MUSIC: The Monster - Eminem FT Rhianna 

Derek above^

/ / / /

Ryan's P.O.V:

/ / / /

As Amelia showered, I was forced to play dolls with Summer. I couldn't get into it though, not even because it was dolls and I was an 18 year old guy, but because my brain was filled with all things Amelia. When I was told there was a drunk girl on the sofa and that I should go and sort her out, I did not expect Amelia. When I saw her I thought it was one big prank. After everything i'd said and done to her during the argument I thought she'd never speak to me again. Although seeing her was a relief since I hadn't heard anything from her since we argued. 

What wasn't a relief, however, was finding out that someone had hurt her. She never explicitly told me that, but I just knew.

There was no way you could get them injuries from falling off of a bike.

I was determined to find out what had happened. Albeit I probably didn't deserve an explanation but I was going to work on that too. First, i'd let her meet my relatives. They were all Cindy's side, other than my Nan and Aunt. When I asked Amelia about the story, she asked if i'd let her shower and meet the people in my house. I'd complete both of those things, then she'd have no reason not to tell me.

Other than the fact that I was a complete dick ward to her.

"Summer, i'm just going to grab Amelia some clothes, i'll come and play again in a minute." I said and stood up. I went over to my draws and grabbed one of my t-shirts. It was a bit small for me and wouldn't drown Amelia. 

"You can't play dolls anyway. You're rubbish. Don't you know you make them jump to move, not drag them. Jeez." Summer huffed. I rose my hands in surrender, one of them had the top in.

"Sorry. I've never played dolls."

"Yeah well don't ever. You're a misplace to the doll world."

"Do you mean disgrace?" I asked and put the top on the bed. I didn't like the fact that I was being sassed by my 5 year old, step-cousin. 

"Allie wants you to shut up." Summer said and gestured to her doll. I rolled my eyes.

"Sorry Allie."

"That's better." Summer grinned and went back to playing. I sighed. I hoped my kids were never as sassy as her, I wouldn't be able to handle it. I looked through my trouser draws and found nothing that would remotely fit Amelia. I left the room and went into my Dad's room. I knew where everything was as I was forced to do and put away the washing when I was grounded. I went over to the chest of draws in the corner and opened the top draw. I rummaged through and found a pair of pajama shorts that belonged to Cindy. I held them in front of me and shrugged. They'd do.

I went back into my room and a doll flew at my head. I dodged it narrowly.

"What the hell Summer?" I asked angrily and picked the doll up.

It was Allie.

"Allie wanted to visit stupid land." Summer huffed and turned away.

"You're stupid." I muttered childishly.

"You're stupid." Summer mocked me. I sighed. I heard the shower turn off and waited a minute before I knocked on the door. Amelia opened it slowly and only poked her head out. Her hair was soaking wet and her face was bear. I think it was the first time i'd seen her without any make-up what so ever.

She was still just as pretty.

"Was there a reason for you to stop me putting my hair in a towel or did you just want to stare?" Amelia asked. I blinked a few times.

"I have some clothes you can wear instead of your old ones." I said and put a smirk on my face.

"Oh, okay. Thanks." She muttered and opened the door further. I was resting on the door frame and my eyes traveled down her dressed in only  a towel. She noticed me staring and rose one of her eyebrows. I smirked harder and pushed myself slowly off of the door frame. I went over to my bed and picked up the top and shorts. I gave them to her and she smiled in thanks and shut the door again. I went and sat on my bed. Summer followed me and sat next to me. I eyed her wearily.

"What do you want from me?" I asked her suspiciously. She looked like an angel, and was as cute as a puppy, but she could be mean.  She smiled sweetly up at me.

"Allie wants to say sorry. And I want to play airplane." She grinned, I sighed and laid down.

"Fine. But only because Allie apologised." I muttered. She giggled and stood up. She leant over me and clasped her hands with mine. I was just about to use my feet to lift her up when Amelia's head popped out from the bathroom. She looked around and when she spotted us stepped out a bit, so that we could see half of her body. She was wearing the grey shorts i'd given her, but the top was no where to be seen, only her bra.

"Sorry to interrupt the play session, but I really need some deodorant and a hairband if possible?" Amelia asked. Summer jumped off of me and down from the bed.

"I have a hairband!" She shouted and went to her area in my room. Her hand rummaged in one of her jacket pockets.

