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Character;

Amber.

*

Ivy had gone to her room earlier, her room is downstairs unlike the rest of us. Zach had also left earlier after their heated conversation.

"Why do all guys have to be a pain in the ass," Kelly said.

The both of us were in the sitting room with the TV switched on infront of us even if we weren't paying attention.

I looked towards her.

"Yeah...Daniel, then Zach. I know what I'm saying...even dad," she continued.

I couldn't help but remember what Ivy had told me about dad, I didn't know what to think of him anymore.

Maybe dad wasn't such a bad person.

"Maybe Ivy needs us right now," I said, already standing from the couch.

"No....she needs space right now," Kelly cut in.

"I'm sure she wouldn't want to talk to anyone," she continued.

I decided to let it pass for now. I just hope she'll get over it soon

*

It's a Friday.

I'd gotten to school earlier before any of my friends, I have been arriving to school earlier than before.

I'm proud enough to say that Lan and I had gotten closer for the past few days and I'm slowly getting over all that had happened.

Cheryl had been taking it slow lately and I tried my best to avoid her.

I couldn't take any more risk.

He hadn't asked me out yet but something tells me he would very soon.

Maybe this is all gonna have one happy ending for me afterall.

I opened the door of my locker and suprisingly, I found a bouquet of roses in it. I was dazzled before a smile drew on my lips. I picked up a written note that I also found in it and it read;

'To the one that owns my heart.'

I could feel my heart melt. Lan is just so sweet! I think I'm more than crazy for this guy right now.

I quickly brought out the textbook I wanted to take from it and closed it back. Immediately I turned, I saw Amber walking towards me..

But she didn't have that usual smile she always had on her face.

I hope nothing is wrong.

She got to me and flung a folded piece of white paper at me.

"So this is all you want right?...You always want everything for yourself without even thinking of anybody's feelings!"

Now she had held back tears in her eyes.

"He's my ex for goodness sake! Maybe it was all your plan, we had to break up in the first place...so that you can have him all to yourself!" She spat.

Ex? The fuck! Is she talking about Lan?! Does she still have feelings for him?! I thought she was over it already!

"I never knew you were this heartless," Amber said before walking out.

She'd just walked out on me!

I didn't know what to do right now. Maybe she was right...Lan is her ex for goodness sake!

My stupid feelings had blinded me and I couldn't even think straight anymore.

I bent down to pick the note. It read;

'If Apple begins with 'A' and ball begins with 'B', then why does my happiness begin with 'U'

~Landor~'

I smiled at the stupidity of the quote but also blushed for the real meaning behind those stupid words.

Maybe I should care less about the fact that he's Amber's ex. I don't think I need to please anybody in the expense of my own happiness.

*

The clock ticked by slowly but it was finally lunch break. Amber and Tianna sat next to me but none of them said a word to me.

Maybe the both of them were against the relationship I havw with Lan and decided to stir up a malice with me. But I didn't care, Lan is her past and she needs to accept the fact that he is my present and possibly my future, besides this wasn't the first time they'd had issues with me.

We've had previous fights and arguments and it all ended the same way....

They'll both still run back to me and beg because truth be told, they're as good as nothing without me.

Almost everyone had left the class already. I was packing my things while Amber and Tianna had left quietly earlier.

I walked out of class with the books that I wanted to return in my locker in hand.

The hallway was almost full but I didn't find it hard moving past the crowd because as usual, pathways were readily made.

I wanted to pass but someone stayed in the way.

"What's wrong with--" I was cut short when I saw Cheryl standing in front of me.

All that confidence in me drained away.

"Excuse me," I quickly said, trying to move to the left and pass by but she moved left as well, blocking my way. I moved to the right and she moved along with me, blocking my way again.

I gulped saliva down my throat.

I could tell it was already getting a bit of attention but it increased when she slammed my books down off my hand and straight to the floor.

"Oh Stella....it's long we've played," she said, staring at me with an evil glint in her eye.

