Amelia

"Welcome back, Ms. Bridges!" My academic advisor cheered the moment I walked into her office. "I'm pleased to see you here."

"Yeah, I'm glad to be back," I lied, taking a seat in the comfy chair that faced her desk.

Ever since I left jail, I became a better liar. I guess when you became marked, you'd do whatever it takes to live the most normal life that you could. I set down my bag on the floor, met with a smile from my advisor when I looked up. She begins typing on her computer, moving the mouse around and clicking on things.

"You've missed a month of material, which I've discussed over with your professors, and I believe-" She stopped dead in her tracks, blinking rapidly. Clearing her throat, she attempted to speak again. "I believe it can be made up."

She knows. Even the school marked my file.

The rest of my conversation with my advisor was boring, and repetitive. She kept asking if I was competent to return to class and handle the college coursework, and if I had grown, or changed as she put it, over the last month to which I repeatedly answered yes even though it was not the truth. I would never be mentally competent without some assistance, and that did not exist in Moonstone. There was the jail where you're behind bars, and the jail where you weren't. I was out of there, but I still felt trapped.

After leaving the office, I slung my backpack over my shoulders and headed towards the exit. The cool air coddled my cheeks as I walked down the street, back towards home. People looked at me, but I chose to ignore it this time and just continued on to my house. I unlocked the door with my key, walking inside to an empty house.

Sighing, I threw myself down on the couch and massaged my temples. My head was pounding, and my entire body felt drained. I was alone, and it made my skin crawl. I wished that one of my parents were home, though they did not know how to comfort me in the way I needed them to. Before I knew it, my cheeks were wet and I found myself curled up in a ball on the couch.

Everything felt hopeless, and for a moment I thought about calling Blake. It would not do me any good since he was in the middle of class, but at least it would be something to try. My phone buzzed, shaking me from my thoughts for a moment. It was almost as if he sensed my loneliness, because Blake's name appeared on my phone.

Blake: Holy shit, next week's your birthday! You're so coming over. We'll figure out something something fun to do.

My birthday? I clicked off his message, and instead opened the calendar app. Sure enough, next week it was the sixteenth of April which meant it was indeed my nineteenth birthday. I never thought much of my birthday in the past, since I did not really have any friends to hang out with besides Blake.

I used to have a couple girls I hung out with when I was younger, but ever since my first sentence in jail, everyone looked at me differently. It was hard having all eyes on you, knowing people were making assumptions without knowing the full truth. Nobody knew what I lived with from day to day, and being marked meant that everyone knew what I was, at least what I was to them. Their view of me was obscured, which is the heart of the problem in Moonstone. Everyone thinks they know, but they don't.

Me: With who? Just me and you? I have no friends, Blake.

I turned over on the couch, pulling the blanket off the top to get in a comfy position to take a nap. Sometimes sleeping away my feelings was the way to go. It wasn't the healthiest coping mechanism, but it was one of the only ones available in Moonstone Province. There was no talking about it. Just suffering in silence, and a jail cell waiting for you if you spoke out or tried to end it.

"Amelia?"

"Hmm?" My eyes popped open, and wandered around the room until settling on Blake's face.

"Are you okay?" he touched my hand, studying me carefully.

"What? Why wouldn't I be?" I snapped, crabby from just waking up from my slumber. I sat up carefully, looking around the living room since I was confused about where I was. "How did you get in here?"

"The text you sent me. You sounded sad, and then you weren't answering me. I was worried," Blake said, fishing out my phone from underneath my head and scrolling through all the texts he had sent, and the missed calls. "And the door was unlocked. Like usual."

My heart pinched at the thought of Blake worrying about me. It probably reminded him of that day, and I began to feel guilty. He would always be afraid that I took too many pills again, and that made me feel terrible. Blake set my phone down, helping me sit up fully with my feet on the floor.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Blake. Thank you," I responded, my tone a lot calmer this time and less harsh.

"I've been thinking about what you said yesterday..." Blake started to speak, pausing for a moment. "And I want to help you. I'm not sure what you have in mind, but I'm down for whatever. Things need to change."

"Really?"

"Yes, Amelia. Yes," Blake reiterated, nodding frantically.

I smiled to myself, looking Blake in the eyes. "Thank you, Blake. I promise not to waste your time with this."

"You could never waste my time," he reassured me, smoothing down my hair sweetly. "Do you wanna come over for a bit? My parents missed you too, and..." his voice trailed off, and I could tell he was fighting back a smirk.

"What?" I tilted my head curiously at him.

"There's someone I want you to meet," Blake said, seeming hopeful. By the look on his face, it was easy to tell that it was a guy.

"Who? Blake, you know I'm not good with meeting new people, and I-"

I'm marked.

"No excuses," he interrupted, cutting me short. "No pressure or anything of course, but I think you'll like him."

That was the last thing I needed in that moment. To like someone, to have any feelings at all. I was not allowed to act on any of them, or indulge in any sort of relationship.

"Okay," I whispered, deciding not to argue with Blake any further. I wanted to tell him right then about my new marked status, but I truly wasn't ready, and there was no telling when I would be.

Blake's parents were such kind people. They were the type of people that were too good to live in Moonstone. His Father's job was the only reason they moved here, and they don't agree with their beliefs. They were the exact opposite of my parents, and they did not even have a child who suffered from a mental illness. They were living breathing proof that you did not have to experience to believe.

"Oh, honey, you look so beautiful," Blake's Mother gushed, bringing a bowl of chips to the couch for Blake and I.

"Thank you, Mrs. Fowler," I replied, offering her a friendly grin.