"I'll grab you some deodorant. "I said and stood up. I walked over to my shelf and grabbed the spray. I walked over to Amelia and slowly passed it to her. "Sure you don't need any help in there?" I asked her and she rolled her eyes.

"The bandages are on already." She said and I could see her trying to smirk but struggling because her lip was swollen.

"Yeah, that's totally what I meant." I smirked and moved away. Summer ran up to us and passed Amelia a pink hairband and hairbrush.

"Here you go!"

"Thanks Summer." Amelia smiled and then shut the door again.

"Airplane!" Summer exclaimed and I groaned.

"Do we have to?"

"Unless you want me to tell Amelia you have a crush on her then yes." Summer tried to blackmail.

"She already knows Summer."

"Oh. So are you boyfriend and girlfriend then?" She asked innocently.

"Not yet Summer." I sighed. "Not yet."

Amelia emerged not long after and was wearing the shorts and my plain black top. Her hair was in a ponytail and she still had no make-up on.

Was it wrong of me to wish I could have seen her like that everyday?

"So what's happening now then?" She asked quietly as she sat next to me on my bed apprehensively.

"Now you meet the family." I said and her eyes widened.

"Family? I thought they were just friend's or something." She mumbled and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Nope, Cindy's family. Other then my Nan and Aunt."

"How do I know who's who?" 

"Well, i'll introduce them obviously but i'm sure you'll guess because of the hair colour." I answered and she looked at me in confusion. "Cindy's side are all blonde. Other then Sean." 

"Oh." Amelia said simply. 

"I'm going downstairs bye!" Summer called and left the room.

"That girl will be the death of me I swear." I muttered and stood up. I put my hands out for Amelia to take. She did and I pulled her to standing.

"Don't think I didn't hear you being sassed." Amelia smirked but winced afterwards. A frown took over my face.

I would get the story out of her. I didn't care what it took.

"Whatever. Do you want me to carry you?"

"No. I can walk. I'm just a little slow. The painkiller's have kicked in now. The only thing that hurts badly now is my lips." She said. We started to make our way out of my bedroom and I put my arm around her waist lightly to steady her. 

"What a shame. I'd say I'd help but what I have in mind will only make it worse." I smirked at her and a ghost of a smile slipped onto her face.

"Shut up."

Once we reached downstairs, we made our way into the living room, where everyone was. Cindy spotted us first and waved us in. She patted my Dad on the shoulder and he nodded at me in acknowledgment. I swallowed and nodded back at him hesitantly. I still didn't know how I felt about the way our relationship was improving. I'd just decided to go with it.

Sean was sat on a pink bean bag with Summer on his lap. She was playing with his hair and said something that made him laugh. Sean was Cindy's younger brother, the only brunette of the family, and was only 23. We got on pretty well and bonded over being similar ages. He annoyed me sometimes but other then that he was a decent guy.  On the smallest sofa was 'Aunt' Sasha; she was blonde, rude and came from a family of money. She thought she was better than everyone else and I hated her. She judged people on first appearances and would never let that opinion go, even if she was proven otherwise. The first time i'd met her (a few years ago) she had called me a 'skanky troublemaker who had no potential'. The only reason she was actually related to the family was because of Summer. She was 27 and married to a guy named John. He never spoke much and simply sat next to Sasha and agreed with anything she said.

Summer was my step-cousin due to the fact that she wasn't John and Sasha's daughter. She was Sean and Sasha's daughter. I'd never been given the full details but from what Sean had told me, it was a summer romance that ended with Sasha leaving because she wanted a more mature boyfriend. Summer had no clue that Sean was actually her Dad; she thought John was. It made me feel sorry for Sean. He spent just as much time, if not more, with Summer as John, and treated her better, yet he never got anything for it.

Sat on the largest sofa were Cindy, my Dad and my Aunt Jenny.  Aunt Jenny was a woman in her late 40's or early 50's with pitch black hair and a fierce attitude. She was my Dad's sister, and as much as I hated to admit it; I got my bad-boy, trouble-maker genes from my Dad's side. Apparently, my Dad was never a 'badass' but my Nan and Aunt Jenny were. According to them, they were the trouble-makers of our town and town's surrounding it until my generation came along. I liked my Aunt Jenny and Nan the most, only because they didn't judge me on how many times i'd nearly been sent to Jail,  but instead on my personality. I never had the close bond many people would have with them, but they were the closest thing I had to other family members that remotely cared. They never had much of a say in things concerning my Mum, but they were there after that. My Nan sat on the arm chair in the corner of the room. She was in her 70's but I would never want to get on her bad side. She had a soft heart, but would beat the crap out of you if you did something she didn't approve of.  She had a sweet spot for Derek and Aaron, and whenever she visited wanted to spend time with them, as if they were her own grand kids.

