008.“Turn around!” Amber screamed and Axel’s body moved of its own accord as he quickly turned, his heart beating fast.Amber shut her eyes tight in embarrassment as she rushed to carry her towel and back into the bathroom to calm herself down before coming out. She had no idea Axel would be back early. “Fuck!” she covered her face with her palms. She could literally feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment. How the heck was she going to face him now. What was she going to say? It was going to be so awkward talking to him after this.She groaned, feeling like the ground should open and swallow her whole. She paced around the bathroom as she thought of what to do. She slowly opened the door and peeked through it. He was still standing with his back turned. She guessed he might be scared to turn and see her again. Her eyes scanned her room before it landed on the tampons and chocolates he had bought. She looked away, stretched out her hand to her shorts on the bed and grabbed them
009.Damn her dirty mind! What in heaven's name was she thinking? She screamed into her pillow, her face heating from the first-hand embarrassment.After she uttered that insane sentence, it became awkward a little bit as Axel didn’t know the response to give her. She had to pretend it was just a harmless joke, blaming him for flirting with her, then quickly finished her food and rushed into her room.“Gosh!” she facepalmed, shaking her head. It was becoming more and more difficult to control herself around him. She might actually snap one day if he doesn’t see the green lights she’s been giving him.Axel was every lady’s guy. He knew how to have his way with girls, and he certainly knew how to keep them coming back for more. He also knew when a lady was into him, so why hadn’t he noticed that she had a thing for him?Was he mistaking her stares and flirting for admiration, or he probably thought she was joking? She tried to get the questions out of her head, but she couldn’t.During
010.Two days later…“Are you sure you want to go through with this, Amy? You still have a chance to change your mind.” Melissa said as she added the finishing touches to Amber’s hair.Amber smiled, her expression determined. “You’ve been asking me this for two days now, and I already told you I want to do it.”Melissa sighed. She understood her best friend’s plight, but she wouldn’t want Axel falling in love with her based on a mere seduction. Deep down, she knew Axel had a thing for Amber; I mean it’s damn obvious from the way he looked at her, and the way his expression softened whenever he listened to her.She wished Amber would let him make a move instead of pushing it down on him. She had been trying to convince Amber since that day at the cafeteria, but the lady was quite stubborn.“What about Cole?” she asked, reaching into Amber’s wardrobe and pulling out the signature red gown they had bought specifically for tonight.Amber smiled. “Let me worry about that. I’m finally eigh
011. After the party died down a bit and people began leaving, Axel took Amber to the rooftop of the house, decorated with twinkling fairy lights and a breathtaking view of the city skyline. Amber’s eyes widened. She felt like she had just walked into a fairy tale. “Wow, Axel, this is so beautiful,” Amber breathed, her eyes glinting with excitement. This had to be the best birthday ever. “I wanted to make tonight special for you,” Axel said, his voice low and husky, as he led her to the edge of the rooftop. The city lights stretched out before them, a dazzling canvas of color and light. Amber felt Axel’s hand brush against hers, sending shivers down her spine. “Thank you, Axel,” she whispered, her heart pounding as she turned to face him. Axel turned to face her, his eyes burning with intensity. When their gazes locked, he smiled and looked away while Amber looked around excitedly. “I guess this is one way to end the evening, don’t you think?” she beamed at him and quickly turne
012. “Girl, that is one cool iPad. It looks even better than the pictures you sent to us in the group chat.” Melissa took the iPad from Amber to get a better look at it. Amber smiled, her heart fluttering. “I know, right? Their gifts beat every gift people bought for me.” Melissa raised an eyebrow with a fake frown on her face. “What about my gift? Is it better than it? Just so you know, I had Jack take me around all the stores in the city just to get you something as special as that and make it perfect. Right, Jack?” Jack looked away, knowing fully well Melissa was overexaggerating. “Don’t ask me.” Amber laughed. “I loved the gift you gave me, babe. Who wouldn't love a personalized journal with our inside jokes and memories?” Amber said, hugging Melissa tightly. Even though they just became friends, she had no idea Melissa was this thoughtful. Melissa beamed. “I'm glad you liked it! I wanted something thoughtful, just between us besties.” Jack chuckled. “And I thought the gift
013.“King, you are not yourself today. You keep zoning out. Basketball demands focus and agility. What is going on?” Coach Rick asked Axel, who sighed and ruffled his hair.“I’m sorry, Coach,” Axel apologized, lowering his head. “I'll concentrate.” Coach Rick sighed and turned to face everyone. “Ten laps, let’s go!” he blew his whistle.Axel jogged alongside his teammates, his mind drifting back to Amber. The only person who had kept his mind occupied since yesterday. He had been zoning out because of her, and it was becoming even harder to focus or look at anything without thinking about her.What the heck was wrong with him? Trevor, noticing his mood, fell into step beside him.“Hey, man, you okay? You seem off,” Trevor asked.Axel nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah, just distracted.”Trevor raised an eyebrow. “Long night?”Axel chuckled. “Something like that.”As they finished their laps, Coach Rick gathered the team around him.“Today’s practice is crucial. We need to perfect our
