Chapter 5: Amaris's Heart

Alina woke up to a knocking on the door, "Alina dear, it is time to get up." The voice at the door didn't sound familiar, and at first, she didn't understand where she was, but after waking up a bit, she realized it was the elder and that she was in Cotannia. "Yes, elder, I am getting up now," Alina headed to the closet to look at some of the clothes, she was surprised that they actually fit her. She found a white t-shirt and blue jeans; she tucks the t-shirt into the jeans before coming out of her room.

She went down the stairs to see the table was already set for breakfast. Today on the menu is biscuits with sausage grave. Alina sat down at the table and took her first bite. The elder handed a piece of paper over to Alina, "Here is a map to Amaris's house," elder took a bite and swallowed before continuing, "but I can't promise she will still be there. That is why there is a red line. The black line will take you to her house, and the red line will show you the path she takes to school." Alina studied the map, Amaris's house was a strait line from where the elder lived, and it looked about a mile, but Amaris's way to school was all zigs and zags. Alina wanted to ask why, but elder spoke first, "Remember, be back here by seven, with Amaris," the elder emphasized on the with.

Alina took a look at her watch that said it was six-thirty, if Amaris had already left for school, she wouldn't be able to catch her, and bring her back in time. Alina drop her fork on the plate, put on her shoes, and ran through the door. The elder sat at the table alone, "I will be surprised if she makes it back on time." Alina ran as fast a she could for Amaris's house, as she approached Amaris's house, she checked the time, six-forty-five. Alina jumps over the front steps, and was about to knock on the door, when the door swings open. Standing in the door is Amaris herself.

"What are you doing here, and how do you even know where I live?" Amaris was confused by Alinas sudden appearance. "Ah, well, I was told to come get you, and was given a map," Alina held up the map and gave a quick smile. Alina started to fold the paper up to put it in her pocket, when Amaris grabbed her hand, "Who gave you this, and who told you to come get me?" Alina hesitated to tell Amaris because she knew Amaris didn't want anything to do with the elder. Amaris grabbed the map from Alinas hand, "You will tell me or I am going to tear this map of yours apart." Alina quickly answered, "It was the elder." Before Amaris could even reply to Alina two people showed up behind Amaris.

"The elder, oh boy, dear did you hear that, the elder wants to see our little Mar," the woman pinched Amaris's cheek when she said little Mar, she had dark brown hair, dark skin, and pale brown eyes. The man standing beside her also had dark hair, but he had tan colored skin, and dark brown eyes. Alina felt bad for Amaris, Alina's parents doted on her, but never in front of a stranger, or someone they just met. Alina also felt bad about that nickname, Alina's parents used Lin as a nickname for her, but it wasn't as bad as Mar. "Thats enough!" Amaris pushed the two dotes away, "You two are the worst parents in the world, and I am not going to see the elder!" Amaris stormed off her front porch, throwing Alinas map on the ground, and leaving for school.

Alina stood there wondering what to do, chase after Amaris and try to convince her to go see the elder, or just leave her along and go back by herself. Alina was still debating what to do when she hears Amaris's parents start talking, "Oh Amaris, she uses to be such a sweet girl. Now look, were did we go wrong?" The woman leads herself against the man. "Amaris was different? When did she change?" Alina became curious about Amaris's past, and couldn't help but ask. The two looked at each other, "Would you like to come in?" Alina looked at her watch, six-fifty, even if she did convince Amaris to come with her, she still wouldn't make it back time, to Alina it would probably feel like another day in detention, "Sure," Alina steps in through the door.

"Please, take off your shoes, and put them in a cubby," the woman points to a shoe rack behind the door. Alina took off her shoes and stepped in, to her left she could see their kitchen they had a one doored white fridge, and next to the fridge was their sink. "Come this way," the man pointed to her right, and to a couch. The couch was made of brown cloth and had three seats, Alina sat in that one. Across from the couch she sat on, was another couch that was very similar, but it had two seats, the woman and the man sat on that one. "You want to know what happened to Amaris to make her the way she is now," the woman started off after everyone was comfortable. "That is right, and if you know, why does she hate the elder so much?" Alina just wanted to help Amaris, like she helped Elizabeth.

