𝐈𝐅 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 → 𝖩𝖠𝖢𝖪 𝖣𝖴𝖭𝖪𝖫𝖤𝖬𝖠𝖭

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄

Jodi shook her head. "You never were." Amber took in a breath.

"Jodi, why would you say that?" Stig questioned, genuinely looking hurt. "Because you like being the popular guy."

Amber shook her head. "It's also very much obvious, jumbo Swede."

The two ignored her as Jodi continued. "Much more than you like me, so..." Jodi turned to leave and Amber followed her.

"No. Jodi. Hey, come on. Come back."

Amber grabbed Jodi's arm. "You know, I never liked him." Jodi nodded and chuckled slightly. "I know."

Meanwhile, Jack and Liz were talking. "Do you... Do you have a date yet?" Liz wondered.

Jack shook his head. "I do not." He replied, thinking of Amber. Though, he didn't mean to.

"Do you want to go with me?" Liz asked, trying to not look or sound hopeful.

"I do, yeah." Jack chuckled, looking to his feet. They both chuckle and Jack, once again, thought about Amber.

"And I don't." He admitted, closing his eyes. "I do and I don't." He looked at Liz.

"I'm confused. I thought you liked me."

Jack nods. "I do, I do. I'm just, uh... sorta in love... with somebody else."

He gulped. "I know." Liz sighed out. Jack shook his head, confused. He didn't even know he liked this person until the day her parents got put in jail. "What?"

"Yeah," Liz chuckled. "I see the way that you look at Jodi." Liz then thought about Amber.

"Not Jodi." Jack shook his head, nervously playing with his hands. Liz gave Jack a look. "Amber." Jack admitted the same time Liz mumbled her name.

"So, why aren't you guys together?" She questioned, furrowing her eyebrows.

"A, I guess I'm not her type and B, she has a boyfriend."

Liz took in a deep breath. "So you're gonna spend the rest of your life waiting until you're her type or until she's single?"

Jack nodded. "If that's what it takes, then, yeah." Liz looked away, "okay."

"I'm sorry. I know you must hate me." Liz looks up again. "I'm bummed. But I don't hate you. Your art, though, that, I hate. I hate that." She admitted making Jack chuckle.

"I also think that Amber likes you back and that you would make a great couple."

××××

Amber and Jodi entered the Kreyman residence. Jodi slammed the door behind her and ran up the stairs.

"What happened?" Richie asked Amber. Amber looked furious. Furious may be an understatement.

"I can so fucking kill him." She chuckled. Instead of scolding her for using such language, Richie leaned forward. "What happened?"

"He's not breaking up with Kimmy. In fact, I don't think he ever was. How about that plan? I distract him from your car and you run him over? Because I want nothing more than to see him dead!"

Richie shook his head. "Helaine would kill me, so we can't do that. I'll go talk to her."

Amber nodded, "good luck!"

Walking towards Jodi's room, Richie passed a picture of Harper, Jodi and Amber. They were both hugging Jodi as she towered over them.

Richie leaned his ear on the door and knocked gently on it. "Jodi? You okay?"

No response.

"Don't worry. I'm not gonna... say anything or do anything to upset you. I just, uh,"

There's a pause. For about ten to fifteen seconds. "Just wanna tell you I love you. And uh, I'm here if you need me, okay?"

Richie leaned his ear closer to the door, hoping for a response. But nothing came.

××××

Richie sat himself down at the piano and started to play it. Jodi walked down the stairs and sat with her father and started playing it with him.

She leaned her head on his shoulder while Amber placed a gentle hand on Jodi's shoulder.

Helaine watched this with a look of sadness. Amber started to hum a song. And then she started to sing.

××××

The next morning came faster than expected. Amber laid fast asleep when her bedroom door opened.

Jack walked in and sat the present down on the bedside table. He looked at all the photo's that we're around.

Most of them were himself and Amber. He smiled, picking one up. He had Amber on his back and they both had ice cream on their nose.

It was the first time it was just the two of them alone. They were at the beach and had gotten ice cream. Amber with honeycomb crunch and Jack with vanilla. Basic bitch.

He chuckled at the memory. He had chased Amber all around the beach and once he got her, he threw her in the water.

He glanced at the sleeping girl before putting the picture back. He slowly walked towards her and sat on the edge of the bed.

He looked at her with adoration in his eyes, something that he had in his eyes for her everyday, yet he never noticed.

He placed a hand on her hair and ending up getting a punch to the throat. Immediately sitting up, Amber groans.

"What the fuck?" She muttered, watching Jack cough. "Jack? What are you doing here?" She questioned softly.

"Harper and Jodi said I could come in." He gasped. "Okay, yeah, come in, not, "Scare the fuck out of Amber". Amber said, glancing at Jack's eye.

"Since when did you know karate?" Jack coughed as Amber laid down. "I had to defend myself against my parents somehow. Okay, what are you doing here?"

"I--" he sucked in a breath. "And what happened to your eye?" She stood up. She walked towards him and touched the bruise making him wince. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Last night took a crazy turn, and, I'm, I--I took a spill, but um," Jack coughed, "I'm fine."

Amber sighed, cupping his face and inspecting the bruise. "That might be there a while. Trust me, I know bruises."

Jack smiled sadly. "I know." Amber pulled him into a hug and he relaxed. "Does it hurt?" She wondered.

"Not much, really. My mom asked me the exact same thing when she came home a day early from her retreat and then grounded me for wrecking the house." Amber laughed along with Jack.

"Man, I would've loved to see her ground you."