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
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
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
093.“Girl, calm the hell down, okay?” Melissa held Amber’s hand and gave it a pat. “You and I know Axel didn’t mean for all these to happen. He loves you and I know that. The person we should focus on is that fucking girl called Hazel.” Melissa balled her fists, her face twisting in disgust. After what Hazel did the other day, Melissa developed a certain hatred for her. She wished she could pull the girl’s hair and give her a brain resetting beating.Amber sighed and sat down, taking in what Melissa had said. She ruffled her hair, realizing the girl was right. She was blinded with the rage of seeing Hazel with Axel that she didn’t even notice the disgust on Axel’s face while Hazel was being all over him.“Do you think I overreacted?” she asked, her voice taking on a calmer tone.Melissa took a seat beside her. “I don’t think you overreacted, you actually overreacted,” she said and Amber threw her a glare. “I’m being serious. Who knows what Axel would be feeling right now? He loves yo
094.Amber took in her lower lip, looking everywhere but Axel’s face. “Jack is…uh… well, he is—”Axel smiled and patted her head, noticing how uncomfortable the question made her. “You don’t have to tell me if the question made you this uncomfortable,” he chuckled, and she gave him an apologetic look. “You always have something to say. I’m surprised you’re stuttering because of a simple question.”Amber laughed, shaking her head as she hit his shoulder. “Quit teasing me, you good-looking devil!”Axel kissed her lips. “Well, you can’t resist this devil, though,” he held her hands.Amber looked at him, her eyes shining with love. “Yes, I can’t,” she sighed, smiling. “Thank you for being so understanding, Axel. I love you so much.”“I love you more, Cat eyes.”“I love you most, King.” she giggled and Axel brushed a strand of hair from her face. He placed a soft kiss on her lips and pulled her to her feet. “Well, it’s almost time for the movies,” he said, opening his door and leading Amb
095.Weeks later…“Cheers!” They exclaimed, clinking glasses with all smiles. “First semester's exams done and dusted!” Melissa exclaimed, taking a gulp from the pineapple smoothie she was holding. It seemed like forever, but she was happy they finally finished their exams. They had decided to get a drink before planning to leave for the holidays.“I can't wait to hit the club and celebrate tonight. After that, I'm gonna watch movies until tomorrow morning. I've been deprived of Netflix for weeks!” she facepalmed, throwing her head back dramatically.Amber and Jack laughed. “I'll be spending the night with Axel. He promised to come pick me up and take me to the new restaurant that just opened in town.” Amber beamed, a dreamy expression on her face that made Melissa and Jack throw her envious looks.During the exams, Amber and Jack have been able to fix things. Jack was no longer that awkward around her, and their friendship had returned to how it used to be. Amber was grateful for Ja
096. “Are you sure you’ve packed all you would be needing? All you essentials and homework for next semester?” “Yes, mum,” Amber answered for the one hundredth time as she walked out of the house while Axel loaded their luggage into the car booth. They were finally going home for the holidays, and as much as she was beyond excited to see her parents again, she was pretty sad leaving her friends for a while. Her first semester here in school had been a blast—thanks to Axel—and her best friends for showing a nerdy girl like her what it meant to have friends once could call family. She was glad and proud to say that with them, she had been able to step out of her comfort zone, joined a club, and even got the perfect boyfriend. “Make sure you dress warm, sweetie,” Loris instructed again, and Amber fought the urge to roll her eyes. “It’s that time of the year in Las Vegas where it’s usually cold when it’s supposed to be hot.” Amber, knowing what her mother meant, laughed softly. “I u
097.“Cole!” Loris snapped, pointing her index finger at him. “You were supposed to wait for me to announce you as the surprise!” Cole shrugged, a smug expression on his face as his gaze flickered between a seething Amber and pouting Loris before his gaze stopped on Axel. “I couldn’t wait any longer, mum. Besides, I wanted a hug too.” Amber snorted. “You annoying ass—” Loris cleared her throat.Amber let out a deep breath and Cole spread out his arms for her. “Come give big brother a big hug,” he said, and a smile broke out on Amber’s lips as she rushed into his arms.“Gosh, you should have told me you were coming,” she wrapped her arms around him, placing her head on his chest. “I couldn’t even get you any gift.”Cole chuckled, ruffling her hair. “The best gift is having you here and making sure I disturb the living daylight out of you.” Amber pulled away from the hug. “Well, I won’t let you, I’m an adult now.” she flipped her hair with a smile.“Of course she is!” Loris smiled,
