Amber's pov:

I know I've said this many times before but in this moment, I mean it more than ever...

LIAM.

IS.

GOING.

TO.

KILL.

ME.

Not only is he going to kill me, he is going to make it a PAINFUL DEATH.

He will grab me by my foot and drag me down the halls, tie me to the back of his car, and drag me across the highway.

...

I can't help but shiver at the thought.

"Hey Amber!" Damien says, walking up to me while I was putting my books in my locker.

"Hey Damien." I say, my voice coming out a little bit more monotone than what my voice usually sounds like.

I finish putting the books in my locker before shutting it, turning towards him with a small, but forced smile.

"Okay, something is definitely wrong. You don't force a smile unless something is troubling you."

"But my smile isn't-..."

He raises his eyebrow out me, causing me to let out a sigh, "You're right, it was kinda forced."

"What's bothering you, are you okay?"

I turn towards him, "I am now, but five minutes from now..." I take another nervous glance at the school entrance, hoping that today was another one of those days where he arrives right before the homeroom bell.

I would like to enjoy my last moments for a little bit longer...

"What do you mean?" He asks, crossing his arms over his chest while leaning against my locker, giving me a curious look.

I take a deep breath, "Liam."

"What about him?"

"He is going to kill me."

"What?"

Without thinking, I grab a hold of Damien's t-shirt and make him look me dead in the eyes, "As in HE. IS. GOING. TO. Kill. ME."

A few seconds pass before Damien bursts into laughter, catching a few stares from the students around us.

"It's not funny!" I whine as he continues to laugh, holding his stomach in the process.

"That's the reason why you are so bothered?" He asks once he is able to catch his breath.

I accusingly point my finger towards him, "Hey! Don't think you are off the hook, if I'm going down, I'm dragging you with me!"

At my words, his smile drops, and his face pales. "No..."

"Yes. I wasn't the only one who ran away from him, you're just as dead as me." I say, matter of factly.

"But-..."

"Hey!!!" Both Damien and I's heads flick to the entrance of the school to see our friend group all walking in together...

Including Liam.

Liam's eye narrow in on Damien and I, causing us to both turn our heads towards one another with wide eyes.

"RUN!" We both say at the same time before sprinting down the hallway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Amber."

Ignore it.

"Amber."

Ignore it Amber.

"Amber."

Don't look at him.

"Amber!!!"

Resist!

"AMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"What?" I look at Damien for the tenth time in the past two minutes.

"Give me attention." He says, pouting at me while poking my shoulder.

"You said you wanted me to read your essay for you, how can I possibly do that if you keep distracting me, hmm?" I try to act annoyed, but deep down, I as well loved his attention.

He makes me crazy.

"I rather turn in a bad essay than not get to talk with you." He says, taking his laptop from my grasp and closing it.

Damien's words make a blush rise on my cheeks.

Halfway through our morning, we all get a study hall to meet with our teachers, work on our homework, or just hang with friends.

Damien asked me to meet him in the Language Arts hallway to read over his essay for him before he submits it.

Well, at least that's why I thought he asked me to meet him.

I was wrong.

"By the way, did you get the chance to talk with Liam yet?" Damien asks, leaning back on the lockers as I do the same.

"Not yet, we don't have any classes together so I never really get to see him throughout the day. We usually meet during study hall but he has a test to finish. Did you talk to him?"

He shakes his head, "No I didn't get the chance to. We have Organic Chemistry together but you know how Ms. Clayton is, she doesn't let anyone talk during her class."

"I know what you mean, I really wish we were in at least one class together."

"I know, we have almost all the same teachers but just at different times." He says, before stretching out his legs and arms and letting out a loud yawn.

"You okay?" I giggle, watching as he yawns again before leaning back against the locker and resting his head on my shoulder.

"I'm tired."

"Take a nap then, I don't mind." I push his bangs away from his eyes, seeing them closed.

"But I want to give you company."

Don't do it heart.

Don't expose me.

"You are giving me company, and again, I really don't mind. If you are tired, you should rest before your next class." I slouch down a little bit so that his head was a little bit more comfortable and tucked more into my shoulder.

"Where did everyone else say they were going again?" He mumbles, snuggling into my shoulder.

Does my heart get a trophy for winning the Olympics?

"If I remember the text correctly, I think some of them had to see their teachers. I know Julie and Gianna had to for some project for extra credit, but I don't really remember where the others said."

"It's okay," he mumbles, barely awake, "I wanted to only spend time with you anyways. Annabelle wanted me to help her with her homework but I have-..." he lets out a tired sigh.

"Have what?"

"Priorities."

"Priorities being...?"

"You."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Lunch, lunch, lunch!!!" Julie cheers excitedly, pulling...

Dragging me behind her as she excitedly speed walks down the hallway.

"Why are you in such a rush, you have a packed lunch anyways." I giggle, but still let her drag me along.

She turns towards me, giving me a playful glare, "The faster we get there, the faster we can eat. Above all, your short legs aren't helping."

I let out a gasp, pretending to be offended, "I'm only like, two inches smaller than you!!"

"That's what she said." Luke pops up out of nowhere, smirking, as he walks with us to the cafeteria.

"Shush you nasty child." Julie says, sticking her tongue out.

"Oh really? Do you really assume that we all think yours and Ashton's relationship is as innocent as it seems?"

