Chapter 10

Vern's mom came out with the turkey and everyone was beaming. It looked and smelled incredible; it was like a mini Thanksgiving. Mr. Tessio arrived at the table as if on cue. I watched as he kissed his wife's cheek and she giggled like a young girl. My heart warmed at the sight of Vern's parents still madly in love with each other. They were the perfect match: cute, plump, and full of respect and joy. Mr. Tessio smiled at us five and began cutting the turkey.

"Alright kids, dig in!" Mrs. Tessio exclaimed after the bird was all separated. We all reached for the delicious dinner and piled our plates.

"Vern, holy shit. Your mom is like a God!" I admitted as we walked out of the house. It had to be one of the best meals I've ever eaten in my life. We all rubbed our stomachs and they nodded in agreement.

"Hey, let's go for a walk in the woods," Teddy suggested after we were all complaining about how bored we all were.

"But Teddy, it's gonna be dark soon..What if, something's, in there." Vern put out with fear on his face. Chris, Gordie, and I all rolled our eyes and Teddy replied, "Too bad. There's nothing else to do!"

"Yeah, c'mon Vern-o! It'll be fun. And don't worry," I reassured him with an arm around his shoulders. "If there's anything in the woods, they'll eat me first, they always go for the girls first."

"If that's true, maybe Vern should stay out.." Gordie joked.

"Go screw," Vern fought back as we all entered the wooded area, smirking. It was quiet and bugs hissed from different directions all around us. The setting sun was a salmon pink behind the trees and was darkening quickly.

"So, where did you hear that monsters always eat the girls first?" Teddy asked, slowing his pace to walk next to me.

"Come on, in every horror movie, the chicks are always the first to go," I explained simply.

"Yeah, except if the chick is fuckin' bad ass and kills everything in sight!" He loudly exclaimed. I nodded and laughed in agreement. He elbowed me and said, "Sorta like you."

"I'm bad ass?"

"Yeah! You're just like one of us guys; you're like the coolest chick ever." I smiled and he playfully shoved me. I shoved him back a bit harder.

"Got you last," I smirked, insisting for a game of "I-touched-you-last". He lowered his eyes and we got into the game, hitting each other and running away like little sissy girls screaming, "I got you last!" and replying with "No, I got you last!" I ran far ahead of him after skinning my fingers along his neck. That counted as touching him last. I raced in front of Chris, Gordie, and Vern and looked back to see if Teddy was getting any closer. But then, my foot snagged on a tree root and down I went, tumbling down the hill through all sorts of plants with dirt filling my eyes and mouth as I screamed.

*Third person POV*

The boys all hurried over to where Amber had fallen, shrieking her name with small hints of laughter. They sprinted down the hill to her and finally saw her sitting on her butt in a large pond, similar to the one they all got leeches in.

"Amber, are you okay?" Chris asked, reaching her first but not quite stepping in the water.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But my ass is completely soaked." She answered flatly. Teddy and Gordie appeared next to Chris and then Vern behind them, peeking his head through them to see Amber. "Oh, and Teddy? I did get you last.." She added, smugly. He inched towards her, half-smiling and nervously entering the water, watching every step he took cautiously. He reached an arm out for her.

"C'mon," He urged, holding out his hand. She looked at it for a second before grabbing onto it with a strong grip, pulling him closer to her face.

"Wait!" He yelled. "Before you pull me in, time out! Do you have any leeches on you?" She looked down into the water and then back at Teddy, then let go of him to inspect her legs and in her underwear. She shook her head and grabbed his arm once more. Teddy glanced back at his friends and smiled. He then looked back to Amber's face and said, "Time in," Then, Teddy instantly got a face full of pond water. Everyone followed and they were finally wrestling in the pond, like they all had once before. They were soon completely drenched from head to toe. Amber came out of the water, ready to jump atop of Gordie when Chris noticed something a dark shade of purple on Amber's face.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Chris called out and stood, walking towards her. "Amber, what's on your face?" Amber was confused at first and questioned, "What you talkin' about Chris?" Then, Teddy and Vern looked closely at her.

