Dedicated to FabinaxJara-SiBuNa for winning my contest!
"Nina? Fabian? Eddie?" Amber Millington said to her three best friends the night before high school started.
"Yeah Ambs?" Nina Martin asked, turning toward Amber. They were lying under the stars in Fabian's London backyard together. Amber knew Nina was in love with Fabian Rutter and was constantly trying to make 'Fabina' happen.
"Promise that we won't let high school change us. And we won't grow apart." Amber said.
Fabian scoffed, "Are you crazy Ambs? We're always going to be best friends."
"How do you know?" Amber asked, sitting up.
"Because we've been friends forever." Eddie told her.
"Yeah, nothing could ever split us up." Nina assured her.
She lied.
First Day of High School
"Okay girls!" Ms. Robinson shouted at Cheerleading try outs, "Show me what you've got!"
Amber was ready. She had nailed this routine over the summer. And she did it. She made the squad.
"So, how'd cheerleading go Ambs?" Nina asked as the four sat at a lunch table.
"Good." Amber said, "I made it."
"No way!" Nina squealed.
"God help us." Eddie muttered to Fabian. "They've started squealing already."
"We're in trouble." Fabian agreed.
"Hey Amber!" someone shouted.
"Oh, hey Joy." Amber smiled.
Joy Mercer was head cheerleader.
"Why are you sitting with these losers?" Joy scoffed. She pointed toward Nina, "I saw her signing up to write plays," to Eddie, "Him skateboarding all over the place," and finally at Fabian, "And just look at him. He's got a pile of books next to him. There's a spot open for you at our table."
Nina, Eddie, and Fabian eyed Amber. They knew she would tell this Joy bitch off.
But she didn't. Instead, she got up simply mouthing 'sorry' to them as she walked away.
Nina ran off crying.
First day of Sophomore Year
Amber Millington. Everyone knew the name. She became head cheerleader when Joy graduated and she ruled the school. People parted the hall when she walked down and they practically bowed to her.
All except three.
Nina Martin, play writing scholarship geek. Fabian Rutter, book/word nerd. Eddie Miller, fatherless outcast. Her old best friends.
Amber walked into her first period. History. She saw the three of them in the back of the room, laughing. Her mind flashed backward to a time when they we're only 11…
"You can't catch me!" Eddie yelled, running from Nina who Fabian had just tagged 'it'.
"Yes I can!" the small girl argued, catching up to the tall dirty blonde boy and tapping his shoulder.
"Tag! Your it!"
Amber laughed as she began sprinting as far away from Eddie as she could.
"Amber!" he shouted, "I see you laughing! I'm coming for you!"
Amber knew she couldn't out run Eddie and didn't want to be 'it' so she grabbed her spray gun and sprayed Eddie away.
"Amber!" Eddie yelled, running into Fabian. "Okay, I guess you're it now."
Fabian ran toward Amber, who then sprayed Fabian, who eventually gave up.
"Game over." Amber stated with a smile, dropping the spray gun.
Nina was laughing hysterically at the scene, "F-Fabian! Y-You're all w-wet!"
Fabian picked up the spray gun and sprayed Nina, yelling, "Who's laughing now?"
"Me!" Amber laughed, raising her hand.
"Okay, Princess Millington." Eddie said, grabbing the spray gun from Fabian and spraying her, "Now I'm laughing."
"I think we altered the rules of tag." Nina giggled.
"Yeah." Fabian laughed.
The laughs of the four eleven year olds still echoed in Amber's mind as she stared around the classroom. None of her friends we're in that class. There was only one seat remaining. It was next to Nina, behind Eddie, and diagonal from Fabian.
Amber dragged herself over to the seat and when she did, they're laughing stopped. They stared at her one with a confused expression, one with a dirty look, and another with a very very sad face.
Nina couldn't even look at Amber.
Fabian couldn't stop staring at her.
Eddie looked like he wanted to punch her.
