Amber's pov:

"Oh Amber, I really like your earrings." Julie was the first to speak up as she gives me a soft, genuine smile.

"Oh thank you!" On impulsive I touch my ears, as a tint of pink covers my cheeks from the sudden compliment.

I've only been sitting here for a few seconds, but I could already tell that these girls were super nice.

I don't know why, but I just feel it in my gut.

Plus, you are shaped by who you are friends with, and Damien is like, the nicest person on the planet, so I could only guess that he has friends who really care about him. Who make him happy.

"You are a junior right?" Gianna asks.

I nod my head, giving her a warm smile, "Yes, and Liam is a junior too, just like Damien."

She gives me a smile in return, "Not to sound creepy or anything, but I feel like I've seen your face somewhere before. I don't know why."

I give Gianna a confused look, but Ella, who was listening in on our conversation, joins in.

"Oh I know Gianna, when Luke went through with me all of his past yearbooks, you were the girl next to his picture under the kindest person award!" Ella smiles, as Gianna's mouth widens with a look, you know, that look when you suddenly remember something.

"That's it!! You two have held those two spots for your grade level for years!! How could I have forgotten?!" She laughs at herself as she leans back in her chair from her sudden burst of energy.

"Oh I didn't know that, Ella can I borrow his yearbooks sometime? I would like to go through them also." Ally asks.

For a second, my mind went blank seeing a weird sort of resemblance between her and Ella, but it only took a few seconds to remember Liam telling me that they are twins.

Which is pretty strange because they seem like complete opposite people.

One seems to like being fancy dressed, and more proper, whereas the other one is more comfortably dressed and seems more laid back.

"I completely forgot about that whole year book thing, yeah I guess Damien and I have been under that category for a while now." I shrug my shoulders, but by the sudden mention of his name in my words, I could almost FEEL every single one of them sit up in their seat.

It got silent for a few seconds as they all just stared at me with a certain kinda of look on each of their faces.

It was that kinda look that scared me.

Because I've seen it before...

In someone that always gave me that look when Damien was mentioned.

...

It was a Liam kinda look.

...

Any type of Liam look is not good.

I repeat...

Not.

Good.

"So..." Julie was the first to break the silence, as she gives me a small smirk.

Oh god.

That's a Liam smirk right there.

Incase it was not made clear.

Any type of Liam look is NOT GOOD.

That's a no bueno right there people.

"So..." I repeat her words, as I couldn't help but find myself sinking back in my chair with a shiver down my spine.

"You know, you and Damien are... pretty close."

No bueno, no bueno, no bueno!!!

"Yeah, we have gotten pretty close over the last couple days."

"Pretty close..." She draws out.

"Yeah..." I stare at her with a questionable look.

Ella, Ally, and Gianna, just watch as Julie folds her hands together, again giving me the Liam look.

"You know, Damien usually doesn't talk to other people outside of our friend group. To be honest, I was surprised when he told us about being friends with you, of course, I was happy about it, but mostly surprised."

I mean, yeah I helped him and all with that whole incident where they almost got benched from the boxing team.

But even now, I am still confused why he trusted me so much with his own problems, from his struggle with all the arguments on the boxing team to his sister being sick.

"I-I guess he is trying to take your advice. He told me that you were the one that helped him to be more open, and less of the shy kid he once was."

Julie nods her head, smiling like a proud mother, "He told you that?"

"Yeah, he is so thankful for you-..."

"No I mean about his struggles. It's hard for him to open up to people about that kinda stuff..."

"Oh.. I- I don't know actually. To be honest I don't even know why he trusts me with that kinda stuff. But..." I take a deep breath before continuing, "I guess it kinda does make me happy that he trusts me. I know how hard it is to open yourself up to people, so for him to do so with me, it actually makes me feel... grateful for meeting him."

Saying those words... just felt right in some sort of way.

Maybe because hidden behind those words is what I actually feel.

I've never really opened up about my mom's death with anyone besides Liam, so I too understand the difficulty.

And maybe that's why I am grateful for meeting him, because if he trusts me with his problems, maybe someday... I can trust him with mine.

You know, if we stay friends.

But for some odd reason deep down, I feel like that we will stay close.

I look up to see Julie's eyes, almost sparkling as she smiles at my words, "Amber, that's really sw-..."

"THAT'S THE MOST ADORABLE SHIT I THINK I'VE EVER HEARD." Julie's words are cut off by Gianna's LOUD cry as she puts her hands over her heart while looking at me.

