||COMPLETE||
Amber Blake is having dreams, and they just might be the key to saving her best friend, Mark.
Unfortunately, she's too preoccupied pretending to hate the boy next door, Carter Hayes. Secretly hoping to rekindle what once was, Amber atte...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Scrolling aimlessly through Myspace, I slip a cookie from my Oreo stash and pop the whole thing in my mouth. I didn't bother turning on the light before getting comfortable in bed, so my laptop screen is blinding. Vendetta is in here somewhere, but her black fur makes it impossible to tell where. I can only hope she's not drinking from my milk cup on the floor.
I like posts at random, unengaged until I pass a picture of a familiar blonde. It's from earlier today, about two hours ago, taken on the soccer field. Carter smiles for the camera, but it's not reaching his eyes. Wrapped around his waist is Tori Whitfield, her dark skin a contrast to the light blue cheer uniform she's wearing. I stab my thumb on the screen and mock rubbing her face away. It's still there when I pull my hand back.
"Are you listening to me? Why do I feel like you totally aren't."
Chloe's voice crackles through the receiver sandwiched between my ear and shoulder. If I'm honest, I forgot we were on the phone.
"Guilty. I got distracted by your valiant captain's latest post. Third one in the last hour."
"Typical," Chloe interrupts, followed by shuffling that suggests she's readjusting. I can imagine her sprawled out across her comforter, twirling the cord of her personal landline. "Tori will do anything for attention. I get headaches before practice even starts, and her constant bitching definitely doesn't help."
"Well, no one told you to join cheerleading. In fact, I remember being vocally against it freshman year."
"And sacrifice the chances I get to one-up her? Never. Besides, I didn't spend eleven years in gymnastics to let my hard work go to waste. Getting on Tori's nerves is just a bonus."
"Well, you could always drop her during one of the lifts. I'm sure the school would thank you." I reach for another cookie, but my fingers come up empty. Good to know my high is still going strong.
Chloe snorts. "The thought has crossed my mind, but who would I mess with if she was gone?"
Inadvertently, I glance at my window directly across from Carter's. The blinds are open, a sign that Mom was in here again, so I can see he's not in his room. It makes it hard for me to ignore thoughts of that shower he was eager to get to. I'm grateful Chloe and I didn't Skype tonight. The last thing I need is her calling me out.
