A super long one for you guys tonight! Please let me know what you think
We're almost halfway through now! With a twist at the end; I'll explain when we get there haha. (GG, my entire goal is to make the masses cry so if you tears up, I'll take that as a major compliment)
There was a knock on the front door about two the next day. Amelia went to open it and blinked in surprise. “Hey, Damo,” she managed.
“Hi.” His eyes were unusually bright. “May I come in?”
She nodded and made way for him to come in.
“Damian!” her dad exclaimed from the kitchen, wheeling himself out to shake hands with the lad. “It's great to see you again, so soon. Did Amelia know about this?”
Amelia shook her head and stared at Damian, confused. “What are you doing here?”
He rolled his eyes. “I brought more movies for you to watch.”
Raising her eyebrows, Amelia took the offered grocery bag with movies in it. “Are they for me?” she teased him.
Damian motioned for her to open them. “Okay, well, the actual movie is. Um...” He turned bright red. “I brought some Celtic Thunder, but I have to take it back.”
Curious, Amelia pulled out all the DVDs. She grinned and stared at young Damian. “I can't wait to see what you look like as a singer. What your persona is.”
“The young buck,” Damian muttered.
“What?” she asked, glancing up to see a curious expression on his face.
“Nothing.” Damian smiled tightly. “I just thought I'd drop these off.”
“Are you going somewhere?” Amelia asked.
“Yeah, actually, my mum's waiting for me outside,” he said slowly, rubbing the back of his neck and looking slightly sheepish. “She wants me to go grocery shopping with her. I hate grocery shopping,” he confided to Ewan.
“How can you hate grocery shopping? It's so logical and...” Amelia trailed off. “I mean, sorry.”
“You want to go for me?” Damian joked. “I can stay with your dad.”
Amelia hesitated and glanced at Ewan.
“I wasn't serious,” Damian said after a moment of silence.
Amelia nodded. “Then I guess we're watching Celtic Thunder.” She glanced at her dad for confirmation. He nodded and she smiled. “Enjoy your shopping.”
Damian rolled his eyes. “Enjoy the show.”
“Wait, wait,” she called out as he turned to leave.
“Yeah?”
Amelia sheepishly held out the DVDs. “What order are they in?”
Damian laughed and stacked them, oldest to newest. “I really do need to go, though.”
“Okay. Bye.” Amelia watched him leave before turning to the DVD player. “Let's watch Damian grow up.”
Ewan nodded enthusiastically and they began their marathon.
At nine, Damian came by again. “You're still watching the tv?” he exclaimed upon being let in. “Is this the most tv you've seen in your whole life, all crammed into two days?”
Amelia laughed and motioned for him to sit down. “We watched all the Celtic Thunder, took a break, and now we're watching 'Miss Congeniality'. I'm enjoying it.”
“Really?” Damian asked in surprise.
“Really.” Amelia considered something for a moment. “She's very chilly but I guess if even an FBI agent can have fun, so can I.”
Damian shot her a lopsided grin before turning to Ewan. “What did you think of CT?”
Ewan smiled. “It was very amusing. I think my favorite would have to be Paul.”
Damian laughed. “Why?”
“He's quite dramatic. I need a little drama around here,” Ewan said wryly. “Oh, an idea!”
Amelia waited tensely for her father's idea.
“I think you two should date and then break up,” Ewan continued.
“Why?” Damian asked again, looking slightly wary.
“It would create drama.” Ewan sighed happily. “I live for drama.”
Damian thought for a moment before turning to Amelia. “Are you sure you two are related?”
Amelia waved him off. “Hush. I'm watching a movie.”
Damian laughed and relaxed, watching the beauty pageant world clash with law enforcement.
Every once in a while, Amelia would let out a giggle, or even laugh out loud. Every time that happened, Damian would glance at her before laughing himself. Amelia got the feeling he was laughing at her laugh, and not at the movie, but she stopped caring after a while.
Ewan yawned when the movie was over. “I think I'm going to read before going to bed,” he announced to the two of them. “Don't stay up too late, now,” he admonished them before depositing himself into his chair and wheeling into his room.
“Good night, Dad!” Amelia called out, getting up to get the DVD. When she did, she stuffed the Celtic Thunder DVDs into the grocery bag and handed them back to Damian. “So,” she started, settling back onto the couch, facing him.
“So?” he asked.
“What's your story?” she asked, tilting her head and studying his face.
“My story?” Damian asked nonchalantly. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, you're always giving off the impression that you're extremely happy and satisfied, and your performances, my god, were excellent, but I've seen your facade slip, what, four times now? You aren't happy.” Amelia paused. “Or at least, not completely.”
Damian grinned ruefully. “I'm surprised you noticed.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked curiously.
