The gentle warmth of the morning sun seeped through the window, taking me out of my slumber. As consciousness slowly returned, I became aware of my sister's voice gently rousing me from my sleep.
"Wake up, Amelia," she called out. "It's already 1:00 p.m."
I groaned softly, my head throbbing with a dull ache. Rubbing my temples, flashes of the previous night flooded my mind like a relentless movie. The humiliation inflicted by Aiden, his cruel tactics, and the menacing presence of that black panther replayed in my thoughts.
I felt a surge of anger and frustration within me, threatening to overwhelm my senses. I wanted to scream, to lash out at the injustice of it all, but I was powerless in the face of his dominance.
Summoning every ounce of strength, I managed to compose myself long enough to call my sister for help. I faked illness, claiming to feel dizzy and unwell, and she wasted no time in rushing to my side. I came back home and directly went to bed telling my worried parents that my head was hearting.
"How's your head now?" My sister asked with concern.
"My head's still pounding a bit," I admit, wincing at the lingering ache. "But I'll manage. Thanks for checking in, Lily."
Lily's gentle nudge pulls me from the clutches of sleep, but my laziness begs me to stay put. With a groan, I flop back onto the bed, burying myself deeper into the covers. However, Lily doesn't give up so easily. She settles beside me, her voice soft yet persuasive.
"Hey, Amelia, Mom's making pancakes," she announces, a playful glint in her eyes.
The mere mention of pancakes sparks instant motivation within me, and I spring up from the bed, receiving a chuckle from Lily. With a quick nod of gratitude, I dart off to the bathroom to freshen up, eager to indulge in a delicious breakfast.
I quickly brush my teeth, splashing my face with refreshing water before applying cleanser. Running a brush through my hair, I leave it half-tamed, cascading in loose waves around my shoulders. Descending the stairs, I find that Lily has already vanished, likely gone away by the promise of pancakes.
I entered the kitchen to find Mom already cooking, her cheerful voice announcing, "Your friend has arrived." Making me frown.
I stepped into the dining room, Rose was already seated with Lily. Having conversation with my sister in her signature energetic tone.
As she saw me, Rose stood up and approached, her words laced with apology. "I'm so sorry, Amelia. I couldn't give you proper company yesterday. I had some urgent stuff," she explained, the last part hesitantally. "I came back, but you were long gone. Your sister just told me you were ill. How's your head now?"
Of course, she doesn't know what Aiden did. I think to myself. "I'm good now, Rose. Thank you for checking in," I say, offering a handshake with a light smile. Lily grabs our attention by mentioning how good my friend is for coming to apologize and bringing sunflowers. I notice the bouquet of sunflowers on the table.
It's striking how different these two siblings are; one is like night, the other like day. My heart swells with gratitude for Rose's kindness. Despite what happened yesterday, she's here apologizing. I'm just so glad to have her as a friend. I express my gratitude, telling her how much it means to me.
We all sit at the dining table and enjoy our breakfast, engaging in lively conversation. It feels good to have such supportive friends by my side, neglecting the fact who her brother is.
I'm still not sure if I should tell Rose what Aiden did to me. As I am busy thinking about this Rose's voice snaps me out of my thoughts "why don't we go out today Amelia?"
Rose suggested a day out to explore the city, her enthusiasm evident in her voice. I hesitated at first, not quite in the mood for an adventure, but Rose's persuasive charm eventually won over. With a nod from my mother and an eager, the plan was set in motion.
We found ourselves at a charming coffee shop downtown, where Rose promised the best pastries and cappuccinos.
Inside the coffee shop, Rose led the way, her excitement palpable as she described the wonders of the place. I followed along, my hesitance evident in my tone, but I couldn't deny the charm of the cozy atmosphere. As we found a table and settled in, Rose reassured me about the delights awaiting them.
"See, isn't this place charming?" Rose remarked, gesturing around the interior. "And wait till you try their cappuccino!"
I, still uncertain, sighed softly. "I guess it's not bad. But I'm not really a coffee person."
