BOUNDED BY LOVE UNCLAIMED

AMY'S POV

"And this year's prom King and queen goes to...Amy and Christian. Our favorite couple of the year." The student president said, smiling as she read the card. I couldn't believe it as people cheered us on, I mean I suspected we would both be voted for but not for winning.

Christian held my hand as we both walked up the stage, I was beaming from ear to ear as the crown was placed on my head.

"Is there something one of you would like to say?" The student president asked. Christian took the microphone from her and readjusted his crown.

Christian gave a very short speech he could give at best and just as I thought he was done speaking he turned to me, "And before I hand over the mic," he said.

"I just want to give a special shout-out to Amy," I never knew I could smile wider than I already was. "The girl who's been nominated Prom queen, who would have thought that the girl who's been engaged since freshman year would end up dating some and also run for prom queen."

I froze, everyone else in the room froze as Christian finished speaking. The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Christian smiled, but it was empty. It lacked any emotion and resembled none of the ones he always has me.

I held his hand, feeling my smile falter. "Christian what are you talking about?"

He shook himself from me as he threw the crown from his head, "Your touch is making my skin crawl, you disgusting two timer." Christian dropped the mic on the floor and walked out.

People were beginning to murmur, but I couldn't care less as I ran after him calling his name.

Christia's eyes burned with anger, hurt and betrayal as he confronted me. "How could you keep this from me Amy? You should know better."

I grasped his left arm, desperate to make him understand, "Christian please, I'm sorry. I didn't know how to tell you so I was waiting for the right moment."

His expression turned icy, as he stared at me with disgust. "You're no better than others Amy, you were with me knowing you were betrothed to someone else. That's disgusting.

Tears streamed down my face as I begged him to listen, "Please let's talk this out. We can make it work somehow, I love you not him."

Christian's voice was detached, "it's over Amy, I never want to see you again. You're dead to me."

He shook off my grip and strode to his car. I chased after him, clinging to the window and beating on it. "Christian, please!!"

He ran away from the parking lot, and I stumbled backwards, losing my grip. Time seemed to slow down as I watched in horror. Christian's car careened out of control, crashing into another vehicle as he slammed into a tree.

The sound of crunching metal and shattering glass echoing in my ear, "Christian!!" I screamed running towards the wreckage.

His unconscious body was slumped over the steering, shattered glass over him.

"No no no!" I cried out as panic consumed me. "This can't be happening, somebody help. Somebody call an ambulance!"

But I was alone in the parking lot, the car that hit Christian suffered some damage too, but I couldn't see the driver.

I stumbled back inside to get my phone, I dialled 911 in with my shaking hands and my voice was barely audible as I was choking back a sob. Before I could finish explaining and headed back to the wreckage, Christian was already gone.

I walked hurriedly into the nearest hospital, my legs shaking like they were about to give out. "Where is he? Where is Christian?" I begged the nurse.

A woman who looked exactly like Christian came out from the crowd, "He's dead. You killed my son." She spat, she already had her hands closing around the neck of my dress.

Dead? Christian dead? The room began to spin and I felt myself suffocating.

The weight of my guilt was crushing me more than her hand on my dress. I sucked in air greedily but was still unable to breathe properly, and then everything went blank.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw myself in a chair while a nurse waved her hand in my face. "Miss, are you okay?"

I tried to speak but my force was hoarse, then suddenly I remembered what happened and was silently wishing it was all a dream.

"Christian! Christian, is he...?" My voice broke as the nurses exchanged glances. Before any of them could reply to me, I saw Christian's mother storm in with police officers.

"The crime I reported, that's the girl." She said, her eyes fixed on me. "She killed my son."

I was dragged away by the police men, not even bothering to struggle.

I was asked a lot of questions but unable to give even a single answer. Somewhere along the questions, I fell unconscious.

"Time to wake up sleeping beauty," a voice said as I turned and opened my eyes. I recognized the man as the one who was up all night with me asking countless questions.

"We're not accusing you or anything, just want to know what happened last night." I watched as he pulled his belt further up his waist and placed what looked like a half broken coffee mug on the table.