Everyone noticed Amelia and I standing there and stared at us. Amelia waved awkwardly.

"Howdy." She said and I stared at her in shock. After a moment her face dropped, like she had realised what she had said. She laughed nervously whilst everyone stared at her like she was crazy. "Um, i'm not western. No offence to western people if you are one or know one or something. Um, yeah. I actually love western people they're, um, really...They strike me as being...Uh. Yeah." Amelia trailed off and I couldn't tear my eyes from her face. My eyebrows were furrowed and I didn't know whether to tell her she was weird, or laugh.

"Anyway everyone, this is Amelia!" Summer exclaimed when everything went silent. I face palmed. Amelia was never awkward around new people, so what the hell happened? Did the injury on her head affect her people skills?

"Amelia isn't usually like that. She's under the influence of drugs." I tried to salvage whatever pride she had left. Everyone stared at Amelia with wide eyes. I finally registered what i'd said and my eyes widened. "Not like drugs drugs. Like paracetamol drugs." I corrected and I saw my Nan try not to laugh. "What's the matter with you?" I whispered into Amelia's ear. I pulled away and she shrugged. But by the look on her face I knew that she knew why she was acting the way she was. It was almost like she was nervous. About what I didn't know.

"Oh Amelia, come, sit down." Cindy gestured to her seat and stood up.

"Thanks Cindy, but i'm not the pregnant one." Amelia denied politely.  Sasha mumbled something under her breath that was obviously aimed at Amelia and I focused my glare on her.

"What was that Sasha?" I asked her. My eyes were narrowed. Everyone's attention went to her and she gave me a smug smile.

"Well since my Mummy told me to be truthful, I guess I probably should be. I have a feeling that Amelia here is just using you for something. She's obviously faking her injuries and I have no clue what she said to reel you in but I am disappointed that you didn't notice Ryan. She's quite obviously a fake, troublesome chav from lower-class men and is a gold-digger. I mean look at her outfit and how she turned up here. It's disgraceful really." Sasha shook her head sadly. My glare hardened and I felt Amelia grip my arm. Her lips were pursed and I saw the anger in her eyes. Everyone looked at Sasha with a look that said she was out of line. Amelia took a shaky step forward, towards Sasha.

"Say that again-" She took another step. I followed, just in case she decided to try and punch Sasha. As much as i'd love to see it happen, I knew she'd take the legal route and get Amelia in trouble. "-I dare you." Amelia dared. Her eyes were cold, lifeless. What Sasha had said had riled her, I knew that, but I didn't realise she'd take it to heart so much. I grabbed one of her balled up fists and forced her to hold my hand. She did, reluctantly. Sasha gulped, but she was a stubborn lady. She wouldn't go down without a fight. 

"I was only telling the truth. You are all of those things.-" Sasha's eyes went down to Amelia and I's clasped hands. "-Oh, and look at that. You're a slut too what a surprise!" Sasha exclaimed dramatically and stood up so that Amelia and her were face to face. I was ready to stop a fight, as were everyone else. I noticed my Nan and Jenny's eyes watch Amelia closely. They were working her out.  

Amelia stepped forward once more so that there was around an inch of space between them. Amelia had the advantage of being taller then Sasha, so she seemed more intimidating. Amelia grabbed her collar tightly with one of her hands and pulled Sasha to look up at her. Sasha looked slightly scared. I didn't blame her. Amelia looked deadly. She was really angry; she looked angrier then she was when we argued. 

"Now-" Amelia started. "-I won't swear at you, call you a bad name. Hell, I won't even put my fist into your face no matter how much you tempt me because I am mature enough to know that it is not appropriate in front of a child. Your daughter, actually. But what I will leave you with is a warning. You carry on like the child you're proving yourself to be, then we'll settle this like children. I'll give you what you deserve in a place with no witnesses, and no one to help pull you out of the mess you started.  Stop acting like a child, picking fights with someone that could ruin your life with a few words, and start acting like the mature mother you're supposed to be." Amelia finished. She pushed Sasha away from her and stepped back to my side. Her hand never left mine the whole time she spoke. She never rose her voice, and it never quivered. It was all truth. She said she had the power to ruin someone's life with a few words, and I believed her.

