Amber's pov:

"Oh no." Damien says frustratedly, holding his head in his hands.

"What's wrong?"

"I forgot I had a test next period!" He whines, looking at me with puppy eyes before dropping his head on the table.

I couldn't help but laugh as I lightly pat his head, "Hey don't stress about it, you are like... the best in the class so I'm sure you will do great." I reassure him.

"Yeah but-..."

"Hey Damien!" My conversation with Damien was suddenly interrupted by Annabelle tapping on Damien's shoulder, causing him to lift his head up from the table and look over at her with a curious gaze.

She points down towards her phone, causing Damien to direct his attention to it also. He begins to read something silently, making sure to read over each word carefully.

Curious to what was on the phone screen, I lean my head backwards a tiny bit to try and steal a glance, but it was no use because as soon as Annabelle saw my...

Awful attempt...

She blocked my view with her hand.

Not going to lie, it definitely startled me since she put it up so close to my face that I thought her intention was to smack me...

I'm glad that wasn't the case...

But right after that, I couldn't help but feel a little bit hurt by the small action.

I mean... I guess trying to sneak a glance was kinda rude and maybe I did actually deserve that gesture to be given to me...

But still, I can't say that it didn't hurt.

Understanding the message, I move my face away from her hand, causing her to drop her hand and look at me, with a look that I couldn't quite distinguish.

If I had to guess, it would be something between a 'Who the heck are you' and a 'Go away.'

We continued making eye contact since I expected her to say something, but she didn't, and instead she kept staring at me with the same look.

This goes on for a few more seconds before I look away, feeling uncomfortable with the look that she was giving me.

Taking a deep breath, I sit back in my seat like how I was before, but this time with a small pout on my lips.

Maybe I'm just overreacting and she actually wasn't trying to come off mean...

And the look she was giving wasn't full of... I'll

just leave it at dislike.

She just didn't want me to see whatever was on her phone screen and quickly reacted like that without thinking.

But what could have been on her phone that she didn't want me to see so badly?

And what does it have to do with Damien since they would have had to have just met since he didn't know her on Friday.

I also think it was quite weird the way she was brought to our table.

Oh wow...

It's so weird to say "our."

It's going to take a while to get used to that...

But back to what I was saying, when Damien brought Liam and I to the table, I feel like Julie and everyone else were already aware of us being invited because they didn't seem surprised when we were introduced and they were very welcoming from the start.

But at the beginning of lunch today, when Annabelle was introduced, I couldn't help but feel uneasy.

I wonder why Damien invited her in the first place...

NOT that I am upset about it or anything... I like meeting new people! Even though I'm incredibly bad at it, once in awhile it's nice to make a new friend.

I just find it weird because before Liam and I, the last people that were invited into the friend group were Ella and Ally.

Which I'm pretty sure happened over the summer because the first day of school they were apart of the group.

But having Liam and I joining out of nowhere and then not that much later having another person join, it definitely made things questionable.

Deciding that I didn't want to think about it anymore, I look up at everyone else to see them all making conversation, forgetting the awkward silence that took place earlier in the lunch.

My eyes then drift off to Liam, who was strangely already looking back at me. But to my surprise, he kinda looked...

Angry?

Which was weird because Liam and angry don't even belong in the same sentence together.

He tilts his heads toward Annabelle before mouthing a "what was that?"

It took me a couple seconds to process what he was saying before my mouth shaped into an "oh."

"I don't know" I mouth back, giving him an honest response.

But this doesn't seem to sit right with Liam because he turns back to the pair with a frown evident on his face.

I don't know what is going through that head of his, but I feel like I have some sort of idea.

Liam has always been a little... over protective when it comes to people hurting me.

Well, I wouldn't necessarily say 'hurting me,' I don't have some sad bullying story or history with people particularly disliking me for a certain reason...

But I guess it's more like when people take advantage of me, since I find it hard to say no and it's hard for me to find out people's true intentions.

For instance, there were a few times in the past when my classmates would ask me for help on the homework assignment. I believed that they just had a general question on a problem so I would help them, but their true intentions were to get all of the answers out of me without putting in any effort at all.

Since Liam was more aware of things like this, he would quickly but in and call them out for it before pulling me aside and scolding me for being so reckless.

But I get it, he just cares and doesn't want to see me getting screwed over in the end, it's what friends do.

They know what's best for you, especially when you don't.

I assume Liam saw the way that Annabelle put her hand in front of my face to block my view...

Which strangely doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would...

I think I was more intimated by the look that she gave me afterwards.

But I could almost SEE the storm brewing in Liam's eyes, confirming my suspicion that he saw the whole thing go down without me even knowing.

Which scares me because he is one to quickly but in if something he doesn't like is happening, so the fact that I am only realizing now, it makes me feel like I just discovered a ticking time bomb...

Otherwise known as Liam.

"Liam." I whisper, causing him to pull away from his glare at Annabelle and back at me.

"I don't like her." Liam mouths, pointing at her without even trying to hide it.

"You don't even know her." I mouth back.

I honestly don't know why I am defending her when even I feel unsure about her. I guess mouthing that to Liam is a way to try and convince myself also.

