Young Writers Society

Hello, I'm back again.

So this is the third chapter of my novel. I'm not really pleased with the title of the chapter, it doesn't really sound that good, so I would really like some help in finding a great title.

Oh, and I've changed Allison's name to Evelyn, so it's not so close to Amanda's name=)

Otherwise; Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think

Love, Liz

CHAPTER THREE:

DOUBTS AND HOPES

Amanda woke up by the ringtone on her cell-phone. She was still in the shower; the now ice-cold water running down her body. She shut the water off immediately, and got out of the shower. She grabbed the phone in a hurry, while she was pulling on her robe.

“Hello?” she answered, while starting to shake. The robe didn’t add that much warmth to her body. She sat down on the toilet-seat.

“Amanda! You’re talking!” David’s voice sounded thrilled.

“Hey, Dave. Of course I’m talking. Why wouldn’t I?” She prayed that Katie hadn’t let her condition the last week slip to David.

“Well, I called two days ago. And Katie said you weren’t feeling good and couldn’t talk. I figured it must be the flu, right?”

“Oh, yeah. That…” She thought about what to say. “Ehm, something like that, yeah.”

“But you’re better now?!” he sounded hopeful.

“Yeah, loads better.” she answered honestly. “So, what are you up to?” she added quickly, changing the subject.

“Oh,” he dragged it out, “nothing really… I’m really bored!” He snorted.

“Where’s Evelyn?” Amanda asked. Her heart stung when she said her name. She tried to ignore it.

“Off again. She’s in New York this time… And with the twins still at their parents’ and you ill, Katie’s busy with work and Lucas. There’s really nothing to do!” he sighed.

“You know you can always come back home, right?”

“Ha-ha, yeah, but I don’t want to intrude.”

“Oh, come on David. This is just as much your home as it is mine, still.”

“Then why did you let out my room?” he said teasingly.

“My mistake… No, seriously. Why don’t you come over? Katie’s off at work, and she will be all day. Come over!” Amanda was trying not to sound too eager.

“You sure you’re feeling up to it?”

“Yeah, I think this is just what I need!” she smiled to herself. “Oh, and by the way, bring a pizza, will you? I’m really hungry!”

David chuckled, “I knew there was a reason. A Jones special?”

“Awh, sounds awesome. We haven’t had that in a while.” She felt her body regain some of its warmth again.

“Alright, see you in twenty then!”

“See ya!”

Amanda had stopped shaking. She got up and looked at herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed and she was grinning broadly. She blow dried her hair and changed from her bath robe into a casual pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She couldn’t stop grinning. This was exactly what she needed. A day with David. Just the two of them.

As she heard the familiar sound of David’s red mini cooper pulling in to the driveway, she ran to the kitchen window. She hadn’t seen him in so long. The last time she saw him and talked to him was a month ago. A whole month? she asked herself as she watched David trying to get the pizza’s out from the passenger seat. Well that explains why I wasn’t prepared for the invitation. I didn’t hear a word about a wedding! She shook her head and tried to think of something else. This was supposed to be a good thing, having David over.

As David walked up the path from the driveway to the entrance door he saw Amanda peeking out between the kitchen window curtains. He waved and grinned broadly. She waved back and then disappeared for a second before she was standing in the front door.

“David! Hi!” she continued to wave, now more energetically. “Come in!”

“Thank you.”

He went in, took of his white Vans shoes – a bit worn out by now - and went in the kitchen to put the pizza down. Amanda followed him.

“Oh, I’ve missed you, Mandy!” He said grinning, before he squeezed her tight, lifting her a foot from the ground.

She hugged him back.

It felt good. Natural.

“Oh, I’ve missed you too! So much!” she replied.

As they stood like this Amanda felt her cheeks starting to go red again. She let go of his neck, and he let her down.

“You got a Jones special then?” she asked as she went to get something to drink from the fridge, hoping that David wouldn’t see her red cheeks. Why did she have to blush like that?

“Yeah, Aladdin almost didn’t recognize me at once,” David chuckled, leaning on the counter. “I haven’t been there for years now. But when I ordered the “Jones special” it all came back to him.”

Amanda laughed. “I bet he missed you though.”

“Yeah, I believe so!” He said smugly, while grabbing the two pizzas and a glass as he followed Amanda in to the living room. “I mean, I got a free coke and onion rings and everything while I waited.”

“Ha-ha, sounds like Aladdin!”

“He said he hadn’t seen you either for a while…”

“Well, no. I haven’t been there since you moved out. It just feels like our place, you know?” she sat down on the sofa as she said this. She blushed slightly again and pretended to be very busy with removing the lid of the pizza boxes so that she didn’t have to look at David. David didn’t notice this time either, he was pouring drinks.