It all just made me more intrigued. It all just made me want to know what happened to her. I had a feeling that it wasn't a one time occurrence. I had a feeling that she was in danger, and I wanted to help her.

I just had to get her to trust me again first.

Amelia smiled sweetly at Sasha as she sat back down.

"Now i'm Amelia, and you are?"

"Sasha. Summer's Mum."

"So Cindy's..." Amelia trailed off.

"It's complicated." Sasha glared and Amelia rolled her eyes.

"I'll explain later." I whispered to her and she nodded. Aunt Jenny stood up and walked over to us.

"I'm Jenny. Ryan's aunt. It's a please to meet you Amelia, you're going to be a great addition to this family." Aunt Jenny smiled and put her hand out for Amelia to shake. Amelia froze before she slowly shook her hand.

"And you Jenny." Amelia said slowly. I tried not to cringe.

"What's wrong, did I say something wrong?" Aunt Jenny asked. Amelia shook her head.

"No, i'm just a little confused. How am I a great addition to the family?" Amelia asked innocently. I winced. This was going to be awkward.

"You're Ryan's girlfriend. I'm glad he's actually found someone he's happy with instead of messing around with loads of girls. He needs a woman like you in his life." Aunt Jenny spoke and as much as she said nice things that should have been a compliment to Amelia, they weren't perceived that way.

"Um, Aunt Jenny, we're not. Uh. We're not exactly together." I cleared my throat and said. Amelia was staring at Aunt Jenny with wide eyes. Aunt Jenny turned to me.

"What? Why the hell not?" She asked in a shout and I flinched whilst I cringed.

"It's..."

"It's complicated." Amelia answered and I looked at her but she refused to meet my gaze. Our hands were still interlocked but I don't think she even registered that as being a sign that we  could have been in a relationship.

"Complicated, hmm. Ryan stop being complicated and ask the poor girl out already." My Nan said as she walked over to us. Amelia's eyes snapped to her and she smiled as she recognized her.

"Ryan's Nan, correct?"

"Yes, sweetie. I was told you were Ryan's girlfriend." My Nan smiled knowingly at Amelia and she blushed.

"Um, I-"

"She was saving me from Anastasia." I interrupted and my Nan laughed.

"I know sweetie. Anyway, it was seeing you again but i'll leave you guys to un-complicate things." My Nan said and winked as she left. Aunt Jenny rolled her eyes.

"And that's my cue to leave. It was a pleasure meeting you Amelia."

====

Amelia and I were laying on my bed, the TV was on quietly and we were watching it. Well, Amelia was. I was too busy thinking of ways to apologise for what i'd said when we argued, and trying to find a way for Amelia to tell me what happened to her.

"Amelia..." I said quietly. She turned to me, a small smile was on her lips but I could tell it was fake. She was stressing.

"Yeah?" She asked, her voice hoarse. She cleared it and kept that weird smile on her face.

"I'm sorry." 

"For what?"

"For what I said. For what I did. For the way I scared you. I'm sorry for accusing you of things you aren't. I was caught up in the moment. I was angry, upset, over-whelmed with the news. I was wrong for just leaving without saying anything to them but I didn't know what to say. I guess I was upset because I half expected my Dad to turn around and tell Cindy to leave with the baby, but he didn't. I guess I was jealous, that he seems to love the idea of having another baby and caring for it properly, when he didn't care for me properly. I was upset and I didn't know how to deal with my emotions so I blew up. Unfortunately you were in the midst of that. I insulted you and I didn't mean to. You're not screwed up in the head and you're not an attention seeker. You're just you, and I really like all of your qualities I just wanted to show someone else the pain I felt when I found out, and the only way I could think of doing that was by hurting you too. I really didn't mean to." I said and stared straight at the TV. I knew she was staring at me but I couldn't face her. I wasn't making up excuses for my behaviour, I was trying to explain what caused me to act that way. In no way was my behaviour right, but I did have a reason for feeling the way that caused me to behave that way.

"I just don't understand one thing." Amelia said. I looked at her. She was already looking at me. Her eyes held concern, and she looked like she might have cried.

"What?"

"When you were shouting at me...It was like you were a different person, like a flip had switched and you were suddenly a..A dangerous person. Someone that didn't know the strength of himself, or his words. It was like you forgot you were even talking to me. It was like you didn't realise what you were saying or why you were saying them. I just want to know why. Why that happened." Amelia said and ended in a whisper. I swallowed and looked away from her. It was time to tell the story, I just didn't know how to without running the risk of scaring her off.