"Why the hell are you sitting near us?" he asked her.
Amber looked up and him, ready to give her one of her sassy comebacks but all she said was, "It's the only seat."
Nina still refused to look at her, simply tapping Fabian on the shoulder and whispering something to him.
Of course, that reminded Amber of something else.
"Sharing secrets are we?" Fabian asked, coming onto Amber's front porch. Amber had been whispering something to Nina when he walked in, Eddie following close behind.
"It's girl talk." Amber stated, "You giant geek!"
Amber was referring to his height and geeky-ness.
"Well, I'm a girl!" Eddie smiled in a high voice.
Nina laughed at his joke, but Amber put her hands on her hips and smiled, "You're a girl? Fine."
She walked into her house and back out carrying a box of something.
"Give me your hand." Amber told the 13 year old boy.
"Why?"
"Just do it."
Eddie reluctantly stuck out his hand.
"No close your eyes."
"What?"
"EDDIE!"
Eddie closed his eyes and when he opened them ten minutes later, Amber hand painted his nails pink.
"Amber!" he shrieked, "Because you did that you have to tell us what you were saying."
Amber looked toward Nina, who looked toward Fabian, blushed, looked back at Amber, and shook her head.
"No, I'd never tell Nina's secret."
"Sharing secrets are we?" Amber said to Fabian and Nina.
Nina looked at her with wide eyes and shook her head.
"I know most of your secrets already." Amber said, moving her eyes quickly toward Fabian then back to Nina, "Might as well tell me. You won't want me to tell your other ones."
"Amber!" Fabian yelled, "That's enough."
"Okay class!" Mr. Winkler said, starting class, "You all already know me and we are just going to pick right of where we left off in History 1. So, first I'm going to assign you all a group for your first project."
Mr. Winkler recited the first few groups,"… group 4, Amber Millington, Nina Martin, Eddie Miller, and Fabian Rutter. Group 5 Patricia Williamson…"
Nina, Eddie, and Fabian exchanged a glance, then looked at Amber.
Great.
After school. Working on the project.
"No, Nina that's not your line." Fabian laughed when Nina said his line.
"Sorry, I'm a screw up." Nina giggled.
"We know." Eddie laughed.
Amber sat idly by watching her old best friends laughing like nothing ever changed.
And she hated them for it.
It was like she was showing her that they didn't need her. Like they were better off without her.
"You know," Amber said, "I'm part of this project too!"
"Oh, right." Nina stated, "I forgot you were here."
"Please," Amber scoffed, "You're only saying that."
"No, I mean it." Nina said, "I honestly forgot you were here. I just got so used to it being just the three of us. You know, ever since you ditched us."
"You know I had to say it!" Amber shouted, "Joy made me!"
"Joy didn't make you do anything!" Nina yelled, "You could have defended us!"
"You could just admit that you're completely in love with-" Amber began but Nina stopped her.
"AMBER!" Nina shrieked, "Please. Don't." Nina looked at her feet, "I'm sorry."
"You should be." Amber stated.
Nina walked back over to Eddie and Fabian. Fabian was ready with open arms.
"Children!" Mrs. Rutter called from the doorway, "How's everything out-"
Mrs. Rutter saw Nina practically crying into her son's shoulder, Eddie almost growling at Amber, and Amber who was standing with her arms crossed on her front lawn, "Amber. I haven't seen you in a while."
"Hello, Mrs. Rutter." Amber said sweetly.
"Nina, dear, are you alright?" Mrs. Rutter asked.
Nina nodded.
"Well, what's going on out here?"
"Nothing mum." Fabian said, rubbing Nina's back.
"Yeah. Nothing at all." Eddie growled, "Right Princess Millington?"
"Yeah." Amber said, "Whatever. I have to go, I have cheer practice."
And with that, Amber was gone.
Lunch. The next day.
"I can't believe her." Nina said.
"Nina." Eddie stated, "We get it. It's all you've said since she left yesterday."
