"Just about one more month and we'll be out of here." Katie sighed dreamily. "I can almost start tasting the freedom already."

"You know it sister." Nora responded.

"Guys, I can hardly wait. Then we'll be able to hang out again and do normal girls' stuff." I said to them.

"Yeah, like getting a job first, then go shopping and getting my nails and hair done. I seriously need a haircut now." Nora complained.

"The both of your hair are longer than I'm used to seeing you guys with." I agreed. "Especially Katie's."

"Yeah and you know I don't really like all this long hair." Katie replied touching her hair that was up in a messy bun. "But wait, Lucas is allowing you to be free once again now?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." I nodded with a smile. "I don't know, things just seemed to change recently. I'm being treated like a normal person now and is allowed certain levels of freedom- I like this stage now "

"Wow that's great." Nora smiled. "I guess someone must've finally removed that stick he seemed to have had up his ass before huh?"

"Or he's getting laid now." Katie added.

"Why do you think it have to be something sexual that is causing him to loosen up now? Maybe he just feels like not acting all ruthless or heartless anymore." I defended.

"No, I don't think so. You live with the guy Amy, I think you know him better than that by now. Look, I've also met the guy and believe me, I think he is in fact ruthless. I don't think it's just an act." Katie responded. "So if he's allowing you this much freedom that you've been able to visit us twice in just one week, then I have to say he must be in a super good mood. Which brings me back to the theory that he wasn't getting laid before which caused him to be so grumpy and frustrated but now he just started getting some."

"Yeah, that or Amy's sleeping with him and got him wrapped around her little finger." Nora joked.

When I didn't object or deny it but instead gave them a sheepish look as I bite my lip, both of their eyes were wide with surprise.

"Omg, you did. Didn't you?" Nora said amused.

"So that's how you got him to allow you out. You've been giving him all the sugar. No wonder he's returning sweet favours." Katie chuckled. "Way to go Ames. Girl, I underestimated you."

"Guys stop." I whined in an embarrassed voice. "It's not like that at all."

"Then what is it like then? Are you saying you aren't sleeping with him?" Katie asked me.

"Yes, I mean no. I have slept with him but it was just one time." I confessed. "But I don't think that's the reason at all. Maybe he's just started seeing that I can be trusted. And when you think about it Lucas isn't that bad you know?"

"Of course he can't be that bad if he has you defending him now." Nora said chuckling. "And I don't doubt it, with a body like his-he must be good."

"Truth to that." Katie agreed laughing as she and Nora high fived.

"You two are the worst." I groaned. "I can't believe we're friends."

"You know you love us." Katie laughed.

"This is serious guys, get your minds out of the gutter. Lucas isn't that bad unless he is provoked or you get on his bad side." I told them. "And that's exactly what I've been trying not to do. I've been staying on his good side."

"No doubt about that." Nora chuckled.

"Alright, I give up explaining things to you two without you making everything sexual." I said folding my arms under my breasts.

"Alright we'll stop. So do you like you know... like him? Or was it just the two of you needing a release?" Katie asked me.

"I don't want you guys to think I'm crazy or anything but I... I think that I like him." I confessed.

"Do you think you guys may have a chance?" Nora asked me.

"I don't know. I mean, I like him and recently I've started seeing some changes in Lucas's attitude towards me as well, so I think he may fancy me too but it's still early days and I won't count on anything more serious happening between us." I replied truthfully. "If something does happen between us then that'll be great but if nothing happens, I won't get myself down about it."

"Sweetie, the question is, do you want something more to happen between you and him?" Katie asked me seriously.

"Honestly? As weird and crazy as it may seem, I do." I nodded. "I like how I felt when I was with him. Somehow he made me feel... safe, wanted. "

"Well you have to make it happen. Don't be shy any longer and sit down waiting for things to come to you." Katie advised. "Go for what you want Ames."

**************************************

For the past 6 hours since I had left the rehab, I couldn't stop thinking about what Katie had said to me 'Don't sit around and wait for things to come to you. Go for what you want'. I've been going over it in my mind and I know she may be right but could I do this though? Lucas had admitted he likes me, but hadn't quite said he wanted more. If I should go after what I want is he going to think of me as being too easy, too needy or pushy or even desperate?

