Serena

Amelia's POV

The front door just clicked shut behind me when Mom's voice reached me. "Good, you're home."

She was standing in the middle of the living room with a laundry basket filled with neatly folded clothes, balanced against her hip. A few loose strands had escaped her headscarf and there was a faint smear of soap near her wrist.

I smiled. "Hi, Mom."

"No time, baby." She tipped her chin toward the pile of folded laundry waiting by the door. "We've got six deliveries before dark."

I sighed. "Already?"

"We're still catching up from the weekend.”

I shrugged off my backpack, setting it beside the basket. "I'll just go change."

"Hurry," Mom called after me, shifting the basket higher against her hip. "Mrs. Harrison has already called twice. If we're late again, she'll never let me hear the end of it."

I laughed. "Five minutes."

"No," she said, pointing a finger at me. "Three."

------

The last house sat at the end of a quiet street, tucked behind a little, cute fence.

Mom shifted the laundry basket in her arms. "This should be the last one."

I nodded, reaching for the doorbell. The soft chime echoed inside followed by footsteps.

The door swung open. A girl stood there with her phone pressed to her ear. "No," she said, sounding annoyed. "He hasn't answered a single call in three days."

She rolled her eyes at something the other person said, then she looked up. The moment she did, my stomach dropped….Serena. Of all the houses in the city...It had to be hers, Serena Ashford. Everyone at Blackthorne knew her. Hottest girl, rich and Zane Calloway's...I wasn't even sure what to call her anymore. Girlfriend? or ex-girlfriend? They broke up but they never really seemed to stay away from each other.

She blinked, recognition hitting her. “Hey Lia, I'll text you later." She hangs up, a smile spreading across her face. "Well..." She lowered her phone. "If it isn't the brave girl everyone's talking about." Her eyes drifted to the laundry bag between Mom and me, then back to at me. "You really did make quite a scene today.”

Mom glanced between Serena and me, a small crease forming between her brows.

"You know each other?" she asked.

Before she could answer, I held out the delivery bag. "Your clothes."

She took it without looking inside, her eyes drifted to the logo stitched onto my shirt, to mom and back to me.

She snickered. "Wait...." She laughs out. "You're serious." She shook her head, amusement dancing across her face. "So the girl who stood in front of Zane Calloway..." She glanced at the basket. "...delivers laundry after class."

She laughed harder. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry...” she covers her mouth, trying to stop laughing. “I just find it hard to believe.”

Mom looked at me again, confusion written all over her face. "Amelia..."

I kept my eyes on Serena. "The total is on the receipt." She smiled as if I'd said something amusing. "I'll be right back." She disappeared into the house.

Mom turned to me immediately. "Amelia."

I looked at her.

"What was she talking about? What's she saying?”

The sound of heels echoed across the hallway. Serena walked back out, a few bills folded neatly between her fingers. "There you go." She handed the payment to Mom.

Mom checked the amount against the receipt with a polite smile. "Thank you."

"I almost forgot." Serena reached into her purse again and pulled out another bill. She held it toward me. "Here."

I hesitated for a second before reaching for it but mom caught my wrist. "You don't have to take it," she said quietly.

"It's okay, Mom." I gently slipped my hand free and took the bill. "Thank you," I murmured.

A satisfied smile tugged at her lips. She folded her arms, looking me over from head to toe. "You should buy yourself something decent." Her eyes lingered on my faded cardigan. "It might help."

I saw mom's fingers tighten around the receipt.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "It's getting late, Mom." I reached for the laundry basket. "We should go."

Serena took one step closer. "If I were you....I'd stay out of his way."

Her eyes dropped to the name stitched onto my badge. “AMELIA.”

She read it aloud. "Amelia."

She smirked. "I'll remember that.”

------

The evening breeze brushed against my face as we rode side by side. Most of the shops had already begun pulling down their shutters.

"What was that back there?" Mom suddenly broke the silence.

I tightened my grip on the handlebar. "What do you mean?"

"That girl." She glanced at me before looking back at the road.

I kept my eyes ahead. "She's in my school."

"And?"

I shrugged. "Nothing, Mom...really."

"Amelia. Did something happen at school?"

I forced out a small laugh. "You know how some rich students are, they like making jokes out of everything."

"That didn't sound like a joke."

"It's nothing, Mom. Let's just forget this."

She looked at me again. "Are you sure?"

I nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'm just tired."

She didn't answer right away, just pedaled beside me, her eyes fixed on the road ahead.

"Amelia…” She whispered. “Are you happy there?"

"Of course I am," I said with a fake smile. "It's Blackthorne. I've wanted to study there for years."

Mom searched my face for a moment, trying to decide whether to believe me, then she smiled. "I'm glad."

I smiled back but quickly looked away before she could see mine disappear.