"She's just such a bitch." Nina growled.
"And that." Fabian laughed.
"Aren't you guys mad?" Nina asked, "We used to be best friends! And now she treats us like dirt!"
"Nina, I know you guys were really close." Eddie began, "Especially before you met Fabian and me."
Nina's mind flashed back to when she was only eight years old…
"Nina, do you want to play with dolls?" Amber asked in the playroom of their class.
"Sure." Nina muttered, "Hold on, I want that car." Nina said, walking over to the red toy car.
Nina reached for the car as someone else did. It was Eddie. A boy in her class.
"I was here first." Nina said, putting her hands on her hips.
"Girls aren't supposed to play with cars!" Eddie argued.
"I'm using it for my doll!"
"But it's not for dolls!"
"Eddie just let her have it." Another voice said.
Nina looked behind Eddie and saw Fabian. Another boy from her class.
"Thanks." She smiled.
"Eddie, she was all I had. We did everything together. She was my only friend." Nina's mind raced. Back to everything she did with Amber, Eddie, and Fabian. When they were a group.
Nina laughed as Fabian's arms wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to the ground.
"I got you." He whispered in her ear.
"Let go of me!" she shrieked.
"No!" Fabian shouted, tickling her sides.
Nina laughed, rolling over onto the grass, looking into Fabian's deep green eyes.
"Guys!" Amber shouted, "What are you doing?"
The summer before they started high school was when they were at their closest. And they're last summer as a group.
"Nothing!" Fabian yelled, helping Nina up from the ground.
"So, Nina do you want to go shopping later?" Amber asked.
"Sure." Nina smiled.
"Fabian, Eddie you're coming." Amber stated.
"Why?" they asked together.
"Eddie, you'll carry my bags. Fabian, the giant geek, Nina's." Amber told her.
"Seriously?" Eddie asked.
"Yup." Amber replied, smiling.
"Fabian, you got lucky. I don't use many bags." Nina smiled.
"Good." Fabian breathed.
"Eddie, I can't say the same." Amber said.
Eddie groaned.
Everyone exchanged a quick look and suddenly broke out in a laugh.
"Excuse me." A blonde boy said coming over to their table, "I'm Mick, I just transferred from Australia. Can I sit here?"
Nina smiled, "Yeah."
In Class
Nina looked at Amber across the room in English class. She rolled her eyes as Amber laughed at something one of the cheerleaders said. Whipping out her phone, she quickly set up a group message with Fabian and Eddie.
Nina: Do you see her?
Eddie: Mrs. Carson? She looks as boring and grey as usual :/
Fabian: I think she means Amber, idiot :P
Nina: Fabian, be nice
Eddie: YEAH FABIAN! Be nice to me ;)
Nina: Eddie…
Eddie: Sorry
Fabian: Anyway, what about Amber Nina?
Nina: She's just changed so much. The way she completely ignores us. Just everything she does!
Fabian: Relax, Nina. Maybe she'll change.
Eddie: Not likely. Once a bitch always a bitch.
Fabian: But she wasn't a bitch before! Give her a little credit guys. She was our best friend once, remember?
Eddie: No :P
Nina: Yes. So maybe we could just forget about her. Leave her to do what she does and if she ever wants to come back…
Eddie: What? What Nina? We take her back and say 'oh we miss you so much!' NO! Why the hell would she want back anyway? She's got it made. She's little miss popular and the head cheerleader. Why would she want to hang out with us quote on quote 'losers'?
Fabian: He's kind of got a point.
Nina: Thanks for defending me on that Fabian!
Fabian: Nina, I didn't mean it in a way to disagree with you! I was just agreeing with Eddie… and not you… oh…
Nina: Yeah, Fabian, thanks for that!
Fabian: Nina, come on!
Fabian: Nina!
Fabian: Fine, Nina be that way. You're a bigger drama queen then Amber sometimes!
Eddie: Guys?
Eddie: Hello! STILL HERE!
