Memories of a Bad Boy

A/N- THIS IS THE SEQUEL TO TALES OF A BAD BOY, IF YOU DO NOT READ TOABB FIRST YOU WILL NOT UNDERSTAND THIS BOOK. SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ TOABB FIRST! LOTS OF LOVE XX ENJOY READING. Amelia’s POV "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Amelia. Happy birthday to you" sung everybody in the room as my mother came towards me with a small yellow birthday cake patterned with delicate iced bumble bees. "Make a wish sweet pea" she said as she set it down on the table in front of me. I smiled and squeezed my eyes tight making a wish. I opened them blowing out the twenty-one white and black candles. "Well what did you wish for?" asked James as he set Kai down on my lap. "If I told you what I wished for then it wouldn't come true" I said and James rolled his eyes at me as my mother took a picture of us. Kai continued to hum happy birthday to himself as he swayed side to side on my knees. Kai Amato Raphael Messer was born two weeks after I graduated high school and was the glue that helped to partly fix my family. As soon as he was born my mother just couldn't stay away from her first grandchild and she instantly fell in love with the little boy, just like the rest of us. It was hard not to as he had a head full of dark little curls pretty much as soon as he was born and gorgeous inquisitive hazel eyes. She had soon after that apologised for her behaviour and she told us that she could help but forget that we were growing up and it was now up to us to make our own life choices and not her and although it would take a little bit of time she would definitely learn to accept them. James, Peter and I forgave her pretty much straight away but Clayton as usual was still a little wary, I think that was more to do with our mother staying married to our father. He was still refusing to speak to Peter, it had now been about three years since they had had a conversation and it broke all of our hearts. He had reached out to James, Clayton and I thought but although I was okay with an occasional phone call my brothers refused to speak to him point blank unless it was to argue. Peter was still working for the army though and was off fighting in Iraq at the moment. I hadn't heard from him in a while but hopefully he would be back in a few weeks with any luck. "I can't believe my littlest baby is twenty-one years old, you're all leaving me" my mum said cuddling me tightly. "Oh mum" I said as she began to cry, she never cried so this was very unlike her. "Hey, I'll always be your littlest baby" I said. "Kai and Nyah and future grandkids to come are your little babies as well" said James handing her tissues, he was also finding mum crying slightly hard to deal with as it very rarely happened. "Exactically" mumbled Kai from my lap sticking his finger on the cake frosting. "Exactly" I nodded. "Kai Amato Raphael Messer don't you dare let me see you do that ever again!" Cassie's scolded. "Sorry mummy" he said pouting. "Grandmama will cut you a piece, here you go" my mother held a large piece out to Kai which he took thankfully. "You do spoil him" said James. "It's what I'm for" my mother laughed, "hopefully we'll have more on the way soon as well, after Clayton and Bella get married" she looked over at Bella who was leaning against the dresser biting her nails. "One is more than enough" Bella laughed, "where is Nyah anyways?" she asked. "In the garden with Clay, I think they ran out after the birthday singing" I pointed out the window to where Clayton was throwing a ball back and forth with a now walking, talking and almost four year old Nyah. She had flourished into a very cute little girl and had inherited Bella's striking aqua marine eyes and white blond hair. But living with Clayton as her step father had definitely turned her into a tomboy. "Maybe after we get married we'll have more children. I recon it will be later though, I feel too young to be getting married and I definitely feel too young to be a mother again." Bella moved to stand beside me looking out the window at her daughter and fiancée as they played in the sunshine. "Just don't leave it too long, Kai and Nyah are getting so big now I miss having a baby around the house." "Maybe in five years Lucy, but I still want to fit in my wedding dress next summer so I’m off the possible grandchild creating list for now" Bella said. "Awwww" my mother sighed "Cassie?" She asked. "Lucy, I had preeclampsia with Kai and he was breech. It was the worst labour ever, although I'm sure other women will claim theirs’s was worse, and it screwed up my chances of getting pregnant again. If we have more kids they'll be adopted, but I'm not ready to go through that process yet, maybe a year or so and we'll consider it" Cassie said. James nodded, "also, night feeds are a complete nightmare. Well actually nightmares would be welcome" he said, "I've forgotten what a good night sleep feels like." "Oh, okay then" my mother sighed, "well it looks like I'm going to be baby grandchild free for a year or two at least. Unless...." "That's a joke mother" I laughed as she looked at me hopefully, "I'm a full time medical student at Harvard there is no possible way I could have a child right now" "Well I guess I'm stumped then" my mother pouted in a good impression of Kai. "I can't wait till you and Ash have kids Amelia, the cheek bones on that guy-fhawww you'll create the most breath-taking children" Bella sighed almost to herself. "Bella" I whined, "I already said no children, at least for now, anyways Ash and I have only been together for a year the idea of having kids would send him running for the hills." Ash Elijah Carmichael. His mother said he was a "diamond in the