"There was... There was this one time. I'd had a really bad day at school and at home..."

(play song now)

I stormed through the cafe doors. I was not in a mood to be messed with. I'd been grounded, again, since I got suspended at school for fighting. In my defense, I was fighting for a good cause. Some guy, a few years older then me had been harassing one of the quiet girls in my form. He had her pressed up against the wall and pulled her hair when she asked him to leave her alone. I confronted him and we ended up in a fight. I didn't see why I got suspended when he was the one in the wrong in the first place. My Dad had grounded me when I got home from school. He told me it was the last straw, and that he'd canceled the visit my Mum had planned for that weekend. I asked him why, and he told me I didn't deserve it. I was fuming. It would have been the first time i'd seen her and my sister in 9 months. I didn't get to see her often as she lived on the other side of the country and wasn't able to come down. Seeing her, meant i'd see her side of the family too. I'd see my gran, granddad, aunts and uncles, cousins. People i'd never even met before because i'd never had the opportunity.

I heard the door of the cafe slam close after me and I stormed over to the corner booth where the guys sat. They were drinking milkshakes and were watching me as I stormed up to them. I sat down and pushed the menu off of the table top in anger.

"How did your Dad react to your suspension?" Derek asked and I growled.

"Don't even get me started. He doesn't deserve the title of Dad anymore." I growled.

"Grounded?" Aaron asked and took a sip of his shake.

"Grounded and banned from seeing my Mum." I grumbled and Aaron started to choke on his milkshake. Jimmy patted his back.

"What?"

"Yep. Told me I wasn't deserving of it. He said he already cancelled it. The one time she actually could come down and he ruined it." I growled out and tapped my foot impatiently. I was wound up and I knew the smallest of things would push me over the edge.

"You're kidding me. You haven't seen her in what, a year?" Tommy asked and I sighed.

"Why would I joke Tommy?" I asked angrily and he put his hands up in surrender.

"So he's really cancelled it. When will you get to see her next?" Derek asked and I groaned and threw my head back.

"Probably never. I haven't seen Jade since then, she's started secondary and i'll probably never get the chance to ask how it's going and make sure no one's bullying her or anything!" I exclaimed and the guys gave me sympathetic looks. 

"Sorry Man." Jimmy said.

"I'm just so angry!" I exclaimed and threw my hands down on the table which made a loud bang and caused everyone to look at us.

"I don't blame you. I would have punched my Dad." Aaron said and I laughed manically.

"I was this close. So close. But do you know what I thought? I thought, no, i'll be a good kid, try and earn back the privilege of seeing my Mum. I thought that if I didn't punch him or get angry then he'd tell me he was joking or something. It's the first conversation we've had in years and the only reason he was willing to have it was to crush everything i've looked forward to!" I shouted and the guys hushed me. We had caught the attention of everyone in the cafe, but I didn't care. I was angry, and I wanted everyone to know it. 

I stood up and pulled my chair out from the table.

"Ryan what are you doing?" Tommy asked and pulled on my trouser leg as I stood up on the chair.

"You hear that everybody? My Dad, the dickhead, won't let me see my Mum who I get to see like once a year. And do you know what for?" I asked and waited for dramatics. Everyone was watching me. The staff were looking at me, then at each other. They didn't know what to do or how to handle the situation. "-All because I defended a girl that some guy was harassing! She was telling him no but he continued on. He even pulled her hair!" I exclaimed. I didn't know what I was doing, I never wanted anyone to know about my life but there I was, shouting it to the whole cafe. I was so angry, I wanted to show others how I felt. "-I stepped in to save her and the guy started on me! Yet i'm the one that gets suspended and i'm the one that gets grounded and i'm the one that gets his only privilege and only thing he looks forward to in his pathetic teenage life taken away!" I shouted. Everyone was silent.

"Ryan I think we should leave." Derek said and stood up. He stood in front of me and I looked down at him with a smirk on my face.

"Or what? Everything had already been taken away from me, what else?" I asked him and his face fell. He knew I was right, he was only looking out for me, only making sure I didn't get in trouble but that was what I wanted. I wanted people to hear me, I wanted people to know me.

I wanted the attention.

"Sir, i'm going to have to ask you to get down otherwise we'll have to call the police." A staff member asked me. She was short and had red hair. She was pretty but I wasn't focused on her.

