To say that this time of my life is a complete complication would be the biggest understatement of the century. I don't think I'm even ready for this to happen right now, let alone what to say to the people that I have been for two years and counting—hopefully. My God, this is all Mom's fault. Why did she have to make me go and live in Canberra and make me put on a disguise that seems less than mandatory?
As I look at them with wide eyes, I can feel the thumping of my heart getting louder each passing second. I can feel their eyes scrutinizing me as Aiden, Zyljan and Austin regarded me with mirth, obviously not knowing what to say to any of them too. I don't think there would ever come a time where I can see the three of them rendered speechless for so long and something so much as a situation like this.
I just stared at them for the longest time before I finally opened my mouth, my voice sounding foreign to my own ears. "Uh. . ." I trailed off.
Shit, why did they come here unannounced? Ugh, fuck my life.
"Well?" Stacy asked, her eyes narrowed at me.
I gulped. "I haven't been exactly that honest with you guys."
Way to state the obvious, Amber. I glared inwardly at my inner conscience.
They rolled their eyes. "I think we gathered that much." Sophie replied.
"Right. . ." I trailed off. Again.
They narrowed their eyes at me and I sighed. How the hell am I going to explain it to them without looking like an idiot?
"Take a seat first." I said. They raised an eyebrow at me, making me sigh on my place. I don't think I've ever met people who are aren't that too happy about someone telling them what do more than them.
Some stubborn people I hang out with. "Please." I added and they obliged—thankfully. I cleared my throat
"So um, here's the deal." I shifted uncomfortably. "I'm Amber Lee."
They looked at me in confusion and I sighed before taking off my disguise. I could hear their gasps when they saw and that's when the guilt instantly consumed me. I'm a horrible friend.
"Tada." I said flatly and they gaped at me.
"Okay, what the hell?" Hannah asked and panic instantly surged through me.
"Let me explain! Oh God, just don't leave!" I said hastily and I could actually see mirth clearly palpable in their eyes. I eyed them with confusion, not being able to understand why they are looking at me like that. They are so weird.
"We weren't planning to leave. Actually, we're not leaving this place without your explanation." Stacy said with a smirk and I sighed in relief, ignoring the looks of humor Aiden, Zyljan and Austin are throwing my way. Well, they're obviously out of the shock they were previously in, considering how they're already trying to make fun of me.
"Go on." Sophie said.
And so I did. From the day Mom told me to pack my things, to the day until now. It feels like I'm telling them the whole story instead of explaining it to them, but I don't really care. At least now, I don't have to explain to my brothers and Austin what really went between Xander, Megan and I. And judging by the look on Austin's face, I'm pretty sure he doesn't know what really happened.
"What?" Austin exclaimed.
"Calm down." I muttered silently, as all of them looked at me, mouths hanging agape.
"Seriously, Xander and Megan did that you?" Aiden asked and I nodded my head.
"I'm so sorry I didn't believe you. Oh God, now I feel so stupid." He said and I just laughed.
"But you're always stupid. What difference does it make?" I laughed again.
He glared at me. "Amber, seriously?"
"Okay okay, I'll stop." I grinned.
"Seriously though, they really did that to you?" Aiden asked once again.
"Stop saying that." I said in between laughs. "You'll look and sound stupid some more."
He only glared at me in response.
"This is so unexpected." Drake mumbled and I looked at him.
"So are you guys mad?" I asked cautiously. They looked at each other before smiling at me and shaking their heads.
"Oh my gosh, really?" I asked and they nodded their heads.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I hugged them tightly as they let out a loud laugh.
"You know, it's about bloody time you told us the whole truth. The only thing I knew was that you're a Lee." Drake said and I chuckled as the others looked at him in shock.
"You knew?" Sophie asked.
"Yes, he does. I had accidentally called him when we were on our way to the airport." I said sheepishly and they shook their heads in amusement.
"How did you even figure out that Amber was a Lee?" Sophie asked, making Hannah and Stacy peer at him curiously. Austin, Zyljan and Aiden just stayed silent on their place, probably trying to digest the fact that there is a slight possibility Drake heard the whole thing we talked about on the car.
"Well, I just put piece and piece together from what I gathered from our talk at Pizza Hut and the talk I heard from Amber and her family, so I—" Drake said, but was cut off by Austin.
"But the only thing we talked about what about Amber dating and stuff." Austin said with furrowed eyebrows.
Drake laughed. "Actually, after you talked about Amber dating, you talked about something regarding business and how your parents demand that you put more effort into learning the business. And then, you mentioned something about how there's a charity event held on Saturday that week and then Jessica started freaking out about what she should wear for the event." He said with a glint in his eyes, making Aiden, Zyljan and Austin look at me with a questioning glance.
"Did you really have to call him?" Zyljan asked, making me gape at him.
"It was an accident!" I retorted.
Did he really think I called Drake on purpose? It isn't really my fault my phone is as sensitive as a baby's butt cheek. Is that even a right comparison?
"So he heard the whole marriage thing?" Austin asked in horror, making me look at him with a blank stare. Is that really the only thing he heard from the call?
"Yeah. Is the offer still on the table? Because I'd gladly take it." He winked, a glint of mischief in his eyes.
The guys scowled at him. "Don't push it, Anderson. You might never come out alive if you continue on that rate." Zyljan warned and I laughed, my best friends doing the same.
I heard Hannah snort. "Drake, if I were you, I wouldn't bother. Chase already beat you on that one."
