Chapter 2: Change

Amari POV:

It's been a year and I haven't seen or heard from him. Each night I stayed up hoping that he would be back to talk me through the night but he never came.

My birthday is today. I know that falling for some random stranger is not okay but his no stranger to me. He made me feel like a princess just by hearing me talk about my day. Yet now I'm alone all over again. Sometimes I get mad at the fact he walked out on me but I tell myself that he had his reasons and I understand that.

My mom says if something is meant to be it will come back to you. At least all I have to do is keep our promise

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday, happy birthday to you Amari " my mom sings the Italian version as she kisses me on the cheek while dad takes a video of the whole thing

"My darling is 9 years old today" he starts sniffling as he looks at us through the camera lens

"Don't you dare cry Dad " I roll my eyes smiling

"You are just getting old and more and more beautiful" he starts tearing up

"Awww darling" my mom goes towards him to hug him. I just sit there. If what Dad is saying is true then why hasn't Shadow come to visit me? I think he must have moved on

"Honey, you dozing off again," my mom says snapping me out of my thoughts

"Did you take your meds?" she says squeezing my shoulders. Ah yes, I have started antidepressants and honestly, I'm not that upset about it cause I get lollipops when I do take them. I - don't judge me

"Yes Mom, I'm fine " She gives Dad a look

"Not those meds, honey the other ones", oh She means my other meds. I'm 9 years old and I have to take meds for schizophrenia. That's what the psychologist diagnosed for me when my parents said I speak to someone at night.

I started therapy after Shadow left and when I told the therapist about him she thought I hallucinated it all but I know his real I know he was there. I felt him touch me the last day I saw him. Even though they don't believe me I know what I saw... well heard since he never showed me how he looked.

"Uhm yes Mom I did" I frown

"I didn't mean to ruin your mood, honey"

"It's fine mom, uhm thank you guys for this it was perfect" I blow out my candles and excuse myself from the table. Heading to my room it's 7 pm and he usually comes at 9:30 pm. Opening my door with a sigh I go into my closet to pick out some pyjamas so I can change into them. I head into my bedroom and I wash my face.

I know his real I'm not crazy. Splashing my face with water I sigh. Grabbing my toothbrush I brush my teeth, finishing up I get a notification on my phone but I don't bother to check it why should I? The person I want to see isn't going to show up. Looking at myself for the last time I head towards my bed, picking up my night dress and changing into it. Ding ding ding, what the hell who's texting me so much? Picking up my phone I look at the message

Happy birthday

It's from an unknown number ...strange well I got to go to school tomorrow so let me just sleep. I set my alarm for 7 am and I doze off counting sheep.

Morning the next day - 7 am

Closing my alarm I groan. I head into my closet to find an outfit. Today I feel like shorts and a tank top. Finding the outfit I place it on my bed and head into the shower, washing my hair. I hear a knock on my door.

"Hey Amari your going to be late, I suggest you hurry up " my dad shouts through the door

"Okay, Dad I'll be out in a minute " quickly rinsed out my hair. I jump out of the shower and I dry myself off. Applying some lotion on my legs, arms, neck, and face I get dressed into my outfit. I run down the stairs to grab my backpack and lunch bag as I dash out the door 

"Hey hey eat or drink something" my mom stops me. Going to her I grab the glass of orange juice, drinking the whole glass I breathe out placing it on the counter

"Thanks, I love you, Bye, " I say blowing my mom a kiss while I had out

"Amari, you late " my dad shouts through the car window

"Sorry Dad," I say jumping inside the car. He starts the engine and we race to school. After 10 minutes of 'Dad slow down,' we reach school safely

"Love you bye," I say jumping out of the car and slamming the door so hard that Dad honks his car and I wince. Rushing into the school building. I slow down my pace because there's no way I'm getting detention for running in the halls. I reach my teacher's classroom. I sigh and I knock walking in my teacher stops his lesson.

"You late Amari," he says rather harshly shutting his book and making everyone look at me

"I know and I'm sorry "

"Okay sit down" Heading to the back of the class, Jason waves his hand for me to sit next to him. Walking to the seat next to him I sit down.

"Hey" he whispers

"Hi," I say taking out my pencils

"We are watching Moana in the next 10 minutes" he whispers again

"Oh okay" A few seconds go back

"So what are you doing for lunch" he whispers again

"I don't know eating " I raise my eyebrow at him

"Cool cool" Another few minutes of silence pass

"So are you still dating that boyfriend of yours" he whispers

"What," I say leaning toward him

"Are you still dating that 'older' guy?" he says folding his arms

"Aghh are you still on that Jason," I say rolling my eyes

"Yes I am " and he huffs, gosh Facing the teacher I scoot my desk away from Jason

"Okay well I couldn't find Moana so I guess we'll watch Romeo and Juliet animated of course," Mr Pratt says holding the disk and placing it in the DVD player. The movie starts playing and I take out my fruit rolls.

"Can I have some "Turning to him I scowl

"No" I whisper and he shrugs looking away

The end

I start tearing up, oh my gosh the movie was so romantic. I wonder if Shadow would die for me. I scoff at the thought. He hasn't even shown up to see me.

I head towards the library to eat my lunch. I eat my lunch here cause it's peaceful. Walking inside I go behind a bookshelf and I take out my lunch to eat it.

