Don’t get me wrong, I still fucking hate her, and I want her to pay for what she’s done, but I also want to unearth all her secrets. Maybe there are a few I could use to make her disappear back to New York and far away from what’s left of my family.
I pull into my dad’s driveway and kill the engine. It snowed a lot the last few days and everything is coated with a thick layer of the white shit. I hate snow, I hate the cold, and I hate Whitsborough. I get out and groan when the snow comes up above my boots, the cold, wet powder slipping inside.
Just as I turn around, I am blasted in the face with a ball of the shit.
“What the fuck?” I exclaim.
“Welcome back, big brother.” Amelia calls out as I clear the snow out of my eyes.
“You’re done.” I grin and chase after her.
She screams and tries to run back to the front door, only to slip and fall on her ass. I begin to howl with laughter and slip right beside her, landing on my back. Both of us are laughing so hard and when she sits up, I grab a handful of the stuff, slipping it inside of her sweater.
“Neil!” She squeals and stands to shake out the snow, only to slip back down again.
“You two are going to catch a cold out here.” Shay calls out from the door, a wide smile on her face. “How was the drive, Neil?”
Amelia and I get up, dusting off our asses, and carefully tread it back to the house.
“The drive wasn’t too bad.”
“Come on in and get some cocoa.” She says and steps aside for us.
Thank god for Shay, otherwise I would have my father’s blood on my hands, and only my mother left as family. She somehow puts up with him and for that alone I am grateful. Then she gave us Amelia and I grew to love her for it.
“Son!” My father’s booming voice calls from the TV room. “Get in here.”
Shay looks behind her shoulder towards his voice and then back to me with a small smile.
“He’s missed you.” Her voice is soft.
“Yeah.” I nod.
“I’ll make cocoa,” Amelia heads to the kitchen, “you say hi to Dad.”
I head to the family room and find him immersed into a football game, a bottle of whiskey beside him. I don’t know how he functions enough to work and I get the feeling the Greenes keep him around out of pity.
“Son, come watch the game.” He pats the couch cushion beside him.
I sit down further down the couch and watch the game in silence, he never actually wants to talk to me. Amelia comes into the room and her brow lifts at the silence. She hands me a cup of hot chocolate and sits between us.
“How has school been?” She asks me and dad finally looks at me.
“Good.” I nod and sip the warm chocolate. “How about you?”
“It’s been okay,” her head dips and I know she’s lying.
I let it be for now because I know she doesn’t like to upset Dad and have him storm the school. He’s an embarrassment nowadays.
I finish the cocoa and stand, “I’m gonna go get settled.”
“Dinner is at eight.” Dad says, his eyes never straying from the TV.
“Cool.” I nod at Amelia, “come help me.”
We head upstairs and I pause slightly at Charlotte’s door before moving on down to my own. I can’t lose sight of what I need to do, no matter how attractive my target is, and how intrigued I am by her.
Amelia follows me in and crashes on top of my bed, “look,” she starts, “everything is fine.”
“Spit it out.”
“Neil…”
“Amelia.” I stare down at her. “Spit. It. Out.”
“I’m just upset about something stupid and I’ll get over it. I see it everyday at school and it pisses me off.” She huffs, but I don’t miss the way her face loses colour. “I just can’t tell you.”
“Are you being bullied?” I ask as I sit beside her.
“No,” she shakes her head, “trust me Neil it’s not that bad, really.”
“As long as you aren’t hurt or anything.” I tell her.
“Nothing physical, no.”
“Is it a guy?”
“No.” She sighs and I begin to see what’s happening.
“Is it that Cam guy? Did he get another girlfriend or something?” I would kill the fucker if he used my sister in any way.
“No!” She looks at me wide eyed. “I told you, me and him aren’t like that.”
Her phone pings with a message and she pulls it out. I see the notification on her lock screen, Veronica Hanes.
“Who is that?” The name sounds familiar.
“A girl from school.” She shrugs, “she’s been really nice to me and I’ve started hanging out with her group.”
“Be careful,” I tell her. “Well, what does she want? Are you guys going to make a burn book or something?”
“Please tell me you did not just reference Mean Girls.” She rolls her eyes.
“Charlotte made me watch it.” I shrug and laugh.
“Charlotte had a crush on Rachel McAdams.” She huffs and I laugh.
“Who didn’t?”
She snorts and opens her phone, reading the message, and a large grin takes over her face.
“What?”
“There’s a party tonight at Veronica’s and we have to go.” She stands and does a little jump.
“No thanks, I’m not going to another high school party.” I shake my head.
“Perfect.” She claps her hands, “Veronica’s sister Riley is throwing it and she goes to college.”
“Hell no!” I shake my head again, “you’re not going to a college party.”
“Neil!” She stomps her foot, “do you ever have fun?”
Her words hit me in the chest and I absorb them slowly. I do try to have
