Never Before | ✓

Chapter eleven

Chapter eleven

It is eight p.m. right now and I am at Ellie's place. She is really struggling with calculus so, I decided to teach her for another two hours. I cancelled the plan about searching where Caleb went because I have no clue about the haunted house that Henry was speaking of.

I tried to contact Caleb and even texted him, but he didn't bother to reply, in fact, he left me on seen. I wonder why he got so pissed when I asked about the haunted house. I thought I could apologise in the last lecture, but he didn't show up.

"Down to earth, Amber!" Ellie yells and I snap back to reality. She looks at me with suspicion but doesn't ask what I am thinking about.

"I'm sorry. What are you saying?" I ask with guilt laced in my voice. I need to stop zoning out so much that the world around just blacks out.

"Let's take a break for fifteen minutes," she suggests and I nod. Should I tell her about Caleb? They've known each other for a long time and I even remember Ellie telling me that Caleb is like her own brother.

"I need to tell you something." I look at her and she nods me to continue. She pushes the books aside and sits cross-legged on the bed where we were studying.

I explain what happened to her at the beach last night. She nods and widens her eyes. Frantically, she grabs her phone and dials a number. The person she calls doesn't attend her call.

"Ugh, shit. Henry can ask for anything! Even his life!" She tells me and I give her a jaw-dropping expression.

"What? Why? Henry won't ask for Caleb's life and even if he would have, Caleb won't sacrifice his life for me!" I explain. She continuously brushes a hand through her hair.

"For fuck's sake, Amber, you have no idea how much you mean to him," She says in a rather low voice.

Did I just hear her correct?

"Why?" I ask, completely taken aback by her statement. Why do I mean to him so much that he would give up his life or anything that Henry would tell him to?

"I don't know. He was so upset and uncomfortable when you were at the hospital and you guys weren't talking because he got pissed off on you for his own reasons." She scoots closer to me and holds my shoulders with both of her hands.

"Trust me, Amber, Caleb is so happy nowadays, he talks to us and you. I have never seen him smile to any girl as much as he smiles when you're not looking at him."

"Why does he do that? He has no clue about me. I have no clue about him."

"I don't know. Amber, I think he likes you. I mean, you should see the way he looks at you. I thought you'd be the one to ask him first but, you are so oblivious. So zoned out."

"I can't, Ellie. I am too terrified that people won't accept me for who I am," I concede. I am too terrified that people won't accept me after knowing my past, my secret.

Before she could open her mouth to say anything, the door barges open, and Selena walks in with a huge smile plastered on her face.

"What are my best friends doing?" She asks. I smile at her and Ellie tells her that I was just teaching her. Ellie advises me to keep Selena out of this matter because she doesn't know the boys either.

"I was wondering if we could binge watch The Vampire Diaries as I brought some caramel and butter popcorn," she suggests whilst raising her eyebrow. Ellie nods enthusiastically.

A few hours later, we are on Ellie's bed watching Elena find out about Stefan being a vampire. Teddy is on my lap and he barks as soon as Stefan admits that he is a vampire.

I end up sleeping at Ellie's and texting my dad about it. I should've gone home but he suggested me to stay over since it was too late. Ellie, Selena, and I talked about other random stuff that didn't include my past or the boys. In fact, we talked about other hot and popular guys in school, the way I kicked Cherry's ass, and even how self-absorbed bitch she is. Selena thinks that Cherry is a mixture of Katherine Pierce and Cheryl Blossom. I have no opinion on that.

°•°•°

Next day, we get up late as Ellie forgot to set an alarm so, we directly went to school from her home. I borrowed her clothes which is a black dress since my curves don't fit in her skinny jeans.

Fortunately, we make to school on time. My eyes search for Caleb, but he is nowhere to be found. I see Charles enter the room so, I call him to sit beside me.

"Where is Caleb?" I ask him in a concerned tone. He scratches the back of his neck and doesn't say anything for more than two minutes.

"He..umm.. he caught a common cold so, he didn't come. You don't have to worry about him. He'll be fine," he lies.

"You are a terrible liar, Charles. Tell me the truth, where is he?" Charles huffs and scolds himself.

"He told me not to tell you that Henry ruined his face," he confesses and I slump my shoulders. "Henry did, what?"

"You heard me," Charles tells and the realization hits me hard. Henry asked Caleb to beat him. Ugh, fuck.

"I am going to meet him!" I say and hurry out of the school with Charles' car keys. He did try to stop me but, I didn't listen to him. I regret not having my own car but, I have no choice. I have to borrow from people.

A few minutes later, I ring his doorbell and Laura opens the door. Her worried expressions turn to a happy one.

"Hi, Amber. What are you doing here?" She asks.

"Hey, Laura. Is Caleb home?" I ask her. She nods hesitantly and I walk inside without any shame as if is it my own house. I barge into Caleb's room and I look at him with terror in my eyes.

"What the fuck," I mutter to myself. He is sleeping on his bed with gauze wrapped around his stomach and arms. His face is badly bruised. I slowly close the door and walk to him. His chest heaves and falls down at regular intervals. How could he manage to look so gorgeous even if being so badly bruised?

I gently brush a hand in his soft hair as I sit beside him. He quickly opens his eyes.

"Amber..." he says in most soothing voice ever. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

(What do y'all think?)