086.Laura sat in a coffee shop, her feet tapping relentlessly on the floor. Vera had gone to get them drinks but that was the least of her problems right now. She knew Gina was the one responsible for the beating she received, but she had no idea how Amber was able to clear her name in just a small amount of time.This only confirmed her suspicion that there was someone helping her form the sidelines. But who could that be? And why did the girl who helped to get the man caught look so familiar?"Something is fishy!" "Laura, did you hear, Amber has gotten all her opportunities back. Lots of companies are calling to get interviewed by her. They were moved by now she took care of the case and gave the police the leverage to catch the abuser." Vera dropped the coffee on the table and sat down.Laura groaned. "I hate how this is turning out, Gina. We need to do something about it.""That's not all. Ms. June has given her the cover page for the Mainland Tech Conference Article. If she pu
085.Amber's face lit up when she saw Larissa walking out of the club. She got down from the car and rushed to hug her. "You're back!" she gave Larissa a peck on the cheek. "You did it! My reputations cleared. I watched everything."Larissa smirked. "Told you not to worry about anything. Did you think it wouldn't work out when the plane was Axel's?"Amber raised a brow. "I thought it was your idea."Larissa shook her head. "It was all Axel's. I only agreed to be the bait," she said and Amber smiled."I'm grateful to you both. Now I feel relieved that it's all been taken care of. I can sleep with a smile now." Larissa chuckled.~•~•~The next day...GLAM MAGAZINE Amber walked into her department and Gina rushed to her. "Oh you have no idea how happy I am that you're finally back to work. The man has been caught by the police. Turns out, he was brutally beaten by the ladies he harassed. He's currently being questioned and you my dear, have gotten your fans back."Amber scoffed as she
084."Hey, beautiful," the man drawled, his voice low and seductive.Larissa's grip on the glass tightened, her brows twitching as she fought the urge to punch him in the face and give him a good beating. She quickly forced a smile to her face and turned to face him. "Hi." she answered and looked away. All she had to do was play hard to get and he was going to try forcing himself on her for sure.The man took a seat beside her. "Can I buy you a drink? A beautiful lady like you shouldn't sit here all alone, you know." his eyes roamed her body as his tongue ran over his lips.Larissa rolled her eyes. "As you can see, I already have a drink. And it's not bad to be alone, is it?" she asked."So you're really alone," he smiled to himself and moved closer. Larissa noticed this and leaned back. "You know," he began, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I saw the way you danced a few minutes ago. Mind if we get a room and you can show me privately? I'd love to see it up close." he touched her la
083.KING'S MANSION The family was seated in the dining room, having a nice relaxing dinner. Kevin looked at Axel, who seemed to be in a good mood. It's been a while he saw Axel actually eat enough food like he did.His gaze darted to Larissa and Maverick. They were also in good moods. Were these kids hiding something from him? Besides, he saw the scandal with Amber. They couldn't be smiling at a time like this, right?Knowing Axel, he would have thrown a tantrum and dealt with whoever did it. But here the young man was, eating like he was celebrating.When he couldn't take it anymore, he dropped the fork and knife he was holding, making a clanging sound on the plate that drew the trio's attention. They all turned to look at him."You three, what's going on?" he asked, his gaze narrowed at them.The three of them exchanged confused glances, having no idea what Kevin was talking about. "Uncle, what are you talking about?" Larissa was the first to ask.Kevin scoffed. "Are you trying to
