Amber's POV

*Ten years ago*

I walked into the kitchen, only hearing the sound of my footsteps.

It was a Monday morning. Usually everyone would be rushing around, getting ready for school or work but, things have changed.

My family is no longer the happy family everyone thought we were.

It all started when my dad's business slowly started deteriorating, it led into bankruptcy. After years of hard work, my dad lost everything. Because of money, my parents started having more arguments to a point they could no longer stay in the same room.

Sometimes I would just sneak out in the middle of the night to get an escape.

My parent's argument got serious, my mom ended up leaving my dad for some other rich guy. It's been a month since she left, and we haven't heard from her.

This is affecting my sister and I a lot. Leah has started sneaking out and hanging around in the dangerous parts of town.

Sometimes she doesn't even come home or to school.

After mom left Dad, he started seeking comfort in alcohol.

He is always drunk, I haven't seen him sober this week except when he was hungover.

My family has fallen apart and I'm the only one trying to put things back together.

I open the fridge for some breakfast. The fridge was completely empty with only molded cheese and a couple of my dad's beers.

Last week they turned the electricity off, because we could no longer afford it.

I closed the fridge again.

I was just going to have to go to school without eating breakfast, again.

I needed to say goodbye to Dad before going to school. I didn't think Leah was even here.

I walked to his office, my shoes clicking against the tiles.

Opening his office door, dad was asleep in his chair, his hand still holding onto a can of beer.

I exhaled deeply trying not to cry. I don't want to see him like this anymore. It breaks me. I wish life could go back to the way it was.

I closed his door again.

On my way out, I grabbed my backpack and a few of my books.

Usually mom used to drive my sister and I to school. Now, I have to walk for a good half an hour to school.

I greeted a couple of our neighbors and family friends on my way to school, giving me their regards to my mom. Most of them didn't even know she's been gone.

I exhaled deeply as I walked into the school gates.

Most teenagers considered high school as their worst nightmare, but not me.

Here I ruled. I had a chance to be like any other teenager and not have to worry about my dad or my sister disappearing.

"Hi Amber," Jason said winking at me as I walked in.

He was the school jock and captain of the football team.

I simply answered by giving him a small wave.

I continued walking, my chin raised. Confidence radiating all over me.

I was the school sweetheart and the captain of the cheerleaders squad.

Eastondale was a private school for the rich and the elite. 

With what has been going on, I'm not sure dad would be able to afford it. I would have to go to a public school soon.

I stopped at my locker my two friends Annette and Lexi already waiting for me.

"You looking a little pale today," Annette said as I opened my locker.

'That's because I haven't ate' I wanted to say. 

"Its from all the maths homework Mr Jones has been giving us," I answered instead.

"You should put some lip gloss on, your lips are looking a little dry." Lexie said handing me her lip gloss.

I took the lip gloss from her hand, I then applied it looking into the mirror glued in side my locker.

I turned around handing the lipstick back to Lexi, rubbing my lips together.

"Thanks," I said.

At that moment Liam walked past us. Geeky Liam or as some would like to call him chubby Liam.

He was scholarship kid and a total loner. Even the geekiest geeks at our school never wanted to be his friend. In fact, the only time anyone ever spoke to him was when they wanted to hack into something.

As always, he was holding his laptop covered in science stickers.

"He looks even more pathetic than the rest of his family," Annette said. 

Liam's family was the weirdos of the town.

His dad was an inventor who worked in their small garage. He invented things that all ended up in the garbage. His mom was a nurse who worked overtime just because his dad wouldn't get a normal job.

"He should be the new face of 'I'm probably dying a virgin'," Lexi added.

"Total loser," I said turning away to my locker.

"Imagining he ended up dating the hottest girl in school." Lexie said sarcastically.

"Like that would even happen," I said closing my locker.

I turned around pressing my back against my locker looking at the poor souls walking in the hallway.

"Although that would not be such a bad idea," Annette said turning to face me.

"What?" I said with my eyebrows raised.

"Think about it, we could film the whole thing on video. It would remind all the geeks they don't have a chance with girls like us." She continued.

"I don't think that's a good idea," I said.

"Come on, I dare you." Annette said in a challenging tone.

I looked at Lexi who had her hands folded against her chest.

They knew I never backed down from a dare.

"I don't want to hurt his feelings," I said.

"Since when did you start caring about people's feelings?" Lexi asked.

"Fine," I said. "I'll do it."

The school bell rang, indicating it was time for my first lesson, maths.

I think I had maths with Liam.

Once when I forgot to do my math homework, I sat behind him and copied all his answers.

