Shifting

It was like watching a car crash, all in slow motion, but nothing you can do to stop it. When she hit the ground it was like the world stopped moving completely. I froze. I watched Jake and My dad overpower matt and handcuffs him to a pipe on the side of the building. The twins and Sandra ran over to Red.

"...ber! Amber!" Sandra yelled making me able to move again. I am good at working in bad situations. If I was trapped at home when my mom was about to give birth I would be able to help her. If someone was having a seizure in the middle of the sidewalk I would help turn them on their side so they don't choke on their tongue, But I froze. I started crying.

"Jake. Take her to your apartment and grab the first aid kit!" Sandra yelled. I felt Jakes arms sweep under my legs and run me downstairs. Then left.

/ / / / /

I don't know how long I laid on the carpet of his living room before I woke up out of the daze. I shot up and ran the last flight of stairs to the roof. It was pouring but I could still see where Red had bled into the concrete. I shoot around before finding Matt. He was still handcuffed to the wall. I ran towards him, even though he was wet I could tell he had been crying. I pulled him close to me and kissed him. He pulled away.

"I am sorry," he said looking at the ground where she laid earlier.

"That wasn't your fault," I said to him.

"Yes, it was." he brought his eyes to mine.

"Where's the key?" I asked him figuring he had asked Jake to do this if anything ever happened.

"I am not telling you."

"It's pouring and freezing, you need to come inside," I said as I felt the rain soak through my last layer and into my shoes. He looked at the ground.

"I can't hurt you, not again."

"Hey." I pulled his chin so he was looking at me. "The past few months have been some of the best days of my life. Yeah Seth made you do something that broke my heart, and some of the leftover things have hurt me and Red physically, But that wasn't you."

"I can't be trusted, not just me and you, alone, without anything stopping me from killing you." His voice shook and he started to cry. I kissed him for a long time.

"Tell me where the key is and we can tie you up inside." I laid my head on his wet chest.

/ / / / /

That's how Matt ended up handcuffed to the bed in Jake's spare bedroom. I grabbed him a towel and a change of clothes and went to change myself. I sat next to him by the bed.

"You know I love you." I rested my head on his shoulder.

"I love you too Amber." He kissed me on the top of my head.

"When this is all over and we go back home..." I looked up at him, "Do you want to go on a real date? Be real teenagers?" he kissed me on the forehead before talking.

"Amber, I don't know if this will ever be over, but I know we will never be normal teenagers." he looked at his hand that was cuffed to the bed. I put my hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes. They were perfect, reminded me of the sea from when my parents and I went on a cruise. He looked at me. Most of the time I don't like when people look at me for a long period of time. But Matt, made me feel safe. Even with his episodes, and what he's been through. When I'm with him I feel safe. I could sit in that bedroom looking at him forever. And I know he could too. But life keeps going, and we have to go with it. And so the phone rang. (ODP:12/16/17)