CHAPTER FOUR
In the same fateful night, Jessica DiLaurentis left the house, she once called home. While Jason was relieved to not have his mother on his back all the time, tears did leave Amber's eyes in her department. Once the car was out of their sight, Jason went back inside. Amber's hand moved slowly down, after waving her mother goodbye. It was weird, to know that she will not go home, as she thought, she would be. In slow-motion, Amber took a few steps back into her new old home. Her eyes fell on the door, causing a memory to fly into her mind.
With headphones in her ears, Amber walked down the street towards her home. It was usual for her to be the last one, to get home. Her sister was not the only person, who was out for her blood and it took a while, for them to get bored. Her breath stuck as she saw her sister sitting on the porch with her friends; Emily, Hannah, Aria, and Spencer. Amber slowed down, but she could not prevent the stares. Alison's lips moved into a sicking sweet smile. It got harder and harder to breath, but she knew that she had to move. Once she would close her door, she knew she was safe from Alison for the evening. Alison moved towards her friends and whispered something. A laugh left her mouth and her friends laughed along. It was clear that Aria did feel uncomfortable since her brother was friends with Amber. If her parents would found out, about what she and her friends had done to Amber, they would go mad.
The only thing that Amber heard, was 'freak' and 'Amphibian-Amber'. The young teenager bit her upper lip so much, that it almost drew blood. As closer Alison and her gang were, as more nervous became the girl. Her hands were shaking and sweat covered them. Their eyes burned into her head as she kept her eyes down. When they still blocked her way, she looked up. Alison was still staring at her, with a devious smile while her friends looked between the sisters. "Could you maybe move?"
The girls moved, but before she could reach the last step, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She first thought that it was just to stop her from moving, but it came with a hard force. The next thing she knew, was that she was on the ground. There was a stinging pain in her left arm and in her back. Amber could hear the girls' gasps, while tears began to form in her eyes. Never did Alison became physically towards her. Amber did not know, how long she stared down at the ground. How long the pain made her cry. But when she looked back up, she saw that they were gone. The only thing they left behind was Amber, who had a sprained wrist and a bruise on her back. It was the last time, Amber saw all the girls together.
Amber moved her eyes from the spot, which she looked at for the last five minutes. Instantly, they moved to her hands. There was a flash of pain, reminding her why she took those pills. She moved her fingertips over the pressure marks on her skin. "Are you okay?" Jason's sleepy voice asked. Amber looked up and nodded. "Just tired," She lied, moving past him without waiting for an answer. Tomorrow would be a long day, so there was a lot of sleep to catch.
After sleeping in, going to grocery store and gaining some weird stares, she walked back home. There were some movements behind the house, which gained her attention. Amber placed the bags on the porch and walked towards the noises. It was Toby, working in the Hastings area. "Hey, stranger." Toby slightly jumped and dropped the branches from his hands. "You scared me." He said walking over to the younger girl. "Well, it is not my fault that you are that loud." She joked and they both laughed. "I did not see you since the fashion show," Toby said, " How are you?" Amber folded her hands in the front of her. "You are the first one, who is not asking 'How is your mother?'" She laughed softly, causing Toby to smile.
"Your mother is not here and she is not my friend." Amber was about to speak up when she heard footsteps coming closer. "I should go. Peter Hastings would not be happy with me being here." She told him, in a much quieter tone. Toby nodded and gave her a small wave. Amber almost reached her porch, as Jason arrived. "Hey, where did you sneak off?" He asked and took one of the bags from the porch. "Just around the corner. Don't worry, Jason. If you worry that much, you can chip me." She joked, carrying a bag into the house.
Jason closed the door with his foot and followed his sister into the kitchen. They set the bags on the table and put the things either in the fridge or in the upper cupboards. "Ella Montgomery invited us for dinner tonight," He informed his sister, who raised an eyebrow. "Didn't know you were friends with the Montgomery's?" Jason walked over to her and helped to put something on the upper shelf since she was not tall enough. "We talked after I offered my help at the school for people, who are taking drugs," Jason told, causing her facial expression to soften. Amber put a hand on his arm, "I am proud of you, Jason." They held eye contact, before separating for the afternoon.