rough," and I knew what she meant. But to me Ash was simply a diamond. The rest of the world could be as rough as it desired but it never affected him, he shone with inner beauty all the same. I guess that's part of why I fell in love with him, that inner sparkle that nothing and nobody could ever take away. He was a medical student just like me, but in the year above. A real dream boat with his hazel green eyes and dark tanned skin, I was a lucky girl to have found a guy like him. "On the topic of Ash When does his plane get in?" my mother asked. "2.45" I said, "about the same time as Adalyn's" "Oh brilliant, I haven't seen Addy in far too long" my mother began to say and I yawned nodding my head in agreement. "I should probably head out and pick them up from the airport now" said James picking up his keys from the dresser just as Clayton and Nyah came in through the back door. "I'll come with you" Clayton said. "You don't have to" I said as I got up and put Kai on the floor by his toys. "It's no problem, I need to pick some stuff up from the store on the way back for your birthday dinner anyways" he smiled at me. "Okay then it's settled" I said pulling on my black jacket over my dungaree dress. I had pared it with a ribbed white cotton top and had tied my hair up in a ponytail with a dark red velvet scrunchy. "Bye y'all" said Clayton walking over and kissing Bella quickly before heading back to the door and following James and me outside. "So, what are you cooking for dinner chef Clayton?" I asked as we began the quite long drive to the airport. "Spaghetti carbonara" he put on a mock Italian accent. "Ah perfect, I think your cooking for um" I counted up in my head "ten people, wow that really is a lot" "Definitely" he nodded as we turned onto the highway. "I wanted to do something simple enough that I could make it for a large number of people, spaghetti is always easy as a family meal" Clayton said. "Yeah, I know." I grinned, "It's the family meal we all grew up eating" "That and mum's homemade lemon meringue pie" James said and we all groaned in childhood reminiscence. "It was the perfect mixture, dad would cook the main a mum the pudding. They really made us the most amazing food I think it turned us into food snobs as little kids" I laughed. "Yeah" Clayton grinned, "and do yeah remember when dad use to give us our pasta in those plastic bowls we had with our names on them, with loads of rocket and parmesan on top and we'd all sit in the garden and play games whilst we watched the sunset and dad would always, he would always..." Slowly his face fell and he stopped talking. We all sat there in silence for a minute, as that heavy remembrance of everything happening with dad washed over us. Dad would always hold us close as the sun would set and tell us that the sunset was the earths chance to reset itself, and that if we had done anything in that day we were not proud or happy about we should tell the sunset and he would give us advice on what to do. "Do you think he'll ever see sense, come back to us" I said finally. Clayton didn't speak as I knew he wouldn't, to him this conversation was over. But I knew I could count on James to at least say something, to at least try comfort me with a white lie. "I don't know Amelia, but I suppose they say the people who we love always find a way of coming back to you. He certainly loves all of us, that’s for sure." And it was true I just couldn't see it at this moment in time, but people who are meant to be always find a way. We arrived at the airport about an hour later and parked the car in the huge car park. As we approached the airport a plane flew over our heads with a deafening roar. "What's the time?" I asked as we walked through the revolving door of the airport. "3" I said checking my phone, "ah yeah, Ash's plane has arrived" I said as I saw a text notification from Ash saying that his plane had got in early and he was waiting by the coffee shop. "Right, we'll go find Adalyn at the arrivals. You go pick up your boyfriend and meet us back here in a few" James said and I nodded. I wondered over towards the large array of shops and cafes but I couldn't spot Ash. I must have looked for at least a few minutes and paced up and down the aisle at least three times. "Guess who" I suddenly felt a pair of hands cover my eyes. "Ash!" I exclaimed as I turned around and greeted my boyfriend with a long kiss. I smiled up at him and he kissed me again. His lips were soft, his scent was familiar. "Happy birthday angel" he said pulling out a large package from his backpack. "Oh Ash" I fussed kissing him on the cheek, "you really shouldn't have." "Yes, I should. You know you deserve to be spoiled and I love to spoil my beautiful angel" he grinned widely. "Can I open it now?" I asked. "Of course, it's your present" he smiled. I grinned widely opening the bag to see three individually wrapped presents. I opened the first to find a bottle of my favourite perfume. "Oh, Ash you remembered, it's my absolute favourite perfume!" I beamed. I opened the next present and I laughed when I saw what it was. An old copy of one of my favourite movies "the lost boys" "Ahhhh maybe we can watch this tonight!" I exclaimed and he nodded, I knew he was anxiously waiting for me to open the last present so I did. My breath caught in the back of my throat as I opened a small box. A beautiful silver neckless with an angel pendent incrusted with little pearls sat on a purple velvet cushion. "Oh Ash, it's so beautiful" I said breathlessly, I then leaned up and kissed him. "I'm glad you like it" he grinned showing pearly white teeth, "an angel for my angel." I turned around pulling my hair up and passed the box to Ash so he could put the