082.“No! There's no way I'm letting you do that. What if it backfires? Promiscuous men like him can do anything to women.” Amber declined after Larissa told her about the plan. “C'mon, Amber,”“No, Larissa,” she sighed. “You are an idol. You have fans all over the world. Do you have any idea what this would cost you if it backfires? No way am I letting you go to that club and be the bait.” Larissa chuckled and took a seat beside Amber. “I like the fact that you underestimate me, Amber,” she smirked. “Look, I know how the club works. And I know what makes stupid bastards like that idiot tick. Do you think I'd go there with no backup? Trust me. It will only be just to lure him into the trap.”Amber sighed. “I don't know, Larissa.”“Amber listen, I'm sick and tired of seeing mean comments against you. Many jealous reporters are using this opportunity to ruin you the more. They might have been quiet because they saw nothing to use against you, but now, they are trying to ruin your rep
081.Amber pulled away from the kiss and cupped Axel's cheeks, her eyes shining with love for him. Axel raised a brow at her. “What was that about?” he asked amidst chuckles.Amber batted her lashes at him. “Don't you like it?” she asked, her voice small.Axel’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, then a grin spread across his face. “Well, now.” he drew Amber closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I do like it. But I can’t say I’m not a little bit surprised.” his voice was low and gravelly, making Amber’s heart flip-flop in her chest.Amber blushed, but she couldn’t look away from his intense gaze. “I had to do something to thank you,” she whispered. “For everything.”Axel’s eyes softened as he stared at her. “Amber, you don’t have to thank me for anything. I’ll always be here for you. No matter what.” He pressed his forehead against hers, their lips inches apart. “And I want you to know, I love you too.”Amber’s heart skipped a beat. She wrapped her arms around him. They've been thro
080.“So, how long have you and Mr. A been together?” Larissa asked during their break.Amber was taken aback by the question. “What? He and I are not together.” she answered.Larissa chuckled. “Seriously? Are you telling me that you two feel nothing for each other, or he feels nothing for you?” she asked, handing a chocolate bar to Amber.“Aren't dancers supposed to eat healthy snacks?” Amber asked, her gaze on the chocolate as she tried to change the topic.Larissa raised an eyebrow. “First of all, this is dark chocolate, which is supposed to be good for you. Second of all, don't change the subject.” she pointed her finger at Amber. “Now, tell me. Are you and Axel just friends, or is there more to it?”Amber fidgeted with the wrapper of the chocolate, avoiding Larissa's gaze. “We…we're just friends,” she insisted, though her voice wasn't quite as convincing as she'd hoped.Larissa smirked. “Uh huh,” she leaned forward, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Okay, let me break this down f
079.Axel continued patting her on the back as she cried. Amber couldn't help the tears. She melted into his arms while he kissed her hair. “Hey, stop crying, okay?” he said and she nodded.Axel pulled away from the hug and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Look at me,” he said and Amber looked up at him with a tear stained face. Axel used his thumb to wipe her tears and smiled at her. “You're a strong woman, Cat eyes. You don't need to let them know they've gotten you. I know you were set up, your friends know that as well, and your loyal fans too.”Amber nodded. “I'm just so hurt and annoyed.”“I understand,” Axel said. “And I won't let that motherfucker get away with hurting you. He's just dug his own grave for hurting my woman.”Amber smiled, a blush crawling up her cheeks. “You still call me your woman in such playful tone while I'm really annoyed here?”Axel leaned forward and rolled strands of hair into his index finger. “Why not? At least I got a smile from you.” he said, hi
078.GLAM MAGAZINE Amber walked into the company the next day, but something felt different. The employees were murmuring and talking in hush voices as she walked by. Her brows creased. What was going on? She was still in a sour mood from what happened yesterday, what was going on today?She walked into her department and Laura walked to her. “Oh, what a slut you are. I should have known that you got all your fame because you sleep with me that are old enough to birth you.”Amber frowned. “What the heck are you yammering on about?” she asked.Laura snickered. “You're a journalist. The news should be something you check every damn fucking day. I always knew you were pompous, now you've gone outside to show the world just how terrible you are.” Amber shook her head and walked to her desk. She knew bantering with Laura won't yield any results. The girl will only end up getting her to lose her temper, and she didn't want that.She brought her phone out and switched her data on. Her eyes