I'm Not In Love

Chapter Four

So after my part-time job and the celebration at a bar: where the boys drank to their heart contents, I left for amy's house. We would be going to prime tomorrow morning. It was late in the night and warm air sifted calmly around, my long hair dancing in its rhythm. I sighed softly, I felt free in it... Damn I felt a whole lot of things.

Amy's house was a big duplex in the midst of other terraced buildings. She was living alone with,Grace, her mother's mum ,ever since her parents died in a plane crash three months ago, on their way back home from a vacation trip in Dubai. Amy's wound was still fresh and still hurts a lot. I would never forget the day my friend broke down, it was a very dark day for her, and all of us. Amy cried, till I thought she would lose her voice. I lost a cheerful and outgoing Amy three months ago, what I got instead was a boring, gloomy and wretched looking friend . I tried spending more of my time with her, so she doesn't feel lonely and sad. Grace was also indifferent, she just wouldn't show it, not to Amy. The girl was far from recovering from her loss. She was always indoors and barely spoke a word or two.

But hopefully, these past days, after a successful day out with my dance team, I saw amy seeming vibrant, at Disneyland, she was smiling a lot. I was so grateful for that. It was like I just solved a difficult puzzle.

At the end of the day, she hugged me and I almost cried. I missed my best friend. She told me she would try her best at being her again, I just needed to give her some time. And that was all I needed to hear.

I was sure she was going to be so happy when she hears the news. I knocked at the door and Grace answered. Something was off. Grace would have smiled back at me, once I greeted her.

"what's wrong? ", I asked her

She was crying, as she let me in, her palm covering her mouth.

"c'mon grace, let me in. What's wrong. " ,this time around there was no doubt, something was really disturbing her, and I had to figure it out, " is it Amy? ", I asked carefully, my eyebrows were knotted, and fear was definitely written on my face.

Grace nodded. She blinked back tears to look at me. She looked bad.

"where is she? ", I asked, this time aiming for her bedroom.

"No, she is in the basement. ", Grace told me.

' Basement?. f**k! ', I spat, and hurried down to the basement. Amy was really there, crouched on the floor, dumping away stuffs frantically. She was throwing out things from boxes as if she was finding something. The dim lit room looked rough and scattered, as if a thief had broken in.

" come on Amy, what the heck do you think you are doing! ", I said, went over to pick her up, but she jeered my hands away. Damn, that felt like I was stabbed in my stomach.

" Dad wrote a journal for me before their trip. He wanted me to see it once I turned 20 . But I must find it. He left it somewhere here " she wasn't calm at all as she ranted on. She was in a frenzy, as if she was put on speed mode. She left the box she was rummaging, to another bigger one.

Tears stung my eyes. I thought I was having my friend back. What the hell was all this. "stand up, Amy. For f**k sake, get the hell up!" I shouted, as if to bring her back to reality, because obviously she was lost in a world I didn't know. I pulled her up forcefully, and I was stung by her reaction.

" Leave me the Hell alone!!, go away! Go! ",she said this and went back to work. Her stupid work . What was wrong with her, was she on a pill or what. I was her friend and yet it was as if she doesn't know me. I felt like someone had just hit me with a sledgehammer.It hurts a lot, I had a lot of "what's and why's " going on in my head. Why was she doing this to herself. What has gotten into her. What was wrong with her. Why was life doing this to her. Why?.

" fine. Find your stupid journal and never go out of this place until you do. Okay?.I'll leave you alone, so make sure you find that f*****g journal or I'm never seeing you again !" ,I yelled at her, but she didn't even give me any reaction.

Wow!

I left the house in a speed, ignoring grace's worried look. I couldn't even look her in the eye, that woman was hurting a lot, she just lost her son and daughter-in-law to an horrorful death, and now her granddaughter was in the basement acting like a nuisance. How would grace be feeling now, she was old and really deserve to be happy for the rest of her life.

I hope Amy knew how much she was hurting us. And I really hope she comes to her senses, because I really did not want to lose her. I walked home gloomy,so much for having a great day.

