I'm watching Lucas and Amber talk, dying to know what they're discussing. If Amber gets Nate and Sophia together, dressing in these stripper clothes would be all for nothing. Eager to have Nate, Sophia asks, "Why is Amber talking to Lucas instead of Nate?" "Relax," says Sookie to Sophia. "Don't you trust in Amber's abilities to get you both together?" I look at Sophia, and gradually, I see her becoming unworried. Amber is not only an excellent cheerleader; she's also clever and knows how to get whatever she wants by manipulating anyone. Behind her back, they didn't call her the devil blond for nothing. She's as trickier as the devil. "They're walking away now. Why are they walking away? To leave some desperate girl to steal my man and, at worst, someone who doesn't suit him. I should be his girlfriend at Effney High." In one squeeze, Sophia crushes the cup in her hand. She's now huffing and puffing. "Oh my gosh, she's having a meltdown. "Help me get her to a seat," Sookie says,

Nate opens his car door, allowing me to enter, and as I do, I spot Sophia and Sookie at the front door watching me.They followed us."You floozie," Sookie says with a folded arm, while Sophia glares at me.I look away as the car drives off.The security guard let us out."Stop here," I tell Nate, as he's about to drive past my hidden clothes."Give me a minute." I dashed from the car to the shrubs' backs."Where are you going?" Nate worries."Just give me a few minutes; I just have to do something!" I yell as I'm running."Do you need to throw up?" Nate's eager to know."No!" I yell again as I quickly change into the previous outfit I came in.Nate's gaze fixed on me as I returned."Thank you for waiting," I'm back in the front seat and have shut the door, and like the waves going to the shore, I feel Nate's eyes moving over me.I give a nervous smile as our eyes meet."You're a whole lot of trouble, aren't you?" he says, shaking his head and starting the engine.I couldn't help laug

"Ms. Amber, you need to eat something," Clara, my maid, says, entering my room.She's parted the curtain; the sun shines in my eyes, and I pull the sheet over my head."It's Saturday. You should be out shopping with your friends and not in bed at noon," she says.I stare blankly beneath my sheet."Do you want me to call your therapist?" Clara asks."No," I say, falling back into deep silence."Is she having another mental breakdown?" At the door, Terise asks Clara.Unlike Clara, who has been working here since I was in my mom's belly, Terise has been a maid for three months."No, I'm not," I say, raising my voice. I don't want them to think so.They didn't believe it."Should we try to call her parents?" Clara asks Terise, worried."They won't answer. They never do." I say it sadly as tears stream down my eyes."Well, do you want us to call your boyfriend Tristan?" He always seems to cheer you up. "Terise is afraid that I will have another emotional meltdown.The last time I did, they

The second session has ended, and as I'm leaving the classroom, Lucas, still seated, is encircled by Toby, Jones, and Max, also swim team members. He's showing them something on his phone. They're engrossed in whatever they're watching, appearing to enjoy it because of the satisfied smile on their faces.Lucas catches me staring."Nate, come here; you have to see this," he says.I'm curious to know what they're watching, so I go over to them, and I'm stunned to see an explicit video of Lucas receiving oral sex from a girl."What a whore!" Toby says as they laugh at her."Was she even a virgin?" Max asks Lucas."I'm convinced she was a sex worker," Lucas responds, and they all burst out into laughter.I don't like the video, so I walk away."Hey, where are you going?" Lucas ask."Lunch," I say as I'm still walking."Wait for us," says Lucas.***Lucas was showing the video around the table while we were having lunch, and I was angry."Is that what you do whenever you hook up with a gir

Knowing his heart belongs to someone else, it hurts whenever I see Nate at school.I struggle not to stare at him whenever he's going into his locker or walking the corridor. It's not good for me; every moment of his presence feels like a pinch to the heart.As I see Nate coming my way, I head to the bathroom, fighting every ounce of desire in my body not to look at him. With every attention I give him, I fall deeper in love with him. It will be impossible to climb from such depths.Loving someone so much and knowing there's no chance of him ever loving you back is unhealthy for the heart.As I'm walking to the mirror to fix my hair, I see the reflection of Samantha exiting the bathroom stall. We both stop staring at each image in the mirror. Samantha goes to wash her hands at the far end of the bathroom countertop. Sadly, I'm still staring at her."I miss you, Samantha," I sob. She's washing her hands as if she doesn't hear me."Please say something to me." I'm crying even more."Sa