“You're pretty self-absorbed,” Damian said. “I mean, it's true. You know it.”
Amelia shrugged. “You're right. But something's up.” Pointing at the stack of DVDs, she asked, “Is that the problem?”
“What?” Damian asked, confused.
“Your role. On Celtic Thunder. You've never complained, so I don't know if that's it, but you've made some remarks that make me wonder...” Amelia trailed off suggestively.
Damian was silent for a moment before reaching over and tugging slightly at the fabric of her sweatshirt. “Is this how you dress every Saturday?”
“Of course,” Amelia said, glancing down at her satin pajama pants and oversized sweatshirt. “However, you may not change the subject. Not this time.”
He sighed. “How come I feel like the damsel in distress here? Shouldn't that be you?”
Amelia shrugged. “I don't have any distress.”
Damian gave her an incredulous look before shrugging. “I just get tired of always being the 'young' one. I think I might not ever grow up in their eyes.”
Amelia had to listen carefully to hear all that, since he mumbled. “Whose eyes?”
“Keith's. George's. Sharon's.” Bringing his knees up to his chest and folding his arms across his knees, Damian managed a shrug. “I'm an adult, you know? I may not be as smart and wise as some of them, but I would like to be treated as an adult.”
Mulling that over, Amelia nodded slowly. “I can see the problem there.”
They sat in a long silence before Damian spoke up again. “Anyway. That's my problem.” He grinned quickly. “What's your tragic backstory?”
“Surely you've heard by now,” Amelia said.
“Oh, yes, the car crash.” Damian's voice softened. “But I want to hear your story.”
Amelia sighed. “My parents were driving to dinner...they had reservations. And they were hit by a driver turning right.” She paused. “My dad is in a wheelchair because of it, and while my mother is perfectly fine physically, mentally and emotionally she couldn't handle the situation. So she left.”
Damian reached out again and placed a hand on her knee. They sat in silence again, only this silence was different. It was comfortable. “Is that why you're so cold?” he finally asked.
“I was always reserved. I had four friends,” Amelia said calmly. “But after the crash, they all looked at me differently. I ended up just letting go of three of them. Tiana and I tried to stay friends but she started telling me I was acting like I didn't care about her anymore, and I couldn't handle it because... well, because it was mostly true,” she admitted. “So we fought and stopped talking to each other.”
Damian sighed and was silent, raising his eyes in surprise when Amelia took his hand.
“What would you do with your life if you stopped Celtic Thunder?” she asked softly.
Damian's mouth fell open. “I don't know that I'll ever leave Celtic Thunder,” he said slowly. “It's not even on the horizon for me.”
“But if you did,” Amelia persisted.
“Maybe... act? I don't know. Something with music. I could be in musicals.” Damian's eyes lit up and Amelia laughed.
“Slow down there. You're no Christopher Plummer, singing Austrian tunes with seven children,” she teased him.
“Now, how did you know he was the actor in 'The Sound of Music'?” Damian asked.
“I read the credits.”
“Of course you did.” He rolled his eyes. “But really. I'm not sure at this point.”
She shrugged. “That's okay.”
“What do you want to do with your life?” Damian asked, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.
Amelia smiled. “I have no idea. Isn't that the most frightening thing you've ever heard?”
Damian laughed. “Are you going to the school in America?”
She shrugged again, lacking conviction. “I could stay here and go to school in Derry.”
“But...” Damian paused. “You know, America would be an incredible opportunity for you. I'm sure if you told your dad, he'd be fine with it, and then you could explore that option thoroughly.” His blue eyes were serious. “Come on, princess,” he teased her when she didn't respond. “Maybe I'll go with you.”
Amelia laughed shortly. “If you were going to America, I'm sure you would be on Broadway or something. Nowhere near where I'm going to school.”
“So you are going there,” he persisted. “Where did you get accepted, anyway?”
She frowned at her slip. “A school in Washington. The state, not the capitol.”
“Is it a state university?” Damian asked curiously.
She flushed pink and ducked her head. “No, no, it's actually a very prestigious, um... art school.” Amelia kept her head down until she felt Damian shaking. Glancing up, she was surprised to find him repressing laughter. “What?” she demanded.
“You hate art!” he laughed.
Releasing his hand, she stood. “I'll be right back,” she said icily, leaving him to laugh by himself.
Damian waited for her to come back, shaking his head, amazed, and laughing at the thought of Amelia Peabody going off to an art school in America. It was so different from the girl he thought he knew.
Amelia came back with a sketchbook. Sitting down again, she shifted through the pages, obviously looking for something. Damian waited patiently until she found it. “Okay,” she said nervously. “Here.”
Damian took the outstretched book and almost dropped it at the picture on the page. “Oh,” he said softly. “Wow. You drew this?”
Amelia nodded.
