C H A P T E R S I X

Friday rolled around the corner. Mom had already woken up and gotten herself medicine and water.

"Wait, Ashley! Oh wait, I mean... Uh, Amber!!" Yelled my mom.

I entered the kitchen. She was usually still asleep when I had to leave for school, so I was genuinely curious as to why she needed to talk to me.

I raised my eyebrows, silently asking 'what's up?'

"I needed some extra spending money, so I sold that old bear in your room." She massaged her forehead, the pain in her head was obvious. That's what happens when you drink so much.

"You sold dad's bear!?" I yelled.

"Calm the fuck down, it's just a teddy bear. And I got some money for it, so I bought us something."

"You mean you bought alcohol for yourself, which you'll drink tonight like you do everyday." I snapped.

She sighed, murmuring things about me that I'm glad I didn't here. I walked out the door, slamming it behind me.

That might've looked like any old teddy bear, but my dad gave it to me before he left. He hugged me and told me he was sorry, and left the bear sitting on my dresser. It was really all I had left of him, so I'd been cherishing it.

And my mom? She was selfish enough to get rid of it. And only for her to intoxicate herself with more beer.

Since I'd left early, I decided to take a longer route to school. I walked through Pineview Park along a narrow trail.

Trees hovered over the path, dancing slowly and gracefully in the wind. The sky was once again grey and cloudy, giving the park an eerie vibe. Then I heard a twig snap behind me, and I realized that it wasn't the sky that made the deserted park creepy.

I spun around, and ended up face to face with Hannah. I didn't realize she walked to school this way, until I remembered seeing her ahead of me when I took this path a couple months ago.

"Oh, hey bitch." Her voice was high pitched and chirpy. She was sort of faking politeness in a rude, sarcastic, almost friendly sounding way.

"Hannah..." I nodded.

"I've liked Grayson for a very long time, and now nothing is going to plan all because of you. Are you using black magic on him or something? Witch!" She was too close for my comfort.

"I'm sorry, Hannah... He's only my friend because he wants to be." I said quietly. I won't lie, Hannah intimidates me. And she'll stop at nothing to get what she wants. I'm for some unknown reason already on her bad side, but I wouldn't want to get on her super bad side.

"You're such an attention seeker. You pretend to be all depressed and cool so that people will like you, but it's not working. And you cut yourself too, just for more attention. That's really pathetic." She scoffed.

"How did you..." I was confused. How did she know?

"Oh, please. It's like, so obvious that you purposely show them and then act all oblivious. That is not how you get guys to like you. You actually have to be popular and pretty to get noticed." She snapped.

Speechless, I took a step back. But she took a step forward.

"Not liking what you're hearing, you depressed bitch?" She snickered. "Well too damn bad, because it's the truth." She slapped me. She slapped me so hard that it felt like my cheek was burning and tingling. I was about to cry, but I couldn't. Not in front of her.

She continued walking as if nothing had happened, while I continued to stand there shocked, holding my hand up to my cheek.

I walked slowly to school, making sure that no tears were left to fall before I arrived.

'You're such an attention seeker...'

'Pathetic...'

'You depressed bitch...'

Hannah's words clouded my head. I was actually starting to believe that I was as bad and as worthless as she made me seem. I mean, if she was just lying, then why did no one want to be my friend?

Inside, I found Grayson standing by my locker waiting for me. When he spotted me, a worried look crossed his face.

"Amber, what happened to your cheek?" I pressed my fingertips up against where Hannah slapped me. It must've been red. "I..." I wasn't sure if I should tell him. I was unsure if he'd confront Hannah or not, and I didn't need more drama to get stirred up in my life.

"You can tell me, Amber. Was it Hannah?" I nodded my head. "Please, don't confront her. I don't want to be a part of more drama."

He sighed. "Okay."

*****

After class, I met Grayson at his locker.

"Amber! I had an idea." He smiled a lopsided grin. It was pretty cute.

"What is it?" I chuckled.

"Well, I thought of a nickname for you," he smirked. Oh no... this can't be good.

"What is it?"

"Bambi!!! Cause I thought that since your name is Amber, I could call you Ambie, but Bambi works better! Just like the cute little dear in the movie!" He cheered. I found it funny seeing him like this.

"Ugh. Well, if you get to call me Bambi, then I'm going to call you..." I tapped my finger to my chin to represent my thinking. "Dolly! Because your name is Grayson, and that's the same name as Grayson Dolan, and Dolan sounds like Dolly!" I laughed.

Grayson purposely sighed loudly, but accepted it. He knew that there was no way I'd back out of this whole nickname thing now.