In Love With The Bad Boy

Chapter three

The school gate buzzed with the final rush of students spilling out into the late afternoon sun. Voices overlapped, laughter echoed, and car engines hummed as parents arrived one after another.Amelia stood quietly beside Sophia under the shade of a tall oak tree, her bag hanging loosely from one shoulder. The wind played gently with strands of her hair, but her eyes were distant, fixed on nothing in particular. why still trying to take in the misbehaviour of ken earlier.

Sophia nudged her lightly.

"So you survived your first day?"

Amelia gave a small shrug. "I guess."

Sophia smiled. "That’s better than most people on their first day. Trust me, some people cry before lunch."

Amelia didn’t respond. Her silence wasn’t intentional it was just easier that way. Easier than pretending everything was fine.Sophia was about to continue their conversation when a car horn sounded nearby.

Sophia looked towards the direction of the horning car and said. "That’s my mum."

At the same moment, Amelia spotted another car pulling up sleek, familiar enough in design that she already knew who it was. it was her mother. The two women arrived almost at same time at the gate. Sophia’s mum stepped out first, waving warmly.

"Hi sweetheart!" she called.

Sophia ran over immediately, hugging her tightly. "Hi Mum!"

Amelia watched the scene quietly. Something in her chest tightened, but she didn’t know if it was envy or just exhaustion.

Her mum stepped out a second later from the car.

"Amelia," she said softly, a warm smile already on her face. As Amelia walked towards the car trying to get into the car, her mum asked."How was school?"

Amelia forced a small nod and said to her mum "Fine." while trying to adjust the seat belt

Her mother’s smile widened slightly, relieved just to hear her voice.

"That’s good. I was hoping you’d say that."

Sophia turned and waved at Amelia before getting into her mother’s car. "See you tomorrow!"

Amelia gave a small wave back. It was just brief and almost not noticeable.

The moment Sophia’s car disappeared, Amelia’s expression changed.

The faint softness in her eyes disappeared like it was never there.Her mum turned to her,

"Hi sweetheart, how was today" her mum said,

Amelia kept silent and just turned her face to the car window. Her mother just gave a warm smile and turn to start the car engine.The world outside blurred as the car began to move.Silence filled the space between them.

For a few minutes, only the sound of the engine and passing cars existed.Then her mother spoke again.

"That girl you were with… Sophia, right?"

Amelia didn’t respond.

"I saw you both at the gate. She seems nice. Is she your new friend?",her mum asked

But Amelia still gave no answer.

Her mother sighed softly and tried asking her more questions when Amelia cut her shut saying.

“Mum, pls can you just drive, I am having an headache“

This hit her mother somewhere in her chest, she was not happy because of how her child does not want to talk to her. Her mum kept quiet as she drove down the road to their home. the journey was just a journey of silence.no one said anything,there wasn't any questions,no replies,it was just distance.Amelia's head was just kept outside the car window as she enjoyed the breeze outside. Only the wind from the half-open window touched Amelia’s face, brushing against her skin like a distraction she needed.

while her mum just drove the car.

It wasn't up to an hour when they got home.The house stood quietly under fading light, its warm windows glowing faintly.Amelia took her bag and just jump off the car quickly not wanting her mum to say anything to her her.

Her mother followed behind, holding a small grocery bag.

"You should freshen up," her mum said gently. "Dinner will be ready soon."

"I’m not hungry," Amelia replied instantly while still walking towards her room.

Her mother paused. "Amelia… you haven’t eaten properly all day."

"I said I’m not hungry." Amelia turned in annoyance to reply her mum and then continued her journey to her room.

this time the silence between them in the house was longer

Then her mother softened her tone. "At least come and sit with me. Just a little food."

Amelia didn’t respond.

Instead, she walked past her mother and headed upstairs.

Her footsteps were heavy but controlled.

Once inside her room, she closed the door and locked it.

Only then did she breathe properly.

Her back pressed against the door for a moment before she pushed away from it.

The room was still unfamiliar to her.

She removed her school uniform slowly and changed into something more comfortable.

Then she lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

Her phone was now in her hands, She unlocked it.But instead of scrolling, her thoughts drifted. the Blue eyes, the messy brown hair, that careless expression, that arrogant voice, it was Ken Ryder.

She frowned slightly.

"How can someone look that good and still be that rude?" she muttered to herself.

Her mind replayed the scene again the motorcycle, the wind, the way he didn’t even apologize.Her lips tightened.

"So annoying," she whispered.

