"Amanda, none of this was your fault. It was that mans crooked brain and your fathers idiotic choice to be an alcoholic that hurt you. Please don't blame your self, you are the best person I will ever know."

"Amber, Eddie is my really father," I say in a near whisper, it surprises me that she heard what I said.

"Who is Eddie?" She asks with a puzzled expression.

"Eddie is the man who raped me once, all those years ago, attempted again, the day we went to the carnival, kidnapped me the other day, then cut me up, beat the shot out of me, then nearly raped me again, just before you came. He raped my mom, and got her pregnant. When they checked my DNA, and found out that I was his kid when I was just a baby. Amber, the man I grew up knowing as my dad, wasn't really my dad. There is no way that this isn't my fault!" By the time I get to the end, my face is soaked with tears, and Amber has an unreadable look on her face.

I lower myself onto the bed, and decide to wait until she finishes processing the news. A few minutes later, my crying has ended, and I have cleaned my tears off with a tissue from the bedside table. Amber seems to have come to a decision, and walks out the room. I contemplate going to find her, when she walks back in with a towel and a wash cloth in hand.

"Amanda, you will get in the shower, and I will grab all your stuff. Then we will go get you a phone, and do the shopping for school. Don't argue, you won't win it. The only thing that will happen is we will have less shopping time. Off to the bathroom you go."

Turning on the water of the shower, I can't help but to worry about what must have gone through Ambers mind. What does she think of me now? Will she abandon me? Will she kick me to the streets when I get out of here? Will I be all alone again? What if she does make me leave? I will never make it anywhere. All alone. All alone...

Turning the water off, I feel the tears start up in my eyes again. No. No, no more tears. You will accept what comes, Amanda. You will be strong.

So I step out of the shower, and head to Ambers room. I forgot to grab clothes before I got into the shower, so I wear only a towel. As I walk down the hall, Amber is getting up the stairs with a big box in her hands. "Follow me, Amanda," is the only thing she says. She leads me into the guest bedroom that is across the hall from her room, inside is more boxes, some plastic bags, and my suitcase. Even with how little stuff I have, I know that this is all mine. Some of the boxes and all the bags must be my mother's stuff.

Well, I think. She's not kicking you out. But why an I in this room? She sets the box down beside the bed. "Get dressed. There is one more box, so we can talk when I get back. Almost all your clothes are in your suitcase. See you in a minute," Amber says with a small smile.

When she is gone, I move the suitcase to my bed, and pull out a pair of jeans and a button down shirt, along with my underwear and socks. When Amber knocks on the door, I finish lacing my shoes, then go to let her in. The box she holds is small, and covered in Lilo and Stitch stickers. This one comes from the shelf that's at the top of my closet. "Our friendship box" I hear myself whisper.

"Amanda, what did we say when we made this keepsake?" She questions me. I think back, remembering all the laughs and jokes we used to share. All the pain and tears. I remember the reason we started the box.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Amanda, I know it hurts, but we can't hide things from each other. I know your dad drinks, and that he hurts you. I know the pain, trust me. It hurts you more mentally than physically. My parents are similar."

"They are?"

"Yes, they hate me. I know that they regret having me, but I live with it. You live with the pain your father gives you too. I can see it. But I also know that we need each other. This is a hard world, but I need my best friend by my side."

"We can do it, together."

"Yes, together. We can fight all the pain together."

"Amber, we have to promise to always be together. We can never leave the other in pain. We need to help each other. Always."

"Always. Promise."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Amanda, that promise we made all those years ago made our friendship strong. Neither of us would have made it very far if we didn't work together. I will always keep my promise. I spoke with my parents, and they are going to let you live here, for as long as I live here. They said that they don't want rent, nor do you have to pay for food or toilet paper. You don't need to pay anything like that. The only thing, is that you are not to steal from them, destroy any of their property, have any parties, commit illegal activities, nor get pregnant while you live under this roof." Amber finishes with a hopeful smile. As I think through all this, she shifts the box in her hands, and reaches into her back pocket. "My only condition, is that you add this key to our box when we move out."

"Amber, you told your parents?" She nods. "Everything?" She nods again. "I can live here, with all of you? And their okay with that? What happened?" I sit on the bed. My new bed.

"Well," Amber starts, sitting next to me. "I haven't wanted to bug you, especially if everything went back to normal around here, but these last few months my parents have changed. I think that they realized that I was going to be leaving them in a year, and saw how bad they have been to me. When I would be here at home, they made a visible effort to be better to me. I have been planning on telling you this past week, but everything has been hectic. So, when I told them about everything that has been happening to you, my parents remembered how you've held me together all these years, and figured that they should repay the favor, especially seeing what you have went through lately.

"They talked to me about you staying, and told me that this could be your room. My mom went to get this key made for you while my dad helped me bring your stuff up, not that its much. They want to be here for you. I know you don't like when you have to rely on people, but please just let this work. I need you to be safe, and my parents are here for you too."

I process what Amber has just said, and try to make a decision fast. "Thank you," is what I can push out before I pull Amber into a death hug.

About ten minutes later, and a lot of tears, Amber and I walk downstairs to see Martha and David, Ambers parents, making a big breakfast. "Good morning, mister and misses Batter, thank you for letting me into your home. I really appreciate it. You don't understand the turmoil that my mind was in this morning, and when Amber told me that you would let me stay here, it was a huge life saver." I say looking with genuine look of gratitude on my face.

"Sweetie, we are glad to be able to help you out. You have been there for Amber for the past ten years when we were at our shittyist. You have been through a lot as well, and deserve some parental love, so please, feel free to call us mom and dad if you want," said Martha. It is too soon to call you mom and dad, I thought, but if some of that bacon is for me, you will get that wish fulfilled sooner than later. So with a small grin, I nod my head.

Mr. Batter then smiles and says "Smells like breakfast is ready!" So the smile on my face grows. This is going to be a great year!

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I'M BACK! Guess what? I fixed ALL the previous chapters and fixed the time line. A LOT HAS CHANGED, SO YOU NEED TO READ THROUGH THEM! Sorry for the dramatics, you few that have been here all this time... I know that I haven't put up a new chapter in forever, but I was not only having writers block, but having trouble with the timeline. It is all fixed right now, and the next chapter, which was going to be in this chapter, will be the shopping. Then the next chapter, which was going to be this next chapter, will have the first day of school, and the reappearance of Ben (yay!). I promise, since school just got out for me that I will update regularly, and since I have a sad life with no friends and no job, the chapters will be longer than my previous chapters (2214 words in this chapter!). So with a content feeling for this chapter, I bid you all a good night, for it is almost eleven at night. Okay, so slight problem, I went looking for pictures for the stickers for the box, and got addicted to them (their SO cute!) So now I have too many. The next chapter, will be unofficial and will be of the stickers. Good night now.

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