First rule of being the school's queen bee was never showing up to class on time.

I took a detour to the bathroom checking my makeup. Once I was sure ten minutes had gone by, I walked to my class.

Everyone turned their attention towards me as I walked in. Usually for being late I would have to hand in a late note or a hall pass but, I had my ways of getting out of trouble. Teachers didn't even bother asking for a pass any more.

I scanned the room for Liam.

I noticed he was sitting in the second row from the front. The first role was for nerds.

I walked towards him and to the table next to him.

"Move," I said to the nerdy guy sitting next to him.

He frantically obliged, moving away from the table. He moved to a seat in the back row.

I took a seat and placed my bag next to me. I crossed my leg over my knee.

Mr Jones began his lesson on
Analytical geometry.

I moved my desk closer to his while sending a few glances.

"Hi, can you help me solve for x." I whispered to him.

He turned to me. I kept eye contact staring into grey his eyes.

"We doing graphs, you don't need to solve for x." he stated.

I could tell he was nervous.

For the rest of the class, I kept sending him notes and made comments trying to act dumb.

Flirting has never been this hard. Usually all I had to do was sit next to a guy before he start flirting with me.

Soon the lesson was over.

I had Spanish while Liam had some other class.

When lunch break came, I was glad to to continue my quest.

As always he was sitting alone in the cafeteria, typing something on his laptop.

Annette and Lexie glared me as I walked towards Liam's table skipping theirs.

"Hi," I said putting my lunch tray on the table. "Is this seat taken?" I asked sitting down.

'Of course not,' I said to myself mentally. He didn't have any friends.

"No," he answered turning to face me.

"What are you doing?" I asked with my hand on my cheek, trying to act interested.

"Coding," he answered. "I'm just busy programming this new program." He continued. 

For the rest of lunch, we talked about Coding even though I understood nothing about it.

His face brightened as he continued explaining it to me.

The rest of that week I spent all my lunch breaks and even some mornings with him. 

Every morning, he would bring me a fresh batch of his grandmother's cookies. I loved the cookies, maybe I loved the cookies a lot because I was hungry most of the time.

We talked about his family, even though I would never tell him about mine, at least not the truth.

I could have a good conversation with him without judging or body-shaming anyone. He was my first real friend, he never expected anything from me in return.

"Bye," I said to Liam as he walked to his next class.

I felt a grip on my arm pulling me to the side.

"What are you doing? Why are you still hanging out with that loser?" Annette asked. 

"That's what you asked me to do, remember?" I said pulling away from her grip.

"It was only supposed to be for two days! People are starting to think you are a geek. You need to end this thing today." Annette said.

"What is your problem with geeks anyways?" I said.

"You are not the Amber we remember, you are becoming soft." Lexie said before walking away with Annette.

That was not true, I was anything but soft.

Although I could help but start to feel a little bad for pretending to be Liam's friend. Maybe I wasn't pretending any more.

For the rest of my next class, I couldn't concentrate. I kept thinking about Liam and what Lexie and Annette said. Liam was starting to get a hold on me.

Maybe it was time I ended it. I was starting to care about him and in this life, people who cared never made it, my mom proved that.

Soon the bell for our lunch break rang.

These days, Liam waited for me at his table.

Today I walked to Lexi and Annette's table where I sat before.

Jason and a few other guys from the football team was sitting at the table as well.

After Liam noticed I wasn't coming to his table, he came to me instead.

Right now I was fake laughing at some stupid jokes Jason kept repeating.

I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I turned around to see Liam standing behind me.

"Hi," he said.

My smile immediately dropped.

I knew I had to let him go before I couldn't.

"There's this new science fiction movie coming out, do you want to watch it with me tomorrow? After school," he said.

Everyone at our table turned to us.

Annette mouthed 'do it now.'

"Get away from me you disgusting troll. Why would I ever go out with you!?" I yelled grabbing everyone's attention.

The whole cafeteria now had their attention on us.

"What?" He questioned confused.

"Did you actually think that I'd date you!" I yelled grabbing everyone's attention.

"You are a geek, girls like me don't date boys like you!" I spat.

I could see the tears whelming up in his eye.

I looked away from him, facing the ground.

"Get away from me!" I yelled.

He took a step back, his eyes whelmed up with emotions.

I turned around, causing a dramatic effect and took a seat.

I could feel his eyes piecing through my back. I made sure not to turn around, unable to look him in the eye.

I didn't look back until I was sure he was gone.

Till this day I still don't know why I did it.

If I knew the consequences of what I had done that day, maybe I'd have never done it.