Lucas wasn't like most guys but he was still a guy after all. And I was once a stripper- I know exactly how to get a guy to be interested in me and wanting more. I could probably use that at my advantage to get to Lucas. Imagine, I was forced to live that type of life for years, I've became quite good at it. So why not use those skills for something that I really wanted?

For years I had been unwillingly living the life of being a temptress and a seductress by force, not by choice. And I was using those attributes to make money for a greedy dirty bastard. It was never for something I wanted. So what if I decided to use them to get something that I now wanted or rather someone? I really tried to hide, suppressed and deny those feelings that I had started developing for Lucas. I wanted him. As much as he could be a jerk, I still found him to be really attractive.

Maybe I was messed up in the head. I had spent the latter years of my life dealing with men who were jerks, so maybe that was what scarred me into being attracted to all the wrong type of males including Lucas. I still needed to try and get my plan in motion, nothing tried, nothing done.

"Morgan, where do these drinks go?" I asked as I picked up the tray of liquors.

"Second to last booth on the left." She replied pointing in the direction of the table. "One with the cute guy with the long hair."

"You've got eyes on that one huh?" I joked.

"Yeah, only my eyes though. " She chuckled.

"Maybe I can go put in a good word for you." I laughed.

"You go do that girl." Morgan laughed. "Make him know I can make more bomb ass drinks and anything else he wants."

I had finished serving the drinks to the guys and was heading back in the direction of the bar with my empty tray, when I ran into that guy who was apparently hitting on me some nights ago-Dylan.

"So we've ran into each other again, it must be fate." He said to me with a smile.

"Hi, Dylan." I smiled back at him.

"So, she remembers my name huh? Have you decided when you're going out with me?" He asked me with a smirk.

"Dylan, I don't think that I've..."

"Relax Amy, I'm just messing with you, don't worry." He cut me off with a chuckle. "And Lucas already warned me to keep my distance from you."

"What?" I asked surprised by this. "He did?"

"Yeah, afraid I may break you or something. But I think it's something more. Seems to me that he's set his eyes on you first. So I'm backing off, I'll see you around Amy." Dylan smiled before touching my chin then walked away.

"Okay bye." I said trying to process what he said.

Lucas told him to back off from me? Hmm. What does that mean? Was he somehow being possessive by that move?

"Amy." I heard someone called causing me to snap back into my surrounding.

"Hey, good evening Jay and Carter." I greeted them with a smile as I reached their table. "What can I get you guys?"

"Margarita." Carter was the one who responded first.

"Okay, and you?" I asked turning to Jay.

"No I'm good." Jay smiled lifting a bottle of beer to show me.

"Oh, you already have a drink, I see." I nodded.

"You know it's good seeing you like this Amy." Jay said to me. "Being sober suits you better."

"Yeah, thanks. I think it suits me better too." I smiled at him as I remembered past times when I almost went crazy and was suicidal and Jay was the one monitoring me.

"Where did you get the idea of dying your hair that color?" Carter asked me.

"I don't know, I guess I love purple and was feeling quite impulsive so I did it." I responded as I tilted my head.

I was only now noticing the slightly physical similarities between Carter and Marcos. The difference I noticed was the eye color, while Marcos' eyes were blue Carter's eyes were of a brown shade. I'm guessing he probably got his mom's eyes. Come to think of it, Adena didn't have Marcos's eyes either. So that meant I was the only one who acquired the same blue eyes as his.

It was hard to believe that Carter here was actually my brother and to think that we had no idea before and he still didn't seem to have a clue.

I couldn't help wondering how he would react when he finds out.

"It is weird. Honestly Amy, I like your real hair color better. I've never really fancied dyed hair especially those bold unnatural colors." Carter said to me. "If my sister ever decided to dye her hair in such color, she and I would have it out."

"How old is your sister?" I asked out a curiosity.

"She's twenty." He replied. "Why?"

Oh, so she was younger than me.

" I'm just thinking your sister is an adult, and it's her hair. And if she isn't allowed to express herself by feeling free to color her hair however she wants, then I'm glad I'm not your sister." I said to him. "I'll be back with your drink Carter."