I turned to look at her. "What?" I asked but she only smirked at me.
"Wait, what do you mean Chase beat Drake on that one?" Stacy asked.
Hannah merely laughed. "Oh it's nothing. Don't worry about it." She turned to look at me and gave me a wink.
What the hell is Hannah doing? What does she know about Chase? Oh my God, did they talk?
I heaved in a big breath. "We are having a talk later." I told Hannah.
She laughed, ignoring the looks the others are giving us.
"So what now?" I asked as I played with the strands of my auburn hair.
Oh gosh, it's still so weird showing my best friends what I really look like. I was so worried and focused about the negative side of telling them, that's why the positive side of it never crossed my mind. I never actually thought things would go this great, considering how I just revealed to them the truth about my identity.
"Not sure." I shrugged and I looked at my brothers and cousin who are awfully quiet the whole time.
"What?" I asked as I looked at their doubt-stricken face.
"Well, Mom called." Zyljan said and I raised an eyebrow.
"And?" I questioned.
"She said she wants you home so she could talk to you. Chase will be there too. I think she said something about going out with Chase more often, seeing as the last the both of you were seen in public was when you both had your press conference." He informed me. I could practically see his whole face scream 'don't do it or else'.
I rolled my eyes at him. "Does Mom want me home now?" I asked and he nodded his head.
"But she said that you can take your time." Aiden added hastily, obviously stalling me away from his best friend and our overly stage mother.
I shrugged and I looked at my best friends who are still looking at us in awe. "You know, I'm still not used to the idea of meeting the Lees, let alone be in the same room with them." Sophie said and I laughed, a light chuckle escaping from my brothers and cousin.
I still remember that time when she only bought the magazine because my brothers were on the front page. Oh, that definitely seemed like ages ago, when in fact, it's only been like three or four months.
"Yeah. I would totally be all over Aiden right now. Too bad I'm dating Shane and Aiden is Amber's brother." Hannah muttered, but of course, it was still loud enough for us to hear.
"You're dating Shane? You're the girl he keeps talking about?" Aiden asked, his mouth hanging agape, Austin and Zyljan doing the same.
Annoyance flashed in Hannah's eyes. "Out of all the things I said, that's all you heard?" She asked, Aiden shrugging at her. Then, a glint appeared in her eyes. "Wait, did you say that Shane keeps talking to you about a girl?"
If the glint in her eyes was happiness, jealousy, or suspicion, I wouldn't know. But her tone totally gave it away. I think it was somewhere between suspicion and happiness?
This girl is seriously whipped.
Seeing the glint in Hannah's eyes, Aiden looked at her with a wicked grin. "Yeah. He said that there's this girl that's totally gorgeous and has an overly amazing personality. He said that she has brown hair and hypnotizing green eyes that he could stare at all day. He said that she's smart too." He paused to down in Hannah's expression, which were somewhere between jealousy and rage.
"I think he said that she's practically the whole package. Right, Aus?" Aiden asked and Austin grinned wickedly beside him.
"Yeah. I think he even said that she's his girlfriend now."
"What?" Hannah sneered, her once happy and lively eyes now turning dangerously dark.
Aiden and Austin laughed, while we just rolled our eyes at their childish games.
"Calm down, Han. They're just messing with you." I said and Hannah grumpily crossed her arms.
"Yeah. Shane might be a player, but if he's in a relationship—which never happened until now—he doesn't cheat on her. He's loyal to her, even if the girl he'll date turns out to be so clingy, needy, and a complete bitch," Austin said and I nodded my head in agreement.
"I think he also might have mentioned that to me." Drake said, squinting his eyes, trying to remember something. Then recognition flashed in his eyes. "Oh yeah! It was when he asked if he could date you."
Hannah's face contorted in confusion. "Why did he do that?"
Drake shrugged. Hannah breathed out heavily. "Well how would you all know what he's like when he's in a relationship? He's never been in one!"
"Instinct?" Austin replied. Hannah turned to glare at him.
"What? You were looking for an answer so I gave you one." He frowned at her.
Hannah turned to look at me. "You have stupid for friends."
"Well technically, you're my friend too so. . ." I trailed off, chuckling once I saw her expression.
"And technically, I'm her cousin so. . ." Austin added. Hannah glared at him once more. "Right. I'll shut up now."
Zyljan laughed. "Ams, seriously, where do you fish for friends?"
"At school, obviously." I replied.
"I still can't believe I've been hanging out with the Lees and their relatives for the whole time I've arrived here." I heard Hannah mumble across from me, making a loud laughter to erupt from Aiden, Zyljan, Austin and I.
"Hey, I have to go." Stacy said abruptly as she looked at her watch and stood up.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Play date with my brother. Bye!" With those words, she went out.
I sighed. "I think we better get going too. It's also getting pretty dark out and we still have class tomorrow." Sophie said as the three of them stood up.
"Good luck with the whole publicity thing, Ams." Drake said as they went towards the door.
I sighed. "Okay."
Smiling at me one last time, they went out, leaving me with my brothers and cousin again.
"Come on, let's go home. I'm pretty sure Mom is waiting for us anyway." I muttered as their laughs echoed around the house.
"Yeah, good luck with that." Aiden said as I glared at him.
Stupid publicity stunt.
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Gosh, I'm so sorry for updating late, guys. I was just so busy these past few days so...
Anyway, here's the new installment of TDB. Hope you guys liked it :)
Lots of love,
Lu xx