Page 45 of Fade (Fighting Fate)

“Just to talk. Do you think you could do that?”

I hesitated, caught between wanting to please her and wanting to please Amber. But what did I want? I knew that was the question I should be asking. If I was going to be honest with myself, w

hich I had vowed to be, I knew, deep down, I still held hope of having some form of relationship with my parents. I wanted them to love me for who I was, and respect me enough to let me make my own decisions. Had they finally realized that was what they needed to do? Had my moving out pushed them to see that?

“I guess I could do that,” I said quietly.

Amber groaned and threw herself backwards on the bed in exasperation.

“Thank you, Amy. Can you come now at all?”

I glanced at the clock. “Sure.”

“All right. We’ll see you soon.”

I listened to the click of the line going dead before locking my cell and turning to face Amber.

“You’re a glutton for punishment,” she said.

“She said they want to talk.” I shrugged. “Maybe they’ve realized they’ve made a mistake.”

“Yeah, and maybe the world is a freaking cube, Amy. I don’t buy a single thing she says. Don’t go. She’s only going to try to manipulate you.”

I pressed my lips together and gazed out the window. “I know there’s a chance nothing’s changed, but I have to try.” I turned to look her in the eye. I needed her to understand. “I need to know that I did everything I could. You know?”

She stared back at me for a long while before sighing. “Yeah. I get it. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to protect you from their shit. I don’t like seeing you hurt, babe.”

“I know,” I said, picking up my bag and cell. “Hopefully we’re both wrong.”

I was nervous as I drove the few blocks to Mom and Dad’s. I knew there was a high possibility that Amber was right, but like I said to her, I needed to do this.

Pulling my car up to the curb, I climbed out and locked the doors before pushing the button on the intercom.

“Amy,” Mom’s voice came through the speaker. “Don’t be silly. You don’t need to ring the bell. Just come inside.”

The stern tone of her voice threw me. I hesitated. Unease crept up inside me.

Swallowing down the confusion, I punched in the code I was sure they’d have changed by now and watched the gate start sliding open. Taking a deep breath, I walked up to the front door and hesitantly turned the knob.

“Hello?”

“We’re in the living room,” Mom called.

Closing the door, I straightened my shoulders and lifted my chin, then started down the hall.

As soon as I walked in, all my hopes vanished. Amber was right. Mom and Dad were seated on one of the long couches, and sitting on the end of the other, was Ryan.

My jaw went slack, and my eyes instantly narrowed on him. What the hell was he doing here?

“Hi, Amy,” he said calmly.

I was sure my jaw hung open a little more. He was freaking sitting on my parents’ couch like he freaking belonged there. What the actual fuck?

I looked between the three of them. “What’s going on?”

Irritation flashed through Dad’s eyes. “Sit down, Amy.”

Panic was starting to swell up inside me. I was seriously worried about what they had planned. “Uh . . . I’m good, thanks. I just want to know what’s going on. Why is Ryan here?”

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