Toast

Chapter Thirty Three // What is love?

- Amber's POV -

I watched Effie frown at me with a look of sympathy, I could feel the anger boiling inside of me. I need to show everybody that I can handle things on my own, I don't need somebody watching over me every time I'm upset. I looked down the corridor at Aaliyah who was still strutting away from me, I ignored Effie and hurried after her.

"Aaliyah! Where is Jade?" I asked her, she turned around and looked me up and down.

"We were at this lane beside a river, it was actually quite romantic until your name was mentioned" She answered rudely, I thanked her and stormed down the corridor in the direction of the exit.

"Where do you think you're going?" Effie's voice came from behind, I stopped walking and turned to her.

"You're going to get in trouble Amber, we have class" She continued, I squinted my eyes and stared at her for a moment before carrying on with my journey to the lane. I didn't care that I was being rude to her, she deserved it.

"Amber! We need to talk!" She shouted as I slammed the door, I was now outside where it was quiet and peaceful. I took a deep breath in and closed my eyes tightly before beginning to walk to the lane, I had a lot of things I wanted to scream in Jade's face.

I decided to call Elijah while walking because he also deserved to be told off for not informing me about Aaliyah and Jade's little date on the lane. I waited for him to answer while tapping my right foot angrily on the ground.

"Hello my so-called best friend!" I shouted down the phone when he answered, I could hear loud music playing and lots of peoples voices in the background.

"What're you talking about Amber? Why aren't you in class?" He asked me, I rolled my eyes.

"Because I'm mad at you, why didn't you tell me about Jade and Aaliyah?" Elijah sighed loudly.

"Who is A- OH THAT GIRL! It would've upset you obviously" He told me, I laughed to myself because I was so mad at everybody.

"Answer my question? Why aren't you in class?" Elijah repeated.

"I'm going to kick Jade's ass, what about you?" I answered sweetly, then I spotted Jade exiting the lane alone. She had her head down and was smoking a cigarette as usual.

"You should really go back to school Amber, don't you have an English homework due for today?" Elijah asked me, I ignored his question and hung up the call. I was too fixated on Jade and what I was going to say to upset her.

"Hello you bitch!" I shouted with a sarcastic smile, Jade looked up at me in confusion. I approached her still with the smile plastered on my face.

"I'm guessing Elijah told you again? You can't control me Amber, Why are you so bothered? You don't have feelings for me" Jade said before laughing, I shook my head and grabbed the cigarette from her lips before throwing it on the ground and stomping on it aggressively.

"I do have feelings for you, you twat!" I yelled in her face, she raised her eyebrows and grinned.

"I think I fucking love you!" I blurted out right after, I covered my mouth with both hands and Jade burst into laughter.

"You don't know what love is"

"Oh and you do?! I don't think fucking every girl that looks at you is love" I snapped at her, that was harsh. I took a step back because I realised I was screaming in her face, her annoying grin dropped from her face and she nodded.

"You're right Amber. What is love?" She asked quietly, I stared at her before shrugging my shoulders slightly. The angry atmosphere disappeared suddenly, we were both looking at each other as if we were empty inside.

"How don't you know? Seeing your parents together when you were little would create your answer.. Well that's what I thought it would do" Jade said before staring to the ground where her squished cigarette was pushed into the stones, I stared at her weirdly.

"I wouldn't know, my dad took off when I was younger. He wasn't good for me, my mum or my brothers" I explained, Jade listened before nodding. It felt weird bringing my dad up, I never even think about him because he is such an asshole. I try to avoid his existence at all costs.

"Well, me too. I've never met my dad. He left my mum when she found out she was pregnant, what a bastard right?" Jade said, I agreed with her and then we both fell silent again. I expected this encounter to be unpleasant and angry but it was the complete opposite, somehow we were opening up to each other.

"I've only been in one proper relationship too, it definitely wasn't love" Jade randomly said before laughing at herself, I smiled slightly and watched her.

"What was she like?" I asked as I was clearly intrigued by this girl who could actually stay with Jade, she looked up at me.

"His name was Curtis.." Jade said, I began to laugh because I thought she was joking around but I was wrong.

"He had a huge crush on me and I felt bad, I was also trying to hide the fact that I'm a lesbian from my friends. It was a shitty plan, I still don't think he is over it" She explained before biting her lip, yikes. I didn't think there was ever a time when Jade was afraid of being who she really is, I guess time changes us all.

"I've never been in a relationship. I guess you were right when you said I don't know what love is" I muttered before sighing, Jade rolled her eyes and stepped closer to me.

"You'll find out, I promise" She whispered, I smiled at her and she smiled back. Suddenly there were loud footsteps approaching us, we both looked down the lane to see Elijah in yellow sunglasses with a half naked guy running after him.

"Don't hit her Amber!" Elijah screamed as he ran up to us, he was extremely out of breath. I began to laugh loudly at how dumb he looked, there was mud stains on both his cheeks. The random stranger finally caught up with him, he was wearing bright red swimming shorts.

"Is there a gay meetup I don't know about?! Also, you were going to hit me?" Jade shouted while looking at the state of them and then glancing at me, I rolled my eyes at her.

"We have made up.. I think" I told Elijah, Jade nodded.

"So, you do like me?" Jade asked me with her cheeky grin, I nodded and she sighed happily.

"Sweet" She muttered before walking off and taking out another cigarette. Elijah turned to the random guy who followed after him.

"This is Lucas, he doesn't speak" Elijah said to me, I smiled at him and he smiled back before turning around and walking down the lane again. Me and Elijah glanced at each other and laughed slightly.

"What the hell are you guys doing?" I asked Elijah, he sighed loudly.

"The gang are having a party, it's pretty shit" He told me while putting his arm around me, we both watched Lucas walk off in his swimming shorts.

"So you and Jade are all good now?"

"I think so. I just need to be truthful"

Elijah pulled me in for a huge hug, I hugged him back and smiled widely. He began telling me how proud he was of me for coming to the boarding school and meeting new people, he knows how tough it is for me at times. We finally stopped hugging and I grabbed his hand.

"Can I join the party?" I asked Elijah, he looked at me in shock.

"That's the first time you have ever wanted to spend time with my friends!" He shouted, I nodded and grinned.

"I'm suddenly feeling confident.."