Page 81 of Lines

“What do you think you are doing, Sanders?”

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Derek

The door of the car shuts behind me, the sound echoing in the silent night. Nervously, I wipe my hands against the sweats as I turn around and start walking towards the front porch.

I’m not supposed to be here, and I’m sure whoever opens the door won’t be happy to see me, but I have to see her. Amelia hasn’t been in school the last few days.

The lastthreedays.

I know I was looking for her, waiting to see her beat-up car come to the school parking lot, waiting for her to step inside of the school hallways, waiting for her to enter one of our shared classes or cafeteria … only, she never showed up.

Lifting my eyes from the floor, I see two figures standing in front of the house.

The light that illuminates the space is casting shadows around them, but I can clearly see two people hugging there.

At first, I think its Amelia’s parents, except the guy is taller and has dark hair and the girl … even the soft light is making her hair shine like fire.

“What do you think you are doing, Sanders?” My voice comes out hard, almost like a growl. My fingers clench by my side so hard that I can feel my nails digging into soft flesh.

Took him long enough to come and save the day like the fucking hero he is.

Amelia practically jumps out of his arms like his touch burned her. Or maybe it’s just the sound of my voice messing their perfect moment together.

Sanders, on the other hand, lets his fingers linger on her body as he turns slowly to face me. His stance is relaxed, the smirk he gives me is provoking, but the way his dark eyes look at me, hard and unforgiving, tells me he’s anything but relaxed.

He’s pissed at me, and I can’t blame him because I’m pissed at me too, but he doesn’t know shit about what has happened so he shouldn’t put his nose where it doesn’t belong.

“What do you thinkyouare doing here, King?”

Sanders stands in front of Amelia, shielding her. From me. Like she needs protection from me.

I think this whole situation shows that she does.

“I don’t think you are welcome here.”

His hands are crossed over his chest, and I grit my teeth in frustration. Standing on the front porch he has the advantage of height. However, I’m not that easily intimidated.

Mimicking him, I stare him right in the eyes. “I’m here to talk with Amelia, not you.”

Sanders doesn’t even blink. “I don’t think she wants to talk to you.”

“I don’t think you are the one deciding.”

“And I don’t think you should talk about me like I’m not even here,” Amelia protests behind her human shield, but he doesn’t give her a chance to come around.

“You should go.”

“And you should move away. This is none of your business.”

“Amelia’s my friend. Of course it’s my business.”

“You don’t know shit for it to be your business.”

I’ve taken those few steps that are separating us, so now we are standing nose to nose.

We are both pissed at each other. The air around us is filled with tension and anger that built over the course of the last few weeks, boiling slowly until it’s ready to blow in our faces.

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