Josie's outburst was loud enough to make several patrons at nearby tables turn and stare.
Amelia quickly reached across the table to cover her mouth. "You're louder than a megaphone. Do you need me to get you a real amplifier so you can tell the whole street?"
"Sorry, I'm just so worked up," Josie whispered, finally lowering her volume.
The situation was simply too bizarre, too theatrical to handle quietly. It felt like a dream.
"But seriously, can you blame me? I didn't even know I'd been to bed with that jerk! I don't even remember what it felt like to kiss him. And the whole time, he's been acting so prim and proper, like he has all this self-control. It turns out he was only holding back because he'd already had his way with me!"
The more she talked, the more miserable she felt. It was a complete disaster. How could something this ridiculous happen to her of all people?
"I have to admit, this is a first for me too," Amelia said, nodding in reluctant agreement.
Even with everything she had seen, this was beyond her expectations. She had to admire Harrison's methods; the move was perfectly in character for him.
However, Amelia was more curious about where he'd found a black-market drug with such specific, effective results. It was a reminder that the world held countless pharmaceutical secrets she had yet to uncover. She clearly needed to spend more time in the lab.
"See? You agree!" Josie cried, her eyes welling up again. "I'm cursed. How else do you explain this?"
Seeing her best friend in such a state, Amelia couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy. Josie was a mess of tears and crumpled tissues.
"You don't need to cry like your world is ending," Amelia said, caught between amusement and genuine sympathy. Seeing the poor girl a mess of tears and crumpled tissues was enough to tug at anyone's heartstrings.
She reached out to offer some comfort. "Look at the bright side. This isn't necessarily a bad thing... Think about it. Even after you forgot him completely, you met him again and fell for him all over again. That just proves your feelings are the real deal.
"And it’s clear now that Harrison isn't indifferent toward you either. All that coldness before was just an act. He was just pretending you were stranger because he didn't know how to face the truth."
The more Amelia spoke, the more she convinced herself. She began to cheer Josie on with renewed energy. "This is actually perfect. After everything he put you through, you have to make him earn his way back into your life."

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