HER BEWILDERMENT

The door opened softly, and then closed as Claire stepped in, her steps light. Amari, who was standing by the window, looking out, turned to face Claire, on hearing her come in.

"Why are you in here? The party is out there... Everyone is looking for you," Claire said, closing the gap between them.

"Umm, I had to use the bathroom," Amari said, her voice low.

"Are you... Are you okay? You sound off," Claire muttered, with a voice laced with concern.

"Yeah... Sure," Amari said, even managing a smile.

"Okay... Let us get out there then. Nathan can't wait to ask you to dance."

Claire had already taken Amari's hand in hers and was leading her outside the room as she spoke.

"Oooh, there you are," Nathan's voice rang out as he approached them the minute they came down the stairs. There was a wide smile playing in his face.

"Hey Nathan," Amari said, leaving Claire to take Nathan's outstretched hand.

"Okay darling, have fun. I need to go make sure everyone is having a good time," Claire said and started to leave but Amari reached out and grabbed her arm, rather too roughly.

"Ouch!" Claire said and turned to Amari with a raised eyebrow.

"Umm, sorry... I didn't mean to... I just wanted to say, thank you, for everything... My birthday party wouldn't have happened without you," Amari said, withdrawing her hand.

"Awwwn, you are welcome darling," Claire said, even reaching out to peck on Amari's cheek, and then she leaned her mouth towards Amari's ear.

"You like Nathan. He likes you too. Don't blow up this golden opportunity I have given you. By the time I am back I want to hear that you two are dating already, understood?" Clarie ended with a wink and Amari shoved her away gently while giggling.

"Just go, silly," Amari said.

Claire smiled, reaching out to pat Amari's shoulder, and then she walked away.

"Dance with me Amari," Nathan spoke and Amari returned her gaze to him. She smiled and took his hand again and he started to lead her to the dance floor.

As Nathan walked to the dance floor with Amari, he exchanged a brief gaze with Diane, Nick, Stephen and Stephanie who were standing together in one corner of the hall.

"You look really beautiful tonight Amari," Nathan started as they danced.

The other guests started to pair themselves up and soon came to join the duo on the dance floor.

Amari had both her hands over Nathan's shoulders while his hands were holding her waist. They were moving in sync with the slow music playing.

"Thanks," Amari said with a shy smile. She was wondering why she was suddenly shy and nervous. She was never shy or nervous. She was the definition of a very confident young lady. But at that moment, she could even feel her knees weakening and had to readjust her hands over his shoulders, so she was holding onto him more firmly.

"So, how has today been so far?" he asked, his ocean blue eyes peering into her emerald green ones. She blinked her eyelashes and he swallowed. Damn she had no idea how cute she looked when she blinked like that!

"Well, okay, I guess," she muttered and he nodded slowly.

"Any strange thing happen?" he asked.

"Huh?" she blurted out, furrowing her eyebrows at him in confusion.

"I mean, has anything weird happened today? You were in your room for quite a while too..." he tried again and she stopped dancing as her eyes searched his. Something about his eyes told her that she could trust him. That he would understand.

"Actually, I don't know... Today has been a bit weird... From the very moment I woke up. Have you ever felt like something bad was going to happen? Like a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach?" she asked.

"I know what you mean," he said with a light nod.

Amari drew a sharp breath and pulled her hands off his shoulders. She turned and started to walk away from him. In her head, she was hearing the soft whisper again, "Amari."

When suddenly, she felt an arm on her shoulder, she turned swiftly, with her hand stretched forward and Nathan who had reached out to touch her found himself being thrown all the way to the wall that was at least 12 feets away.

Amari gasped as Nathan's back crashed on the walls. He staggered, falling to the floor with a pained expression.

Everyone stopped dancing and the music playing gradually stopped as murmurs broke out amongst the people present.

Amari stepped back, bewildered about what had just happened, as Diane, Nick, Stephen and Stephanie rushed to Nathan to check on him.

"What the hell Amari! Why did you push him like that?" Claire asked as she rushed to Amari.

"I, umm, I didn't... I didn't push him," Amari said, her breathing hitched.

"Yes you did, I saw you..." Claire said.

"I said I didn't!" Amari screamed and almost at the same time, the lights in the hall flickered.

"Okay teenagers, party is over!" Mr Jake Conat's voice suddenly sounded in the speakers as he spoke into a microphone.

******

Sitting in her bed, Amari's mind was all over the place. Everyone had left the house, including Claire who was probably upset that she had screamed at her. Claire wouldn't even pick her calls anymore. And she wasn't replying her text messages either.

Amari let out a soft sigh, what the hell was wrong with her? she wondered.

Yes she had stretched her hand forward when she turned after feeling his touch, but she hadn't touched him. So how was it that he had crashed onto the wall like she had pushed him with all her might? Amari kept thinking this thought. She was confused.

"What a really weird day! So embarrassing... I told them I didn't feel like throwing a party but no one listened to me. Now look what happened!" she mumbled to herself, ending with a sharp breath.

Suddenly she heard a sound on her window pane, like someone had thrown something at it. She rose unhurriedly and moved towards the window, pulling the curtains apart to look outside.

"Nathan?" she blurted out as she saw him standing downstairs, looking up her window. He started to wave at her when he noticed that she had seen him.

Letting out a deep breath, she started for the door of her bedroom.

Her father was in the sitting room and looked up from the newspaper he had over his face, when she stepped in.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, staring at her quizzically.

"Just outside," she said.

He heaved in a deep breath, putting the newspaper away, and then he rose and came to stand with her, facing her.

"What happened pumpkin? You shoved Nathan to the wall, he hurt his back you know? And then you screamed at Claire who has been everywhere all day, trying to make sure you had a blast day... That's not like you. Are you upset about something? Did anything happen?" Jake asked, searching his daughter's eyes.

"I am so sorry dad. I really am... I don't know what happened but I promise that I didn't mean to hurt Nathan or to scream at Claire and I would apologize to the both of them, starting from Nathan who is outside by the way," Amari said.

"Nathan is outside?" Jake asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Yeah... He threw a rock at my window, that is why I came downstairs. I guess he wants to talk," Amari said.

"Interesting... He must really care about you, coming here after what just happened," Jake said, a sly smile playing in his face.

"Stop it dad, I know what you are trying to do," Amari said, giggling and her father echoed her giggle.

"I have a gift for you, but it is more like your mother's gift to you. I will give it to you after you return from seeing Nathan. You shouldn't keep him waiting... Go!" he said and she nodded.

"Behave out there, okay?" Jake warned and she nodded again before dashing out of the house.

"Come with me," Nathan muttered and grabbed her arm the moment she reached him.

"Wait!" she said, pulling away from his hold and staring at him quizzically.

"I need to show you something," he explained and she raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Where?" she asked.

"In the woods," he replied and she squinted her eyes at him.

"Are you serious? Don't you realize how late it is? I only told my father that I am going outside not to the woods," Amari said all in one breath.

"Just trust me, okay? Please Amari, I am trying to help you," he paused, his expression pleading. Amari let out a soft sigh.

"You would understand everything then. Come with me Amari," he ended, with an outstretched hand.

She let out another sigh as her eyes moved to look at the house.

"Fine," she said after an entire minute's silence, returning her gaze to Nathan and taking his outstretched hand.