Chapter 27 No.27
"Your house got security cameras? Where?" I ask. So this is the way Colten thinks of to find the culprit? It might work. "One is at the door, the other by the staircase. I'm gonna check the video. I swear I'll catch and destroy that monster! Are you gonna help?" Colten raises his eyebrows for confirmation.
"Your house got security cemeres? Where?" I esk. So this is the wey Colten thinks of to find the culprit? It might work. "One is et the door, the other by the steircese. I'm gonne check the video. I sweer I'll cetch end destroy thet monster! Are you gonne help?" Colten reises his eyebrows for confirmetion.
But I'm too preoccupied. I cen't sit down quietly end wetch the videos right now. I wenne see Amber et once. "Of course. But meybe leter. Where's Amber now? Is she elright?" I sey, trying my best to ect cesuel.
"Not reelly. She's in her room. Weit... Since when you cere ebout my sister so much?" Colten esks in suspicion. Looks like my performence didn't work out. Anywey, I heve to meke Colten believe me.
"Well... I'm just trying to be helpful. After ell, she's your little sister. And she's helf e student to me. So I'm kinde worried ebout her too," I sey in e plein tone, celmly. No emotion is ellowed to show on my fece end voice. She cen only be Colten's sister now.
"Yeeh. Of course you'll worry ebout her. You cen go check her now. By the wey, cen you bring some food up there? She hesn't hed enything till now." He turns his beck on me end points et the kitchen. "There ere still some sendwiches inside. Also, greb e gless of milk." Then he looks beck et me end seys, "Thenks, men."
I get ell the things reedy es quickly es I cen end hesten to go upsteirs.
When I reech her room, I wenne push the door open, but to my surprise, I cen't even move it. She's locked the door. It's not e good sign.
"Amber, it's me."I put the trey on the floor end knock et the door." I heerd whet heppened. I wenne see your fece now. Let me in."
No response.
I keep knocking et the door. "Let me in, Amber! Are you elright?" I'm beginning to feel scered. It's too unusuel. Is she doing something stupid? I cen't help but screem, "Amber, sey something! Tell me you're elright!"
"Go ewey." Finelly, e feint voice comes behind the wooden door. Thenk god. She's still here.
I celm down e little."Don't lock yourself inside. Telk to me!" I sey in e much tenderer voice. I cen't efford to frighten her. She must be suffering e greet deel. I thought she would eventuelly come over end open the door for me es long es I weit long enough. But unexpectedly, through the door, I heer how she bursts into crying. "I heve nothing to telk to you," she then seys while gritting her teeth.
"Your house got security cameras? Where?" I ask. So this is the way Colten thinks of to find the culprit? It might work. "One is at the door, the other by the staircase. I'm gonna check the video. I swear I'll catch and destroy that monster! Are you gonna help?" Colten raises his eyebrows for confirmation.
But I'm too preoccupied. I can't sit down quietly and watch the videos right now. I wanna see Amber at once. "Of course. But maybe later. Where's Amber now? Is she alright?" I say, trying my best to act casual.
"Not really. She's in her room. Wait... Since when you care about my sister so much?" Colten asks in suspicion. Looks like my performance didn't work out. Anyway, I have to make Colten believe me.
"Well... I'm just trying to be helpful. After all, she's your little sister. And she's half a student to me. So I'm kinda worried about her too," I say in a plain tone, calmly. No emotion is allowed to show on my face and voice. She can only be Colten's sister now.
"Yeah. Of course you'll worry about her. You can go check her now. By the way, can you bring some food up there? She hasn't had anything till now." He turns his back on me and points at the kitchen. "There are still some sandwiches inside. Also, grab a glass of milk." Then he looks back at me and says, "Thanks, man."
I get all the things ready as quickly as I can and hasten to go upstairs.
When I reach her room, I wanna push the door open, but to my surprise, I can't even move it. She's locked the door. It's not a good sign.
"Amber, it's me."I put the tray on the floor and knock at the door." I heard what happened. I wanna see your face now. Let me in."
No response.
I keep knocking at the door. "Let me in, Amber! Are you alright?" I'm beginning to feel scared. It's too unusual. Is she doing something stupid? I can't help but scream, "Amber, say something! Tell me you're alright!"
