Mean Girls Don't Cry [short story completed]

47. mean girls dont cry

Alexis' heart raced. She was certain that Amber had possibly heard how loud her heart was beating. At this point, Alexis didn't know what to think.

"Talk about what?" Alexis retorted and folded her arms.

"I have to.." Amber sighed and then continued "...i have to tell you everything."

Alexis froze. She had been dreading this moment when Amber would open up to her, but when the time finally came, she had no idea how to react.

"Are you paying attention?" Amber asked startling Alexis who blinked rapidly and nodded.

Amber sighed and spoke slowly, "I know that ever since we've met I haven't told you a single thing about myself."

"No shit." Alexis remarked and then caught herself before she went overboard.

Amber chuckled then her face went dull. "You have a right to be mad at me. But it's just," she swallowed, "I've never had people look out for me or care about me in a very very long time."

Alexis thought what she was feeling was rising anger, but instead now, it felt more like sadness, fragility and vulnerability. Her face softened and she looked to the floor not looking at Amber anymore, but Amber kept talking in a very slow manner.

"I was best friends with Wendy and Garcia before. We were close. I'm sure enough about this to say that Wendy and I were more close than how she and Garcia were," Amber gave a sad smile. "Then I betrayed her." Her voice cracked.

Alexis finally looked up and noticed that Amber had her hand over her mouth trying to prevent her wail from sipping out. Her tears were rolling nonstop down her cheeks. It broke Alexis. She finally saw how broken Amber was. She saw the real Amber. She had no idea what to do, she wanted to move in closer and hug her. Hold her so tight that she knew that someone was there for her. That she didn't have to pretend anymore. But she didn't, instead she was glued to the floor. She just hung her head and decided to let Amber finish.

Amber choked, "I betrayed my best friend. And I slept with her dad. I never wanted to hurt her, but I was in a very bad position that I had no choice."

Amber's tears ran one after another down her caked make up face leaving trails of lines. Amber felt her chest hurt from all the emotions she was feeling. She felt like she couldn't breathe from so much anger and sadness that she had been bottling up for so long.

Alexis let her cry.

Amber pulled herself together and continued, "My grandparents died and my mom went into foster when she was nine. She was adopted by this rich couple who she thought at that time were great but she was wrong. Her foster dad started to sexually abuse her when she turned fifteen. Then when she was seventeen, he raped her. His wife found them and the man blamed her so they threw her out. She later found out that she was pregnant. "

"With you," Alexis concluded and Amber nodded.

"She tried to get a job but she couldn't. Everyone in town already heard about how she "slept" with her foster dad. Not the truth but it was their word against hers. She gave birth to me and she landed a job. I don't know how she did it but she did. She made enough money to put me to school and then she made enough money to rent an apartment. But Alexis, I witnessed a lot of things growing up. I was exposed to a lot. I've seen her exchange men every night. I've seen some of them beat her up. Sometimes she came home late drunk. At a very young age, I had to take care of her. At school nobody wanted to be my friend. Even if they did, they always had something they got out of it. It wasn't good for me though. But Wendy..." she scoffed and smiled playing with her fingers, "She came into my life exactly like how you did. Not exactly. But she treated me the way you're treating me. She was nice to me. She was an amazing friend."

Amber sighed and shook her head slowly. "The house you came to... we got that house after what happened between Wendy's family and my mom and I."

Alexis could already put two and two together so she nodded.

Amber chuckled, "I'm sorry to lay that much all on you."

"No." Alexis replied too quick. "No it's okay."

Amber's gave a sad smile and looked at Alexis as it slowly faded. Her face grew serious and her eyes went glassy. Her voice was soft and almost inaudible when she spoke. "Alexis, I don't know where I'm headed. I don't know what's happening to me. I don't even know myself."

Alexis looked back at her. Amber was frail. She was vulnerable. She was broken. Alexis wanted to fix her but she knew she couldn't. Amber had to do it herself. The right way.

Alexis pulled her in and held her. She let her sob and choke. But she was going to be fine. Amber was going to be fine.