reticent

40

• AMALIA •

"You did what?"

     "I hopped off the plane at LAX.." I sing quietly, swaying a little.

     "I was trying to help." Mason says defensively.

     "And you thought giving her drugs would help?" Xander shouts.

     "Yes." Mason replies honestly.

     "Jumped in the cab here I am for the first time.." I mutter. "Look to the right and I see the Hollywood sign."

     "It's not that big of a deal. We had a lot of fun." Mason defends. He laughs. "You should hear this story she told me about how she—"

     "Jesus, Mason." Xander says, exasperated. "You gave our sixteen year old little sister drugs! Don't you see anything wrong with that?"

     Mason squints a little bit. "No.. yes?"

     "This is all so crazy. Everybody seems so famous."

     "Amalia?"

     "Tummy's turning and I'm feeling kind of homesick."

     "Amalia, are you even listening?"

     "So much pressure and I'm nervous."

     "Amalia!"

     I look up at Xander. "Hi."

     "Did you not listen to anything I just said?" He asks.

"You were talking?"

He sighs. "Go to your room and go to bed. I'll talk to you in the morning."

"I'm not tired." I state.

He arches an eyebrow.

"Okay. I am." I giggle. I turn around and walk to the stairs, then slowly advance up them. But it isn't my room I go into—it's Archers.

I push the door open, then grin when I see him sitting on his bed reading a book. He looks up at me.

"Hi!" I exclaim, shutting the door.

     "Hey." He replies, smiling. "Are you okay?"

     I nod as I walk over, sitting right beside him. "What are you reading?"

     "A book." He replies.

     I grin. "I see that, Einstein."

     His lips tilt up the corners, then he frowns. "I went to your room, but you weren't there."

     "Sorry." I say. "I went somewhere with Mason."

     "You don't have to be sorry." He says, closing his book over after sliding a mark between the pages. He sets it on the nightstand and tilts his head.

     "I think it's cute you read."

     He furrows his eyebrows. "You read."

     "Yeah, but you're, like.. intimidating."

     His frown deepens.

     "No, I didn't mean it like that." I say quickly. "You just.. you're grumpy. And knowing that you like to read stories makes you cute. Most people our age just watch the movies."

     "Sometimes they are better, though." He says.

     My jaw drops. "What? No!"

     "Yes they are." He says. "Like Harry Potter."