neckless on me. "Do you want to take your other one off first?" he asked. "What?" I replied confused, "oh" I suddenly felt a weird knot form in the pit of my stomach. Ash took off the neckless Luca had given to me at Christmas over three years ago and passed it too me. He placed the other neckless around my neck and a shiver went down my spine as the cold metal sat on my neck. "Sorry, my hands are cold" he said turning me round to face him. Ash looked confused at the expression on my face. I didn't blame him, I should have been grinning widely as my perfect boyfriend placed the beautiful and probably very expensive birthday present around my neck. But my eyebrows had knitted themselves together in a tight frown and my lips were pursed. I began to bite the bottom one as I rubbed my forehead with the back of my hand. My head was spinning as the memories came rushing back. *Flash back* "I never take it off, not since you gave it to me at Christmas five months ago" I said trying to meet Luca's eyes, but he didn't look at me. We were sat on a rusty old bench outside the large white children's hospital. Finally, he cleared his throat and spoke. "We were in a bit of a messed-up situation back then, when I gave you that locket." "A bit" I scoffed, "I love you, I hate you. Don't speak to me, I want you...no wait I don't actually wait I do" He grinned and I laughed glad that he seemed to be perking up a bit. "Luca" I whispered cupping his face in my hands, "she'll be okay" "You don't know that" he said turning away from me violently his voice angry and hurt. "No" I shook my head, "no I don't. But if you honestly think sitting on this cold bench cursing God and the universe itself will do any better than having a little hope then fine. But you're definitely not the Luca me or Nora fell in love with." I finished I stood up and walked away from him. "Amelia" I heard a call and turned around to see him walking briskly towards me, his shoulder squared. "What?" I started to say but I was cut off by the only thing I liked to be interrupted by. We broke apart and I smiled as he spoke "I love you, Amelia Jane Messer. Even though you have an annoying ability of always being right I still love you. You know that right?" he asked. "I do" I nodded with a grin. He grinned pulling me in to kiss him again. I wished moments like these could have lasted forever, but I knew that soon we would have to break apart, go upstairs and hear the news of what was going to happen to Nora. *End of flash back* It had been a while since I had thought of him. When he first left it was all the time but now, now it was only every now and again. In the twilight phase between waking and sleeping that's when I was weak enough to let my mind slip. I gripped the locket Luca had given me so tightly in my hand the skin on my knuckles was white. "Amelia my angel, are you okay? Do you not like it because I have the receipt?" Ash started to say but I shook my head and cut him off. "It's perfect, you're perfect" I smiled weakly up at him. "Sure?" he asked. "Yeah" I smiled a bit more convincingly this time and it seemed to work. "Well alrighty then" he smiled squeezing my hand. We walked back over to the entrance to see Adalyn, James and Clayton waiting. "Well we've only been waiting forever" Adalyn said melodramatically. "I've missed you too you big fat drama queen" I hugged her tightly. "Shall we go?" James asked coming over to us with a luggage trolley laden with Adalyn's bags. "Addy, you’re only staying for three days why the hell do you need three suitcases?" I asked as I broke free from the tight hug we had been standing in for at least a minute. "Ah you know" she smiled, "I wanted to be prepared for anything." "I don't understand girls, this literally weighs a tonne. What on earth have you got in here?" Clayton asked as he pushed it along towards the exit. "You know just shoes, clothes, a spare pillow, swimming costume, towels, coffee maker, oh yeah I think I put in my straighteners and my curling iron, make-up, a mirror, a couple of books, presents for Amelia..." "And a partridge in a pear tree, yah I think we got it Addy. You packed everything but the kitchen sink" James said and I giggled as Ash draped his arm around my shoulder. As we all walked out the airport everyone continued to joke and laugh about Adalyn's packing which she didn't really appreciate but I did as it gave me suitable cover to think. I would always treasure the memories Luca and I had made together. But I had let him go, I had moved on and I think I truly realised it was over when I felt more in-love with the memories he had left me behind then the boy I had fallen so deeply in-love with all those years ago. I just couldn't let him back into my mind again. I had a caring boyfriend whom I loved very much, I had a group of very close friends and I was doing very well at Harvard medical school. My family was slowly healing itself and Bella and Clayton were getting married. Everything in my life was falling into place. But occasionally I couldn't help but wonder what Luca was up to now and if he was happy, and maybe if he had found someone else. Did she love him the way I use to love him? Maybe he had a job, a wife, a house and even kids. Some days I couldn't help but wonder if he still thought about me. Other days I wondered why I still cared. ...................................................................................................................................................... Thank you for reading this chapter! I hope you enjoyed! Question for this chapter: What do you think of Ash? Do you think Amelia is happy with her new life? Please remember to star and comment, I will always reply! Lots of love,