As I walked away, I couldn't help but added in my mind 'I'm glad I'm not the sister you know about and think you have any control over'.

***

"Amy I'm afraid I can only hang with you for a few more minutes before I have to leave." Mom said to me. "I have to go to work."

"What? You're working today? It's Saturday, I thought you had a day off today." I said to her confused.

"Yeah I know but I decided to take a few hours shift today." Nom said to me as she take a forkful of her salad. "I could do with the extra cash. And one of the chef is sick so I'm sort of filling in."

"You'll be able to stay and finish lunch with me though, won't you?" I asked her.

"Sure baby." Mom smiled as we continued eating.

We were seated at an outside booth of the restaurant enjoy lunch together and the cool fair afternoon. I had gotten a large chicken sandwich and milkshake while mom had got a salad and orange juice. She still had to be keeping up with a healthy diet because of her heart. She might be better now but still we had to be cautious and keep up with the healthy lifestyle in case she may have a relapse.

"Amy?" I heard that voice greeted as he came up to us.

Oh shit. This was not the time for a reunion.

"Uh...hey, hi. " I said nervously as I looked at mom who obviously figured out who that voice belonged to.

"It's good seeing you and hello to you too ms.... Mariean?" Marcos muttered out in shock as he finally saw who was sitting in front of me.

It was like he had been kicked in the stomach, as he tried to determine whether or not he was reallyseeing the person he thought he was seeing.

Mom closed her eyes before taking a deep breath while trying to calm herself before opening her eyes and focusing on the man in front of us once again.

"Hello Marcos." Mom finally regard him by giving him a look which I was sure had him contemplating life itself.

"Marie? I don't believe it. It's been years and you're... Wow, you still look great and young. How...wait, Amy is related to you?" He asked in shock as if finally realizing what he was witnessing right now as he looked from her to me and back and forth again. "You knew Marie? And when I told you... I said you looked like her..."

"I guess that's possible since she's my daughter." Mom said before standing up.

"Mom." I tried to calm her down.

"Daughter?" Marcos repeated in surprised as he looked from me to her again. "Wow, what a small world we live in. I had no idea. And Amy why didn't you say anything when I was mentioning all the things I had to you?"

"I don't think she owes you any obligations, considering she knows what an asshole you are." Mom hissed at him with contempt.

"Marie, look I know that what I had done to you back then was so wrong. And I've wanted to apologize to you in person for years now. It has been eating away at me...the guilt. I'm so sorry. Look Marie, I want to explain to you what happened back then." Marcos said as he tried to hold my mom's hands. "I was a jerk..."

"Don't you dare touch me with those filthy hands of yours." Mom said pulling her hand from him in disgust. "You were the biggest asshole I've ever met. I can't believe how stupid I was."

"Marie please, calm down people are starting to stare. I'm sorry, I know I was a jerk..." He tried getting mom to listen to him again but she cut him off.

"You are more than a jerk. What kind of person were you? You knew you had a wife and yet you came approaching me. Was it like a game to you? Were you adding tallies to your score board of marital affairs? You asked me out just so you could what get me into your bed for one lame night of easy sex!?" Mom hissed at him.

"Marie come on you know it wasn't a lame night. That night was so much more than lame. I remembered clearly how we both enjoyed ourselves." He responded.

I did not need to hear this. I had no interest of hearing about the night I was conceived.

"You even seemed to enjoy it more than..."

He didn't got the chance to finish his sentence because mom's hand came in hard contact with his cheek.

"And you're still such a big asshole." She scowled at him in disgust before grabbing her bag. "Just stay away from me Marcos. Amy, I'm sorry sweetie but I've got to go."

As I watched mom stormed off, I looked back at Marcos who had a hand nursing his red cheek with shock. My eyes and mouth were equally wide open with surprise at the scene that just played out in front of me. Wow, mom had the fire. Marcos looked at me still in shock at everything. I sheepishly cleared my throat standing up as I looked at the people who were now still staring at us from the scene that just unfolded.

"Sorry, I guess you'll need to do way better than that with your apology...Dad." I said adding emphasis to the words 'Dad' so that he could understand the true meaning.

Giving him a small sad smile, I walked away quickly before he could say anything else or stop me. I left him there, allowing him to process all this new information.