Eddie: I feel stupid.
Eddie: And awkward.
Eddie: And kind of like I'm talking to myself.
Eddie: Which I am…
Eddie: I'll stop now
Summer before Junior Year
"Guys." Eddie complained at the movies, "I'm never in the middle. Can one of you switch with me?"
"NO." Fabian and Nina answered abruptly at the same time.
"You have to talk it out at some point you know." Eddie said, looking between them.
"No we don't." they said together.
"Yes, you do." Eddie said.
"Eddie! Stop it! Ple- AH!" Nina began, but jumped up when popcorn and soda spilled on her from behind.
Right behind her stood Amber and some other cheerleader, laughing at their prank.
"Nina…" Fabian sighed, reaching out to touch Nina's shoulder as she stood completely still. But she ran off before his hand hit her.
Fabian ran after her but Eddie stayed behind, crossing his arms at Amber.
"You're a real bitch now aren't you?" he said calmly, "You know that Nina and Fabian have been fighting because she tried to defend you? And I guess you just proved her wrong huh?"
"Relax, it was just a little prank." Amber laughed.
"Not to Nina." Eddie said, "You just poured soda and popcorn all over the girl who defended you. And the girl who was making fun of you, is your accomplice."
Amber knew exactly what he was talking about.
"Amber, you color weird." The girl said, "You're supposed to color the penguin black and white. Yours is pink!"
"But, I like pink." Nine year old Amber claimed.
"It's stupid." The girl laughed.
"Leave her alone!" Nina shouted, looking at the girls paper, "And least Amber colors in the lines."
"I doesn't matter!" Amber yelled, "We were young. She changed!"
"Just like you right." Eddie said as he walked off to find Fabian and Nina.
Meanwhile…
"Nina you in here?" Fabian yelled running into the bathroom.
"Fabian!" Nina shrieked, tears running down her face, "This is the girls' bathroom!"
"Yeah, I could care less." Fabian replied. "Are you alright?"
"I think I got most of the popcorn out of my hair," Nina said with a half-hearted laugh, "But, other than that… no not really."
"I'm so sorry Nina." Fabian said, "I was wrong. She's a heartless, bitch. Let's forget about her and that any of this every happened, yeah?"
Nina nodded, enveloping herself in Fabian's arms.
She remained there, until they were kicked out by some old lady who kept whacking Fabian with her purse.
Junior Year
Nina, Mick, Fabian, and Eddie grew throughout sophomore year and in the summer. Mick excelled in football, kicking the ball in the goal 95% of the time. But, when the jocks insulted Nina, Fabian, and Eddie, Mick defended them. Unlike Amber.
The four of them decided to go to the basketball game one Friday night. But, the half-time show was what stole the show.
After the cheerleaders did their cheer, Amber grabbed the microphone.
"Hey everyone, I'm Amber Millington!"
The crowd cheered, like she was some celebrity. Eddie held up the middle finger, Nina rolled her eyes, Fabian rubbed her arm, and Mick (who was informed of their history with Amber) shouted, "no one cares!"
"Now, I've known Nina Martin for a long time." Amber began, "We were always friends. But, recently we've grown apart. And I'm here to make amends. So, I'm going to tell the love of her life, how she feels about him. Right now."
"She wouldn't." Nina muttered.
"NINA MARTIN LOVES FABIAN RUTTER!" Amber shouted into the microphone.
"She would." Nina mumbled.
The crowd was laughing and pointing. Amber was smiling and laughing. Mick and Eddie were kept glancing from Nina to Fabian. Fabian's expression was unreadable.
"Nina." Fabian said, next to her. "Is that true?"
Nina couldn't look at him. She got up and ran off crying. She got to the hallway and leaned against a locker. She slid to the ground, pulling her knees to her chest and crying her heart out.
"Nina." Fabian said, at the beginning of the hallway, "Why didn't you say?"
