Chapter Five
Amelie
The funeral was nice, as far as funerals go.
I mean, I barely even knew the guy. He was definitely part of my brother’s crowd.
And while I used to try and tag-along with him and Smalls, they definitely had friends I didn’t know about.
Judging by their reaction, I wouldn’t have said this guy was a good friend, but then, why would they ask me to come to the funeral for support if they weren’t cut up about his death?
There’s so much I don’t know about Smalls and Aadi’s life.
I always knew they sheltered me from a lot.
But the crowd gathered today look like some unsavoury characters.
Eyes roamed over my body most of the day much to Kalen’s disgust. I have to beg him to drop it.
I’m even pretty sure I see a few plain clothed cops watching from a distance.
My father’s house is packed to the brim with men I don’t know, all drinking and telling stories. Chelsea manages to wrangle Kalen into helping her bring out food. I scan the crowd but can’t find Smalls anywhere. He’s a big dude so he isn’t easily missed.
As I head upstairs, the sound of laughter and the beat of some Eminem song fade away.
Smalls is sitting on his bed, his hands covering his face.
I take a seat beside him, placing my hand on his leg.
It’s a gesture I’ve done a million times before, but somehow now it feels wrong.
He looks up at me from under his thick lashes, his brown eyes full of sadness.
Maybe he is more cut up about this than I originally thought.
“Are you okay?” I ask, and he nods.
“Sometimes this life isn’t fair Amelie. It just sucks that his life was cut short. He had a girl at home...and a son.” He leans forward and places his forehead against mine. “I’ll be okay.”
“You know, you really should go shower. You reek of alcohol, pot, and a teenage boy just hitting puberty.”
He laughs at my comment. “I’m glad you came back,” he says, standing.
“I’m happy too, even if it is under shitty circumstances. Kalen did have to drag me here though.”
“He doesn’t seem so bad – typical rich boy – but not bad. I’m glad you’re happy. But watch out for Aadi. He hasn’t forgotten about Christmas morning, and he may be planning a surprise for your boy.”
“I could tell by the look in his eyes. He thinks he’s sneaky, but he can’t fool me.”
Smalls laughs. He has always tried to be Switzerland between our pranks.
“Can I ask you something?” Smalls asks hesitantly.
“Sure. Shoot.” I try to keep my tone neutral but a little dread creeps in. I hope he’s not going to question my relationship with the guys.
“Are you coming back? Here, I mean. When you graduate?”
“I—”
“I thought so. It’s okay you know. I could tell. You were just so damn eager to get on that plane when that teacher dude showed up. You practically ran for the door.”
“It wasn’t like that. At all.”
“Amelie, you’re a runner. Shit got real with your dad, and instead of sorting it out like an adult, you ran like a baby.”
“First, babies can’t run.”
“You sound like that asshole downstairs.”
“And second, it wasn’t like that at all. They told me that the teacher died. He died, Smalls. And while I logically know that you can’t die from eating a few dozen cookies with Weed in them, I...I wanted to save you.”
“The dude was diabetic or had some underlying medical condition. That’s why he died.”
“It doesn’t matter. I thought you were going to prison if I told the truth, and I couldn’t handle that.” I pause and consider his words. Then I confess, “I ran when Onyx was hurt too. Not when I found him. But when help came and they said he might not make it, I—”
“Sssh, it’s okay. I can understand that with everything that’s happened to you. He will too. But are you telling me that the only reason you went back was because you were trying to save me?”
I shrug. I mean, I’m glad I did. But it’s not the only reason.
“You know I’d do it a hundred times over for you and Aadi. But I also have unfinished business.”
“With them?”
“With Laura.”
“Amelie—”
“No. She has to pay for what she’s done.”
Smalls sighs but nods his head in acceptance.
“Now can I ask you a question?”
“Shoot.”
“What’s with all the dodgy types at the funeral?”
“I don’t know, I can’t control who comes to the guy’s send off can I?” He looks away and I can tell he’s lying to, the question is why. I decide to let it go for now.
“Will you wait for me to shower?” He asks, changing the topic and lumbering to his feet. I nod and he walks away.