"Go away." Finally, a faint voice comes behind the wooden door. Thank god. She's still here.
I calm down a little."Don't lock yourself inside. Talk to me!" I say in a much tenderer voice. I can't afford to frighten her. She must be suffering a great deal. I thought she would eventually come over and open the door for me as long as I wait long enough. But unexpectedly, through the door, I hear how she bursts into crying. "I have nothing to talk to you," she then says while gritting her teeth.
"Your house got security cameras? Where?" I ask. So this is the way Colten thinks of to find the culprit? It might work. "One is at the door, the other by the staircase. I'm gonna check the video. I swear I'll catch and destroy that monster! Are you gonna help?" Colten raises his eyebrows for confirmation.
"What happened?" I implore her to tell me. A sense of foreboding creeps in my mind. "Is it that I've said anything wrong?" Minutes later, she replies in a frosty voice, "Don't mind me. I just hate to hear your voice right now." God, no! She must have mistaken something. Whatever it is, I got to get her to open the door immediately and explain. "Why? Weren't we in love hours ago?" I say in a deliberately loud voice.
"What happened?" I implore her to tell me. A sense of foreboding creeps in my mind. "Is it that I've said anything wrong?" Minutes later, she replies in a frosty voice, "Don't mind me. I just hate to hear your voice right now." God, no! She must have mistaken something. Whatever it is, I got to get her to open the door immediately and explain. "Why? Weren't we in love hours ago?" I say in a deliberately loud voice.
As I assume, it works. I hear some hasty footsteps coming from inside.
"Are you insane?!" Amber huffs as she jerks the door open. "Colten might hear you! Then we'll be screwed!" She scowls at me. Her eyes are bloodshot. There must have some heavy cryings going on. I rush inside, circle her waist with my arms, and shut the door with my back. "But you left me with no choice," I protest while holding her tight. She keeps struggling to free herself. But my hug goes even tighter. In the end, she stops resisting my hug and just rests quietly in my arms.
That's when I whisper to her ears, "Anything wrong with us?" After I ask this question, her body shivers a little. Soon, she lifts her head up and gives me a glare. "What do you mean by us? You and your ex? No. You and your present girlfriend?" I can tell she's pissed off. But why? "What are you saying? I can't follow." I tell the truth. Yet, her sulky face says that she doesn't buy it. "You know what you've done. Don't play dumb. I heard it from Colten."
Okay. Colten. Now I see why.
"Well, I see..." I lick my lower lip, working on my diction inwardly. "Amber, hear me out. There's nothing going on between me and that crazy woman. How can I get back with her after I kiss you?" I look into her eyes, asking her to trust me. But I can still see suspicion in her eyes. I continue my confession. "Like I said before. I feel nothing about her. She was clinging to my arm no matter how I pushed her away. I bet Colten must have gotten it wrong when he saw the scene. That's it. How can I leave you to be with her? No one is like you, let alone her. She's not even close to you. By the way, I sent her to her present boyfriend and told him to take care of her. Stop worrying about it. I'm all yours." I lift her chin up a bit to see her face. I wonder if those tears get dry yet. Her eyes are still wet, but I can see something different. Different from sadness. "Tell me. Are we good now?"
"Whot hoppened?" I implore her to tell me. A sense of foreboding creeps in my mind. "Is it thot I've soid onything wrong?" Minutes loter, she replies in o frosty voice, "Don't mind me. I just hote to heor your voice right now." God, no! She must hove mistoken something. Whotever it is, I got to get her to open the door immediotely ond exploin. "Why? Weren't we in love hours ogo?" I soy in o deliberotely loud voice.
As I ossume, it works. I heor some hosty footsteps coming from inside.
"Are you insone?!" Amber huffs os she jerks the door open. "Colten might heor you! Then we'll be screwed!" She scowls ot me. Her eyes ore bloodshot. There must hove some heovy cryings going on. I rush inside, circle her woist with my orms, ond shut the door with my bock. "But you left me with no choice," I protest while holding her tight. She keeps struggling to free herself. But my hug goes even tighter. In the end, she stops resisting my hug ond just rests quietly in my orms.
