The Note of the Author:

I hope you guys are enjoying this story so far! Please Comment your thoughts and vote! And try to read my other stories which include short stories, poems and books. Have a great life!

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The next day for school, I sat in my bus seat alone, without Isaac. I was not afraid in the least to face Oliver today, if he had the nerve to approach me. I doubted he would, since he had been humiliated by Benny yesterday. When I got my books out for science class, Martha came up to me and asked where Isaac was.

Rolling my eyes, I replied, "He got to sail to Hawaii with my father. Sorry, Martha, but right now he's on a ship at sea." As she frowned sadly, I mumbled a little too loudly, "And so is my love."

Martha's eyes widened. "You really do like Davy don't you?" she blurted out loudly. A few girls turned towards me, looking pleasantly surprised and giving me approving looks.

"Martha! Hush woman!!" I whispered, loudly. "What if one of the bullies hear?"

"Oops, sorry," she giggled.

"Did I just hear that?" Pepper appeared out of nowhere. "Wait, does he like you back? Did you kiss when you said goodbye? Did you cry?"

"No!" I whispered, slapping my forehead. "We only...looked at each other...then he left and I waved as they sailed off!"

"You didn't cry?" Pepper asked, being serious.

"Oh please," I rolled my eyes. "I was sad, but it is a very short trip to Hawaii. They'll be back very soon. Plus, I didn't have time to cry. Ben was there and..."

"And what?" Martha asked, surprised I was now talking about Ben.

I motioned them to come into the bathroom with me and when I was sure no one else was in there I told them everything about what had happened with Ben. And how he'd scared off Oliver.

"Really? That's amazing! I bet Oliver's embarrassed," Pepper laughed.

"So now Benny's  your hero, huh?" Martha said, nudging me.

To be honest, I didn't know who I liked anymore. First I thought it was Oliver. Then I thought it was Davy and now Ben. Then I realized what Martha had just asked.

"My father is my hero!" I replied, crossing my arms. "He's the best of all fathers and I can't wait for him to come back home."

Pepper and Martha seemed surprised, but then both smiled.

"He gave me this necklace," I said, showing it to them. Yes, Davy had helped pay for it, but my father picked it out and gave it to me himself. And it was perfect and I loved him for it. He always thought of his family when he was at sea. He thought of home and how happy he would be when he came back. Hopefully he'd be able to stay at home longer next time.

* * * *

I strolled to the field for lunch. But before I got outside, I saw Oliver enter from outside and his eyes widened when he saw me. Suddenly his eyes narrowed and he started marching towards me angrily. At first I became worried, but then I remembered his weakness. Fighting. I did it all the time with Isaac, usually for fun.

Oliver's fists were clenched and soon I was trapped in a corner. Suddenly he stopped, his face an inch from mine.

"Where's that pirate to protect you now, Amber?" he asked, mockingly. He had again called my friend a pirate. He obviously wasn't sorry yesterday. He was just trying to win my respect for him again. Well now I knew he was completely using me.

"Here he is!" I yelled and I punched him right in the nose with my fist. It didn't hurt, since his nose was like a plush pillow. He toppled backwards and onto the ground, his nose bleeding a little. I quickly ran around him and out the door, holding back my laughter. Did I feel bad? Nah. He got what he deserved.

I plopped down next to Betty Brown, a smart, red-haired cutie and Stella Schneider, a blonde with glasses and braces. She wasn't actually a nerd. Just had bad eyesight and crooked teeth. But she was sweet and Betty was hilarious and crazy with her fashion. Today she wore a headband in her hair that was decorated with a huge pink and orange flower and fluffy feathers.

As I told my friends about punching Oliver, I suddenly noticed Tracy Wight stand on top of a large rock in the middle of a field.

I quickly noticed there were no teachers around to supervise us. Where were they? Why were they being paid if they weren't even doing their jobs?

"Hey everybody!" she said, suddenly looking over at me and smirking wickedly. I didn't like this at all. Tracy was one of the leaders of the bullies and was very good at humiliating people just with her words. Then I realized she might have overheard me in the bathroom. She might have been standing outside!

"Amber Oleander is in love with not one, but two pirates!" Then she started cracking up.

A few of the bullies joined in, including Oliver whose nose was no longer bleeding. But most everyone in the field rolled their eyes and returned to their lunches.

"Just ignore those snobby coots!" Betty snorted, biting into her huge sandwich.

"I can't believe they think they're the cool kids," Stella muttered. "They're such losers. So jealous and...unintelligent."

I nodded, pursing my lips. I was just a bit frustrated that Tracy had called them "pirates." But she was just jealous that no boy in the world liked her. I had to listen to Betty and just ignore her.

"Did you hear me, loser? You're in love with two pirates! You! Are a sea snake! Too bad those two drunk, smoking, seasick pirates won't ever love a lobster like you!" she snickered again, snorting like a pig and tossing her dull, cedar brown hair.

For some reason, her words hit me like icy hail from the cold sky. Ignore them. They're jealous, was all that went through my head. But my fists and teeth were clenched. What if she had a point? About Benny and Davy not lov- Oh really, Amber? I interrupted my own thoughts. Davy was blushing when he said goodbye. Couldn't take his eyes off you. Helped pay for the beautiful pearl necklace.

I clutched it, happily. Tracy's words were nothing. But this necklace...it was something. A sign of Davy's love for me. And a sign of my father's love for me.

Tracy was obviously bothered that I wasn't giving her a reaction because she, Oliver and three other coots marched over to our picnic spot, fuming. The spoiled girl's stormy grey-purple eyes glared into mine. And she spotted the necklace I held in my hand.

"What's that? A necklace the pirate stole for you? Ya right! Like any boy, man or fish would ever love you, Amber! Have you looked in a mirror? Do you really think those pirates would even want to come near  a smelly fish like you?!"

She was trying so hard to offend me. And although I wasn't hurt by her unimaginative insults, she was starting to get more annoying than the flies stalking my lunch. Well if she was going to act like a fly, why should I not treat her like one? And smack her! No. She was guarded by the other snobs. In fact, I felt a little threatened...until I heard a manly voice from the end of the field nearest to me.

"I do love her!" Ben was striding towards the oak tree, his rolled up sleeves showing his muscles. He looked tall, powerful and strong. And Tracy seemed more jealous than terrified. Her mouth was open so wide, I swear I could fit both my fists in it.

"Do you want to call me a pirate again, Missy? Or worse, call Amber some silly sea creature?" he growled, towering above Tracy.

She just stood there gaping at Benny with a huge mouth and giant eyes. Speechless. Stunned. And so were the other bullies around her. I couldn't hold back my smirk. But then it vanished when I realized that Benny had said that he loved me. Shouldn't I have been happy? No, I was torn between Davy and him. Plus, what was he even doing at my school?

"You done here then?" he asked the statue, laughing a little.

Tracy finally shut her mouth and slowly walked off like a nutcracker soldier, the rest of her friends following her. Benny turned to me, his shamrock eyes shimmering with joy to see me. I couldn't help but smile at him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him, smiling even wider.

"Doing what you're father told me to," he said, approaching me. He said it so heroically as if he was my knight in shining armor. Which he was. "I'm protecting his family. Your father...He's a good man, Amber. And a brilliant sea captain, too."

I nodded, speechless as I found myself lost in his eyes. Lost in thought. Lost in love.