While he’s gone, I look around his room. Not much has changed since we moved here. There’s fewer posters of half-naked women on his walls and a bigger bed now, but that’s all.
I pick up the photo on his bedside table and smile. I remember the day this was taken. It wasn’t long before my attack. I look happy in the picture, clinging to his back like a baby monkey. I’m not sure I’ve smiled like that in a long time.
Smalls’ phone vibrates and I glance at the screen. It’s Yasmin, a friend of his. He mentioned she couldn’t make it today.
“Hey,” I say, deciding to answer the call.
“Amelie?” she asks cautiously.
“Yep, it’s me.”
“Oh my god, it’s been so long. Smalls has told me all about your UK adventure and those boys.”
I laugh. Of course he has. “It has been an interesting adjustment.”
“How is he? I feel like a shit friend for not being able to come, but so much is going on here.”
“He’ll be fine, I think it’s more the shock that the guy wasn’t much older than him and had a family.”
Smalls walks back into the room, a towel wrapped around his waist and I blink. We may have drawn a line and know where each of us stands but I’m not immune to all that.
“Uh, Smalls just got out of the shower so I’ll pass you over. It was nice talking to you again.”
“You too,” she says and I hand the phone to Smalls, who looks down at the caller ID and smiles.
“Hey shorty, what’s up?” That’s what I love about him; no matter how he feels, his tone doesn’t give away his pain. Always trying to protect other people.
“I’ll come back up and check on you soon,” I whisper and he nods. I close his door to give him privacy.
I don’t know much about his and Yasmin's friendship. All I know is that her dad helped Smalls a lot before he came to live with Chelsea. Saved his ass a few times too. I’ve got respect for the entire family for that. Lord knows, Smalls needs some good people in his life. Especially now.
I slip into my room to make a phone call. First, I try Baxter’s number but it’s disconnected. Wanker. So I call Sawyer. I’m not ready to face the twins.
“Hey, how much do you need?”
“Huh?” I ask, Sawyer's opening line throwing me for a loop.
“Well, you’ve been there twenty-four-hours now, and you’re calling, so I’m assuming it’s because you need bail money for Kalen.”
I laugh.
“Close. He won’t get arrested, he’ll get a casket.” I stop laughing. Jesus, that was in poor taste.
“Don’t worry about it,” Sawyer says gently, reading my mind as always. “What do you need?”
“Information.”
“Okay, shoot.”
“I need to know where Baxter is. I have to speak to him.”
“I wish we knew—”
“Speak to Jasper and Frost. Someone knows something. I have to speak to him. It’s urgent.”
“Okay, leave it with me. I’ll text you a number when I get one.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem, Amelie. Have a great time.”
“Is...everyone okay?” I hesitate, not wanting to seem only interested in Onyx, but of course, Sawyer sees through that too.
“Onyx is fine, Amelie. All of us are. Even Marshmallow.”
“I miss him, give him a kiss from me.”
“You better mean the damn dog, I’m not snogging any of my brothers for you!” We laugh and it feels good.
“I have to go.”
“No worries. Miss you.”
“You too.”
With a smile on my face, I cut the call and head out of my room and down the corridor to go back downstairs, but stop short when I spy a familiar figure coming towards me. Familiar and unwelcome.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I hiss at Sarah, Smalls’ ex. Or Skanky Sarah as I like to call her.
“Do you mind? Show some respect, we just buried one of our own today.”
“Yeah, from what I heard he had a girl and a son at home. That’s a new level of low, isn’t it? Aspiring to be a homewrecker.”
Sarah’s eyes flash with anger but I don’t give a fuck. I want to provoke her. I disliked her from the moment I laid eyes on her and now I’m allowed to. I hope she starts something; I have new skills I can showcase.
“It’s none of your damn business what was going on between Brenton and me!”
“No, but when you started screwing around behind Smalls’ back, that became my damn business.
I’d like to say I’m going to get payback because you hurt him, but in all honesty, he didn’t give that much of a fuck about you.
So now this is just going to be for fun.
” Channelling my inner Branson, I give slutface Sarah my best psychopath smile, revelling in the nervous way she swallows.
This is going to be fun.