"I'm sorry, okay!" Nina yelled, walking over to him, "I was in love with my best friend and I didn't know what to do! I thought it was best to just, save our friendship and forget about ever being with you and-"
The next thing Nina knew, Fabian had cupped her face in his hands and put his lips on hers. At first, Nina was surprised, but soon she melted into the kiss.
"I love you too, Nina." Fabian laughed when they separated.
Nina laughed with him, "I can't believe that you actually like me back."
"I always have," Fabian told her.
Nina smiled, enveloping him in a hug.
"Hey, Nina!" Mara Jaffray, a friend of hers, ran in holding her boyfriend Jerome Clarke's hand, "I was just checking you're okay?"
"I'm perfect," Nina smiled, as Fabian kissed her cheek.
"Oh." Mara smiled, "I could see that now."
"Guys!" Eddie yelled, Mick following him in, "Are you alright?"
"They're fine." Jerome said, "By looks of it, they were snogging. Since I doubt Fabian wears that pink lip stick. It's not his shade."
Fabian and Nina laughed, and Fabian wiped his lips on the back of his hand.
"Oh, you were making out?" Eddie teased, "I feel left out."
"Mara I-" Patricia Williamson ran in, then saw Eddie, "Hi."
"Hey." Eddie smiled.
Then, in walked the devil herself.
"Nina I-" she started.
"Amber, save it." Nina smiled, "Thanks. I got a boyfriend out of your little stunt. I hope you had fun."
Nina turned around walking back to Fabian, kissing him softly with a smile, grabbing his hand and walking out of the school with Mara, Jerome, Eddie, Mick, and Patricia following. Leaving Amber in the dust.
Summer before senior year
"Oww!" Amber shouted, falling off the top of the pyramid. Her left leg was shattered and her knee needed some serious surgery. And it left her unable to cheer. Ever again. She couldn't flip, couldn't do a split, she couldn't be the top of the pyramid. She couldn't rejoin the squad her senior year. It was it for her. No more walking the halls in a maroon and gold uniform. Even if she would be off her crutches by the time she got to school in September, she was unable to cheer.
Senior year
"How were your classes?" Nina asked Eddie, his girlfriend Patricia, her own boyfriend Fabian, Mick, Jerome's friend Alfie, and Mara and Jerome at lunch.
"Boring."
"Terrible."
"Scary."
"I hate bio."
"Fun."
"I love science 4!"
"I can live with it."
Nina laughed. Her group had definitely expanded.
"Ahhh!" a high pitched scream came from the center of the room. It was Amber. And the new head cheerleader had dumped milk on her head. Every new about Amber's accident, but this was her pink slip from the 'cool' group. She ran out of the cafeteria and toward the bathroom, crying.
Nina bit her lip, looking at everyone at the table. She looked at Fabian last, who nodded.
"Nina, no!" Eddie shouted standing up, "You are not going to give her sympathy!"
"Eddie, she was out best friend once." Nina told him standing up, "And she made some mistakes and yeah, she screwed us over but everyone deserves a second chance."
Nina got up from the table and ran toward the girls' room. She found Amber crying in the third stall.
"Amber?" Nina asked, knocking lightly on the door, "I know you're in there."
"Nina? Why are you here?" Amber cried, "You should hate me!" Amber sobbed harder.
"Amber, I could never hate you." Nina said, "Sure you were a bitch for about two and a half years but, hey people can change."
"What do you mean?" Amber asked, "I already changed! I became a biotch!"
"Amber, do you remember when you said that you and me where going shopping? You know, you told Fabian to carry my bags and Eddie to carry yours?"
"Yeah, what does that have to do with anything?"
"That's who you are." Nina said, "Demanding yes. But sweet. And kind hearted. You went through a bad phase and that Amber was gone, but I think you can bring her back if you try hard enough."
There was a moment of silence. Then Amber came out of the bathroom.
"Thank you Nina." Amber smiled, wiping her tears, "I'm so sorry for everything I did to you over the past few years. I was terrible."
