ASSHOLES | scream au

18. Plan

In the lobby of the apartment, the weight of what just happened pressed down on everyone. Tara sat on a bench, holding Amber close, her arms wrapped protectively around her girlfriend. Amber's head rested against Tara's shoulder, her breath shaky as she tried to hold back her tears. Mindy and Chad sat side by side on the opposite bench, both silent for once, the gravity of the situation settling between them. Cassie stood awkwardly next to Ethan, unsure where to put herself. Meanwhile, Richie gently rubbed Sam's shoulder as she leaned against him, her face pale and drawn.

The silence stretched on for a moment before Mindy broke it, her voice low and uncertain. "I'm scared," she admitted, her gaze locked on the floor. "I don't want to get hurt again."

Chad swallowed hard, his hand twitching nervously on his knee. "Neither do I," he muttered, glancing at Sam. "So... what do we do now?"

Sam opened her mouth to answer, but the words wouldn't come. She looked down at her hands, frustration and fear knotting in her stomach. Just as the silence threatened to stretch too long, Amber stirred in Tara's arms, her voice soft but resolute.

"Maybe... maybe he gets to win this time."

Everyone's heads snapped toward Amber, stunned by her words.

"I'm sorry, what?" Ethan asked, his brows knitting in confusion.

Amber slowly stood, her body tense as she peeled herself away from Tara. She crossed her arms tightly, as if bracing for impact. "He wants to punish me," she whispered, her voice bitter. "Me. Maybe I let him."

"You want to give up?" Mindy asked, disbelief etched across her face.

Amber let out a dry, humorless laugh. "Everyone thinks I'm this awful person anyway. Maybe they're right." Her eyes flicked toward Tara, and there was a glimmer of defeat there that made Tara's heart ache. "You said it yourself, Tara. I don't exactly have my life figured out. I didn't even want to be in college. My family's pretty much written me off. If letting him take me out keeps you all safe... maybe that's worth it."

Tara shot up from the bench, grabbing Amber's hands tightly, her grip firm. "No. Fuck that." Her voice was steady, but her eyes gleamed with unshed tears. "You've protected me, Amber. Even when I didn't deserve it. Even when I've been the worst girlfriend ever. You kept me safe. You've always kept me safe." Tara's voice cracked, but she pressed on. "And you've been doing that for all of us. We're still alive because of you."

Amber's lip trembled, but she bit it, trying to hold herself together.

Tara inhaled deeply, her hands still gripping Amber's. "So maybe it's time you let us protect you for once. We're a team, remember?"

Mindy sniffled, rubbing her eyes. "No. Screw that. We're a family," she said, stepping forward, her voice soft but certain. She put a hand on Amber's shoulder, giving it a supportive squeeze.

Sam smiled for the first time in what felt like hours, moving away from Richie. She joined the group, her hand landing gently on Amber's other shoulder. "And we stick together," she said quietly, her touch grounding the raven-haired girl.

Chad grinned and nodded. "Hell yeah. Thrive Five."

Cassie blinked, tilting her head. "Wait... what?"

Chad gave a casual shrug. "It's, uh... an us thing."

Cassie rolled her eyes but nodded anyway, smiling despite herself.

Amber exhaled slowly, glancing between everyone, a flicker of hope igniting within her. But her expression hardened just as quickly. "He's not going to stop coming for us," she warned, crossing her arms defensively. "This won't end unless we end it."