"Call the police, I don't give a sh-"

"Oh just get down mate, you're embarrassing yourself." Some boy said from one of the tables across from us. He was a few years older then me, but was still in school uniform.

"And who the hell are you?" I asked him. A smirk adorned my lips and he rolled his eyes and walked towards me. I saw the rest of the guys stand up and they stood in front of me. They could see how this was going to end. I jumped down from the chair and walked towards the boy. He was taller than me, by a lot, but that didn't discourage me. He looked like a prude that had probably never had a fight before and I was in the mood to show him what it was like.

"Ryan-" Derek tried and put his hand on my chest.

"Shut up Derek." I snapped and he flinched. I didn't register the fact that I was rude to him, I didn't even realise i'd shouted at him.

"Honestly mate, just give it up. You're obviously bored and looking for some attention, go and find it elsewhere." The boy said and I stepped up so that I was in his personal space. "Step away, man." He said.

"Or what?" I asked. "What are you going to do, call the police? I could do so much damage in that time that you can't even imagine-"

"Alright Ryan, come on, lets go." Aaron said loudly and tried to pull me away. I shrugged him off without even looking back at him. I was staring the boy in the face, I was daring him. 

"Step away." He gritted at me and I smirked teasingly at him.

"Try me." I said and he put his hands on my shoulders and pushed me away. The push wasn't hard, but it was enough to make me move. It was enough to make me madder then I already was.

I swung forward and hit the boy in the face. The guys had stepped forward and were trying to pull me back but I wasn't having any of it. I carried on hitting the boy. He was pushing me off of him, but he never hit me.

"I'm not fighting someone younger then me-" I swung for him again but he dodged it. "-Dude, calm down. Dude!" The boy said but I couldn't. I was madder then i'd ever been.

/ / /

"People were trying to pull me off of him, adults, kids, everyone. But no one could. I was on a rampage. I managed to get him to the floor, we rolled around for a bit and I got a few more punches in. I was relentless. No one could stop me. Just as the police turned up, Mc Ovis included, the boy punched me back. I'd been hitting him all over the place and just as i'd gone for his nose he planed one on me. It was a hard punch and it knocked me out of whatever rage I was in. I stopped and the police pulled me off of him. I was taken to the station, and luckily he didn't press charges. I was a different person. He had sent me over the edge as my switch flipped. I learnt to control my anger. I was put in anger management sessions and had an occasional therapy or guidance Councillor session and I stopped being so angry. I haven't turned since. Well-" I laughed but it held no humour. I couldn't face her. I didn't expect her to listen, or comfort me. It was wrong. There was no excuse for what I had done.  "-At least until we argued. It wasn't as bad as it was that day, I knew my surroundings, I knew who I was talking to. That's why I asked you to leave. I was embarrassed, I was scared i'd lost you, i'd scared you enough that you wouldn't want to see me again. I wouldn't have hurt you, Amelia. That is one thing I can guarantee you; i'd never hurt you. You could do anything to me, and I wouldn't hurt you." I promised but didn't let my eyes stray from the TV.

"Um, Ryan I-"

"I found out his name last year. The guilt was eating me alive and i'd accepted that what I had done was wrong. He lives a few towns over, he was just visiting. I went and saw him-" I swallowed. "-He didn't even remember me. He didn't realise it was me until I said and apologised for what i'd done. He accepted it but it doesn't change the fact that I still hurt him for no reason." I finished and I felt Amelia's hand on my shoulder.

"Ryan look at me." She ordered but I couldn't.  "Ryan." She said. Her hands rested on my face and she turned my head so that I looked at her. "You're not a bad person Ryan." She whispered and I gulped.

"No, but when that happens, I am." I whispered back and she stared at me.

"We are all able to be bad people, trust me. But you've learnt from your mistakes, you know that what you did was wrong and that's what's important." She said and I nodded. Somehow, all the years I spent forcing myself to believe I was a bad person because of what happened were erased. I believed her. I wasn't a bad person. I just didn't handle my emotions well. 

She seemed to be helping me with that too.

"Amelia, when you said we can all be bad people, what did you mean?" I asked her and she swallowed. "What happened Amelia?" I asked her quietly and she looked away. She turned herself to face the TV and scooted away from me slightly. She stared straight on, for a few minutes. She looked like she was debating something.

She laughed bitterly.

"It started when I started to see my Mum again..."