"What do we have here " an older kid says coming up to me

"Leave me alone, " I say whilst taking a bite of my sandwich but he kicks my bag

"Hey, stop" I get up abruptly dropping my sandwich onto the floor

"What the big baby was still hungry," the boy says grabbing my can of coke and pouring it all over me and I gasp

"Oops," he says grinning

"Wow" I try to calm myself down but it's too late. Grabbing the strap from my lunch bag I wrap it around his throat and I start squeezing it. He starts gasping and prying at my hands as he starts turning into an awful shade of blue.

"Oh my god Amari stop, please". That voice I recognize it dropping the bag I look to see Jason rubbing his throat 

"Oh my gosh Jason I am so sorry I didn't kn-" 

"Get away from me " he yells shoving me away and I trip falling onto my half-eaten sandwich. Getting up I run out of the library not knowing where I'm going but just away from here 

"Amari, the cafeteria is that way " a teacher yells. Not listening I run out the school doors. The school security tries to catch up to me but I'm too fast. I just run and run. Finally running out of breath I stop at a park

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," I say hitting myself with my hands. Trying to pull off my hair I start screaming. I drop onto my knees and I start crying. Oh my gosh, I have schizo I - I didn't think. Did I imagine everything? Am I crazy

Hours go by as I sit in the park. It's late in the evening now and the sun is already going down.

"Amari" "Amari" "Amari are you here" a man shouts. The next minute a dog is barking in my face scaring me. Covering my face I feel hands tugging on me. Someone picks me up taking me away from my hiding spot

"Ma'am, Sir she's here" Looking up it's a police officer, and behind him are my parents. My mom and dad come rushing towards me. My mom looks like she's been crying for hours and Dad looks stressed out. Oh no I did this to them. 

"I'm - I'm sorry " I sob. They wrap their arms around me and I cry even louder before I know it my mom bends down to be at my eye level. She's looking at me with so much guilt on her face 

"Baby no I'm sorry "Dad helps her up and he wraps his arms around her while she sobs. Searching for answers I look behind me and two people dressed in all white come towards me.

"Hi Amari this is Jared and I'm Amy, Let's get you checked up" Looking at Mom and Dad I back away something is wrong 

"Honey it's okay we won't hurt you, " The lady says. As I am about to run they grab me

"Mom, Dad help me they're taking me away " I scream. My parents stand there not even looking at me. Kicking and screaming I cry out to them

"Mom, Dad I'm sorry. I'll be good. I'll behave I promise " I say screaming my lungs out while they drag me to the car. The lady shoves me in and the man shuts the door. I start banging on the window of the car

"Mom please, I - I didn't mean to " I sob but no one listens to my sobs. The car starts and the man Jared starts to drive.

"Where am I going," I ask them crying 

"Somewhere safe, pumpkin," the man says, and the way he said it made the fear in me rise. Holding my knees close to my chest I start sobbing

"We're here," the lady says opening the car door for me. Looking out it's a tall building that reads Florence mental facility confused I follow the lady in

"What's a mental facility" she doesn't answer me.

The place is cold everyone here is wearing white. We turn into a passage filled with doors. These doors have big locks. She stops to smile sweetly at me, she opens the door on the far end and ushers me to walk in. Walking in I look around there's a single bed, a TV, and coloring books

"Hey miss-" Before I could finish my sentence she shut the door staring at me with no emotion

"This is your new room," she says coldly no longer the sweet lady from before.

"No my parents are coming to get me, this isn't my home"

"Well get used to it," she says walking away

"You can't leave me here" I kick and scream trying to open the door but I'm too weak. Walking over to the wall that faces the door I slide down onto the floor 

"Mom, Dad please help me,I'm sorry I'll be good, " I say rocking back and forward

"I'll be good, I'll be good,I didn't mean to I - I didn't know it was Jason, " I say in between sobs

"Ahhhhhhhh let me out I didn't know- I didn't know I'm sorry " I scream getting up to bang on the door trying to open it but it's no use. I walk towards the bed and I cover myself with the blanket maybe if I rest all of this would be a dream.

"Wake up", someone says gently waking me up 

"Mom," I say in a whisper when I look up

"No, I'm your nurse," a lady in white says and I start kicking and screaming.

I blackout for a second only to find her falling onto the ground as blood starts coming out of her neck. Confused I look down at my hands to find that I'm holding a sharp metal thing covered in blood.

Before I could understand what's going on a nurse comes rushing into the room and I start shaking

"I - I-" the nurse rushes to grab my arms and I freeze . I didn't mean to kill her I don't even remember picking up the metal object. Men come into the room to pick up the lady's body everything happeing so fast . The nurse pins me onto the bed and I start kicking and screaming

"Stop I can't breath ,get off me " I cry , she has my head smashed into the pillow suffocating me

"Stooooop" pushing her off I grab the pillow and I place it on her head . She starts kicking and screaming. After a few seconds her body stops moving , removing the pillow . She doesn't move qnd my eye's widen. Oh no. How I'm not even that strong

Two men come rushing in again and they drag me away. Everything is moving so fast an alarm blares and a voice keeps saying 'emergency'

"I didn't kill them , it wasn't me . Mom, Dad please I'm sorry " someone pricks me with something on my neck and after a few seconds I start feeling numb. I can't feel my legs, my face and arms . My body is  just numb. They drag me into another room and they drop me on the bed . They strap my arms and legs to the bedpost and I can't even scream or anything all I do is cry

Tears stain my face and my breathing slows down. Staring at the ceiling I start to sob. They walk out the room leaving me strapped . As soon as they close the door shut I let out a scream.