"But that wasn't you." Nina said, "Come on. I have some clothes in my locker."
When they returned to the lunch table, everyone was staring.
"Fabian, Eddie you remember Amber right? She used to be our best friend. She was gone for a while, but she's back now." Nina smiled and glanced at Amber.
"Hey guys." She smiled.
"Good to have you back Amber." Fabian stood up, hugging Amber.
"I missed you, you giant geek." Amber smiled.
"I missed that nickname!" Fabian laughed, picking Amber's feet up off the ground.
"Eddie?" Amber muttered when Fabian set her down.
Eddie looked at the table and glanced at her with a smirk, "Glad you're back Princess Millington." Eddie jumped up, picking Amber up and shaking her around.
Nina laughed, sitting back down at the table, and holding Fabian's hand on top of it, "Amber, you know us, but this is Mick, Patricia, Mara, and Jerome."
"Nice to meet you." Amber smiled.
Mick smiled across the table at her and Amber blushed, looking at her feet.
"Guys," Amber said, "I'm really sorry about how awful I've been-"
"Amber." Eddie stopped her, "Save us the lecture. We forgive you."
Amber lightly smacked his shoulder with a laugh, "I missed you Eddie."
Half-way through senior year
"Oxford!" Mara shouted, "I got into Oxford!"
"Me too!" Jerome smiled.
"UCL." Patricia said to Eddie.
"UCL." He told her.
"UCL!" Amber squealed, holding up her letter for proof.
"UCL." Mick said, smiling at Amber.
"Oxford." Alfie said to Jerome, "I get to go with you and your girlfriend!"
"Oh crap."
"UCL." Fabian smiled at Nina.
"Boston University." Nina said.
"What?" Fabian gasped.
Nina's face broke into a wicked smile, "I'm kidding! University College London! I'm going to UCL too!"
"Don't you dare do that to me!" Fabian shouted.
"I thought you were about to cry, you giant geek." Amber laughed.
"I guess it's gonna be us forever." Eddie said, "You know plus, Patricia and Mick."
"I don't mind extras." Nina smiled.
"Me either!" Amber shouted, "Girls we're going shopping! Guys you're coming!"
"Why?"
"Jerome, carry Mara's bags, Eddie, Patricia's, giant geek, Nina's, and Mick, mine." Amber stated.
"What about me?" Alfie asked, mocking hurt.
"You get to help Mick. He has a lot of work to do." Amber told him.
Summer before college
"High school was eventful." Nina sighed, "I guess I'll miss it. A little. Not that much though."
"I only like some parts." Fabian smiled, looking at his girlfriend and kissing her quickly.
"I for one hated it!" Amber shouted.
"You only hated it because you were sucked into cliques." Eddie told her.
"But she got out of it." Mick said.
"Which is good because we got a friend." Patricia smiled.
"Come here, sexy." Eddie smirked at Patricia.
"Shut it." Patricia laughed.
"Be nice." Mara smiled.
"Oh leave them, it's funny!" Jerome laughed.
"You think everything is funny." Alfie told him.
"Hey Amber." Mick said, "I was, um, wondering if you wanted to see a movie? You know, you and me, popcorn, candy."
"Mick Campbell are you asking me on a date?" Amber asked.
"Well, if you don't want to I-"
"I'd love too." Amber smiled.
Mick, Patricia, Mara, Jerome, and Alfie headed for home soon, but Nina, Fabian, Eddie, and Amber hung back in Fabian's backyard, staring at the stars.
"I feel like nothing's changed." Eddie sighed.
"Yes it has." Fabian smiled, kissing Nina softly.
"Nina? Fabian? Eddie?" Amber said to her three best friends.
"Yeah Ambs?" Nina asked from her position in Fabian's arms.
"Promise we won't let college change us. And we won't grow apart." Amber said.
"Amber, I promise everything will always be just like this." Nina smiled.
And this time, she didn't lie.