And you know, most likely the rest of the cafeteria.

I can feel myself blushing at all the stares as they try to detect the sudden loudness from our table.

"Gianna! Could you say that any louder?"

"Julie, you've known me for over a year now, you can't honestly be surprised."

Julia rolls her eyes as she looks me, "Sorry about her, she's..." She stops herself from continuing as she giggles at Gianna's glare.

But I couldn't help but catch Ella looking at me while mouthing "insane" as she continues Julie's sentence.

I try to hide my laugh as I look up to see Luke, Liam, and Damien, walking towards our table with their lunch trays.

"Okay, I heard Gianna scream something, what was it this time?" Luke jokes as he takes the seat next to Ella, somehow dodging the apple that was thrown by Gianna towards his direction.

"Nothing that you need to worry about." Ella kisses his cheek before stealing his strawberries off of his tray as he pouts before continuing.

"Knowing you guys, there is something to always worry about." He says, this time dodging a full bag of chips being thrown at his head from Gianna's direction.

"I think you mean us girls having to worry about you guys. Do you even know how many times last year Julie and I stopped you boys from getting suspended, better yet expelled?!" Gianna says, throwing her arms up in the air as Luke and Damien let out a nervous laugh.

"To be fair, most of those ideas were Ashton's." Damien says, laughing at Julie's frustrated sigh, as she leans back in her chair.

"I'm telling you the guy is insane." Julie mumbles, earning a round of chuckles from everyone at the table, including Liam and I.

Even though we weren't exactly friends with them last year, I think everyone in the school is familiar with the name Ashton Rider.

His pranks are legendary among students in this school.

"Ah, it feels like just yesterday he confessed his undying love to you." Gianna puts a hand over her heart as Julie tries to hide her blush from the rest of the group.

"Remember how unbelievably cocky he was before you two started dating?" Damien asks, as Julie laughs at the memory.

"Not gonna lie, it was pretty bad. But luckily I got him to tone it down, although he does have his moments."

I remember always seeing her and Ashton together last year as a couple. Honestly in my opinion, I found them to be the cutest couple in the school.

Although it must have been tough for Julie. For she was dating the most popular guy in the school, I don't know how she was able to handle all the dirty and jealous looks she got from other girls.

"How did you two meet?" I couldn't help but find myself asking.

I was curious.

But before Julie had the chance to respond, she was beat to it by Luke, who happily answered the question for her.

"Oh you know, she just rolled into his life"

"Ahhhhhh"

Like it was a bad memory, Julie covers her face in embarrassment as Luke smirks and continues.

"There love was clearer than a glass window."

Everyone at the table was laughing, well expect for Liam and I, and of course Julie, as it seemed more of like an inside joke.

"I hate you so much." Julie continues to cover her face for a few seconds before looking at me.

"We are neighbors, well were, before he moved off to college this year."

"Oh, is his college far away?" Liam asks.

Julie shakes her head, "No, he is only a half an hour away, but his parents wanted him to get a dorm so he could learn how to live on his own." Julie explains to us as Liam and I nod our heads in understanding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was about five minutes until lunch ended and everyone soon broke off into small side conversations.

I was talking with Ella and Ally until I suddenly started to get a feeling like I was being watched.

I find myself fading out of the conversation as I look over to my side to see Damien staring intently at me with doe eyes.

I tilt my head to the side as he catches my stare and looks down slightly, before looking back up at me.

"I have boxing practice today after school, but would you like to... hangout when my practice is over?" Damien asks, giving me a small smile as I give him one in return.

"Where would you like to go?" I ask as he shrugs his shoulders.

"I don't care, as long as you're there I'll be okay with anything."

A sudden but familiar feeling of butterflies enters my stomach as I nod my head at him.

"How about we go to park? I heard that they just finished remodeling it and it is now open to visitors."

Damien nods his head back at me, "Then maybe after do you think we can visit... you know," he whispers, "my sister?"

His sudden use of a whisper confuses me, but nevertheless, again, nodding my head, I give whisper back...

"Of course."

Showing his pearly white teeth, he gives me a big smile before whispering me a "thank you" before turning towards Luke who started to ask him a question.

But I couldn't help but wonder...

Why did Damien have the sudden need to whisper?

Do his friends know about his sister?

A part of me thinks he surely would, I mean, Damien trusts these people more than anyone.

But then again, is there more to it than it seems?