Amelia snapped her head up from her bent posture as she heard what Emma said.

  Although she would have loved nothing more than for her sister to come back, she didn’t think it wise. In fact, she considered it selfish—to let Emma leave her studies and fly down to Florida just for her sake.

  They weren’t in high school anymore, and she could fight her own battles now. Besides, she knew she would move on. There were still many years ahead for that.

  “Emma, you are not coming back now. You’re going to stay there and finish your semester.” She spoke with a tone of finality that mirrored her resolve.

  “Says who? I can cook up a story for Dad, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Emma said, already calculating the expenses it would require. Melvina would help with that.

  “It won’t be necessary, because you’re not coming here now,” Amelia deadpanned, dabbing at her tears with the edge of her pyjamas, her eyes shining with a determination that made Emma shake her head in surprise.

  “You don’t want me to come? I thought you missed me?” Emma said, lowering her voice an octave, trying to steer Amelia into changing her mind.

  Amelia chuckled at the pleading look on her sister’s face. She knew exactly what Emma was attempting. Well, it wouldn’t work this time.

  “I miss you a lot, and you know that. But you’re not coming for that. You’re coming to deal with your friend,” she said firmly.

  “She’s not my friend,” Emma decreed vehemently, disgust tightening her features at the very thought of June. She couldn’t believe she had fallen for that stupid girl’s trap of innocence.

  “Well, she was. And I know you’re coming for her. Remember what you did last time landed you in England. I don’t want you landing in Africa this time around,” Amelia said, a smile sneaking across her lips.

  “Oh, yeah right. Although that would be nice for adventure… but I would be far away from you,” Emma said, quickly tacking on the last phrase with a laugh as she caught Amelia’s shock-stricken expression.

  “But are you okay?” she asked, sliding back into a serious expression.

  “Yeah, I would be fine,” Amelia said honestly. “And I have new friends…”

  “Nice, tell me about them,” Emma said, propping the phone on a pillow, relieved to give her arms a rest.

  “Well, there is Chang,” Amelia mentioned, smiling softly.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  “A Chinese? Ooohooo,” Emma exclaimed, her face lighting up in amusement.

  “Yeah. We met in class on Monday. He offered to help me with my assignment. I hadn’t understood a thing the neurology lecturer said. I don’t know how he noticed, but I’m glad he did,” Amelia said, happy at the memory.

  “Cool. Anyone else?” Emma asked, leaning in with interest.

  “Yeah, Starr. She’s a black American and a breath of fresh air. When I told her about Blaine’s actions yesterday, she had visited him with a can of worms,” Amelia said, laughing at the memory of Starr’s dramatic gesture. “She reminds me so much of you.”

  “Wow.” Emma already loved the new girl. She was happy her sister was making new friends… moving on.

  “And guess what…” Amelia said, her eyes brimming with delight.

  “You know I’m not a good guesser. Out with it.”

  “Dad got me an apartment near the college. I’ll be moving in by the weekend. Isn’t that great?!”

  “That’s terrific. At least you’ll be free from their clutches a little bit,” Emma said, throwing a wink at her sister, who waved it off with a hand, laughing at the implied meaning.

  “Uhuh. So… why didn’t you return my text or call when you arrived? You’re really a bad sister…”

  “I’m sorry. I was so caught up in a lot that I forgot,” Emma apologized, giving her puppy eyes, which caused Amelia to laugh again.

  Emma smiled, knowing she was forgiven.

  “Alright, I forgive you. So tell me about your stay over there. We’ve only been talking about me,” Amelia said, folding her legs beneath her as the Chinese monks do, resting her hands on her lower jaw in anticipation of her sister’s tale.

  Knowing Emma, making friends wasn’t a problem. Her sister was like a magnet, drawing both the good and the bad.

  “Well…” Emma began, biting her lips. She didn’t know where or how to start. Thinking back, so much had happened in just a few days.

  “I’m still waiting…”

  “Well, there’s Melvina…” Emma began.

  “Melvina? Who’s Melvina?”

  Emma smiled, debating the best way to describe her only female acquaintance there.

  “She is…” she started, before a sudden sound interrupted her.

  A car horn blared nearby, and Emma’s gaze shot to her sister, realization dawning unmistakably.

  “Emma, what is that, and whose car blew that horn?” Amelia asked, struggling not to laugh at her sister’s wide-eyed expression. She didn’t know exactly why Emma gawked, but it clearly had nothing to do with Melvina.

  “Emma…” she called again, noticing that her sister hadn’t even reacted as if she heard the first time.

  “Yeah,” Emma said, her attention split as she darted her eyes toward her alarm clock, muttering prayers that the time wasn’t what the horn suggested. Her heart sank as she saw it.

  “8:05am!!” she shouted, leaping out of bed. She couldn’t believe three hours had already slipped by since talking to her sister. Looking disoriented, she ran to the bathroom to grab her toothbrush. She needed to hurry.

  She winced as Amelia screamed her name—Emma had forgotten the video call was still on. She ran back, toothbrush already in her mouth.

  “What…” she gestured with both hands, flapping them intermittently.

  “What’s happening, and who is that?” Amelia asked, smiling at her sister’s panicked face.

  “I have a class quiz by 8:30am, and that’s Derek, my boyfriend,” Emma said hastily.