The story you’re about to read is not one of happy endings. It’s about family drama, high stakes, and dark magic. Still here? Well, time to grab a drink and settle in for the ride of your life or Amelia’s life in this case.


Amelia’s pov

I used to love my family, but all that changed when my dad started having an affair and messed around with dark magic, but I’m getting ahead of myself a little bit here. To understand my story you’ll have to go back to the beginning. It started when my parents met and fell in love.

My parents met in 1990 and by 1995 they were married. They studied at the same university. They had no idea the other existed until a party one night during my mom’s sophomore year and my dad’s senior year. My mom wasn’t a party type of person, which is probably where I get it from, but my dad on the other hand went to every party on campus. He took a year off before attending and barely making the grades to graduate. Plus my parents were the last two people you thought would get together. My mom was quiet and reserved, spent her free time studying and had no serious relationships since high school. Now my dad, loud and outgoing, barely studied, and had pretty much slept with half of the girls on campus leaving heartbreak like a trail. So, for both of them to be at this party was pretty unusual. Anyway, they way they tell it my mom lost the friends that she came to the party with and my dad couldn’t stand to see a pretty lady standing by herself, so he got her a drink and they hit it off. She even managed to help him graduate, which is saying a lot. Fast forward about five years and they got married in a private ceremony on one of the Greek Islands and they honeymooned in Cancun, where they hardly left the room, ew. How they managed no to conceive my brother earlier than they did is beyond me, but anyway oh, one thing I should have mentioned is my dad is rich, but my mom didn’t marry him for that. She genuinely fell in love with him and told him on several occasions that he could be dirt poor and she would still love him *cue aw moment* anyway again, five years later my brother Patrick was born and four years after him I (Amelia) was born. 

So, lets begin the day my brother left, spoiler alert: What was supposed to be a happy day turned into a disaster. The only thing that saved the day for me was meeting Kamryn, more on that later. Now lets get into the reason why you’re here.

2021 (The day Patrick left for college) Amelia pov

I didn’t want to get up because if I don’t get up then Pat can’t leave, but not getting up means that I lose precious time with him. I huffed and got up stretching alongside one of our family dogs, Bruno.

“Why can’t I be like you, boy?” I said, scratching his ears. I made my way to the bathroom to get ready for the day. Bruno and I went downstairs after I was done so I could let him and his siblings, Penelope and Archer, out. We do have people that take care of them while we are away, but I’ve decided that I want to take care of them because I was the one who bottle fed them when they were puppies after we lost their mom and dad.

“Good morning, Rosa,” I said, walking into the kitchen and sat at a bar stool.

“Good morning” she said, smiling at me before she placed a cup of orange juice in front of me “Breakfast will be ready in just a few minutes.” she added turning to check on what she was cooking when I walked in.

“Let me guess dad wanted a big send off breakfast and Pat didn’t want to say no?” I asked, smiling into my glass as I took a drink. Rosa shook her head and gave me a knowing smile. I got up and made my way to the dining room where everyone else was starting to gather. I noticed a guy I’ve never seen before sitting across from Pat.

“Ah, this is my sister Amelia. Amelia, this is Kamryn, an old friend from school.” Pat said, I looked at Kamryn and had to stop myself from drooling all over him.

“Hi. Nice to meet you” I said, holding out my hand to shake his. I swear I could get lost in his blue grey eyes.

“Likewise” he said, shaking my hand and dropped it.

“Mom and dad haven’t come down yet?” I asked, sitting next to Pat who just shook his head. This was shocking, mom and dad usually beat us. We didn’t have to wait long though, they joined us as Rosa was putting the food on the table.

“Sorry to keep everyone waiting” my dad said, sitting at the head of the table “Good to see you, Kamryn” he added nodding to him.

“You too. Pat wanted help loading his stuff up in his truck” he said, I couldn’t help, but notice his eyes flick to Pat before going back to my dad’s.

“How’s the garage?” my mom asked, smiling at him and that’s when I realized that I have seen him before. He owns the local garage in town Restless Way.

“It’s good. Picking up slowly each day.” he said, looking at me briefly like he had the same realization I did. I’ve had to take my jeep in a few times for service because I refuse to part with it.

“That’s great” she said, smiling.

After Rosa left the dining room conversation lulled as we began to eat, but it wouldn’t last long. As a matter of fact it felt like minutes later my dad broke the silence.

“Are you sure about this, Patrick?” our father asked, looking at him. He was always Patrick and never Pat to our father.

“Dad, can we not do this today? I’m going and you can’t stop me” Pat said in his eerily calm voice. I couldn’t help, but look at Pat because him being that calm is usually not good, especially when it’s directed at our father. I briefly looked at Kamryn and noticed that he had his eyes on Pat, like he was going to have to jump in between them and to be honest he might have to.

“This is my house and I’ll decide when  we have this talk and we are having it today” our father countered, looking at Pat with a look in his eye that I’m all too familiar with. I knew what was coming next and I’m not sure I wanted to witness it, but I knew I couldn’t be excused, so I sat and waited for the fireworks.

“And I said no. I made my choice and you need to accept it.” Pat said, pushing his half eaten plate away. My eyes went wide because I knew what was coming next and it wasn’t going to be pretty. I subtly scooted my chair back and stuff started flying.