"Chris is right. Amber, you have, like, bruises…" Teddy added, putting on his glasses. Amber's heart sped up but she remained silent.

"What is it? Amber?" Chris urged, walking closer to her.

"Nothing," She mumbled quietly and snapped her body to the side. Chris quickly moved over to her, pulling her to face them.

"The hell it's nothing!" Chris continued. Teddy came by Chris, along with Gordie and Vern.

"Amber, you can tell us," Chris said.

"There's nothing to tell!" She snapped back.

"Amber, just tell us! Please!"

"How am I supposed to tell somebody that my dad hits me every night? Or that he stole my virginity at eight years old! How Chris? Tell me that!" Amber screamed with tears running down her cheeks. Everyone grew completely silent, even the bugs all stopped hissing for a few seconds, not knowing what to do or say. She dropped to the ground, splashing water everywhere and sat down with her legs pulled close to her chest and her head in her knees, holding herself tightly. Teddy slowly made his way over to the weeping girl, sat down beside her in the murky water, and held her.

"Amber, you don't deserve that. He's just some asshole that doesn't even know how great of a daughter he has." Chris whispered after sitting down on the other side of Amber. Gordie and Vern sat down in front of her silently.

"But you don't understand! He doesn't mean to do the things he does! He really loves me..really, he does!" She pleaded, looking up towards Chris and then dropped her head back down, letting the sobs all come out. Teddy squeezed her tighter and looked down. He understood what she meant. His father hadn't meant to burn his ear…he was a good man that Teddy loved and he loved Teddy. Amber quickly looked back up through her tears, at Teddy after the tightening grip and Teddy was now looking back at her. Her lip quivered and their faces were inches apart. Even more tears poured out and she put her head back down. Chris laid a soft hand on the back of her neck and she flinched. Chris looked at her and whispered, "I could never hurt you. I know the feeling of getting hit by someone that is supposed to protect you, all too well." Teddy removed his arm and let Chris comfort her. Teddy had already had his silent conversation with Amber. Chris wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him. She leant her head against his cheek and wept.

"How could somebody hit someone so, perfect and beautiful?" Vern questioned quietly. Everyone looked over and shrugged, except Gordie who said, "There are just some evil people in this world Vern." Vern nodded defeated. Amber wanted to stop crying but she couldn't find the power to. Chris held her tighter every time she sobbed harder.

"I'm so sorry," She suddenly cried. Everybody looked at her in shock. Chris looked down at her and made her look up at his him.

"Why are you sorry?" He asked.

"'Cause I'm bein' a girl, cryin' like a baby! It's all my fault my dad does this to me.." Amber choked out and began crying harder. Chris shook his head, smiling.

"No, Amber, no…" He replied, pulling her back into a hug. "Your father beating you is not your fault. And crying about it does not make you anything except normal. We all love you and would never want you to be upset, but right now, you just need a couple of friends, and that's what we're here for..you." Chris concluded. Amber looked up at Vern, Gordie, and Teddy who all nodded with smiles.

"We all do love you Amber, sincerely." Vern added.

"And we are always gonna be here for you." Gordie admitted.

"Yeah, no matter what happens or how crazy one of us gets, we will always be there for anything you need from us." Teddy said, honestly. Amber scanned all their faces through her tears.

"Pinky promise?" She quietly asked, half-smiling. They all looked at each other, smiles appearing on all their faces, one by one. Teddy finally looked back to Amber and held up his pinky.

"I pinky promise." He promised. All five interlocked pinkies and Amber felt like it was something more than a pinky promise. Like, they all were telling the truth that day. That, they always would be friends no matter where each traveled or how each one changed. Pinky promises were just a childish thing but somehow, it made Amber feel better, knowing that they were all willing to pinky promise to keep their friendship alive and thriving no matter what happened. And sitting there in that pond, they all felt their friendship with Amber grow stronger than ever. They would be able to tell each other anything and that's what true friendship really is.