"So? Are you ready to talk?"

I nodded, picking on the dirt underneath my nails. No, not dirt, blood. I froze at the reminder of whose blood it was. I choked back another sob and raised my head to the officer.

"Can I– I need to wash my hands."

He pointed at the sink at the end of the room. I washed my hands until it became red but I continued scrubbing and scrubbing, wishing I could wash away the memories of last night with it.

A commotion erupted from outside the door and my father stepped in and stared at me with blazing eyes.

"We're leaving." He said.

After the interrogation with the police, I walked out the door to hear Christian's mother calling me a murderer and other names. But I simply tuned her out unintentionally.

My father continued talking and talking about how he told me to stay away from Christian and I refused. He called me stubborn and how silly I was for going against him now see where it landed me.

His talk was the least of the things going through my head during the drive home. I took a bath, moving on autopilot as I ate without tasting the food.

"Look at her," my mother said sympathetically. "She needs therapy, watching someone die was probably really traumatizing. And it's as if she's living in her head."

"What she needs is to learn not to go against me next time." They both spoke about me like I wasn't in their presence. Maybe I wasn't, it felt more like I was in the corner of my head, watching everything happen.

Amy's POV.

My alarm clock kept ringing non-stop. Without opening my eyes, I used my hands in search of it and then turned it off and adjusted my blanket on my body to sleep back. As I was about to give myself to sleep it was then I remembered that today was Monday. "Damn!" I exclaimed as I sat on my bed. I picked up my alarm clock and checked the time, it was already five minutes past eight in the morning. My mind flashed back to the dream I just had. It's been 10 years since I lost Christian in the prom night accident but I still dream about it almost every night. It was one of the hardest moments of my life, but I had to move on.

I sprang out of bed and hurriedly started to prepare for work. My room was a mess as my mother had told Susan not to help clean my room anymore. I was that unorganized. It's a way of her trying to make me more responsible. I always try to clean my room, but one minute it's clean and the next minute it looks like a volcano erupted in it, as my mum puts it.

I tripped over the box I brought out from my closet a day before. I picked myself up as I didn't have the time to worry about the pain, I was already late for work.

"Focus Amy, time isn't on your side," I said to myself as I ran to the bathroom. I had the quickest bath in the history of all baths taken. After I was done bathing, I entered my room, applied my lotion, packed my hair into a messy bun, and went over to my closet and picked what to wear.

I arranged my things in my bag in no particular order as I was just shoving my stuff in. I wore my bracelet and perfume then I made my way out of my room. I answered Susan's greeting in a rushed manner and didn't bother looking at the dining table for breakfast. Skipping breakfast was the least of my problems, as I made my way out of the house.

I miss the good old days when I didn't have to bother about working, everything I needed was provided for me, but ever since I refused to get married as my parents requested, I have been left to face life the hard way, that's by working for whatever I wanted.

My father was quite generous, letting me stay under his roof in this condition. It's been two years since I have been under his punishment and I haven't surrendered to my parents. I knew they thought I wouldn't last getting the basic things I wanted for myself. But I looked for a job and luckily I got employed as a secretary in one of the biggest companies in Brooklyn.

I boarded the bus and checked my wrist watch, it was already 20 minutes to 9 am. "I'm super late," I muttered to myself as I almost panicked.

The bus was full when I entered, so I didn't get a place to sit. I had to beg the driver to let me stand as long as I got to my destination, so I was in no way comfortable. This was one of those days when I wish I still had my car.

"Keep it together Amy," I chanted in my mind as I was so close to giving up. Although it seems like I was managing so well, I was already at my limit.

In less than Twenty minutes, I got to my bus stop. I came down from the bus and sprinted into Munroe Enterprise. I got to the first floor and went straight to the elevator.

"It's under maintenance," the janitor said to me pointing to the yellow tape I had failed to recognize. "Oh, thanks," I said to him.

"I have to make use of the stairs," I said to myself in frustration. Using the stairs wasn't an issue, but the problem is my office is on the 13th floor.

I looked at the stairs, and I knew I had no choice as the maintenance would probably take half the day.

