Chapter 7- Stretching Distance

Amelia opened the door to see Halli standing on the porch. She let the girl in, wondering what had prompted the girl to show up so unexpectedly. Halli collapsed onto the couch, letting a groan of pain softly escape her lips. Amelia tried not to think of what they tasted like against her own. She closed the door and approached her classmate worriedly, hovering over her.

"Don't," Halli said without opening her eyes, "Ask. Questions." Amelia frowned and took half a step back from the couch. She couldn't just let her friend be here, possibly hurt, without knowing what had happened. The more this went on, the further apart they would grow, until they were strangers to one another. She had no idea how to shatter the stretching distance continuing to grow between them, and that upset her beyond reason.

"I want to know what's going on with you," she said in a low voice, surprising even herself with her tone. "David…there's something really not right about the way he's been treating you." Halli opened her complicated blue eyes and gave her a look of exasperation.

"There's nothing to tell," her friend said lightly, her features suddenly softening into happiness. "I decided to come by for a…visit."

"You haven't been able to do such things for months now," Amelia said carefully. "Tell me what's really going on, or I'm not letting you stay here." There was a long silence, during which Halli twirled her hair in her fingers over and over.

"Believe me; I want to tell you more than anything. But I'm not allowed. David keeps a close eye on me, and he wouldn't want me spreading lies of any sort."

"What do you mean by that?" Another pause.

"I can't tell you. No one else is allowed to know." She rolled off the couch and painfully stretched her curvy body to its full height. "I must get going. He will be wondering where I am." She left the house. At that moment, Amelia's father entered the house. His shadow darkened the doorway as he heavily stomped into the living room. Her body involuntarily flinched in fear as he approached her.

"Who was that that just left the house?" he shouted thunderously. She could feel the shout in her chest.

"H-Halli-" A harsh slap sent her spinning to the carpeted floor. Her shoulder made contact first, and she bit her lip to hide back a cry of pain.

"Of course it was her! You two being all…wrong together! I thought you would have learned your lesson by now!"

"I'm sorry, I'll do better," she sobbed to the flowery patterns near her face. Tears soaked into the white, green, and pink carpet.

"Better isn't good enough!" She was yanked to her feet by her hair. "Repeat after me: I will be perfect for Daddy." Amelia just sobbed harder. He forced her head up so that she was looking at him right in his burning, dark green eyes.

"I can't hear you," he growled. She wanted to throw up at the intense scent of alcohol.

"I-I-" she stammered.

"I said…I can't hear you."

"I will be perfect for Daddy," she whispered.

"Good," he said lightly, throwing her to the floor again. "You little slut, liking girls. Go to your room and don't come out until tomorrow." Amelia half limped, half crawled to her room. She had never been in this much pain before. Her mother sat on her bed, quietly waiting.

"You are to copy out lines of scripture in your room tonight," she instructed. "Starting with all of Genesis. Get started." The Bible sat on her pillow, along with a large stack of paper and a pencil. Amelia collapsed onto her bed and limped over to her desk with all of the items her mother had left. As soon as her mother was gone, she got started. At least it was something to do.

The hours passed by slowly. She learned more in that Bible copying out scripture than she had learned in her entire life. It was tedious work, but after a time, she managed to work out a steady rhythm that made it easy to focus on her task. Writing the entire book of Genesis took over four hours. It was well after sunset when she laid down her pencil and flexed her now sore hand in satisfaction.

Now, for her homework. First was algebra. It took an hour to finish that assignment, because she hadn't been in class. Then there was an essay for English, an essay for History, a worksheet for geography, three chapters of reading for French, and a workout log to start for P.E. Having six classes a day meant homework from each teacher. By the time Amelia was finally finished, it was five in the morning. She hadn't gotten any sleep. She fell into bed and instantly was unconscious.

Her alarm went off what felt like seconds later. She groggily turned it off and got ready for school. Her mind was on autopilot. She couldn't afford to miss any classes today, unless she wanted to fall further behind in her education. She sat down in her seat in algebra and immediately started on the warm-up. Luckily, it was based on last night's assignment. It was a good thing she had spent a lot of time studying, because she fully understood the entire chapter by the time she had finished the homework that was due today.