His smile widening, Damian stared at the picture. “What made you want to draw Keith?”
“He's so...” Amelia smiled. “He's wild.”
“That he is,” Damian agreed completely.
“And... he reminds me of someone who would live like a gypsy if he could.” Amelia shrugged. “I don't know. He just made an impression on me when we met a couple of weeks ago. Do you... like it?”
Damian nodded slowly. “It's incredible. Have you drawn any of the others?”
“No,” Amelia said, shaking her head fervently. “Just Keith. I thought that was creepy enough.” She bit back a laugh. “I considered drawing you but don't know that I could do you justice.”
“Looking at this, I have no doubt that you could.” Damian rubbed his thumb over Keith's hair, swept by the wind, and smudged the drawing slightly. “Oh no.”
Amelia glanced at the picture and rolled her eyes. “I'll fix it later.”
“You sure?” Damian asked nervously. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.”
“It's fine.” Amelia took the sketchbook and put it on the coffee table. “It's after eleven,” she said softly.
Damian chuckled. “Is that a cue for me to leave?”
Amelia shrugged slightly.
“You know your shrugs mean yes, right?” Damian said, standing and pulling her up with him.
Shrugging again, Amelia laughed at the look on his face. “Thank you for everything,” she said.
He nodded. “Of course.” Grinning, he added, “And if you ever want to try that whole damsel in distress with a tragic backstory thing...”
“I'll make sure you call you,” she finished. “I mean, I'll need a good damsel.”
Laughing, Damian wrapped his arms around her. “I am not a damsel.”
“You are totally a damsel.” Amelia hid her smile and stepped back from him. “I do have a question for you, though.”
“Oh, dear.” Damian grinned. “What?”
“As attractive as an ice princess?” Amelia's heart rate picked up. “What does that mean?”
Running a hand through her hair, Damian's grin softened into a real, genuine smile. “You are very pretty. Keith thinks you're hot.”
Amelia grimaced. “That word is sort of distasteful.”
“Why?” Damian asked.
“It feels like... objectification of women to call them hot.” Amelia looked like she wanted to say more, but didn't.
“Have you ever called a man hot?” Damian asked, trying to hide his smile.
She saw it anyway. “No. But thank you for the compliment.”
He nodded. “Of course. But maybe I should actually go.” Walking to the door, he was about to open it when he turned. “And thank you for listening to my problem, as minor as it is.”
“Likewise,” she said, somewhat stiffly. “Have a good night.”
Damian opened the door but continued to look at her with a strange expression on his face.
“Yes?” Amelia finally asked.
He smiled. “I wondered if you would kiss me again.” At the confused look on her face, he shook his head. “I guess not. Good night, princess.” Leaning forward, he planted a quick kiss on her forehead before disappearing.
Amelia watched the door shut and leaned her forehead against it. “Good night, rock star,” she whispered.
“Amy,” her dad called from his bedroom.
She walked in to find him in the low bed made specially for him. “Yeah?”
“I couldn't help but listen,” Ewan said huskily.
Amelia froze. “Yes?” she managed.
“Congratulations. I know how much you love art.” Ewan seemed to fight off tears. “And he's right, you know.”
Amelia licked her lips. “Right about what?”
“America. It's an incredible opportunity. I think you should go.” Ewan nodded firmly.
To her surprise, tears filled her eyes. “But, Dad... you need me.”
“Darling.” Ewan motioned for her to come sit on the bed. When she had, he smiled. “I'll be fine. I can take care of myself.”
“No, no you can't,” Amelia protested, choking back tears. “You can't do it without me.”
“I have Eileen!” Ewan declared cheerfully. “And... well...” He hesitated. “I didn't want to tell you but one of my clients, well, an old client, asked me to have coffee with her. We're going to do that Monday night.” He smiled but looked apprehensive. “You see? I'll be fine.”
“Dad,” Amelia groaned. “You're going to start dating again?”
“Hey, isn't this what you wanted?” Ewan asked. “You pushed me to do so many times.”
“Yes, but now, when I'm leaving and can't screen my potential step-mother?” Amelia complained, still fighting back tears but grinning slightly.
“So, you ARE leaving,” Ewan said triumphantly. “That's twice you've declared yourself to be going now. Once to Damian, and once to me.”
She frowned. “I'm just keeping my options open.”
He nodded. “Sure. Go to bed... princess.”
Amelia opened her mouth to retort but shook her head and decided to keep silent.
“Oh, and Amy?”
She turned to see her dad, looking rather dangerous. “You two have kissed?”
“Oh my god, Dad,” Amelia said, suddenly feeling rather scandalous, “Forehead kisses.”
Ewan laughed. “You know I'm teasing you.”
“Right. Good night, Dad.”
“Night, Princess.”