undertones of our excitement mixed with anxiety. My hair was neatly done, pinned and set to perfection, while Amie had just finished applying her makeup, her skills evident in the flawless look she put up.
Now, she was focused on me, her hands steady as she worked her magic on my face, promising to transform me as best as she could. Once she was done, she planned to tackle her hair, leaving that task for last. I, on the other hand, was more than content to sit back and let her take the lead.
After all, when it came to beauty routines and mastering the art of elegance, I was utterly lost. The fact that Amie could navigate this world with such ease always amazed me, her confidence and skill acting as a calm while I'm a bundle of nerves.
She steps back, a grin playing on her lips.
"Done," she declares
As I move to look at the mirror, She blocks my view
"You'll have to wait to see the final result. It's all part of the fun!"
I chuckle nervously, trusting her expertise but still anxious about the outcome.
After what felt like an eternity, we both stand before the full-length mirror in Amie's cluttered room.
I take a moment to take in my appearance in the mirror. My hair cascades down in loose waves, pinned back elegantly at the back, framing my face. The dress I'm wearing hugs my figure perfectly, as if it were tailored specifically for me.
I never put on alot of makeup, but today Amie insisted on painting my face with a generous amount, and as I gaze at my reflection, I can't help but feel a sense of awe. The makeup enhances my features, highlighting my eyes and adding a touch of radiance to my complexion. I can't deny —I look stunning.
Amie stands besides me, her dress reveals a thigh-high cut, highlighting her figure, while her hair flows freely with a few strands pinned back, giving her a playful air. She looks pretty.
Despite the chaos around us, we're both beaming with excitement.
"Ready?"
Amie asks, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
We exchange a knowing glance and I nod in response
"Yes"
*Now this is what they look like, remember Amilia has rich brown chestnut hair and Amie has Auburn brown.*
AMIE.
Hairstyle.
DRESS.
AMILIA
Hairstyle.
DRESS.
(In love with her outfit😍)
As we take in our reflection, the door to the apartment swings open, and the boys burst in, dressed in sleek black suits—fitting for the ball's theme. Amie and I share a playful smirk, proud of our decision to defy the rules, we picked bright colors instead of usual black suits, breaking the rules.
Noah looks nice with his dark brown hair and same warm brown eyes, smiling at me.
They all look nice. Arik's green eyes stand out against his tan skin and curly hair, while Nathan has electric blue eyes and a fair complexion.
The boys look.
"Looking sharp, gentlemen,"
I tease, admiring their polished appearance, they all laugh.
Noah quickly responds,
"And you look humanly, Am. I'm impressed,"
earning an elbow in his stomach from me. We laugh together as Arik chimes in with a remark of his own,
"Yeah, you look like a doll Amilia."
This has me blushing as I push them away.
We see Nathan exchanging a glance with Amie before they start blushing. It's infectious, and we all burst into laughter.
I glance at the entrance, and ask Noah quietly, who's standing beside me,
"Jarred didn't come?"
He responds with a sigh,
"He'll be at the venue. I guess!"
And whispers the last part but I heard it.
A lump of sadness forms in my chest, and I can't help but wonder what's going to happen.
•~•~•~•~•~•
Right now we're sitting in tha car heading towards our destination. I glance towards my left to see Noah sulking like a kid, and I immediately thought back to the time we first met, when we were sitting on the stairs of the abandoned theatre; their place now. He had the same look on his face now.
We started about an hour ago.
And while everyone was settling in the car, Noah and Arik started arguing over who would sit in the passenger seat like some toddlers. I had to step in and pull Noah to the back, so now I'm sitting in the middle.
Even though the college arranged buses for the trip, we decided to take Nathan's car instead because it would be more convenient and faster. We figured it would only take us about 9 hours to get there with Nathan's great driving skills, compared to the 18 hours on the bus. Nathan revved up the engine, and off we went, excited for the adventure ahead.
I don't know why they settled for some mysterious and a very far-off venue. I was thinking this as sleep took over me.
As I stirred awake from a long nap, I groggily inquired about our progress.
"How much longer?" I mumbled, still half-asleep.
"Just two more hours they say."
Amie replied from my right.
I tilt my head backwards resting it on the seat, as I take in the car's interior—the seats, the dashboard, and the view outside the window. I realise it's Nathan sitting besides me now, while Noah is driving and Arik is sitting on the passenger seat like a passenger princess he is.
And then —the familiar melody of "Stereo Hearts" by Gym Class Heroes greets my ears.
My heart's a stereo
It beats for you, so listen close
Hear my thoughts in every note
Make me your radio
Turn me up when you feel low
This melody was meant for you
Just sing along to my stereo
Blinking away the remnants of sleep, I find myself smiling at the sound. I like the beat of it. With a contented sigh, I settle back into my seat, feeling grateful for having Arik and Noah here with me, they never fail to uplift my mood. The music fills the car.
I listen to the boys singing along, their voices blending with the music in perfect harmony. Noah's grin as he adjusts the volume knob, Nathan tapping his fingers to the beat, and Arik swaying his head to the rhythm—it's moments like these that make me cherish our friendship even more.
