My Heart's Always With You

After Alyce called and changed her voice as much as she could and got Aaron to agree to meet the mystery woman at the park she and Amber went to meet Matt. The plan was simple, Matt be there when he got there and kick his ass. Then Amber and Alyce show up as soon as Matt disappeared like they had just been planning to get him to drive to the park for no reason.

Matt was waiting when Aaron showed up. “What are you doing here Sanders?” Aaron almost growled. Amber and Alyce were hidden behind a cluster of bushes so he couldn’t see them.

“I leaving. I was hanging out with my friends. What are you doing here Marshell?”

“I am here to meet someone.”

“I’ve been looking forward to this since you showed up.” And with that Matt punched him in the face. Aaron got a few good hits in, but he was no match for Matt. Amber didn’t like seeing Aaron even trying to hit Matt and Alyce had to grab her arm to stop her from going out and joining the fight.

“I am going to tell Anthony Davis.” Aaron snarled when Matt gave him a second to breathe, this was only because Matt was listening to see where Amber was.

“Go ahead. It is your word against mine.” Matt glared down at him, since Aaron was now on the ground. “Stay away from Amber.”

“Why are you telling me to stay away from her?”

“I know what you did to that girl a few years back you asshole, and Amber doesn’t need to get hurt.”

“You care about her don’t you?”

“No one deserves that. I hate guys like you and if you touch her I’ll have to kill you myself. Understand?” Matt didn’t wait for an answer instead he hit him one more time and then walked away.

Amber and Alyce then went around to the entrance of the park to put on the performance of the week. They acted completely normal as they walked up to Aaron. “What happened to you?” Amber laughed as he turned around.

“Matt Sanders got into a fight with me. And strangely enough he warned me to stay away from you.”

“It because he isn’t an asshole.” Amber walked up and began her own fight with him and Alyce joined in. When they were done he stared at them in disbelief.

“By the way I hate you.” Alyce used the same voice that she had on the phone and his jaw dropped as he pointed at them.

“You rigged this!”

“Nope, it was just good timing. Stay away from my sister.” Amber snarled before they left. Aaron just stood there completely dumbfounded as they walked away. Matt was waiting by Amber’s car with a smile on his face. “Feel better?”

“Much. I was serious though if he lays a finger on you he’ll have hell to pay.” Matt pulled Amber into his arms and she wrapped her arms around his neck like she normally did.

“After the beating you just gave him I don’t think he’ll ever try anything.” Amber kissed him and Alyce rolled her eyes.

“Unlock the car. I am getting inside so I don’t have to watch you two play suck face.” Alyce crossed her arms for dramatic effect and Amber unlocked the car. Alyce got in and looked straight ahead as she laughed.

“Wait a minute what did she just say?” Amber asked when it hit her, then she looked at Matt’s face. “Matt! You are bleeding!” She looked at the blood on his cheek and suddenly felt more angry with Aaron than usual.

“I’m fine. It is just a tiny cut. The blood is mostly his.” Matt moved his lips back to hers and she let the topic go for several more seconds.

“I should go Matt. And you should go get cleaned up. Call me later okay?”

“Fine. I’ll call you in a little bit. I love you.”

“I love you too.” At Amber’s house she and Alyce snuck inside and up to her bedroom. Amber let Alyce get cleaned up first as she thought. As she washed her hands she watched the remaining blood tint the water pink before she grabbed her pajamas and got in the shower.

When she came out Alyce had already turned the futon into her bed and was under the covers watching TV. “What are we watching?” Amber asked as she sat down on her bed and Willow came up and crawled into her lap.

“Music videos. It just went to commercial.” Alyce tossed the remote onto Amber’s bed just as Amber laid down and placed the cat on her chest. Willow laid down and then licked Amber’s chin as she purred. Then Amber’s phone rang.

“Hey.”

“Hey. Did you get cleaned up?”

“Yeah. Did you?”

“Yup. And I told my dad what happened when he asked.”

“What did he say?”

“Nothing really. He didn’t care.” Amber involuntarily let out a yawn and Matt heard it. “Go get some sleep. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

***

“Yes!!” Lisa’s shout of happiness woke Amber and Alyce both up. Since the shoe store was closed for the day they thought they could catch up on some missed sleep, but that idea was ruined.

Amber sat up and looked at the clock. It was seven in the morning and she needed more sleep. Did her sister hate her? Then the door flew open and Lisa burst in smiling. “What has you so happy?” Amber asked curious about her sister’s happiness.