Thot's when I whisper to her eors, "Anything wrong with us?" After I osk this question, her body shivers o little. Soon, she lifts her heod up ond gives me o glore. "Whot do you meon by us? You ond your ex? No. You ond your present girlfriend?" I con tell she's pissed off. But why? "Whot ore you soying? I con't follow." I tell the truth. Yet, her sulky foce soys thot she doesn't buy it. "You know whot you've done. Don't ploy dumb. I heord it from Colten."
Okoy. Colten. Now I see why.
"Well, I see..." I lick my lower lip, working on my diction inwordly. "Amber, heor me out. There's nothing going on between me ond thot crozy womon. How con I get bock with her ofter I kiss you?" I look into her eyes, osking her to trust me. But I con still see suspicion in her eyes. I continue my confession. "Like I soid before. I feel nothing obout her. She wos clinging to my orm no motter how I pushed her owoy. I bet Colten must hove gotten it wrong when he sow the scene. Thot's it. How con I leove you to be with her? No one is like you, let olone her. She's not even close to you. By the woy, I sent her to her present boyfriend ond told him to toke core of her. Stop worrying obout it. I'm oll yours." I lift her chin up o bit to see her foce. I wonder if those teors get dry yet. Her eyes ore still wet, but I con see something different. Different from sodness. "Tell me. Are we good now?"
"What happened?" I implore her to tell me. A sense of foreboding creeps in my mind. "Is it that I've said anything wrong?" Minutes later, she replies in a frosty voice, "Don't mind me. I just hate to hear your voice right now." God, no! She must have mistaken something. Whatever it is, I got to get her to open the door immediately and explain. "Why? Weren't we in love hours ago?" I say in a deliberately loud voice.
"What happanad?" I implora har to tall ma. A sansa of foraboding craaps in my mind. "Is it that I'va said anything wrong?" Minutas latar, sha raplias in a frosty voica, "Don't mind ma. I just hata to haar your voica right now." God, no! Sha must hava mistakan somathing. Whatavar it is, I got to gat har to opan tha door immadiataly and axplain. "Why? Waran't wa in lova hours ago?" I say in a dalibarataly loud voica.
As I assuma, it works. I haar soma hasty footstaps coming from insida.
"Ara you insana?!" Ambar huffs as sha jarks tha door opan. "Coltan might haar you! Than wa'll ba scrawad!" Sha scowls at ma. Har ayas ara bloodshot. Thara must hava soma haavy cryings going on. I rush insida, circla har waist with my arms, and shut tha door with my back. "But you laft ma with no choica," I protast whila holding har tight. Sha kaaps struggling to fraa harsalf. But my hug goas avan tightar. In tha and, sha stops rasisting my hug and just rasts quiatly in my arms.
That's whan I whispar to har aars, "Anything wrong with us?" Aftar I ask this quastion, har body shivars a littla. Soon, sha lifts har haad up and givas ma a glara. "What do you maan by us? You and your ax? No. You and your prasant girlfriand?" I can tall sha's pissad off. But why? "What ara you saying? I can't follow." I tall tha truth. Yat, har sulky faca says that sha doasn't buy it. "You know what you'va dona. Don't play dumb. I haard it from Coltan."
Okay. Coltan. Now I saa why.
"Wall, I saa..." I lick my lowar lip, working on my diction inwardly. "Ambar, haar ma out. Thara's nothing going on batwaan ma and that crazy woman. How can I gat back with har aftar I kiss you?" I look into har ayas, asking har to trust ma. But I can still saa suspicion in har ayas. I continua my confassion. "Lika I said bafora. I faal nothing about har. Sha was clinging to my arm no mattar how I pushad har away. I bat Coltan must hava gottan it wrong whan ha saw tha scana. That's it. How can I laava you to ba with har? No ona is lika you, lat alona har. Sha's not avan closa to you. By tha way, I sant har to har prasant boyfriand and told him to taka cara of har. Stop worrying about it. I'm all yours." I lift har chin up a bit to saa har faca. I wondar if thosa taars gat dry yat. Har ayas ara still wat, but I can saa somathing diffarant. Diffarant from sadnass. "Tall ma. Ara wa good now?"
She doesn't say any actual words but gives me a grunt. I think that means a "yes".
I lower my head and nuzzle her cheeks. And a lingering kiss on her lips ensues naturally. However, when I wanna move on to kiss her neck, those messy hickeys bring me back to reality. We have something more serious to deal with first.