With Noah now at the wheel -- driving with Noi speed, we will make swift progress along the road. Every now and then, we had been making a brief stop, capturing moments with snapshots and stretching our legs at rest stops along the way. It was a welcome break from the monotony of the journey, allowing us to recharge before continuing our adventure towards our destination.
•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
When we finally arrived, I found myself standing on a spacious lawn in front of the mansion, gazing up at its imposing structure. A strange feeling stirred within me; my head began to throb, and I felt sick.
But then, I heard the boys saying.
"Your majesty has arrived bow down."
Turning, I saw Gabriel approaching in his elegance, his black suit accentuating his muscular build, tailored to perfection. My eyes traced over him—his dark, jet-black hair slightly obscuring his eyes. Those eyes... they were a deep grey, like storm clouds ready to burst.
my heart sank in a pit as my gaze diverted to the girl next to him. Her dress was a bold choice, a black thigh-high slit but far more revealing than Amie's, clinging tightly to her figure. I wondered how she managed to fit into it as she smiled, her hand resting on Gabriel's bicep. The sound of her high heels echoed towards us, pulling my heart apart. I wanted to escape, to hide, but it was too late—they were already approaching. I watched in a daze as the boys moved ahead of us and each of them greeted her with hugs, which she returned warmly.
As Gabriel lifted his gaze to mine, I quickly looked away, what broke my heart even more was seeing him standing there looking all happy.
He didn't even greet me!
The girl left the boys side and made her way towards me and Amie. Her gaze then turned to me, scanning my dress before she offered a smile and extended her hand.
"Hi, I'm Bianca"
she introduced herself. I shook her hand, replying,
"I'm Amilia. Nice to meet you,"
In a voice barely above a whisper.
Abruptly, she withdrew her hand, her smile fading into a puzzled look, and again scanned me with a more strange kinda disgusted? look.
"I suppose in a sea of black, you two definitely are... noticeable,"
she said, her tone laced with a hint of arrogance.
"It's certainly a good tactic to make an impression."
I bristled at her words but stayed silent, feeling Amie squeeze my shoulder in silent support.
"That's the point,"
Amie shot back with a smile.
"We're here to be noticed."
The air between us charged with tension from the exchange, but neither side pushed further. She turned on her heels heading back to the boys, clearly ignoring us.
I felt out of place, even with the boys—who were supposed to be my friends—standing just a few feet away, made me feel insecure.
My evening is definitely ruined!
After a few hours, I find myself standing alone, mindlessly gulping down a shot of this shitty alcohol. I've lost count of how many I've had; I just want to escape, forget.... forget the reality that Gabriel has completely ghosted me, not even spared me a glance.
My friends check on me occasionally before disappearing again. Amie and Nathan are here somewhere and I pushed Amie to go when she was reluctant to stay besides me, she didn't need to babysit me. No one seemed to truly care, pushing me to the verge of tears. But what really drove me to drown myself in this shit drink is seeing Gabriel right in front of me, completely unaware of my existence, dancing with that - B for Bianca and B for Bitch, - as if she's the only one in the world.
As I stumbled out of the ballroom, the sharp contrast between the lively music inside and the silent, sprawling lawn outside hit me. It was like stepping into a different world—one where the stars were my only companion watching me. The cool night air wrapped around me, a stark reminder of the isolation that seemed to follow me like a shadow.
"He was never mine,"
I murmured to myself, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.
The scene of Gabriel and Bianca, their bodies close enough to blur the lines between them, was seared into my mind. It was a vivid, painful reminder of the distance that lay between what I wished for and what was reality.
Tears spilled over, tracing cold paths down my cheeks. They were silent testimonies of a pain so deep, so raw, it threatened to consume me. I had held on to a hope, cherished it like a fragile flame, only to watch it crumble before my eyes.
The further I walked, the heavier my heart felt. Each step was a battle, a fight to keep moving when every fiber of my being wanted to collapse under the weight of my shattered dreams.
Why was it always me who had to bear this ache? Why did happiness seem like a foreign concept, always just out of reach? Why was there no one by my side,
(Mama, Papa, I miss u)
It felt as though I was lost at sea, waves of despair threatening to pull me under, with no sight of land or hope on the horizon.
Suddenly, a loud screech jolted me out of my thoughts. A black SUV pulled up beside me, its tires squealing against the pavement. Before I could react, a person jumped out of the car and approached me. A scream tore through my throat, I yelled, but it didn't matter. I was too far from the mansion, so no one would hear me. It was pointless. and a man dressed in black appeared, quickly covering my mouth with a cloth to quieten me.
The world spun around me but before I lost consciousness I heard the man utter something in a foreign language.
"Va bene ora, chiudi gli occhi."
He drawls
(Italian|It's all okay, now close your eyes.)
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Author's Note:
Buckle up, because this is the climax where the real story takes off—hold tight and trust the process, because things are about to get intense.
Don't forget to vote andcomment your thoughts about this story :)
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