"Of all days for maintenance, it had to be today, when I'm late," I muttered to myself as I headed towards the stairs.

"Finally you are here, what happened? Michael asked me.

" I overslept," I responded.

"Mrs. Stella isn't in a good mood," he informed me.

"Damn, what happened to her this time?" I asked him as we were used to her random mood swings.

"Her mother-in-law is around," he responded, taking a sip from his drink.

"I will try to avoid her today, I don't want queries," I responded.

"You can't, she has been looking for you all morning," he said.

"Damn, I have no escape then," I said as I dropped my bag on my table.

"I'll go see her".

"Good luck because you will need it, she almost fired Tyler today," he informed me.

"What!" I exclaimed knowing that I might be in trouble.

"Michael," I heard one of our colleagues call him.

"I got to go, duty calls, tell me how your stuff goes later," he said to me as he walked away.

I arranged my stuff on my table, this is the only place I have no choice, but to be organized even without being told.

After I was done I arranged my hair as some strands kept falling on my face, then I took in deep breaths of courage as I went over to her office.

I knocked once and there wasn't any response, I counted to ten before knocking again. This time I heard her telling me to come in.

"Good morning Mrs. Stella, I'm sorry but I got stuck in traffic," I said, giving her an excuse to justify myself before she would talk.

"You're late again," she said.

"No ma'am, I'm sorry?" I said but she didn't reply which made it more awkward. It was strange how she had a soft spot for me, it seemed like I reminded her of her younger self.

"Michael said you were looking for me," I added,

"I'm working on what I wanted you to do already,"

"I'm sorry ma'am," I responded.

"Get me a summary of our profits and losses since we launched Project 63," she said to me.

"Oh- okay ma'am, but that was two years ago," I responded..

"Yes, I know, we are in a bit of a mess right now and if only you had showed up earlier we would have sorted at least a quarter of the problem, now hurry up and get me the data," she said to me.

"Alright ma'am," I said, turning to leave.

"One more thing," she said, making me turn back in her direction.

"I do not wish to be disturbed, cancel all my appointments today," she said.

"Alright, ma'am," I responded as I quickly left her office to get what she had asked for done.

"How did it go?" Micheal asked me as he walked in my direction after seeing me coming out of her office.

"Not as bad as I expected it to be, but there's fire in there," I said to him.

"Told ya!" He said as he proceeded to wherever he was headed, I know he also doesn't want to get in trouble because things can get ugly when she has mood swings. Mrs. Stella is a nice person but some days we have to tolerate her, no one is perfect though.

I quickly went through our charts, statistics and graphs to get the report she had asked for.

I have been on my computer for the past hour and I was still not done. While in the middle of my task, a young man walked past my table heading for Mrs. Stella's office and she had clearly warned me about not wanting to be disturbed.

"Excuse me, you can't just barge in there, who are you? Protocols must be followed and my boss doesn't wish to be disturbed, you can either wait or come back next time," I said to him, making him stop in his tracks.

He looked at me with no expression on his face whatsoever, and this made me a little bit nervous. He said nothing and continued in the direction of her office. I panicked and went after him telling him to stop.

He didn't fling as he opened her office door without knocking.

Amy's POV

I knew that I was in trouble as Mrs. Stella would scold me. "Ma'am, I tried stopping him, I clearly told him you didn't want to be disturbed but he didn't listen and -"

"It's okay Amy, excuse us," She said and I nodded and left her office.

I wondered who the strange and rude guy was, even if he was her special visitor or one of her random men, he had no right to ignore me when I tried to stop him. He looks like one of those spoiled rich guys. I concluded, because I know one when I see one, I was once that way too until my punishment. He looked oddly familiar but I didn't know where and when I had seen his face before.

The telecom on my table rang. I picked up and it was Mrs. Stella, asking me to report to her office. I stood up quickly and went over to meet her.

"Yes, ma'am," I answered as I entered her office.

"Bring the data, I asked you to compile," she said to me.

"I'm in no way done," I responded.

"Let me see what you've done," she said.

"Huh.." I said in surprise as I knew she might be disappointed with my result.

