~ ~ Chapter Eleven ~ ~

Maybe I should bring Baden shopping with me more often, it turns out he is quite the terrific bag boy and hasn't complained once - yet. Though Jeff has, numerous times. Baden even snapped at him and told him to leave, Jeff shot him daggers and just continued to follow us around.

Well, Baden and I know he was secretly following Amberly around, it was kind of cute. Every boy that stepped too close to her would get the look of death from him, he even shoved one guy into a clothes rack and thankfully Amberly didn't notice any of this going on.

I'm not sure if I approve of him taking such an interest in her, he is after all creepy as hell, cute but creepy. While Amberly is Amberly, fun loving, sexy but adorable at the same time and sweet, the complete opposite of Jeff but he seems like the type who doesn't fool around with girls and would be protective over her safety and well being, and honestly, that's some of what I expect out of a guy who dates her.

Holding up the gorgeous black leather ankle boots, I spotted Baden and Amberly in the far corner of the shop, standing close and talking. Narrowing my eyes I hoped he wasn't harassing her but then she laughed, so I knew he wasn't but then a new fear spread through me. She is probably dishing the dirt on me!

"Ambo!" I called out casually, as I turned my back to them and acted like I hadn't noticed anything.

"Yeah?"

Turning around and holding up a pair of light pink gladiators for her to see, I smiled as she squealed and came running over in an instant, swooping them up into her hand as she eyed them off with a huge smile, "I am officially in love Lee-lee." she gushed.

I smiled, "Thought you would be." then I walked over to the cash register with my boots and Baden came up alongside me.

"Cash or card?" the bored sales lady asked.

I pulled my purse out of Amberly's handbag - I really should get my own while we are here, "Cash." I smiled enthusiastically at her, Baden chuckled and I shot him daggers, then handed him the box once the lady handed it over, "Be a sweetheart and carry this as well."

He smirked, "Sure." he muttered slowly, he was onto me already. Damn. But I guess it was kind of obvious I was using him as a human trolley.

Glancing over to find Amberly, she was holding the pink shoes but looking at some flats now, she has a small shoe fetish but what I found amusing was that Jeff was hovering nearby and he resembled more of a bodyguard than anything.

Nodding at him, I glanced up at Baden who was already looking at me, I blushed and looked away quickly, "What's his story?"

"Why'd you blush?" he teased as he slung his arm back over my shoulder and pulled me in closer to him.

I shook my head, should I deny it or admit it? Eh, he obviously seen me blushing, "Because you were staring at me like a stalker. Now answer my question." I mumbled quickly.

He chuckled, "I'm your favourite stalker beautiful and you know it."

I hit his guts with the back of my hand. Baden chuckled again and had a smile on his face when I glanced up at him, "You're my only stalker."

"So long as it stays that way." he smirked, then looked over at Jeff, "I think he has a thing for your friend." he muttered softly.

I rolled my eyes, "Tell me something I don't know Captain Obvious." I groaned, then narrowed my eyes as I watched Jeff more closely, "I don't know if I approve though."

Baden laughed, "What? She needs your approval?"

I nodded, "Just like you need hers." I smirked.

He groaned, "I think I already earned that by protecting her for you."

I shot him a look which made him shut up real quick, then smile sweetly but I wasn't buying his innocent look, "Jeff is a good guy, he would look after her real well." he nodded.

"He better." I grunted.

Baden laughed softly, "So, where to after this?"

I raised an eyebrow as he looked at his watch, "Need somewhere to be? People to torture, money to collect, fights to start?" I mocked.

He shook his head as he sighed, "No, I was just asking Leila."

"Sure, sure." I muttered, "I don't need you here, you know. Just put my bags in your car and keep my stuff safe until I get it off you."

"I'm not leaving."

"Suit yourself, because we are."

Just then Amberly walked up with her paid for shoes and a grin on her face, "Ready to go home? The mall is closing in ten minutes."

I nodded, "Sure am." then turned to face Baden, "You can take my stuff with you and drop it off tomorrow before I start work at six. Okay?"

He raised an eyebrow as he stared at me, trying to hide the smile in the corner of his lips, "Am I your slave now?" he asked, slightly amused.

I smile sweetly, "Slave. Stalker, same thing." I muttered, "Bye." then I grabbed Amberly's hand and dragged her along behind me, walking quickly away as I didn't want Baden paying me out, I had just officially given him permission to come and annoy me tomorrow and he was shocked as hell.

Well, it's only fair because it gave me quite a shock to walk into the change rooms at work one random night to find him there breaking my bosses fingers. He was the last person I ever expected to see again, I had guessed I might run into Dougy at some point but didn't count on it too much but Baden? No, I never thought I would see him again.

Buckling my seatbelt in I had avoided looking at Amberly and she hadn't spoken yet but when I finally turned to look at her she was grinning like a mad hatter at me, I groaned, I knew it. Here comes the twenty questions.

"So....' she trailed off, not being tactful at all.

"So...." I muttered, doing it right back at her. She laughed.

"Really?" she asked, raising both her eyebrows, "You're really going to act dumb with me? You like him and you know it, I have never seen you so happy before, even with Darcy and I know Baden is the reason for this happiness, despite how scary he is, he is sweet to you." she sighed happily at the end.