Blake took the chip bowl from her, immediately digging in. He offered me some, but I shook my head for the time being. He flipped through the channels on the tv, and I shook my head at each and every one. There was a ton of Censorship in Moonstone. This included limiting the type of shows we could watch, and also the music we could listen to. If a show or a song displayed anything that Moonstone did not see fitting their 'perfect' and 'happy' image, it did not get approved to be played.

"He'll be here soon," Blake said, looking down at his phone, then back up at me.

"Does this mysterious stranger that you are so intent on me meeting have a name?" I tried, taking my eyes off the tv.

"Jay-Parker, but he goes by JP," Blake answered, studying me.

"Sound endearing," I said sarcastically, swallowing down the small lump that had formed in my throat.

Blake decided to turn off the tv, standing up off the couch. "Change of plans, let's go outside. It's a nice day." he outstretched his hands, pulling me to my feet gently. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door that shifted his attention. "Well well, look who's here."

"Don't," I warned, biting back a smirk. I shoved him playfully towards the door, and he opened it with ease.

Standing in the doorway was the boy Blake talked about earlier. On the walk to his house, Blake told me all about how the boy was his neighbor, the one he left to help yesterday. JP stood on the porch gazing at Blake, then over at me. His murky hazel eyes stayed locked with mine for a moment, cracking a small smile.

Oh, fuck you, Blake.

JP's hair was a hickory brown, and there were some dirty blonde scattered strands. His body was built and slightly fit, while he stood at least six feet tall. He had plump rosy lips and a dimple on only the left side of his face. His olive toned skin was smooth and clear, his distinct cheek bones being visible. On his arms he had several tattoos, all of which were beautiful.

I'd always wanted a tattoo, but I was always too big of a baby. If I sat down in the chair at the tattoo shop I was afraid I'd have a panic attack.

The person standing before me was nothing short of attractive, and for a moment I forgot who I was and what I was doing. I shot a glare over at Blake, who only looked amused with himself.

"Hey, I'm Jay-Parker," JP said quickly as he brushed past Blake to get to me, shaking my hand politely which was something I'd never seen anyone my age do. "I don't think we've met."

No, we hadn't, and we never would again. There's no way I could do this. I had to follow the rules, there was no choice. I had to make sure that this stopped happening to young boys and girls, and that their voices were heard.

"You can call me JP, though," He spoke again, running a hand through his hair nervously.

"JP it is. I'm Amelia," I found myself saying, tucking a strand of loose hair behind my ear.

"Amelia. I like that," JP hummed, shoving his hands down in his pockets.

Blake pushed us both out the door. "We're gonna go out somewhere. There was nothing good on TV like usual."

JP nodded softly, burying his hands further down into his pockets. He seemed like the kind of guy who just went with the flow, and lived life as it came. I watched him intently as we walked until he caught me. Embarrassed, I looked down and followed closely behind Blake. I was not exactly sure where we were headed, but it gave me the time to think.

I wondered what Blake said to JP about me, if anything at all. For once, I wanted to be more than my depression. Than my anxiety. Moonstone had two types of people; the insiders and the outsiders. The insiders were the ones who ate up the bullshit stew they were served, and the outsiders were the ones suffering as a result of the so called bullshit stew.

"We've made it, ladies," Blake said smugly, spreading his arms out wide. We were at the shoreline, and the sun was beginning to set. "Amel and I used to come here all the time when we were younger and watch the sunset."

"I remember," I commented, removing my shoes and socks carefully so I could step onto the sand and feel it in between my toes. "I still haven't forgiven you from that time you chased me around with a hermit crab."

The sounds of the waves brought me back to a simpler time. The crashing noise calmed me for a moment, and I wished I could immerse my body in the water, but it was way too chilly outside for that.

"We were eleven!" Blake argued, looking offended.

"Not cool man," JP added, clicking his tongue at Blake. "No wonder you two haven't gotten together yet."

"We're friends," I said in a haste. "Just friends. We've known each other for almost nine years now...ever since Blake first moved here."

"Yeah, and now I'm friends with you, and you just moved here. It's funny how things just work out sometimes." Blake stepped onto the sand, looking up at the orange sky with his hands on his hips.

"Oh?" JP replied, raising an eyebrow at us both. "Well, I guess it was wrong of me to assume." I swore I saw a ghostly grin cross his lips for a brief second.

The sunset was beautiful. The sky was completely dyed orange with hints of pink and yellow scattered throughout. I always adored sunsets, and it almost made me feel like I was eleven years old again, with the world still at my feet. That was before I knew I was mentally ill, before I was placed in jail twice, and before my life was stolen from me.

When I started to feel something in the pit of my stomach, it almost knocked the wind out of me. It hurt sometimes knowing I could be out and about, around people and still feel depressed. The strong feeling hit me like a truck, and I started to close off into my own little world. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than my bed and a good cry, maybe. Everything was even more painful for me now, especially hanging out with friends.

I found JP attractive, but I was forbidden from acting upon it. Blake and I would never become anything, and he'd one day find an amazing wife who would love him and forget all about me. I'd be stuck in this stage for the rest of my life.

I had no future to look forward to because I was depressed and because of where I lived. It wasn't fair, people like me deserved love and compassion, not this. Blake and JP had their whole lives ahead of them, and me?

All I had was that moment.

-

authors note: hey guys, so this chapter we met Jay-Parker (JP), which is obviously Amelia's love interest.

apart from being yummy, i am so excited about his character, and since im way further in writing the story i know what's to come and it's gonna get pretty interesting. he plays such a big part in Amelia's story and the story overall.

im so happy to say that im almost at 260 reads, and this is amazing to me since the story has only been published for 10 days. thank you all so much, and it makes me so happy to see that everyone is enjoying the book so far and is understanding the message im trying to convey.

next chapter will be from JP's perspective.

until next time. xx.