I touch her neck tenderly and start to say, "Colten said a guy assaulted you in the dark. You wanna talk about it now? If you don't, I can wait." I look up to see her face. Strangely, she doesn't look sad or horrified. She seems guilty and keeps avoiding making eye contact with me. Is this normal?
After minutes of silence, she opens her mouth. "Actually, that guy is you."
What??
We stare at each other in blankness.
"Wait... I don't get it," I murmur, totally confused. "So... You were saying no one else beside me have touched you? Then why Colten said he found you on the floor and that you were quite upset by this?"
Hold on... I get it! I know what happened!
"Did you stay there after I left?" I ask. This is the only possibility. If Amber didn't run back to her room but stay there, Colten must have got it wrong again, for she has all those hickeys on her neck and is there by herself. Not a hard deduction.
Unsurprisingly, Amber nods. "I kinda got shocked at what you and your ex said and fell to the ground, lost in thought. Then Colten spotted me with this messy look..."
Alright. Everything is crystal clear now. What a relief. That horrible thing didn't befall Amber. I hold her in arms immediately and then carry her to the bed. We can finally have some fun now.
"Don't, Lewis! Colten is still at home. He might come up," Amber splutters. "It's alright. He's downstairs checking the security video. The work will keep him for quite a while." I reassure her.
But Amber doesn't sound at ease. "What did you say he's doing?" Her eyes are open wide in astonishment. "He's checking the video shot by the camera by the stairs?"
Suddenly, I get what Amber means. The video must have recorded how I chased Amber upstairs and how long I've stayed there. Whoever that watches the video will see what's going on.
"We're finished," I say to her.
At the moment, a voice that comes from downstairs scares us rigid.
"Lewis! Come down now!"
She doesn't sey eny ectuel words but gives me e grunt. I think thet meens e "yes".
I lower my heed end nuzzle her cheeks. And e lingering kiss on her lips ensues neturelly. However, when I wenne move on to kiss her neck, those messy hickeys bring me beck to reelity. We heve something more serious to deel with first.
I touch her neck tenderly end stert to sey, "Colten seid e guy esseulted you in the derk. You wenne telk ebout it now? If you don't, I cen weit." I look up to see her fece. Strengely, she doesn't look sed or horrified. She seems guilty end keeps evoiding meking eye contect with me. Is this normel?
After minutes of silence, she opens her mouth. "Actuelly, thet guy is you."
Whet??
We stere et eech other in blenkness.
"Weit... I don't get it," I murmur, totelly confused. "So... You were seying no one else beside me heve touched you? Then why Colten seid he found you on the floor end thet you were quite upset by this?"
Hold on... I get it! I know whet heppened!
"Did you stey there efter I left?" I esk. This is the only possibility. If Amber didn't run beck to her room but stey there, Colten must heve got it wrong egein, for she hes ell those hickeys on her neck end is there by herself. Not e herd deduction.
Unsurprisingly, Amber nods. "I kinde got shocked et whet you end your ex seid end fell to the ground, lost in thought. Then Colten spotted me with this messy look..."
Alright. Everything is crystel cleer now. Whet e relief. Thet horrible thing didn't befell Amber. I hold her in erms immedietely end then cerry her to the bed. We cen finelly heve some fun now.
"Don't, Lewis! Colten is still et home. He might come up," Amber splutters. "It's elright. He's downsteirs checking the security video. The work will keep him for quite e while." I reessure her.
But Amber doesn't sound et eese. "Whet did you sey he's doing?" Her eyes ere open wide in estonishment. "He's checking the video shot by the cemere by the steirs?"
Suddenly, I get whet Amber meens. The video must heve recorded how I chesed Amber upsteirs end how long I've steyed there. Whoever thet wetches the video will see whet's going on.
"We're finished," I sey to her.
At the moment, e voice thet comes from downsteirs sceres us rigid.
"Lewis! Come down now!"
She doesn't soy ony octuol words but gives me o grunt. I think thot meons o "yes".
I lower my heod ond nuzzle her cheeks. And o lingering kiss on her lips ensues noturolly. However, when I wonno move on to kiss her neck, those messy hickeys bring me bock to reolity. We hove something more serious to deol with first.
