"Okay." He stood carefully and found his way to the window, climbing back inside. He found Amelia standing just outside the room, dark circles under her eyes. "Hey there, Amelia."
"What were you doing on the roof?"
"I was star gazing."
She didn't question him about the roof after that. She knew about the stars. She did, however, have questions. "Where are we?"
"My… Friend's house."
"This doesn't look like Zavian's house."
He scoffed. "I have friends other than Zavian, you know."
A smirk tugged on the edges of her lips. "I don't believe you."
Ivy crawled over to the edge and looked inside, hanging upside down. She didn't say anything, just watched, making sure she wouldn't fall off and die.
"Well, you should."
They stood for a moment as her smile faded.
"Come here." He motioned her for her to come over, opening up his arms.
She made her way over and buried her head in his chest. His arms wrapped around her. She didn't seem to be crying, but he wouldn't know until he let go. And at the moment, he didn't want to.
She leaned in closer to get a better look but overestimated her balance and fell forward off the roof. "What the-?! Shit!" She grabbed onto the windowsill quickly. "Oh my God that was too close!" She laughed. She was now dangling three floors above the ground which wasn't even a solid ground, it was down onto a rose bush.
Jackson practically jumped five feet in the air in surprise. "Ivy!" He ran to the window, leaving Amelia to her own surprise, and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her into the room.
She gasped to catch her breath, heart pounding in sudden adrenaline. "Thanks, I thought for sure I'd fall." She blew her hair out of her eyes.
"Well, I mean, you did. Just not all the way." He was really glad she didn't. He took a second to let his heart slow down seeing as it seemed to be beating out of his chest.
"Relax love, at least I'm alive." She chuckled and kissed his cheek.
He chuckled a little with her. "Yeah, I guess, but-"
"'Friend?'" His sisters voice came from behind them. He turned to look at her. He was expecting a smirk on her face, but instead, it was full of something else.
Hurt?
"Amelia, this is Ivy. My girlfriend."
She waved shyly. "Wassup." Ahhh, new people I don't like it. The slight confidence that she was able to get around Jackson instantly disappeared and she shrunk back into the shy quiet artist everyone else knew.
"Hey, " he turned to face her, "it's fine. It's just my sister."
"That's not right."
"Huh?" He turned back to Amelia.
Silent tears were trailing down her face leaving wet streaks on her cheeks. "You're just using her, aren't you? To get over mom just like before."
"What?" Confusion filled his face. "Amelia, I would never."
"I mean…I certainly hope not." She muttered, twirling her hair around her finger nervously. Her stomach clenched, could he just be using her?
"What?" He spun around to look at Ivy. "No no no! I wouldn't! I couldn't!"
He spun back around to Amelia. "First of all, I love Ivy more than I do the stars. Second, what do you mean 'just like before' Amelia?"
"I mean that when Dad left and mom wasn't… Mom anymore you turned around and got Fern to hold you when no one else would!"
Pain struck his heart. "What?!"
First off, who named their daughter Fern? Second, what is she talking about? Her brows knitted together in thought. What could've happened that would cause this?
Amelia's voice was raised above any noise the world could make. "EVEN WHEN SHE'S ALL THE WAY GONE YOU DON'T CARE, DO YOU?!" The tears still ran down her face, her words jabbing at what was left of him. "IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU FEELING BETTER! YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO FIX MOM THE FIRST TIME! JUST YOU! JUST YOU!"
He couldn't seem to breathe. The stars could suddenly disappear and it wouldn't hurt as much as her words did. He began to walk up to her. "Amelia, n-"
She shook her head and backed out the door past his view.
Ivy just stood back. This was a family thing, she shouldn't interfere. She's young. She doesn't understand yet. Right? She chewed on her lower lip, debating. She hadn't had to go through her parents' death, but her sisters had. Lillian was 4 and amy (the most wonderful woman in the world) was 10.
There was a slam of a door. He assumed it was just her goong bacl to Ivy's room. He sighed and turned around to look at her.
"I'm sorry, Ivy, I don't know what. I mean, I do. She. She's young."
"No, it's alright. Siblings can be like that." She smiled a little. "I was like that myself. Young, curious, still somewhat traumatized little girls can do that."
(I apologize, I'm adding in so much drama, I just want to see what my character will do with it. I haven't really roleplayed with him too much.)
Jackson nodded and looked to the ground. "I oughta check on her." He slowly turned and walked out of the room, not sure what to do to fix the one that drifted around in that room. "Amelia?" He gently knocked on the door.
It opened with a creak with the simple tap.
"Amelia?"
The room seemed empty.
"Amelia?!"
Crap.
It was empty.
(It's no problem! I've never really used Ivy all that much, it's fun to play around with her.)
Ivy looked around her room and sighed. "Probably found my escape route, the little snoop. It was there when the house was built, I was just the first to find it." She noticed the familiar panel that covered it was cracked slightly. "Yep. She did."
"Where does it lead to?" He didn't know what would happen if Amelia was hurt or lost. His hands fidgeted a little, anxiousness flowing through him.
"Out to the woods in the backyard. With stuff like coyotes, hunters, and quite a few rabid dogs, a little thing like her is hopeless." She unconsciously scratched at a scar on her arm from where she'd been bitten by one of those dogs herself.
He could feel adrenaline racing through his veins. No. He opened it all the way and began to climb through. He couldn't bear to lose her too. Not today. Not ever.
She simply let him and stood back. If Zach found out that she'd used that passageway again, she'd be in big trouble. Thank God it's not a full moon or else she'd probably be dead already.
He had made it out to the woods. It was dark, moonlight only shining through the gaps of the leaves above him. "Amelia!" He called for her a few times, the leaves russling beneath his feet.