But even as she said it, she couldn’t stop thinking about him.A sudden vibration snapped her out of her thoughts.Her phone lit up.

Sarah is calling…

A small smile formed on Amelia’s face the first real one since she left Rosehill.

She quickly answered the call.

"Sarah!" she called out her name in excitement

"Amelia!" Sarah’s voice came through instantly, bright and excited. "Oh my God, I have missed you so much!"

Amelia laughed softly. "I miss you more."

"How are you? How’s the new place? Are you surviving or are you planning to run away already?"

Amelia sighed dramatically. "It’s…just a lot. The house is fine. School is fine. Everything is just new to me."

Sarah gasped. "New girl era! I love it."

"It doesn’t feel like that," Amelia said honestly. "It feels like I’m just existing."

"Aww," Sarah replied softly. "What about school? Any nice people?"

Amelia hesitated slightly.

Then she said, "I met someone."

"Ouu?" Sarah’s voice immediately brightened. "Tell me everything."

Amelia rolled her eyes slightly. "Her name is Sophia. She’s… actually nice. She helped me today. alot actually"

"Aww, finally a friend!"

"Yeah," Amelia admitted quietly. "She made it easier."

Then her tone changed slightly.

"But there’s this guy."

Sarah immediately reacted. "Oh?"

Amelia sighed. "Rude ,arrogant and mannerless. who thinks he owns the school."

Sarah laughed and said jokingly. "Bad boy?"

"More like an annoying boy," Amelia corrected.

then there was a small pause that followed.

"But?" Sarah teased. "You’re thinking about him."

"I’m not!"

Sarah laughed louder. "You totally are."

Amelia groaned. "Whatever."

They both laughed together.

The conversation shifted naturally after that.

"How is everyone back home?" Amelia asked softly.

Sarah paused for a second before replying. "Everyone’s okay. Things are normal like always."

"And my old neighborhood?". Amelia asked with concern

"Same as always," Sarah said quickly. "Nothing has changed."

Amelia nodded slowly, even though Sarah couldn’t see her.

"That’s good," she whispered.

Then after awhile, she added, "What about Alex?"

Amelia has been trying to put to Alex who is her boyfriend in her former school but couldn't.

There was a slight hesitation on the other side.

Then Sarah laughed lightly. "Oh him? He’s fine. Just busy with stuff or hanging around with the boys. You know how boys can be."

Amelia smiled faintly. "Yeah… I guess.I have been trying to reach him both on calls and messages but he doesn't reply"

"Don’t worry," Sarah added quickly. "He’s okay.i would let him know that you called"

"Okay," Amelia replied softly.

Something about Sarah’s tone felt slightly rushed but Amelia didn’t notice it clearly.

Or maybe she did, but ignored it.

After a while, their conversation slowed.

"I should let you sleep," Sarah said gently.

"Yeah… I’m tired.”

Then, "Bye Sarah.Will call you again later"

"Bye Amelia."

The call ended as they both said bye to eachother. The room felt quieter again.

Amelia stared at her phone for a moment, then opened Instagram.She had a notification that popped at the top of her phone which write Sophia Lian started following you.She smiled slightly and followed her back on Insta.

They immediately started chatting.

They continued chatting for a while. They made small jokes, talked more about how today school was, random comments about teachers posts.

Slowly, without realizing it, Amelia’s eyelids grew heavier and her phone slipped slightly in her hand as the messages on her phone blurred.Her breathing slowed and slowly, without meaning to, sleep pulled her under.

She was woken up by a hard knock on the door after hours of sleeping.She heard her mum called from outside her door

“Amelia, open the door“

when her mum didn't get a reply from inside she went ahead and said

“ it's already late, come downstairs and have dinner”

Amelia picked up her phone to check what the time was, she was shocked how late it was. She dropped the phone back on top of the bed and dragged herself out of her room while opening the lock of the door. she step out of her room, ignored her mum and walked straight the dinner table and had a few bites of the food on the table.

“Won't you have more?”, her mum said to her from the other side of the table

“I am full”, she replied to her mum

“okay, shouldn't we have a chat with eachother”,her mum said hopefully

“No I am okay”, Amelia said before walking back to her room.she shut the door and locked it again. She went straight to her bed and grabbed her phone as she unlocked her phone, a new post appeared on her screen. Something about that post made her heart suddenly beat faster. She didn’t fully register what it was as she turned off her phone. She frowned faintly, her grip loosening.Her phone slipped onto the bed.But her thoughts refused to stop.Her head could not grasp what she saw....