AUTHOR'S NOTE: OH SH*TTTTTTT.

"Don't think for a second that I won't single handedly take down your future generations with a single drop kick."

"Dang you feisty, someone is a little hangry."

"Yes, SO WALK FASTER!!" She says, linking her arm with mine and walking a bit faster.

"Ah the granny run, if anyone can pull it off I knew it would be you Julie."

"Are you sure you want children?"

"Sorry."

I silently laugh at their conversation as we finally make it to the cafeteria. We head to our usual table, but something was...

Different.

"What the f*ck is SHE doing in your seat?!" Luke snarls, glaring at the person at our table, the person who was in my seat...

Annabelle.

"It's really not might seat, I've only been sitting with you guys for-..."

"NO! It's YOUR seat. The one that is NEXT to DAMIEN and ACROSS from ME." Liam's words interrupt me as he comes up from behind us, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

"I agree, and I'm going to do something about it-..." Julie begins to march towards her, but I quickly stop her before she has the chance.

"Wait, please don't. I understand where you guys are coming from, but... what if she doesn't have anywhere else to sit? I mean-..." I try to think of something to say but I can't.

I know deep down, I am angry. She one hundred percent rubs me the wrong way and I can't help but think that she only has bad intentions.

But the thing is that I really don't want to be disliked by her more than I probably already am. If Damien somehow sees some good in her, then I should too, and I know for a fact that telling her off for being in my seat will definitely make her hate my guts.

"She can sit where she sat last time! She's still by Damien, I don't know why she feels the need to-..."

"Hey guys!" Damien says, approaching us with a goofy smile on his face.

"Thank goodness your here, can you tell YOUR friend to-..."

"Why are you all standing there, I saved the table for us!" Speak of the devil, Annabelle interrupts Liam's words by shouting and waving us over with her hand.

"Does she know that I bite." Liam mumbles under his breath, grabbing my wrist and gently pulling me with him behind everyone else as we approach the table.

Everyone slowly takes their seats, watching me as I take the seat on the other side of Damien. There should be a seat that is across from Damien and next to Liam, but it is gone thanks to the boys last day of school where they broke the part of the chair that is attached to the seat and stole it.

I remember Julie telling me that story, and I couldn't help but laugh hearing that it was part of their "graduation gift."

The thing about the seat that I'm sitting in now is that although I still get to sit by Damien, I'm further from the rest of the group, so it's harder to hear the conversations that they are having.

It's a little bit more lonely being the one on the end, not going to lie, that's why I prefer circle tables.

"I going to get lunch now." Luke says as he hesitantly walks away from the table, followed by Liam and a lost looking Damien.

Not long after they leave, Gianna, Ella, and Ally make their way to the table, equally sharing a confused look when they see Annabelle.

Julie whispers something into Gianna's ears as soon as she sits down, and I swear I saw Gianna's eyes turn a shade darker.

I mean, think of the bright side... Liam didn't kill me!

I still have all my body parts and I wasn't brutally dragged across the highway. Yay me!

...

Yeah that's about it.

A few minutes pass by and it was probably the longest few minutes of my life.

The table was dead silent, not the usual girl gossip as we wait for the boys to come back, just for Luke and Gianna to bicker back and forth and for Julie to stop Gianna from committing...

Murder.

Instead, it was almost as if no one really knew what to say.

Actually, scratch that, they all knew what they wanted to say, they just held it back for the sake of me. I knew if I said that I was bothered by it, they would speak up with guns blazing.

When the boys sat down, it was a little less awkward because as soon as they came back, they immediately started to complain loudly about how it was suppose to be the chicken nuggets today, but they got roast beef instead.

As I am listening, I hear a yawn from beside me, causing me to turn my head towards Damien, "You're still tired? What time did you go to bed last night?"

He smiles sheepishly at me, "three in the morning."

I lightly punch Damien in the shoulder, "Why would you do that? No wonder you are so tired."

He laughs while holding his hands up defensively, "I had a lot of homework to do and I had to write my essay! You know, the one I ASKED you to read."

"Really? All I recall is you wanting attention and then taking a nap." I tease, poking his cheek. He grabs my finger and bites it, causing me to let out a shriek.

"Weirdo." I say, putting my finger to my chest while rubbing it, he just winks.

"But if you had all that homework to do, you shouldn't have asked me to hangout. Don't get me wrong, I really like hanging out with you, but your health is more important."

He pouts, "But....."

"But....." I mock him, giggling when he pokes my forehead.

"But.... it wasn't just me who wanted to see you, it was my sister too. And what brother would I be if I denied her request just because I had some homework to do?"

"You're lucky that I love your sister-..."

"Your sister?! Gosh I love Layla, she is really the sweetest. I feel so lucky that I got to meet her!" Annabelle's words interrupt me as I confusedly look over at her.

She's met Layla?

"Wait, what are you guys talking about?" The rest of the table looks over at Damien and Annabelle with confused looks on their faces.

"Why haven't we met your sister?" Luke asks, looking between the two.

Julie and I make eye contact, slowly sinking back in our seats.

Why?

Because we knew.

Hey guys!!!

Thoughts?!

What do you think will happen next?

Why does Annabelle know about Layla?

Damien's been keeping this secret for a while now, it's time for the truth now.

Friendship starts with trust.

————

I love you all!!!!

~juls