Chapter 17

Amber

I can tell he's about to say something, so I beat him to it. "Please, Rico."

He stares at me for a moment. "Okay. I'll let it go."

I breathe a sigh of relief. It was a moment of weakness that made me tell him, and I hate myself for it. "Thank you for everything." I turn to go back inside.

"What are you going to do about your car?" he asks before I can go inside.

I'd conveniently forgotten about my dead car. Suddenly, that pizza isn't settling very well anymore. My mouth begins to water, and I know what's coming. "I'll ask if I can borrow my mom's. Night, Rico. Thank you." I close the door before running to the bathroom. Ugh. Why was pizza so good going down and so awful coming back up?

I drag myself to bed and crash. A few minutes later, my phone dings. I pick it up and stare at it. No, he didn't. I check my bank account and sure enough; yes, he did. I text him immediately.

Me- you did not just put $5,000 in my bank account

He texts back immediatly

Rico - course not

Rico - There's a limit of $5,000 a day. That's why I didn't send more.

Me - don't you dare send more

He's silent.

Me - Rico!

Rico - we'll see

Me- I don't even know what to say.

I wait a minute before sending another text.

Me- thank you. You really didn't need to do that

Rico- I know. I wanted to.

Me- thank you

Rico- you already said that

He sends a winking emoji, and I go to sleep with a smile on my face for the first time in a while. The next morning, I wake up feeling like I have every other morning. I spend the first few minutes hung over the toilet before I make my way back to my room. Curiosity has me digging through the basket. At this stage in the game, I'm ready to try anything and everything. I grab the spray bottle and notice it has a small piece of paper stuck to it that I didn't notice last night.

Apply liberally over stomach after showering.

Huh. I put that back down and dig through the basket for those nausea bracelets. I read the back of the box. I shrug and take both of them out of the box and slip one onto each wrist, making sure the little bead is on the right pressure point. Next, I dig out the vitamin bottles. One is a prenatal vitamin and the other is a bottle of B6 vitamins. There's another little note on this one.

Take a fourth of a pill every time you feel sick—up to three a day...I think. There was some discrepancies with this one. But some women swear by it.

I feel myself smiling at his words. I dig through the basket and pull out the lemonheads and turn the bag over.

The tartness of the lemon is supposed to help keep the gagging sensation away. Never been a lemon fan myself but hopefully you are.

After grabbing a baggie from the kitchen, I fill it with saltines, ginger candies, and lemonheads. Next, I fill the water bottle to the top and take note of how much I need to drink and when. I throw the soft gray sweater over my tee and snag the Kindle before grabbing my bag and phone and heading to the kitchen. "Hey Mom, would it be okay if I borrow your car today? I'll get mine figured out."

"Of course, Sweetie. Just watch the front tire; it's been low lately. Oh, and I think it's out of gas."

"Okay." I mentally make a note. "See you, Mom."

"Did you pack something for lunch or eat breakfast?" I scowl because I was going to do better. "Here. Eat this; at least it's something."

"I'm not going to take your toast, Mom."

"Take it, Baby. I'll make more. Have a good day today."

I snag a paper towel and wrap it around the toast. "Thanks, Mom. Love you."

"Love you too."

I'm out the door seconds later. "She wasn't kidding about the gas," I mutter after starting the car. Thankfully, even with a quick stop for gas, I'm able to make it to class on time. I work extra hard in each of my classes; I've been putting in more study time and trying to turn every project in on time. My stomach starts cramping mid-morning, but I throw down a couple Saltine crackers in between classes and drink more of my water. Surprisingly, it helps. During my last class of the day, I start getting that watery sensation in my mouth, but I pop in one of the lemonheads. Surprisingly, it actually staves off the sensation.

Of course, my last class runs long. So I have to book it to get to the library on time. "Cutting it a little close, aren't we?" Mrs. Randolph says without looking up from the library book she's recovering.

"Sorry; my class ran late."

"Mmm. That boy was in here looking for you."

I clock in before facing her. "What boy?"

"That boy that's been giving you all the problems."

"Oh, you mean Cal."

"I mean Trouble; that's what I mean. He said he'd be back later tonight. Now, you know not to get into a relationship with somebody like him, right? You've already gotten yourself into trouble, hmmm? In my day, we waited until the wedding night; but not this generation. No, this generation doesn't even get down the aisle to say I do before they decide they don't."

A heaviness slides over me. "I know. I messed up." I start working on the new books we just got in.

"So, you won't have any more promiscuous relations before matrimony then?"

I barely keep in my snort because who even talks that way anymore? "Uh, yeah. I think I'm good. I learned my lesson."

"Good."

My stomach growls a few more times over the next few hours, but I stave it off by feeding myself crackers. Once I have a break, I'll snag something from one of the vending machines near the library. I spend any extra time I get studying and working on one of my papers. Before too long, it's nine; and I only have to last one more hour. My stomach growls again; that granola bar and apple juice I had on my break are really just not holding me through. But I can't complain because at least I'm not throwing up. I actually really can't believe it. I'm not even sure what in particular is helping the most. Is it the ginger chews, the lemonheads, the fact I'm drinking more water, the B6 pill I took when I started getting sick, or the pressure points on my wrists? Whatever it is, I'm hooked. I haven't gone back to the bathroom to throw up once during my shift so far. Even Mrs. Randolph noticed and commented on it. I'm thinking I might actually make it through this shift without throwing up and without seeing Cal—two major pluses.