I would feel really bad if all this was just a misunderstanding and she is actually a really nice person.

Plus, it was Damien who invited her to the table, and I trust his judgment.

"Still..." Liam mouths, crossing his arms over his chest.

I turn back towards my forgotten food, and start to eat again, glancing at Damien to see when he would be done looking at her phone so we could talk again just like before...

But that never happened.

For the rest of lunch, which was really only ten minutes, Damien and Annabelle talked about whatever was on her phone in secret, not engaging in the conversation that everyone else at the table was having.

I tried not to think much about it, focusing on the main conversation at hand, but it didn't take long to notice everyone else slowly sending strange looks at the pair.

Well more at Annabelle, I think they were confused as to why Damien wasn't talking to anyone else or engaging in the conversation that everyone else was having.

And the first few minutes after that, it wasn't hard to tell that they were clearly bothered by it. Although some tried to hide it like Julie, Ella, and Ally...

It was the others like Gianna, Luke, and Liam that made it a little more noticeable.

At one point I was sure Gianna was about to say something to the two, but I think Julie noticed Gianna's scowl quite quickly and stopped her before she had the chance to do so.

When the lunch bell went off, we all packed our bags and got ready to head to our next class, saying bye to each other before heading our separate ways.

I follow Liam out, wanting to walk with him since his class is on the way to mine, but a hand on my wrist stops me from walking.

"I'll walk you to class." Damien smiles at me while slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

I look back at Liam, who already had a small smirk on his face.

"Just make sure to hold her hand so she doesn't get lost on the way." Liam says quickly before rushing away before I had the chance to smack him in the arm.

I feel my cheeks turn red as I turn back towards Damien, "You can ignore that, he was just joking-..." But before I could finish, Damien interlocks my hand in his and pulls me with him down the hallway.

"I don't mind." Damien says shyly, looking down at our interlocked hands.

"Are you sure? People might think we are... uhm... you know..."

"Dating?" He asks, causing me to nod my head nervously.

"Y-yeah..."

But to my surprise, he shrugs his shoulders, "They can think what they what, I don't really care."

"But-... really? Are you really sure?"

"I promise, I'm sure. I'm used to rumors anyways, another one isn't going to hurt me."

"Right... I forgot that before Julie, when it was just you guys, you boys were like the top of the food chain." I laugh as a small blush forms on Damien's cheeks.

"I-I wouldn't say that. We were just... well known?"

"Are you kidding?! You guys were like... praised! Five single, attractive guys, all rumored to have never had a relationship before-..."

"Which was true for almost all of us-..."

"Exactly! Which just supports my claim even more, so no wonder you are so used to rumors. But still, are you sure you want to start another one-..."

"Trust me, it's okay. And I think Liam was right, you can be a lost puppy at times."

My jaw drops playfully, "That's a little rich coming from you."

"Oh really?" He challenges, swinging our hands back and forth.

"Really! I think it should be me having to hold your hand-..."

"Lalala I can't hear you." Damien teases.

We continue to walk down the hallway as so, hands interlocked...

One hand belonging to a lost puppy and the other belonging to a bright red, tomato faced trash can.

...

He's the lost puppy.

But as we were walking, I couldn't help but think back to the incident at lunch.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

Damien looks at me, "Amber, you know you can just ask me anything you want." He laughs at my embarrassed expression.

"Oh y-yeah, I-... uh forgot."

He shakes his head, a grin on his lips before nudging me, "So what do you want to ask?"

"How long-... I-I mean when did you meet Annabelle? Is that why you were late to lunch?" I stutter, looking away from him while praying that my hand wasn't starting to get sweaty from my nervousness.

That would be disgusting and embarrassing.

"Oh, I met her today actually. She's in two of my classes and she was assigned to sit next to me in one of them. She just began talking to me and when I was heading to lunch, she asked if she could join me since she didn't want to sit by herself."

"Oh... gotcha. I was just curious since I think everyone was a little surprised from someone new suddenly joining the lunch table."

"Yeah... that was my fault. We have this rule where everyone has to agree for someone new to be allowed to be invited to our lunch table. It's just a way to avoid any drama within our group. But I forgot to ask so that's why I think everyone was a little surprised, but I don't think they minded." Damien says.

I had to keep myself from disagreeing with his words, knowing that it probably wasn't my place to say that I'm pretty sure everyone else did mind.

Although I think if one of them really minded they would let Damien know. But on the other hand, I can tell that they all have a soft spot for Damien, so I wouldn't be surprised if they kept it to themselves.

"Before I forget, you are staying after to school right? To watch me practice? I know I asked at lunch, but I just want to make sure."

"I wouldn't miss it, do you want to walk over together?"

"Yes." He smiles.

Today, practice was at our school, rather than the boxing arena that was ten minutes away.

My dad asked the principle to add in a practice room for boxing in the school last year so that the boys could get to practice easier without having to drive or find a ride over to the arena almost everyday for practice.

"And then afterwards we are still planning to hangout, right?"

I couldn't help but giggle at Damien's pleading eyes as I nod my head, hearing a small "yes!" from him afterwards.

Not that long after, we went are separate ways to our classes, promising to see each other after our last class.