014.Axel’s gaze roamed over Amber’s bikini-clad body, his eyes lingering on her curves. Her bikini was a vibrant, electric blue, with beautiful white floral patterns that accentuated her tanned skin. The tiny triangles barely contained her full breasts, and the high-cut bottoms hugged her hips, showcasing her toned legs.Amber’s long, midnight black hair cascaded down her back, framing her beautiful smile. Her sunglasses perched on her forehead, and her lips shimmered with gloss.Axel’s throat dried up as he struggled to maintain his composure. He felt a stir in his swim trunks, and his heart pounded in his chest.“Wow, you look… stunning,” Axel stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.Amber's cheeks flushed, and she chuckled. “Thanks, Axel. You don't look so bad yourself.”Axel's gaze never left hers, his eyes burning with desire. He knew he needed to rein in his emotions, but Amber's beauty had left him breathless.Melissa's distant laughter and the sound of waves crashing agai
015.“Come on, Amy, it’s just cheerleading tryouts. I really, really want to participate.” Melissa pleaded with Amber as she stared at the posters on the wall.The school’s cheerleading team just got a new captain and they needed new members. Melissa had waited for this day to come, and it was finally here. She wanted to try out, but she didn’t want to go without Amber.Amber wasn’t the least interested and Melissa wouldn’t stop pestering her.“Mel,” Amber sighed, her frustration evident. “How many times do I have to tell you that I am not interested in trying out for cheerleading? I’m not a dancer, okay?” she said for the one hundredth time, hoping Melissa would get it, but the lady was persistent.“You don’t have to be a good dancer to be a cheerleader. Besides, they’re gonna train you. Don’t you want to belong somewhere at least?” she pouted, making cute puppy eyes at Amber, who didn’t seem swayed. “Jack’s on the soccer team, your brother is on the gadgets or whatever you call it t
092.Axel tried to talk to Amber, Amber’s gaze didn’t leave Hazel. “What are you doing with Axel?” she asked, folding her arms across her chest.Hazel took a step forward, trying to sound as convincing as possible. “Amber,” she began, her voice laced with softness that only irritated Amber more. “It’s not what you think. I was just trying to—”“Trying to seduce him? Trying to get him to notice you?” Amber asked, her frown deepening. “Don’t you have boundaries? Aren’t you contented being the untouchable captain of the cheerleading squad?” Axel held Amber. “Let’s just go.”“No, allow me to talk,” Amber moved away, stopping in front of Hazel. “Listen, I will overlook many things as long as you stay away and do not cross me. Nothing you say today will dispute the fact that you’re trying to get Axel’s attention, and it beats me that you have no ounce of shame at all.”Hazel shook her head. “I’m sorry if that offends you, but you and Axel aren’t officially dating. Like other ladies, I have
091.A week later…“Girl, it’s only a week until first semester exams starts, and I’m freaking out like crazy!!!” Melissa paced back and forth, literally panicking. Amber chuckled. “Girl, relax. It’s just exams.” Amber rolled her eyes, pulling out a book from inside her backpack.Melissa stopped pacing, her gaze settling on Amber, who didn’t seem the least bothered about the exams. She was literally freaking out here and Amber? Amber was seated there, calm and composed like she had this in the bag.Well… of course Amber had this in the bag. She was one of the smartest persons Melissa know. “Amy, this is my first exam in college. I feel so pressured, and I’m panicking right here.” “Melissa, breathe,” Amber said, patting her on the shoulder. “It’s not as hard as you think.”Melissa huffed and plopped down on the seat next to Amber, her face a mask of frustration. “Breathe, huh?” She let out a dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes. “Easy for you to say. You've probably already read all the
090.“You two haven’t answered me.” Cole folded his arms while Amber and Axel stared at each other. It wouldn’t be good to tell him about their relationship over the phone anyway.Amber took a deep breath. “Calm down, Cole. There’s nothing wrong with Axel being my date to the school dance. You know how I am with crowds. He was basically helping me. I put him up to it.” she replied, throwing a glare Cole’s way.Cole wanted to believe them, he really wanted to but whenever the dance between them popped up on his feed, he couldn’t shake off the feeling that something wasn’t right. Call it insecurity, but he’d prefer to call it “brother instinct”.His gaze flickered between the two of them before he let out a sigh. “We will talk about this when I return, okay? And don’t you dare try anything funny until I’m back.”Amber nodded with a smile. “You can count on that.” Cole scoffed before fixing his gaze on Axel. “I asked you to take care of Amber, Axel. I trust you, so just do what you are