“Aaron just asked me out for tonight!” Lisa began jumping up and down and squealing.

“I’m going to kill him.” Amber mumbled.

“What was that?” Lisa didn’t know what her sister said so she wasn’t mad, yet.

“Um nothing. Lisa?”

“Yeah?”

“Please don’t go out with him. He will hurt you.”

“Are you crazy? Amber I like him so much! And it isn’t like you want him right?”

“Of course I don’t want him. But he isn’t who you think he is and he will hurt you. Trust me on this. Please?”

“Amber you worry too much. He won’t hurt me, he even has a nickname for me already!”

“I’m begging you.” Lisa ran over and hugged her sister.

“I’ll be fine sis. I promise. And I want your opinion on my outfit tonight!” And with this she left the room as she yelled for Esme. As soon as the door closed Amber put her head in her hands.

“He is only using her to get to me.”

“He won’t hurt her right away. I’m sure we’ll find a way to break them up before anything bad happens. It will be okay.” Came from a very sleepy and bubbly Alyce. “Get some more sleep we are going to Kellan’s house later.”

Amber had a hard time getting much more sleep so instead she thought of Matt. But later that morning she found herself standing next to Kellan under the hood of his car. At least she was around a car, that made her feel better. “Alyce can you grab me the windshield washer fluid?” Kellan asked looking over at Alyce.

“Here you go.” She told him before kissing his cheek.

“Thanks.”

“You sure you aren’t going to do anything to it under here today?” Amber asked hopefully. She couldn’t find an excuse to mess with her car under the hood. It didn’t need anything done yet.

“Yeah I’m sure Amber.” She stepped back and he shut the hood. “So what were you two saying about Aaron and Lisa?”

“Well Lisa has a date with him tonight and Amber is worried.” Alyce took her place in Kellan’s arms as they both looked at Amber who had her arms crossed over her chest and was looking out the garage door.

“Wouldn’t you be if your little sister had a date with a guy who raped and beat one of your friends?” She asked absently not wanting to look at the two of them.

“Look at me Amber. Please?” Amber looked over at Alyce. She was standing in front of Kellan with his arms wrapped around her stomach and his chin resting on her shoulder. It made Amber wish she could be that open with Matt.

“Why?”

“It will be okay. After the beating he got from Matt last night maybe he will realize that if he lays a finger on Lisa then it will hurt you and Matt will come after him.”

“He is only doing it to get to me Alyce, we both know it. Lisa just refuses to accept it.”

“You can’t stop it Amber. And Alyce is right.” Kellan chipped in.

“I should be able to stop it. She should listen to me but she won’t.”

“You can’t control that.” Then Amber’s cell phone went off. It was Matt and he had amazing timing. He was saving her from the discussion she didn’t want to be having. He asked if she could come over that night and meet his parent officially. She agreed and she could leave after Lisa did.

A plan quickly formed in her head to warn Aaron not to hurt her sister and she had ever intention of using it. Finally around 4:30 she glanced at her watch and decided she better head home. “Well I’ll leave the terrible two alone for now and go home.” She laughed.

“We are not the terrible two. How mean!” Alyce pouted as Kellan laughed.

“I don’t mean you two are terrible Alyce.” Amber went over to hug her best friend.

“I know, but its still fun to give you crap.”

“Drama queen. See you guys later.”

“Bye!”

Back at her house her dad wasn’t home yet and her mom was watching TV in the den. “So I’m going to Matt’s house tonight. His parents know.” Amber told Esme as she sat down next to her.

“And they don’t care?” Amber shook her head no. “Sweet that is great!” Esme hugged her daughter and Amber laughed.

“So what do you think about Lisa’s date?”

“I don’t like it. At all.”

“Matt kicked Aaron’s ass pretty badly last night. I can’t wait to see how bad he looks today.” Amber stopped as they heard footsteps coming. Then Lisa walked in.

“How do I look?” She asked twirling around in the dress she’d chosen. “He is taking me out to dinner at a fancy restaurant.”

“You look beautiful sweetie.” Esme assured her daughter.

“You look good squirt.” Amber smiled reassuringly. Anthony came home a few minutes later and about five minutes after that Aaron showed.

“Aaron what happened to you?” Anthony asked seeing the deep cuts on Aaron’s face and the bruising. Amber smiled to herself.
“I went to the park last night and I saw this guy beating up his girlfriend. I had to stop him.” Amber glared at Aaron. Such a liar. He smirked at her quickly.

