Tormented Mistress ( Book One )

Chapter 53

Hailey froze as she made eye contact with Amber, but she was left her view as she walked to her assigned desk. Amber happened to glance at the door right when Lucy walked in, and she could already imagine everything the girl had to say.

Lucy's eyes lit up as they touched Amber, and she darted straight towards her.

"Dude!" She shrieked once looming over her desk. "Are you okay?! I heard what happened."

Amber smiled up at her friend. "I'm feeling much better, thanks."

Lucy let out a dramatic sigh of relief. "Good, good. I was so worried. Don't you have a phone so I don't have to worry so damn much?"

Amber could feel her face drop. She wished she did, if only she was more discrete when she found it. Or maybe if Luna was less nosy!

"No, I broke my old one and my stepmother refuses to buy me another. I always break 'em," Amber fibbed with a fake laugh. She might not be the best liar, but she could always manage to come up with a reasonable lie on the spot.

Lucy proved she believed her as she gave her a sad smile. "Nice, klutz."

Amber let out a real laugh this time. "Shut up!"

Lucy stuck her tongue out at Amber and made her way to her seat as the bell went off. Amber knew that was only the first of Lucy's quiz, but she would wait until later to answer the rest of her concerns. Right now, all her focus was on her teacher, who stood in front of the classroom with a small smile. She was always so pleasant to the students, except for when they pushed her over the edge. Amber had had a hands-on experience with that one.

"Hello, class. I'm sorry I was out yesterday. As you can see by the looks of me," she told everyone with a gesture towards her whole body, "I got into a pretty unfortunate mess, so I hope the substitute teacher was not too harsh on you yesterday."

So she was not here Monday, either. Amber scooted slightly down in her seat, for once not wanting any attention brought to her in this class.

"It was just fine yesterday, Ms. Deprey. Are you feeling any better?" Called out a voice from behind her which Amber immediately recognized as Asher.

She watched as Hailey smiled at him, exposing her white teeth. "Yes, I am. Thanks for asking, Asher."

Amber scowled. She still hadn't an idea of what the two of them had been speaking of, but it was making her itch. She hated all these secrets!

Hailey clapped her hands and turned to stand by the white board. "I suppose we ought to get started with our lesson!"

Her announcement cued Amber to tune out, and she sat in her desk doodling pictures on a blank piece of paper. She swore that everyone in the class continued to glance at her warily, but she blamed it on how paranoid she was. It was really no ones' business anyway on what her and Hailey were doing.

The bell eventually freed Amber, but Hailey's voice captured her right back. "Amber Hunting, I need to see you!" She yelled over the voices of the other students.

She was not sure whether to be terrified or ecstatic. She stopped in her tracks and let the kids flow out past her, leaving her alone with Hailey. She stood in the middle of the classroom; in between multiples of empty desks and watched as Hailey closed the door.

She turned back to face Amber, and her eyes were once more filled with visible sadness. Amber felt herself wanting to do anything to make them light up to their usual glistening brown.

"If you continue keeping me after class like this, my next period teacher will be after you," Amber joked as she walked closer to Hailey.

Hailey only slightly smiled at Amber's statement and she moved her eyes to the floor beneath her. "Are you any better?" She asked the tiles.