"Don't worry," Rose assured me with a smile. "They have amazing pastries too! Let's grab a table."
Our order was ready was ready. Rose is busy on a call so I went to the counter to grab our food.
As I reached the counter to collect our order, a sense of anticipation filled me. Rose was engrossed in her phone call, leaving me to handle the task. Juggling the tray with our treatsâa cheesecake, a mango pastry, my mocha, and Rose's cappuccinoâI turned, only to collide with a man who carelessly spilled his hot coffee all over me.
The hot liquid seared through my clothes, sending waves of pain coursing through my body. Shocked and hurt, I looked up to find a young man glaring at me, his face twisted in anger. Before I could utter a word, he launched into accusing me of ruining his coffee.
Fighting back the sting of tears and the burning sensation on my skin, I steadied myself and retorted, telling him it was clearly his fault for being so careless. "Mister this was clearly your fault, you burnt my skin , ruined my outfit now how dare you accuse me!" My voice was loud.
His aggression only intensified, and he raised his hand as if to strike me.
Just as panic threatened to overwhelm me, a strong hand caught the aggressor's wrist, halting his movement. I looked up in surprise to see Aiden, his expression dark. Without hesitation, he delivered a punch that sent the man staggering backward.
Standing in front of me, Aiden's voice rang out, cutting through the tension of the cafe. "How dare you raise your hand at a girl," he admonished, his words carrying the weight of authority. In that moment, despite our tumultuous history, I couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude.
The man stood up and I gasped. His nose is bleeding. He was about to do something when his friends dragged him away.
I exhaled a shaky breath, relieved that the confrontation had been defused. Rose rushed to my side, concern etched on her face as she asked if I was hurt. I reassured her with a forced smile, insisting that I was fine and could easily clean up the mess with some wet tissue papers.
Turning to leave, I made a point to avoid Aiden, not wanting to engage with him after what had just transpired. However, before I could make my escape, his voice stopped me in my tracks.
"And you're going away without thanking me?If you can't return the favor atleast be thankful." Aiden's words were laced with a hint of mockery, igniting a spark of anger within me. How dare he expect gratitude after everything that had happened?
I whirled around to face him, my hands balling into fists as I approached him. Gripping his collar tightly, I met his gaze with a steely determination. "Don't worry, Aiden," I said through gritted teeth. "I will repay the favor of what you did yesterday. I'll make sure my favor is equal and make you feel what I felt."
Aiden didn't flinch at my threat, instead calmly placing a hand on my wrist to loosen my grip. "This is the second time you're holding me by my collar," he remarked coolly, his tone sending a shiver down my spine. "And the last time I'm letting it go."
Rose interjected, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Wait, wait, what am I missing here? By the way thank you Aiden for saving Amelia." She turned to me, her eyes searching for an explanation. "Tell me what you guys are talking about."
Aiden glanced at me, a smirk playing on his lips. "Ask Amelia," he replied casually, his tone laced with amusement. "She'll explain better."
The manager appeared, his expression fraught with concern as he took in the scene. Aiden's presence seemed to make him uneasy.
Aiden's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Don't let such bastards enter, especially if you want to see it running," he commanded, causing the manager's complexion to pale even further.
With that, he released my hand and walked away, leaving me seething with frustration.
I could sense Rose's frustration as she urged me to share what happened between Aiden and me. Reluctantly, I told her about the incident, leaving out the worst details of his humiliation. I just told her that Audrn locked me in a roon for some time
Rose's reaction surprised me. "Amelia, don't think that just because I'm his sister, I will take his side," she reassured me, her tone firm. "You should not let Aiden get away with such actions, and I'm always here to provide support."
Her words were a balm to my wounded pride. It was comforting to know that someone was willing to stand by me, despite her relation to Aiden. I nodded in gratitude, relieved to have her in my corner.
And our day went by having that tasty fiod of the cafe. The cheesecake was really good. I will probably come back for it soon and then we went to the nearby shopping mall for window shopping.