I didn't know what to say to her, I moved to the side so that I'll be able to pass but she yanked me back harshly by my arm.

"I didn't say I'm done with you...don't even dare," she spat, she already had a firm look on her face.

"Cheryl....please stop," I pleaded with a faint voice so that only her and no one else will be able to hear it.

"Oh really?! You want me to stop! What exactly?!" She asked at the top of her voice and it echoed round the hallway.

"Aren't you Stella Downer! Everything happens your way right? I thought you never needed to beg for anything," she said, I could already feel everyone's eyes on us.

On me!

But I was suprisingly helpless.

"Please don't do this," I pleaded again, trying to hold myself back from having an emotional outburst.

She started laughing hysterically.

It was loud.

It showed that she was enjoying this.

It annoyed me to the core....

"I've had enough okay! I don't even care anymore! You can do whatever you want for all I care! Yes! I'm Stella Downer! And I don't give a fuck about whatever happens!" I yelled and in less than a second later, I felt something hard and brutal against my cheeks.

She'd slapped me.

Cheryl had fuckin' slapped me!

All the held back tears started rolling down. I finally raised my gaze to the surrounding area...

Tianna was there....Amber was there....Daniel was there....Timothy was there....Lan was there...

My classmates were there... My juniors were there.

Everyone witnessed it.

"Oh my! Stop crying," Cheryl said with fake concern.

"Are you thirsty....I can always help with that," she said before pouring down a bottle of coke right on me.

It sparked a memory....

This is exactly what I did to her three years ago...

Now I was drenched, almost from head to toe.

"I hope you--" Cheryl was cut off by a familiar voice.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! What the hell are you doing to my sister," Kelly's voice boomed in the hallway.

Now she was standing between the both of us.

I just stood there hopelessly, watching my younger sister fight for me.

She pushed Cheryl backwards before slapping her hard against her cheek.

"And that's for laying your filthy hands on her!" She yelled loudly at Cheryl.

Cheryl still had her hand on her cheek, her look of rage faded into a sly smile when her eyes landed on me.

"You'll so regret this," she briefly said with so much venom before throwing the bottle of coke right on me and sashaying away.

Eyes followed as she walked away and they equally made pathways as she passed. I'm sure everyone was suprised too

Kelly turned around to look at me, she had some form of sympathy in her eyes. Before she could say anything, I felt someone hug me from behind. I felt Lan's mascular cologne and he laced his hands around mine.

"Let's leave this hell of a place," he whispered into my ear before dragging me along. I couldn't oppose to it, my spirit was still in a bit shocked state, I just moved along with him.

Lan walked through the hallway and out the exit, holding my almost lifeless hand tight and pushing away any one that comes our way with the other.

The thought of everything that happened was so unbearable.

Everyone saw me in my weakest state.

Everyone saw me helpless.

Everyone saw me cry!

I'd never had an emotional outburst in front of anyone except maybe my sisters and Timothy by mistake....but not even my friends...

My friends that are no longer friends.

I fear the fact that I was fading....that nothing was going to be the same anymore.

Maybe it would have been better to confess about Veronica's death than to be downgraded and insulted in such way.

Everything just got me confused and I felt held tight in a corner with nowhere to turn to.

I was lost in my miserable thoughts that I didn't notice that Lan was taking me to the parking lot and we were already standing by the side of a black BMW.

"Let's go out," he snapped me out of my thoughts.

Go out?!

It was just like saying 'Let's ditch school' in a sugar-coated way.

I nodded softly in reply.

I could be anywhere but here....anywhere with him.

He opened the car door and I hopped into the passenger seat before he turned around to get to the driver seat.

A few moments later, he drove out of the school premises.

I didn't want to know where he was taking me, neither did I care that I was stained and stenched of coke nor that I was physically and mentally a mess.

As long as he was here and he accepted me just the way I was.

I cleaned my almost dried tears.

"You'll be fine," he said before diverting his gaze away from me and increasing the speed of the car.

~~~~~~