“Yes,” he said, “I know. One can’t eat a Jones special without a Jones” he winked at her. “Actually I haven’t had a Jones special without you, either. So, I sort of get what you mean.”

Amanda smiled at him.

David raised his glass to a toast. “To you and me, and many more “Jones-special” nights!”

A “Jones special” was a tradition that Amanda and David used to have every week since they moved in together. They got two pizzas from a place called “Pinocchio’s”, right down the street.

“Well, then “Pinocchio’s” won’t run out of business.” She said, grabbing a slice.

David had finished his first slice already and grabbed his second. “I don’t know what I’ll do if “Pinocchio’s” is shut down. I’ll starve!” he said with his mouth full, which muffled his voice.

“Well, you have survived the last three years though!” she took a bite of her slice, “Mmm, this is good pizza!”

“Ha-ha, I know. You don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone.”

“Yeah, you could say that again.” She looked at him.

Even now, when they were truly on a friendly basis – or was supposed to be – she couldn’t take her eyes of him. It was the good old Dave that was back. No tie, no formal manners, just David. The David who had moved out three years ago, and broken Amanda’s heart. But somehow it didn’t matter anymore. The last week didn’t matter anymore. He was here, back! At least for now. And Amanda was happy.

She sighed as she thought of this, and this time David noticed.

“What are you thinking of?” he said with a glimpse in his eyes.

“Oh, just the good old days; you know, before you left me to deal with the twins on my own!” she smiled to him to show that she was only joking.

“Yeah, you’ve done a great job though!”

“Thanks, but it was really hard work! Getting them through school and potty training them…”

“Ha-ha, was that why you needed another pair of hands in the house.”

“You think? Well, at least Katie knows how to deal with “children”, she has a ton of brothers…”

David whistled. “So, who’s the cutest?” he said it in a girly voice.

Amanda threw a pillow at him. “Stupid! They’re all younger than me!”

“Oh, yeah. Your “golden-rule”. You haven’t given in on that already?” He grabbed his fifth slice.

“No, of course not! I’m not going to go cradle-snatching. I’m not that desperate!” she sipped her coke.

“So, there’s no one in particular?”

Amanda could hear in his voice that he was truly interested. “No. Or…” she started.

“Yes?”

“Well, there was… is this one guy I know, but he doesn’t know how I’m feeling about him though. And I really don’t think I should tell.” She played with the topping on her food, looking down.

“Why not?”

“Well, he’s sort of taken. Engaged in fact.” She looked up at him, hoping that she hadn’t said too much.

But David wasn’t known for putting two and two together and ending up with four. So, he didn’t notice.

“Yeah, I understand. Well, if you want my opinion?” he put his pizza slice down for this.

Amanda just nodded.

“I still think you should tell him.” Amanda looked at him in surprise. “He deserves to know what options he’s got, and it’s better that he finds out before the wedding.”

“Really?” Amanda had never thought about this option before. As far as she had seen it, the moment she found out about David and Evelyn’s engagement she knew she couldn’t get him. But it was harder to stop loving him in practice than it was in theory.

“But it could ruin their whole relationship and what about the missus-to-be?”

“Well, it’s a risk. But what if he feels the same way about you? And that he is just afraid to say something to ruin it too. And then he ends up married to the wrong woman. That just sucks!” David was dead serious now. Almost worried.

“David, are you talking about yourself?” she asked him, scooting closer, looking into, what she thought looked like worried eyes. Suddenly they didn’t seem to belong to David. He was always the cheerful one, always ready with a joke.

“Are you concerned about you marriage?”

“What? My marriage?” he looked at her confused.

Amanda got up and went in to the kitchen to the wedding invitation. She handed it to him as she sat down next to him.

“We received this a week ago. All of us.”

“Oh, she’s efficient,” he muttered to himself.

“Sorry?”

“Nothing, I just didn’t know she had actually sent them yet!” his voice was shocked, almost offended. Evelyn had clearly not told David this.

“I’m sorry if I’ve done anything wrong. I just assumed you knew, since you are the groom…”

“Yeah. I am. But, wow, this makes it all so official.”

“You know people need invitations to know that there’s a wedding to go to?” Amanda tried to cheer him up. He smiled back, but he still looked confused.

Amanda looked up at him. “Hey, you knew you were engaged though…”

David snorted. “Yes, of course. I proposed. But we agreed on sending them out together. Well, at least I expected her to tell me. Argh, this is so classical Evelyn.” He threw the invitation on the table.

“She’s done this sort of stuff before?” Amanda stroked his back calmly.

“Well, not this!” he gestured both his hands in the direction of where the invitation had landed. “But you know, “surprise” dinner parties, weekends with her parents. I don’t usually mind, they’re great folks. But sometimes I just feel like I don’t have anything to say. That my opinion doesn’t matter. She totally overrules me at times.”