Two years ago, Elizabeth parents had a divorce, and it hit Elizabeth hard. Elizabeth started doing stuff she normally wouldn't do. She would stay out late, run away from home, she even stopped talking to Alina. Then one day, Elizabeth got in big trouble, she had robbed a store. Alina was able to get to her before the cops, and when Alina did get to her, Elizabeth was scared and crying. Alina and Elizabeth sat in the same spot for a whole hour just talking about what was going on, by the end of it they were both in tears. The next day Elizabeth return everything she stole, and apologized to her mom for all the trouble she had put her mom through. Elizabeth never got completely over their divorce, but she did learn and grow from it. All together it made Elizabeth a better person, and now she wants to do the same for Amaris.

The woman started everything off, "It was about the time Amaris was six years old," the woman started the conversation with looking Alina in the eyes, but as time when on her gaze shifted from Alina to the ground. "The elder wanted to see her, so we took Amaris to the elder. The elder wanted us to stay outside, so we did. We saw a flash of light come from the windows and doors. Then Amaris came out screaming. I had Amaris stay with her father while I went inside to see what happened. I walked up to the elder, she was holding a completely white orb in her hand. When I asked what happened, she told me that Amaris was one of the stars. Then she got up and put the orb behind her chair." The woman's gaze met Alina's again as she continued the story, "We don't know the exact details, but ever since than Amaris, has been distant and cold, like all the light that was inside her was stripped away."

Alina sat there for a little bit, thinking, what could have happened. Alina knew that sitting there thinking was not going to do any good. What might do some good, is to go ask Amaris herself. Alina stood up and thanked Amaris's parents for what they told her, and then put on her shoes and ran after Amaris. Alina pick up her map off the ground and saw that her first stop was strait a head. Alina ran as fast as she could hoping to catch Alina before she started to zig zag around. Alina reached the end of the first part with no sign of Amaris.

Alina made her first zig to the right, and head to the end of the first line, when she noticed a clothing store at the end of her first zig. Alina walked inside and up to the cash register, "Excuse me, have you seen a girl that is five foot, has has dark skin, hair, and eyes." The lady stood there with her mouth gapped open, "Hello, can you help me find a girl, her name is Amaris." Alina tried to get her to speak one more time, and when the girl at the cash register did, "Hey guys, come here, come look at this!" Everyone around the store started to gather around Alina, "OMG, she is the spiting image of Amaris, but her skin, hair, and eyes are so light!" Alina feeling very uncomfortable tries to squeeze her way out, but she couldn't.

Alina stood there trying to find a way out when something grabbed her by the arm. Alina was immediately terrified at what just grabbed her, she started to pull and push, trying to get free of who ever grabbed her. Then before she knew it, she was out of the crowd of people, "What are you doing here?" Amaris whispered as she dragged Alina away from prying eyes, into a changing room. "I am here trying to find you, and what is up with those people?" Alina was just happy she could get away, "Thanks by the way." "It wasn't for you. It was for me, I can't have someone who looks exactly like me, running around dressed in that." Amaris point to her cloths, "It will ruin my reputation." Amaris throw some close at Alina, "Put those on, at least that way you can look half way decent."

Alina put on a white noodle strapped shirt that had a frails that went across the top and bottom of the shirt. She then put on a pair of skinny jeans, and white high heels. "Much better, now you look like you mean something," as Amaris talked Alina notice that Amaris was wear the same thing, but with a black top and black high heels. Alina also noticed that Amaris was smiling, Alina thought Amaris's smile was pretty, and soon Alina was smiling too. "Okay, next stop," Amaris grabbed Alina's arm again, "Come with me."

Amaris and Alina walked straight for a while till they came to a makeup store, "Did you already pay for these cloths," Alina asked Amaris, "I paid for them before you arrived, I figured you would come after me," Amaris didn't look at Alina as they walked into the store. "Good morning Miss. Amaris. The two placements you preorder are ready for you and your guess," as we walk into the store Amaris and Alina were greeted by a young woman. "You ordered something here too?" "Be quit and sit down, didn't I already tell you? I can't have someone who look like me running around looking like that." Alina put her head down when Amaris was done talking, shes mean, but I can tell she has a big heart, Alina thought to herself, now, only if she showed that side of her a bit more, people won't be so mean to her. Amaris and Alina sat at their seat getting their makeup done, and Alina was happy and so was Amaris, but being able to see Amaris's heart and smile for the first time Alina couldn't ask for anything more.