089.Amber quickly pulled away from the hug and stared at Jack, her eyes widening in shock. “W-what?” Amber took a step back.Jack lowered his head, sighing heavily. “I know it’s shocking given that I am your best friend and all, but I really like you,”Amber didn’t know what to say as she just stared at him, she couldn’t believe that Jack liked her. Could it be…“The crush you said you had—”“Was you,” Jack replied and that was when it all began to make sense to her. All those times he key mentioning Axel as her brother’s best friend and how she shouldn’t be together with him and things like that. “I couldn’t tell you to your face that I liked you, so I just decided to use something else. I know you don’t love me back and I’m not expecting you to. The person you love is Axel, and I understand that,” he forced a smile. “I just wanted you to know how I feel.”Amber was quiet for a moment, trying to process everything that Jack had just said. He was right, her heart belonged to Axel, an
088.The school halls buzzed with students dressed elegantly with music blasting from the halls. The school dance was already in full swing by the time Amber and Axel arrived.Axel held her hand as they walked in, stealing the spotlight immediately as all eyes were.“Wow, you guys really know how to make an entrance,” a voice exclaimed, and Amber turned to find Ricky and Melissa walking up to them, a smile stretching wide across Melissa's face. “Everyone is staring at you two like you're the prom king and queen already.”“Well, I can't blame them,” Axel said, his tone playfully cocky. “After all, I am the best-looking guy in the room, and I'm with the most beautiful girl.” He paused and added in a softer voice, “And I think everyone can see that.”“You're such a dork, Axel,” Amber giggled, punching him playfully on the arm. “But I guess you're right. It's just everyone else recognizing what we already know.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.“I'm just glad we made it here togeth
087.“And… for the final touch,” Melissa took the silver necklace Axel has gifted Amber and helped her fix it around her neck. Amber stared at herself in the mirror, but believing what she was seeing.“You look stunning,” Melissa exclaimed. “I'm sure you're going to steal the show at prom today. Axel won't be able to take his eyes off you.”“He shouldn't,” Amber smiled as she stood to her feet, admiring the elegant blue prom dress Axel had personally handpicked for her. The dress was a vision. It shimmered like the gentle waves of a midnight sea, clinging to Amber’s curves in all the right places. The deep blue color brought out the golden flecks in her cat eyes, accentuating her natural beauty. The expert beading and delicate embroidery around the bodice, glittering like stars in the night sky, made it clear this was no ordinary dress.“Wow,” Amber breathed out. “He’s really outdone himself. I look amazing and I know it.” Amber touched her hair that Melissa has style and curled into
086.“Rejecting every girl who comes to you and sitting like you’re gonna die the next minute isn’t gonna make Amber like you back, you know?” Gideon, one of Jack’s teammate and friend, said as he watched Jack sit on the bench in the gymnasium like someone who got beaten to a pulp.Jack sighed, frustration lining his features. “I don’t want those girls, Gideon.,” he answered, running his tongue over his chapped lips. “Amber is the one I like, dude. I don’t see myself being happy dancing with a random girl.”“But you said she likes someone else. Isn’t it better you stop this now before you fall deeper for her?” Gideon cautioned him, but Jack didn’t look like he was ready to listen.He had loved Amber from the very first day he set his eyes on her at the library. The first thing that attracted him to her was her cat eyes — he found it rare, amazing and unique. After they became friends, he would always stare at this mesmerizing set of her eyes whenever she was talking. And whenever she
085.Bryan walked up to Amber with a smile on his face, his face showing his charming dimples. “Hi, Amber.”Amber forced a smile as she looked at him. “Oh, hi,” she said, trying to stop herself from feeling awkward around him. He was Tyler’s friend after all, and he wondered if Bryan acted the same way as well.Bryan noticed that Amber wasn’t comfortable with him like she used to. “Amber, you don’t have to be awkward around me,” he said, giving her a warm smile. “I’m not like Tyler.”Amber’s eyes widened. How did he know that was the reason? She cleared her throat and looked into his eyes. “You are his friend. It’s only normal that you two are involved in things like that.”Bryan shook his head. “Can we sit somewhere and talk?” he asked.Amber wanted to decline, but when she saw that the students had their gazes on them, she nodded slowly and Bryan led her to the cafeteria. They took a seat, and he placed his plans on the table.“What would you like to drink?” Amber shook her head, n
084. "Oh my goodness, what the hell?" Amber chuckled as she walked to where Melissa stood, checking out the bustling activites in the hallways. Melissa smiled on seeing how surprised she was. "I know, right?" she laughed. "It's like a prom fever." Amber shook her head, her gaze fixed on the students who were busy interacting and talking about the school dance. While other students focused on decorating the hallways, some busied themselves with asking their crushes out to the dance. "Has anybody asked you out to the dance yet?" Amber asked, smiling at Melissa. Melissa groaned and shook her head. "No way!" She laughed, shaking her head. "Not a single soul has even bothered to ask me out. Do you really think guys would be interested in me?" she asked, her thoughts drifting to what happened with Tyler. Amber shook her head at Melissa, giving her a knowing look. "You're underestimating yourself, Melissa. You're smart, beautiful, and those killer curves of yours would make any guy w