AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Alright,” October interjects like we’re poking beehives. “Enough. You’ve both been through something traumatic.”
“I’m fine,” Amelia snaps at me.
“I’m fine too,” I snap at her.
We’re both crossing our arms in a huff, and October is rolling her eyes. Why does Amelia make me turn into a fucking kindergartener? I get my shit together, and I remember how she helped me.
“Thank you,” I say suddenly to Amelia.
“For what?” She bristles.
“For saving my life. I’d hug you but—”
“Please don’t.” She cringes.
Awesome. I mumble to myself, “Love having that effect on people.”
October slips an arm around my hips, as though to remind me that I’m not gross. I’m not unwanted. She wants me.
If she did, why did she leave this morning?
October has her own questions, but they’re not for me. “Why were you arguing with your mother?”
“Oh…” Amelia rolls her eyes, then ices me out further with a back-turn, but she whispers not that quietly to October, “She was questioning my curse. She kept asking if I knew about a latex allergy before my eighteenth birthday.”
October stiffens.
“Did you?” I wonder.
Amelia huffs. “This is a private conversation, Zoey.”
“You should tell Zoey,” October says.
“Why? Isn’t she leaving soon?”
I can’t say a thing before October tells Amelia, “Regardless, I trust and love her, and you can trust her too.”
She still loves me. That counts for something. I know it does. A glimmer of hope brightens.
Surprisingly, Amelia shifts and faces me. “This stays between you and October, but I knew before I was eighteen.”
About her latex allergy? Which means… “You weren’t cursed.”
“My mom does not know, and she will never know.” She casts a furtive glance at Anna Roberts who’s speaking intensely to Sheriff Carmichael.
I realize Amelia Roberts was cursed today. She shot a man before he fell to his death.
My lips part. “Amelia—”
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t feel sorry for me.” She adjusts the shotgun strap on her arm. “I did what I had to do.”
I nod slowly. “Thank you,” I say more deeply this time.
She nods back curtly, but I swear her eyes soften. October hugs her friend, and a worse thought hits me.
If Amelia is willing to lie about her curse to her mom, would she lie about what happened today? Just as October and Amelia pull apart, Sheriff Carmichael approaches us.
“Well, that just about does it.” He rests his hands on his belt. “I think we have everything we need for today.”
Brian’s eyes flash hot. “You’ve only questioned Amelia.”
“We don’t need any other reports—”
“That’s bullshit,” Colt snaps.
“Hey, watch your tongue,” Sheriff Carmichael rebuts with the shake of his head. “Amelia was the one directly involved”—Parry is rolling his eyes around the campground—“and her testimony is all we need today. You’re all free to go.”
Brian freezes. “We’re free to go?”
“That’s what I said.” He nods. “This is a clear case of self-defense. If we need you for paperwork, we’ll give you a call. But yes, you’re all free to go.”
October whispers to me, “She wouldn’t throw you under.”
Amelia came through.
Except I’m not sure we are free. I don’t even know where we’re going from here. All I know is I want to be with October, but is that even possible anymore?
She slips her hand into mine, and I sense the comfort and love in her grip. Something that screams, I’m never leaving. I love you. Be with me, Zoey. But how many times am I going to only see what I want to see?
I am a fool because I choose to believe she’s not going anywhere.
I choose to believe it’s us, together always, at the end of our love story. I might not be a writer, but I wouldn’t want it to end any other way.
CHAPTER 34
October Brambilla
“We’re all going to The Drunk Pelican. Do you want to come along?” I ask Amelia on our trek out of the Edge of the World. Zoey is further up ahead with her family and my sister.
I can’t think about how awful she looks. She’s nearly unrecognizable. Like a little mud monster. Seeing her scrapes and scratches still twists my stomach.
The worst parts of me wish I’d seen Ashton fall. I wish I could’ve pushed him over myself.
“I should go home. Talk later?” Amelia says.
We pause near an oak tree to hug, and I thank her again for saving Zoey. I’d like to think that someday Amelia and Zoey can be friends. Or at the very least, friendly.
I have enough time to briefly tell her the truth behind my curse. She deserves to know. When I finish, she isn’t surprised to hear that Aunt Effie and her mom and likely the rest of the town council have been protecting me.
“It’s what they do,” she says. “It’s what we’ll do. Sooner than we realized.” She protected the Durands.
For me.
They could’ve easily been blamed for Ashton’s death in some twisted scenario. The town would’ve loved a more entertaining story where the Durands are the villains.
