Chapter 3

Isla's pov

“Excuse me.. “ I whispered, trying to squeeze myself through the crowd spilling through the hallway, my eyes darting from one face to another.

Students brushed past me, laughing, talking, heading towards their next classes but the one person j was looking for was nowhere to be seen.

“Amber?” I called again, standing on my tiptoes. I checked her locker First but it was empty. She wasn't there. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying hard to ignore the uneasy feeling growing inside my stomach. 

Maybe she had gone to the restroom…. Or so I thought, just as I turned towards the corner that led to the gym corridor, I saw her.

Relief rushed through me immediately. There she was, she was walking quickly, her bag already Slung over one shoulder.

“Amber!”

I waved, breaking into a jog but she didn't stop.

“Amber!” I called out again and this time she slowed down.

For a brief second, I smiled. 

“Thank God…” I muttered, finally catching up to her and gently touching her arm.

“Hey… what's going on?” I asked between breaths. “You've been ignoring me all morning. I've been calling you since James dropped me off at school. Is everything okay?”

Amber slowly looked down at my hand before lifting her eyes to mine.

There wasn't an ounce of warmth in them, she proceeded to shrug my hand off as though my touch disgusted her.

“What are you doing?” She asked flatly.

“What?” I blinked.

“Why are you touching me?”

Confusion suddenly washed over me. “Amber….you’re scaring me.”

A humourless laugh escaped her Lips as she stared down at me with disdain.

“Good.”

“What did I do?”

“You still don't get it?”

“Get what, Amber?”

“I don't want to be your friend anymore.” She said, folding her arms across her chest.

The words felt like a bullet straight to my heart, I almost forgot how to breathe.

“What…?”

“You heard me.”

“But….why?”

She burst out laughing again and this time it was loud Enough that a few Students walking by even slowed down to watch us.

“You really thought we were best friends?”

“Aren't we?”

Her expression twisted into something between amusement and pity.

“Oh, Isla…” she whispered, shaking her head.

“You are actually serious.”

My heart began to pound so loud I feared everyone around could hear.

“Amber, if I did something wrong, just tell me. We can fix it.”

“You can't fix this.”

“Why not?”

“Because I was never your friend to begin with.”

Everything inside me went still. “No…”

Then she smiled a cruel kind of smile.

“I only stuck around because your family had money.” 

My lips slowly parted like the red sea but no words came out 

“You invited me on vacation.” she started counting on her fingers.

“Bought me birthday gifts.”

“Paid for shopping trips.”

“My parents even Loved you because of your father's status.”

She then leaned in closer.

“So tell me…” She paused, “What exactly do you have to offer me now?”

I felt the blood drain from my face as I stared at her.

“You don't mean that..”

“I do.”

Tears began to blur my vision as I stared at her.

“You've been my best friend since seventh grade.”

“No.. I've been pretending since seventh grade.”

Her every word felt like a knife stab through my chest.

“I was embarrassed every time someone asked why I still hung out with the fat girl.”

The hallway now went silent and students stopped walking and started watching.

“I hated standing next to you,” Amber continued. “Do you know how many people laughed at me because my best friend couldn't fit into normal– sized clothes?”

A tear slowly slipped down my cheeks.

“Amber…”

She looked me up and down with disgust before landing her final words 

“Your Father's money was the only thing that made you worth tolerating.” She smirked.

“But now?”

“You are just a fat girl with nothing.”

“But…buy my dad still…” I stammered..

“Oh… girl.” She said, slamming her hand upon her forehead.

“Didn't you watch the news or something..” She sighed. 

My head was spinning… “What news?”

 I guess Amber was angry and she didn't mean any of her words not until she said her next statement.

“And do you know what's even funnier?”

“What..?”

“You are still delusional about Mason.”

My heart stopped beating for a second. “What does Mason have to do with this?”

“I guess you really don't know…” she smirked. “Maybe you should go and find your boyfriend.”

But before I could stop her, she shoved me aside and then she walked away.

I stood there shattered, I needed to find Mason only him could make sense out of this current nonsense.

Clutching the bracelet He'd given me only three days earlier, I wiped my tears and hurried towards the gym.

As I got closer, Laughter suddenly spilled into the hallway.

“Dude, I can't believe you actually pulled it off.”

“I told you he'd win.”

“So… where's my money?”

My footsteps suddenly slowed then his voice came through next.

“It was worth every second.”

It was Mason's voice, relief washed over me as I began to tell myself that everything was Going to be fine.

I pushed open the gym door and suddenly every head turned towards me except from Mason's.

Instead his head was down, his arms wrapped around Amber and his lips was On hers.

The world went into an automatic pause for me cause this was definitely not happening.

“Mason?” My voice came out as a whisper and slowly he pulled away from Amber and looked at me.

Honestly I couldn't find an ounce of guilt on his face, instead it was filled with amusement.

“I guess the show is over….” One of the teammates laughed.

Another teammate tossed Mason a thick envelope.

“I knew you'd won the bet.”

“A…bet?” I whispered..

Mason immediately caught the envelope with one hand and shrugged.

“You finally figured it out.”

“No…” I whispered, shaking my head. “Tell me they are lying, Mason. I know you won't do anything to hurt me.”

Mason slowly took in a deep breath and then he smiled.

“They’re not.”

“There was something interesting about being with you, Isla. I mean you were the richest amongst all the students here in Westbrook.”

My heart shattered.

“Your father had the money and don't tell me you already believed someone like yourself could date the school's hottest hockey player..” he paused, then laughed. “No offense, but have you seen yourself?”

“But…” I whispered.

“But nothing, Isla..” Amber's voice resonated immediately.

“Anyways, you could have had a longer honeymoon phase but all thanks to your dad's new scandal… you are now poor.”Mason continued. 

“And now?”

He looked me up and down with open disgust.

“You're just a fat pig.”

Amber burst into laughter and Mason Smirked.

“Oink.” he started and then his roommates joined in.

“Oink!”

“Oink! Oink!”

The laughter echoed through the gym, every eye was on me and all my insecurities came rushing back.

I wanted to scream and cry. But instead….

I looked at Mason and then I turned to stare at Amber and without saying a word, I turned around and walked away.

“Oink!”

Behind me, their laughter followed and I never looked back because if I had… they would have seen me break.