Groaning internally as I rolled my head against the seat to look over at her, "Your point being?"

Her eyes flew wide and her mouth dropped open for a moment until she regained her composure, "Details!" she squealed, "I want details girl!" then she stop, took a few calm breaths as she started the car up and pulled out of the mall parking lot slowly, "So, you liked him ages ago when you first met, right?"

"Right."

"And he liked you, right?"

I shrugged, "I think so." then I remembered his sweet kiss before I walked away to my horrible fate, "Right." I nodded, he did care for me then.

"But you weren't together then."

I smiled, "Right." then I decided to explain the age thing, "I was only sixteen and he was twenty one, it was a tad bit illegal for us to be together properly."

Amberly nodded slowly, "So he respects the law."

I scoffed loudly, "Hardly, only when it came to that one thing." I muttered.

"I have one question. It's obvious from the way he looks at you that he wants to be together and he cares deeply, you give the same look at times but then at other times, it's like you're purposely shutting him out." she murmured thoughtfully as she fell quiet.

Raising and eyebrow, I pointed out that that wasn't a question, she poked her tongue out at me, "Mature much?" I teased. 

"Ha ha ha." she muttered dryly, "My question is, well, I have a few actually, why do you keep shutting him out?"

I shook my head, "It's.....complicated." I mumbled, so complicated that even I don't know why I keep doing that to him but I just did. We are different people now, though the feelings are there but is that really enough for it to work out for us? I get the feeling we won't have a 'happily ever after' in the end for us.

"What isn't?" she rolled her eyes dramatically, "Alright, next question, why didn't he run with you? I'm sure he would have if you asked him too. That boy would follow you to the end of the world." she added with a cute smile.

I shook my head at her then sighed, no point in lying when she was open and honest with me about her past, "He was in prison, so he didn't have a choice or even knew that I had left." I spoke softly, knowing if he wasn't locked up, I would have stayed with him.

Amberly sucked in a short quick breath, "Why was he in jail?" she asked nervously.

"He....beat someone up badly......someone who had hurt me." I whispered as I held back the tears that threatened to escape from my eyes, then I closed them tight and took a few deep calming breaths before opening them again, only to find we were pulling into the apartment car park.

Amberly pulled the car to a stop and shut off the engine before slowly turning to look at me, worry and concern in her eyes, "What happened?"

Looking away from her intense gaze, I stared out the car window and into the dark, sighing softly. Keeping my gaze there I told her everything. I didn't leave one little bit out, the assault, knowing and meeting Baden, what I found out about him, my parents anger when I came home, the lies Dougy told me, my so called friend Jenny who was too concerned with partying to even visit me in hospital, what Baden did to that monster who ruined me; tears were running down my cheeks like my own personal river long before I finished speaking. I had never told anyone all of this, well someone who didn't already know like Baden, Dougy and Phil.

Once I finished talking a deathly silence filled the car, I still hadn't looked over at Amberly and I was wondering what she was thinking, did she want me to move out now? Where would I go? I guess I could ask Dougy if I could crash with him until I got my own place. I shuddered at the thought of living with him.

Suddenly two thin arms wrapped around me from side on and Amberly pulled me in close to her, I could now feel her body shaking with sobs as she cried quietly, "I'm so sorry that happened to you Lee-lee." she cried, "I understand now why you are the way you are, I'm here for you, always, okay?" she asked.

I smiled slightly and rubbed her back, she was more upset than me right now, "Thanks Ambo, I know and appreciate that, I don't know what I would have done if I didn't meet you all them years ago." I murmured.

 ~~

We ended up dragging our mattresses out into the lounge room and playing a movie with chocolate and popcorn as we had a sleepover in our own house, it was late - well early morning but I was enjoying this. There were no more secrets between me and my best friend/sister, we now knew everything about each other and I can feel we grew that little bit more close to one another because of it.

Sure, we had messed up pasts but we came through and made a good friend with each other in the process and as long as we stayed friends, then everything will be okay.

Just as my eyelids began to droop, Amberly leaned over and kissed my forehead in a friendly gesture, "I approve of Baden." she whispered softly.

I smiled, "He will like that."

"So he should." she murmured, we were both falling asleep as we spoke.

My body jumped as my eyes flung open, my heart racing so fast in my chest as I looked over at Amberly who had the same 'mini heart attack' look on her face, then she nodded at the chair next to me, "Your phone." she laughed sleepily.

I groaned, who the hell was ringing me right now, didn't they know what the bloody time was? "Hello?" I grunted rudely.

"Lee!" I frowned, it was Dougy, how the hell did he get my number?

"What?" I snapped back as I laid back down and snuggled back under my warm quilt, closing my eyes.

"I just found out something and you're not going to like it but everything will be okay. Baden doesn't plan on telling you but I think you have the right to know........he's awake Lee, has been for awhile now." his tone deadly serious.

I gulped as my eyes snapped back open again as fear filled me and images from that horrible night so long ago came flooding back like a tidal wave. He can't be, he was never supposed to wake up again, he doesn't deserve to wake up again!

"No." I sobbed, my voice sounding distorted as I dropped my phone and stared at the ceiling but not seeing it at all, all I could see was his sneering face as he laid into me, hitting and kicking me until I was unconscious.

That bastard was awake.