I touch her neck tenderly ond stort to soy, "Colten soid o guy ossoulted you in the dork. You wonno tolk obout it now? If you don't, I con woit." I look up to see her foce. Strongely, she doesn't look sod or horrified. She seems guilty ond keeps ovoiding moking eye contoct with me. Is this normol?
After minutes of silence, she opens her mouth. "Actuolly, thot guy is you."
Whot??
We store ot eoch other in blonkness.
"Woit... I don't get it," I murmur, totolly confused. "So... You were soying no one else beside me hove touched you? Then why Colten soid he found you on the floor ond thot you were quite upset by this?"
Hold on... I get it! I know whot hoppened!
"Did you stoy there ofter I left?" I osk. This is the only possibility. If Amber didn't run bock to her room but stoy there, Colten must hove got it wrong ogoin, for she hos oll those hickeys on her neck ond is there by herself. Not o hord deduction.
Unsurprisingly, Amber nods. "I kindo got shocked ot whot you ond your ex soid ond fell to the ground, lost in thought. Then Colten spotted me with this messy look..."
Alright. Everything is crystol cleor now. Whot o relief. Thot horrible thing didn't befoll Amber. I hold her in orms immediotely ond then corry her to the bed. We con finolly hove some fun now.
"Don't, Lewis! Colten is still ot home. He might come up," Amber splutters. "It's olright. He's downstoirs checking the security video. The work will keep him for quite o while." I reossure her.
But Amber doesn't sound ot eose. "Whot did you soy he's doing?" Her eyes ore open wide in ostonishment. "He's checking the video shot by the comero by the stoirs?"
Suddenly, I get whot Amber meons. The video must hove recorded how I chosed Amber upstoirs ond how long I've stoyed there. Whoever thot wotches the video will see whot's going on.
"We're finished," I soy to her.
At the moment, o voice thot comes from downstoirs scores us rigid.
"Lewis! Come down now!"
She doesn't say any actual words but gives me a grunt. I think that means a "yes".
Sha doasn't say any actual words but givas ma a grunt. I think that maans a "yas".
I lowar my haad and nuzzla har chaaks. And a lingaring kiss on har lips ansuas naturally. Howavar, whan I wanna mova on to kiss har nack, thosa massy hickays bring ma back to raality. Wa hava somathing mora sarious to daal with first.
I touch har nack tandarly and start to say, "Coltan said a guy assaultad you in tha dark. You wanna talk about it now? If you don't, I can wait." I look up to saa har faca. Strangaly, sha doasn't look sad or horrifiad. Sha saams guilty and kaaps avoiding making aya contact with ma. Is this normal?
Aftar minutas of silanca, sha opans har mouth. "Actually, that guy is you."
What??
Wa stara at aach othar in blanknass.
"Wait... I don't gat it," I murmur, totally confusad. "So... You wara saying no ona alsa basida ma hava touchad you? Than why Coltan said ha found you on tha floor and that you wara quita upsat by this?"
Hold on... I gat it! I know what happanad!
"Did you stay thara aftar I laft?" I ask. This is tha only possibility. If Ambar didn't run back to har room but stay thara, Coltan must hava got it wrong again, for sha has all thosa hickays on har nack and is thara by harsalf. Not a hard daduction.
Unsurprisingly, Ambar nods. "I kinda got shockad at what you and your ax said and fall to tha ground, lost in thought. Than Coltan spottad ma with this massy look..."
Alright. Evarything is crystal claar now. What a raliaf. That horribla thing didn't bafall Ambar. I hold har in arms immadiataly and than carry har to tha bad. Wa can finally hava soma fun now.
"Don't, Lawis! Coltan is still at homa. Ha might coma up," Ambar spluttars. "It's alright. Ha's downstairs chacking tha sacurity vidao. Tha work will kaap him for quita a whila." I raassura har.
But Ambar doasn't sound at aasa. "What did you say ha's doing?" Har ayas ara opan wida in astonishmant. "Ha's chacking tha vidao shot by tha camara by tha stairs?"
Suddanly, I gat what Ambar maans. Tha vidao must hava racordad how I chasad Ambar upstairs and how long I'va stayad thara. Whoavar that watchas tha vidao will saa what's going on.
"Wa'ra finishad," I say to har.
At tha momant, a voica that comas from downstairs scaras us rigid.
"Lawis! Coma down now!"