"Is she always this slow?" The stranger asked her and I looked at him in surprise, the audacity was provoking.

"Excuse me!" I said and from his expression he wasn't expecting me to reply.

"Hurry up Amy," she said to me, and I went over to my table, picked up the document and then went to her office to give it to her.

"I want this one sacked," He said.

"She's one of our best," Mrs. Stella replied almost immediately.

"She has no manners," he said to her and I wondered who gave this stranger the audacity to talk to me that way.

"I'm sorry sir, but I don't think we've met before apart from the moment you walked into this office, and I was only doing my job," I said.

"Walmark Park, have you forgotten?" He asked and I looked at him in confusion.

"You spilled iced tea on me and didn't bother to apologize," he said. It was then I remembered.

"I'm sorry about that, I was in a hurry that day, wasn't one of my best days," I said. Honestly, I was in a hurry that day, it was due to his attitude I didn't bother to apologize thinking I would never come across him again.

Nothing prepared me for what he did next, he picked Mrs. Stella's coffee from her table and then poured it on me.

"I guess we are even now," he said in a snarky tone. My white dress was ruined. I looked at him in utter surprise.

"I said I was sorry, now who do you think you are? You are the one with no manners, people like you think you can do whatever you want, whenever you want, you've messed with the wrong person," I blurted out without thinking, I picked up a glass of water from the table and poured it on him.

"Amy !" Mrs. Stella, who had been silently watching the drama unfold, shouted. "How could you be disrespectful to Mr. Munroe?" she said as she rushed to pick up paper towels and helped him clean his suit.

Her sentence rang in my head. He's the Mr. Munroe we have been expecting, the real CEO of this company, Munroe Enterprise, and it was then I knew I had taken it too far. Damn!

Get out! Mrs. Stella demanded.

I'm definitely getting fired!

_____

I sat watching my favorite cartoon while I ate popcorn. I heard the front door opening and my head snapped in the direction of the door.

"You didn't tell me you were coming, I would have prepared something for you to eat," Lily said as she entered the apartment.

"I got chased from work and I couldn't go home, else I'll give my parents another reason to mock me, you know how they can be" I responded as I threw my popcorn into the air and caught it with my mouth.

"I totally forgot you work," she said sarcastically. I rolled my eyes as she dropped the bag of groceries on the table.

"What happened? Why did you get chased from work?" She asked.

"I kind of poured a cup of cold water on our CEO," I responded.

"Mrs. Stella? I'm lost, why did you do that?" She asked me in a confused tone.

"No, it's not her, The CEO, like our main CEO, you know I told you we were expecting him anytime soon yeah?" I asked her.

"Yes, you did, but how did you pour water on him? Was it a mistake or something?" She asked.

"Yes and no," I responded and this made her furrowed her brows.

"I don't understand," she said as she dropped her bag and sat beside me on the couch.

"The first time it was a mistake but the second time was completely intentional yet a mistake too," I said to her, trying to sound reasonable.

"Amy, you're confusing me, was it or was it not a mistake," she asked.

"Sorry, I'm spiraling," I said as I dropped my bowl of popcorn on my lap and then took a deep breath.

"Do you remember that stranger at Walmart Park?"

"Yes, the rude guy that almost caused a scene at the park that day, but that's like three weeks ago. What about it?

"That was the first incident, I mistakenly spilled iced tea on him that day, but today he turned out to be my boss who has been absent , so he reminded me of that day and in a bit to make us even, he poured coffee on my precious white gown," I started off saying.

"Out of reflex, I was being defensive, I took a cup of cold water from Mrs. Stella's table and poured it on him. It was after that I found out he is the CEO," I said as I covered my face in shame.

"Damn! That's messed up girl," she said.

"I know, it is indeed a big mess,"

"Mrs. Stella demanded I leave the premises immediately," I said to her as I slouched on the couch even further.

"So you're fired?" She asked.

"I guess so," I responded.

"I'm sorry dear, I guess we have to start looking..." She started off saying but stopped mid-sentence as my phone rang.

Looking at the caller made my heart skip beats, it was Mrs. Stella. I panicked before picking.