Nightshade: A SimLit | Chapter 18: Caught In The Act

"Mom, I-I can explain!" Amelia stammered as she parted from Onyx.

Elaine slammed the door behind her, fully entering her daughter's room.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? WHAT IS HE DOING HERE!?" Elaine yelled, completely enraged.

Onyx was paralyzed in fear.

"Um... I... we..." Amelia felt a lump in her throat that she couldn't seem to swallow, and her heart raced. 'No... why did she have to find out? This is really bad...'

"I can't believe this! How long have you been seeing him behind my back? This whole time, I bet!" Elaine snapped. "Not only are you seeing him, but I walk in here to find him IN YOUR ROOM and he's got his hands and lips all over you! I know what's going on here--"

Amelia's eyes widened. "I-It's not like that, I swear--"

"Then tell me, Amelia, why were you kissing this disgusting, inhuman creature!? It made me sick just seeing it--"

"YOU'RE the disgusting, inhuman creature!" Amelia snapped, and somehow didn't regret it. "You know what makes ME sick, mom? Hearing you say something like that about someone you don't even know! Onyx is a great person, and I don't care what you say or what you do, your lies aren't going to change my mind, so just... shut up!"

Elaine stared in shock. "EXCUSE me!? You don't talk to your mother like that! You're a PATHETIC excuse for a daughter! You would treat your own mother like this over him!? Why!?"

Amelia felt a pain deep in her heart, but she blinked back the tears and ignored it. "Because I..."

"Because you what?" Elaine growled.

"Because I love him!" Amelia blurted, and Elaine's heart nearly stopped.

Onyx's eyes widened, and still completely freaked out by the situation, many thoughts began to race through his head. 'She... she loves me?'

Elaine's jaw dropped. "You... you love this thing? That's not love! That's--"

"He's not a thing!" Amelia cried. "He's a living, breathing, feeling person, just like me! But unfortunately, not like you. I don't think you have feelings. I think you're just a cold-hearted, bitter--"

"Fine!" Elaine interrupted. "If that's how you feel about me, and that's how you feel about him... then so be it. But no daughter of mine is going to be 'in love' with some... some... monster!"

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Amelia yelled.

"You're no longer welcome here. If you're going to be with him, then you're no daughter of mine. Get out of my house, and get out of my life!"

Before Amelia could react, Onyx did.

"Are you serious!? You'd kick your own daughter out because you don't like me!? That's... that's insane! I don't know what kind of mother you think you are, but--"

"My decision is final! If that's the kind of life she wants to live, then she's going to have to live it away from here!" Elaine snapped. "You have no right to talk to me like that, you filthy scum!"

Onyx fell silent as Elaine turned and stormed out of the room.

The shock of what just happened finally hit Amelia and she burst into sobs, speechless. Elaine glanced over her shoulder, and for only a moment, felt a tinge of guilt, but it faded as the door slammed shut.

"Amelia..." Onyx said softly. "I'm so sorry, I..."

Amelia threw herself into Onyx's arms and sobbed into his shoulder.

He wrapped his arms around her and gently rubbed her back, trying to comfort her the best he could. "I'm so sorry..."

Amelia sniffled. "It's... not your fault, Onyx, I..."

She pulled away from him and sighed. "I just don't know what I'm going to do, or where I'm going to go, or..."

Onyx frowned, and reached for her hands.

"Hey, don't worry," he said as he managed to smile. "Everything's going to be okay. You know I won't let anything happen to you, because you're my..." his voice trailed off, and he let go of her hands. "...Amelia, about what you said... um... about loving me... did you really mean that?"

Amelia's heart skipped a beat, afraid of what he would say if she told him the truth. "Um..."

Amelia smiled shyly. "Yes..."

Onyx's only reply was silence, and he stared in shock.

"Um... do you..." Amelia began nervously. "...feel the same way...?"

Onyx reached up and gently placed his hand on her cheek. "Oh, Amelia... of course I do."

He pulled her into a kiss before she could react to his confession, and the same feelings they both felt before returned, even stronger this time as they knew for sure that their feelings were mutual.

It felt like forever before they finally parted, breathing heavily, overcome by passion.

Amelia looked away, blushing a shade that was redder than her lipstick. "Um... so does this mean we... I... I'm your... you're my..."

"That I'm your boyfriend?" Onyx asked awkwardly.

Amelia blushed harder. "Um, yeah, I mean... 'cause, you like me and I like you and..."

Onyx paused. "Well... do you want to be my girlfriend?"

"Yes!" Amelia blurted. "Um, but only if you... you know... want me to..."

Onyx chuckled, amused by her sudden shyness. "Then I'm all yours."

He smiled and leaned in once more for a tender kiss, which Amelia wholeheartedly accepted. For a moment, all of her troubles melted away, and she didn't fear or worry about anything -- the only thing that mattered was Onyx.

Onyx parted from the kiss and frowned.

"I guess I'd better go... um... your mom will only be even more angry if I stay any longer." He turned to walk out of the door.

Reality hit her like a ton of bricks. "No, please!"

Amelia wrapped her arms around him, determined not to let him go. "I'm so scared... please, Onyx, stay with me..."

Onyx smiled a little. 'What am I going to tell my mother? What am I going to tell HER mother? ...It doesn't matter...'

He sighed, and relented. "Okay. I'll stay..."

"Thank you..." Amelia smiled. She didn't know what to do, or where she would go if her mother really did go through with kicking her out, but she did know one thing: she could always trust Onyx.