*. *. *. *

I had woken up the next morning feeling weird. It was different from the way I felt before. It started last year, I would feel my hands and feet go numb for at least twenty seconds. Later it increased. This time around I was on the bed and I couldn't get my legs to stand up. It was so bad and scary, it lasted two minutes and I thought I was going to die. Which was why I got to the hospital first thing that morning,prior to the doctor's appointment.

I was sitted at the second row of the chairs arranged in front of the receptionist corner. I was wearing my blue tinted hair in a ponytail, so that the silver ends was dripping down my breast. It kind of complimented my smooth, oval face in a way that it made me 15 but I was actually nineteen. I just made out of high school last year December. Dancing had kept me occupied,while I processed my college admission and God bless me I would be dancing alongside celebs at my teen age. Oh goodie!...the excitement still lingers.

I was wearing a blue, jean jacket over a white singlet, a skin tight trouser and a pair of white, balenciaga sneakers. I am Anna Luke after all, I tint my hair often and mum didn't care. I was mostly dressed like the girl-with-the-attitude type. No skirts. No heels.

The way I was sitted amongst those tall people was kind of killing my esteem. I wasn't a tall girl, but I wasnt short too. I was 5'5 feets away.

While in my thoughts,my phone jeered me back to reality and I picked it to see the caller ID. It was Amy. Broad smile propped on my face. It was only a night back and it felt like forever.

"Well well, if it isn't Miss Amy Brown", I started off jokingly,and I heard a soft chuckle.

"Hi" ,she said quite nervously, I could hear it in her voice

"Hi you.", I replied. As much as I'd like to get mad for what she did last night, I figured I should cut her some slack. She probably needed some time to heal.

"So uh.."

Oh and there goes the awkwardness. At least she feels guilty enough.

Well then I figured that was my cue to help start off the conversation. I actually felt bad for shouting at her too.

"You see I'm sorry about yesterday. I kinda figured you've still got yourself in that cacoon of yours. And it's hellish to see,Amy ,honestly. You're not only hurting yourself in the process, you're hurting me and Grace too.

So I'm sorry I yelled at you yesterday, I hope you understand why I did.", Well I hoped she did and would assure me to change.

Amy let out a sigh,"I totally do ,Anna. I don't know why you still decide to be my friend after all these shitty things I've been through. ", She paused and continued, "thank you and...and I'm sorry if I've hurt you. I'm sorry.".

I smiled so much that my cheeks are now hurting, " no problem babe, all is forgiven".

And we both laughed.

"So uhm...Anna ?", she called.

"Yeah?"

"While I was checking the basement last night, I couldn't find the journal, instead I found a clue. I think Dad wants to give me an adventure. He wrote that and I quote "you seek the hidden treasure, but strange are things, strange it will be, but it will mean a lot".

"Strange? What does that mean" I asked

"I thought a lot and Grace told me there is this inn in lake field where Dad and Mom first met. And it's name is strange. So it could be there ".

I groaned. I'm not really buying that idea.

"Oh hey, wait up... Before you go all groaning on me. If I eventually fail at this I promise to give up and focus on college. But if I do succeed, then heaven bless me! " ,She said,so ecstatic and sure.

"Okay babe. Permission granted. Just call me on how it goes, okay". I said, and saw the nurse call the man in front of me in.

"Sure"

"Okay bye" and with that said I hung up.

And I heaved a sigh, another call hit my phone and I saw it was Zak . Zak?, why is he calling so early. "Hey zak,yo what's up".

" Where the hell are you, we are all at prime already. And everyone is waiting for the team leader." He sounded so low,as if he was whispering.

Wait what ?! " You are at prime already ? " ,I was starting to recollect something... s**t! ,the contract thingy. Now I was restless," uh..Zak , could you please fill in an excuse for me, I gat something urgent right now . I'll be there soon"

" You best be here very soon". He said and hung up.

Woah,thank God the hospital was in town. But why did I forget,I don't forget things , not this type of things.

Where is the nurse,where is the goddamn ...

"Anna Luke?", The nurse called.

"Yes!" I shouted.