"I told you, we're going out with my friends tonight for our one week anniversary," David argued as he entered the room with Halli. Amelia tried to ignore them. Not that either of them would notice her nearby.

"I said okay," Halli replied. "I have no problem with your friends."

"Good," David said cheerfully. "I'd leave you if you did." A tense silence passed between the couple. Amelia suddenly found the warm-up problems much more interesting and forced herself to get busy once again.

"I know," Halli replied in a whisper. "Let's just get started on the warm-up problems before the teacher gets here." The remainder of class passed by quickly, but Amelia was thinking about the conversation that just happened the entire time. It sounded suspicious. Of course, Halli wasn't going to tell her a thing. Since that was the case, she'd have to do some investigating herself.

After class was over, she silently followed Halli and David out of the classroom. They were going off to geography together. She found it rather odd that they had the same exact schedule. Perhaps David changed his to be with Halli constantly. This she found a little obsessive. She didn't know a whole lot about couples, but she knew enough to be aware that they deserved some time apart, too. It wasn't always about being together.

They went into one of the most secluded areas of the entire school: the library. Amelia followed them without trouble. Though she didn't visit the library often, she had gone there enough to have memorized the way there. She entered less than a minute after them, being careful to remain out of sight. David pushed Halli against the mystery bookshelf and kissed her. Amelia almost immediately turned and ran out of her; the pain of an unrequited love was so powerful. Yet, it was paralyzing enough to give her no choice except to watch.

"David, please, we have barely been dating a week," Halli said desperately. He ignored her. "I don't want to do this."

"We're young, we only live once. Plus, you promised. Or do you want to be silenced again?" Amelia fumbled with her phone and immediately started recording the scene before her.

"No," Halli whispered.

"Good, now get undressed. Now."

"We aren't even going somewhere private?" She was still stalling the inevitable moment. Amelia admired her skill. That only triggered the rush of warm feelings for the girl all over again.

"I don't trust you," David insisted. "Now, let us have sex, unless you want me to force you!" Halli bent her head and sighed. Then she burst into tears. Amelia recognized the signs of manipulation. Halli was trying to manipulate her way out of being forced to give up her virginity. When would this girl stop being so perfect?

"What's wrong?" David was distracted with worry. He didn't know how to handle tears. Amelia silently cheered her friend on.

"It's just so hard," she sobbed.

"What's so hard?"

"Being in a relationship. I had no idea that I'd have to give up my virginity and all my free time up for someone. It's so stressful, and I feel like there is no time for myself!"

"Hey, it's okay. We can work something out, so long as you obey me."

"Fine…"

"Since you're obviously not ready now, what should we do?" Amelia stopped recording and saved the video in a file she labeled 'Evidence.'

"Wait here," David said to Halli. He walked up to Amelia with a calm, cool expression on his face. "Amelia," he said casually. "What's that you got there?"

"N-Nothing," she lied.

"You're a worse liar than Halli. Erase it. Now."

"I don't think I will!" she replied boldly, stepping away from him.

"Oh, you will," he promised as he closed in on her. She was starting to become afraid, but she couldn't show any fear.

"What makes you say that?" David took a step toward her.

"I can spread such rumors about you that you'll never have a single friend in school again. Not even precious Halli. When you are able to see and speak to her that is. Now I suggest you erase the video, before I do something that I might regret."

"Someone deserves to know what you've done to Halli."

"Are you so sure about that?" He ripped the phone out of her hand and scrolled through it. He found the video and erased it, then handed it back to her.

"If I ever catch you doing this again, I won't be so nice." He smirked then walked back over to Halli, who had just noticed Amelia standing there.

"Amelia will apparently do anything to see you naked," David said to her with a roll of the eyes. "If I were you, I wouldn't talk to her anymore. She's become obsessed with you. That is not the case with me. I merely admire you."

"Alright," Halli sighed. "I won't talk to her anymore." Was this really happening? It seemed all of her efforts had been for nothing.