“Kaden, please not in front of our guest” mom pleaded with him, but it was useless.

“You know what, dad? I’m not doing this with you” Pat said, standing up and started to walk away. I didn’t even see our father move, but one minute his plate was in front of him and the next it was flying at Pat, who barely had time to duck before it shattered. One piece nicked my cheek that snapped me into action. I jumped back from the table and just looked at my dad. He’s never raised a hand towards any of us and I was scared that he was going to start now that Pat was leaving.

“What the fuck, dad?!” I heard Pat yell, but then I felt calloused hands and found blue grey eyes looking into mine.

“Amelia? Amelia.” Kamryn’s voice snapped me out of my daydream.

“Yeah” was all I could manage as Kamryn tilted my head to look at my cheek.

“Looks like it just grazed you. It shouldn’t leave a scar though” he said, pulling away. That’s when I heard Pat and dad. I found them walking to the front with mom trailing behind them followed by Kamryn.

“Oh, shit” was all I said before racing after them.

2022 (Amelia’s junior year) Amelia pov

When my alarm went off I wasn’t ready to get up. I stayed up way too late talking to Pat. He hasn’t been home in nearly a year and he won’t come back as long as dad is still alive. I let out a sigh and sat up. I noticed all three dogs made their way to my room last night and that’s fine with me. I’ve been taking care of them all their lives so it’s nice to know that they still love me.

“Come on, everyone Lets go outside” as soon as the words left my mouth all three dogs were up and bounding down the stairs. I just shook my head and followed them to let them out. I was surprised to find my mom sitting at the bar nursing a cup of coffee.

“Hey, momma,” I said, smiling at her.

“Oh, hi, baby” she said, looking at me “How are you this morning?” she added as she stroked my arm.

“I’m good. Just a little tired” I said, I couldn’t bring up Patrick in front of her. It was bad enough that she hasn’t seen her own son because of her husband.

“That’s good, baby,” she said. I couldn't help, but notice the usual spark in her eyes has disappeared, but I wasn’t sure if it was because dad had to work more or because her first born wasn’t coming home.

“I’m going to go up and get ready for school” was all I could think to say as I went back upstairs leaving my mom lost in her thoughts.

Patrick’s pov

I’m so thankful that I don’t have classes until the afternoon. I stayed up way too late talking to Amelia last night, but it was nice. She filled me in on what was going on back home, the place I refused to go back to as long as our father was still alive. I just hated doing that to my mom and sister, but I refused to let the bastard control me like he does mom. Just the thought has my blood boiling and I needed to stop before I had a long session at the gym, which was the only way I let off any kind of steam. I had heard about my father’s trail of broken hearts, so I refused to be like him, it was bad enough I looked like him save for my mom’s green eyes. I let out a sigh and got up to stretch before beginning the day. My phone vibrated with a text as I picked it up to turn on my morning playlist. I smiled at the text from Lydia, I know such a cliche brother and best friend of my sister, but it wasn’t something we thought would happen. I basically saw her grow up and I’m not talking about her assets. We started having simple conversations when she was over and that morphed into talks between classes at school. I didn’t like that I was graduating and in a sense leaving her behind too, but she understood and before you freak out Amelia loves the idea, but told us to go at our own pace. Thankfully, the day I left Lydia didn’t get there until after the shit with dad and seeing her made my mood better before I had to drive six hours. I replied to her text and turned my playlist on. I did a short stretching session before working on homework I didn’t finish last night. I finished with enough time to change and head to class. I sent Lydia one last text before taking my seat in the room and got my stuff out and ready for the next five hours of classes.

5 hours later…

I was officially done. I’m dog tired and just want to collapse in bed and go to sleep, but I can’t. All my professors assigned homework due at the end of the week and reading due by next class and of course they picked the longest chapters to do it for. The only thing that’s going to get me through is my study date with Lydia. Twice a week we set up a facetime call where we just sit and work. Occasionally taking brakes to eat dinner and chat before hitting the books once again. I already stopped for my dinner this evening because I do not feel like going back out later tonight. Once I got back to my room I changed and got everything set up just in time for Lydia to call.

“Hey, there” I said, smiling as I answered her call.

“You seem to be in a good mood for someone who just spent five hours in class,” she said, smiling back at me.

“What can I say? Seeing your smiling face twice a week keeps me going” I said, I couldn’t help, but to flirt with her. We weren’t together, but we weren’t seeing other people either.

“You don’t have to lay it on so thick, but I will always appreciate it” she said, smiling at me and I did notice the slight blush on her cheeks. After that we got to work in our normal routine of 45 minute sessions and ten minute break sessions. We take our dinner break at the end of our session like usual.

“How’s Amelia?” I always ask even when we have these dates and even when we don’t, but that’s because I know Lydia will tell me the truth.

“On the outside she’s appearing fine, but on the inside she’s pulling away. The dark circles under her eyes are getting worse” she said. I sighed and shook my head.

“I’ll check on her tomorrow” I said, pulling out my dinner

“You need to see her, Pat. I can get her out of the house for the weekend and we can meet up” she said and I knew she was right, so I shook my head yes and we started making plans.