“Still,” Amanda said, tryingly to step carefully, “isn’t this taking it too far?”

“I guess, I don’t know.” He shrugged. “If it were up to me I wouldn’t even need a big fancy wedding. She has an enormous invitation list, and I assume you, Katie, Lucas and the twins are the only one of my friends.

“I’ve always wanted my wedding to be including the ones that were really close to me, not a big public event. A special start to the rest of my life with the ones I really love, and that loves me.

“God, I sound like a girl!” He put his head in his hands.

“You know, you are allowed to talk about you feelings even though you’re a boy?”

David laughed and straightened himself up. “Yeah, thanks. But if you really want to know how I feel…?” He stopped to look at her in search of an answer. He found what he was looking for and went on. “I’m having serious doubts…”

“What?” Amanda was honestly surprised. “Really…?” she added a little more controlled.

“Yeah, that’s why I’m not with her in the States… I told her I needed some alone time. It’s just… I don’t know…” He rubbed his hands and stared in the table.

Amanda didn’t know what to say. She just sat staring at his face. He looked dead serious. Amanda’s heart melted as she saw how sad and confused he was.

“You know,” she started, taking his hand, “this is normal!”

He looked up at her. Amanda saw a couple of tears that had escaped his eyes, and was now running down his cheeks.

“Normal?”

“Yes, it’s called cold feet, honey.”

David snorted. “Aren’t they supposed to come right before the wedding?”

“No, I think they can come at any time. Any time you’re feeling unsure.” She dried away his tears with her free hand. “Honey, it’s not strange that you’re having doubts. You and Evelyn are two completely different persons! You’re this mellow, relaxed, normal guy, and she’s in at least two magazines every month, she’s a jetsetter – a rich jetsetter. You’re quite the opposite of each other.”

“So, you don’t think we will make it?” he looked even sadder as he looked deeply into her eyes. Amanda took a breath and swallowed what she really wanted to say. That it was her and him that was supposed to end up with each other, and that his marriage to Evelyn wouldn’t last a year, if they were still together at the wedding. “No. I think you guys will, if you both work for it. And don’t give up on each other.” She sighed. “You know, I’m not really one to give advice.”

“How’s that?” He seemed to feel better.

“I’ve never been in a long term relationship. You are a better expert at this commitment-crap than me.”

He chuckled now. Amanda had never thought of commitment as “crap”. She was the most committed person David knew about. He was sure that if she had found her guy at eighteen, she would have married him at that age.

“Hey! Why are you laughing?” she let go of his hand and hit him on the shoulder.

“Nothing.” He was still chuckling. “I just don’t think it’s your fault that you’re not married with two kids already.”

Amanda just looked at him, waiting for an explanation.

“Well,” he started, resting his hand right hand on her shoulder, “it seems to me that it’s the other gender that seems to be running away form that responsibility.”

Amanda showed away his hand. “Yeah, rub it in, will you?”

“What?”

“That I’m always left heartbroken.”

Amanda had never been left heartbroken, though. She had been somewhat relieved when – after what seemed like an hour of excuses and reasons – they told her that it was not her, but them.

Amanda had always known that David was the one for her. She believed in soul mates. And David was definitely hers. But she hated herself for feeling so light and happy about David’s situation. If he and Evelyn were having issues, it could lead to a possible break-up, which was what Amanda was hoping for. She just thought it would have happened before the relationship had gotten this far. But still, as she had always said when her favorite hot footballers had gotten married, there’s always a little thing called divorce! Then again, she didn’t want David to go through that.

She didn’t want him to hurt. Although he probably would be if Amanda was going to get her way.

David would never have the guts to leave Evelyn. She was too powerful.

No, she would hope that Evelyn found a rich man of her own and that she dumped David. It was the only option. Even if it meant that he would be hurt. At least Amanda would be there to comfort him. Just like she had done right now.

“Ha-ha, well, none of them were good enough for you anyway.” He interrupted her thoughts.

“Naw, that’s actually very sweet of you. I didn’t know you were this cute.” She said teasingly as she sipped her coke.

“Yeah, and if you tell anyone, I’m gonna have to kill you!” he answered in a smile. “How do you always manage to cheer me up?”

“Magic.” She replied, winking, grabbing another slice of pizza. David just smiled back at her. “Movie?”

“Yup,” she nodded. “Which one?” She got up and walked over to the TV.

“Oh, the one with the dogs!!” David grinned excitedly at her. “Those with spots, you know.

““101 Dalmatians”?” she pulled out a dvd.

“That’s the one!”

“Again? Seriously?”

“Pongo rules.” Was all David had to add on that matter.

Amanda shook her head as she turned on the TV and inserted the DVD. She fell down back on the couch and David put a hand around her and put a blanket over them both.