As if summoned by my thoughts, Cal and his buddies appear in front of the main desk. I keep my head up, even though what I'd really like to do is drop my head to my hands and hide. And maybe take a nap while I'm at it.

"There's my girl," Cal says as he approaches the desk.

"Not your girl," I return without looking at him. I stare at my computer as I continue to work on the page with all our upcoming events at the library.

"So, when are you going to stop dragging your feet and go on a date with me?"

"Never." Several of his friends oooh and rib him, but I'm so over it. "Was there something else you needed? Because if not, I need to get back to work."

"Come on, Amber. Stop being coy with me." He leans over the desk and into my personal space. "You can drop the act. I know you want to be with me."

Was this guy for real? But before I can say anything, one of his buddies pulls on his shoulder.

"Is that who I think it is?"

I don't care who it is as long as they're no longer bothering me, but then I think I hear the words, Green Thunder. My head pops up and I stare as Aiden, Rico, Sebastian, and Gunner all stride into the library looking like they own the place. I watch as literally every student coming and going plus all the ones in the study sections turn and watch them. "Hey Amber!" Sebastian calls out loudly. They approach the counter and stop right next to Cal and his buddies. My eyebrows rise as I take in all of them. They're not in uniform.

"Did you guys need something?"

Sebastian keeps grinning, and Aiden looks all around doing that protective thing he always does. Well, he usually does it when he's with Bri. Rico has yet to meet my gaze because he's too busy checking out Cal and his crew. Gunner, meanwhile, looks like he wants to be anywhere but here.

"Hey, my girl asked you a question. You gonna answer?"

I shake my head. "Not your girl," I argue for the thousandth time.

"Can I help you, Gentlemen?" Mrs. Randolph asks, appearing out of nowhere. I jump and practically fall out of my seat.

"Warn a girl," I mumble.

"We're with her," Sebastian says.

Rico, seemingly oblivious to everything else going on moves over and pushes into Cal's group. "So, you're Cal."

"Am I supposed to know who you are?"

Rico smiles and shakes his head, looking like he's as relaxed as possible. "Nope."

"Why are you even talking to me?"

Before I can even decide whether I should intervene, Rico points at me. It silences me real quick. "Because you left her here late last night. Alone. In a dark parking lot. With a car that didn't work. And you also don't seem to know when a girl's not interested. Since you don't seem to get it, I figured I'd stop by and spell it out for you." He steps closer. "Amber is not interested in you." He says the words slowly and distinctly, so there's not a chance that Cal doesn't misunderstand.

Cal scoffs. "You don't get to talk for her. She's got a mouth; she can talk for herself."

Feeling irritated beyond measure, I stand up. "Cal, I've told you a hundred times I'm not interested; but you won't listen."

I watch as his face falls, and it's like he gets it for the first time that I'm really not interested in him. I feel bad; my goal wasn't to humiliate him. "Cal," I say softly. "You're a...great guy," I manage to say. "Somebody is going to be very happy to be with you; just not me."

He turns his head towards me and locks me in his gaze. His face twists into a cruel smile, and he laughs. "Joke's on you. You really thought I was into you? You're pregnant, carrying a guy's baby that doesn't even want you."

"Hey," Rico says, stepping in front of him, blocking him from my sight. "It's time for you to go."

"I'll leave when I'm good and ready to go and not a moment sooner, and neither you nor this—"

"I'd be really careful what you say about my sister," Aiden says stepping up next to Rico.

"Leave," Rico says in a cool tone.

"Come on, Cal," one of his friends says. "Let's just go. She's not worth it."

Cal crosses his arms over his chest. I'll admit; he's got some muscle. But he's got nothing on the group standing in front of him. "And you think you're going to make me?"

Now I'm just irritated. "Cal, oh my word. Just leave already. These guys are professional hockey players. That one makes it his life's goal to hit people so hard they can't walk," I say nodding at my brother-in-law. He turns his steely gaze on me, and I shrug. "What? It's true."

Cal's friends practically shove him away from the Green Thunder guys. Of course, Cal can't just leave without being a jerk at least one more time. "Screw you, Amber."

"Somebody already did!" One of his friends shout and they leave in a cacophony of laughter and noise.

"What is wrong with people?" Rico demands.

"Were we jerks like that when we were in college?" Sebastian asks, still frowning at the door where Cal and his friends left.

Gunner steps over to Rico and talks to him quietly while Aiden turns to me. "You okay?" There's genuine concern in his eyes, and my anger begins to fade. He's one of the good ones.

"Yeah. Thanks for uh...standing up for me."

"You're family."

I feel a smile begin to form; I couldn't keep it back if I tried. "Thanks, Aiden."