“Aaron before you take my sister out I want a word with you,” Amber turned towards the kitchen. “Alone.” Aaron followed her into the kitchen where she turned on him. She pinned him against the wall holding onto his shirt. “If you lay a finger on her I will kill you, do you understand? She is my sister and you hurt her and you’ll die. Am I clear?”

“Crystal clear.”

“Good.” She released him and he then left with Lisa. Amber made her escape a few minutes later saying she was going to the mall to go see a movie. When she pulled up to Matt’s house her heart rate increased. She was actually nervous.

Matt was waiting in front of the door for her, smiling. That was reassuring. “Nervous?” He asked as she walked up to him. She nodded yes and he laughed. “Don’t be.” He kissed her quickly and led her inside. He had told her that his sister was staying with a friend that night so it would just be them and his parents.

“Hello Amber.” Mr. Sanders smiled when he saw her.

“Hello Mr. Sanders.” Amber smiled back. So far, so good.

“Amber! Hello!” Mrs. Sanders greeted her with a hug and she saw Matt smiling from his spot next to her. Over dinner Amber felt herself becoming more and more comfortable. His parents really didn’t have a problem with her.

“Amber you don’t have to be nervous. We don’t care who your family is. You make Matt happy and we both see that. All we want is for him to be happy. And you are a nice girl.” Mr. Sanders told her dissolving any of her fears of being rejected.

“I told you that they’d like you.” Matt grinned, then turned to his parents. “I told you she was great didn’t I?”

“Yes you did.” Mrs. Sanders laughed.

“Well since dinner is over do you wanna go do something?” Matt asked Amber as he grabbed her hand.

“Um okay?”

“Have fun.” Mr. and Mrs. Sanders said as they walked out the door.

“That went great.” Amber sighed once in Matt’s car.

“Amber I told you that they’d like you. Who wouldn’t? Of course they are going to want you to come over more now, but that works to our advantage.” They ended up going to the beach like they normally did. Amber loved going there and Matt knew she did. He loved being there, especially with her, as well.

***

That night after Amber had went home Matt went to finish the song he’d been working on. He played the guitar as he sang a few lines of it to himself. Then there was a knock at his door. “Yeah?”

His dad walked in and Matt looked up. “You love her don’t you?”

“Wow just get right to the point dad. Yeah I do. Did you really like her?”

“Yes Matt we did. She is a nice girl just like we said. You should bring her around more, now that we know.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course son.”

“If Anthony finds out you’ll take our side right?”

“Yes I will. So will your mom.”

“Thanks dad, because I don’t know how much longer hiding will last. Aaron is trying to get to Amber through Lisa and that might be enough to send me over the edge one of these days. I don’t trust him.”

“I don’t blame you at all. I don’t trust him either. There is something in his eyes and after what you told me last night it proves what I already thought.”

***

“Amber he was so nice to me tonight.” Lisa gushed as she sat on her sister’s bed facing her and smiling.

“That’s good Lisa.”

“You still don’t trust him do you?”

“No I don’t.”

“Why?”
“It’s a long story.”

“Do you like anyone?”

“Not really. But you think there is someone.”

“Well I mean I could be wrong. I still think it. I think it is someone outside the families and you don’t want dad to know. Maybe you don’t want this guy to get scared off or something. I just wish you’d be nicer to Aaron.”

“Don’t hold your breath. And please if you won’t listen to me take this with you.” Amber handed Lisa a can of pepper spray.

“You are overreacting Amber.”

“Maybe I am, but please take it. Promise me you will.”

“Fine I promise.”

“I think he is using you Lisa.”

“Goodnight Amber.” Amber watched as Lisa left her room then she sent a text to Matt. She needed to talk to him somehow. They talked mostly about nothing that really mattered as Amber watched TV.

She had to think that everything would be okay because if she didn’t she wouldn’t be able to take it. She looked through the pictures on her phone and found one of her and Matt at the beach a few weeks before. Matt had his arms around her stomach as she sat in front of him. He had kissed her cheek as she took the picture.

She smiled as she remembered that day. She’d spent the entire day with him and hadn’t had to deal with anything about Aaron or the fact that they were supposed to hate each other. None of it had mattered. Actually when they were together not much of any of it seemed to matter that much.

Her phone went off and she opened the text. Are u sure u’ll be okay tonight? I know you are worried about Lisa.. She selected reply and typed in her message.

I’ll be ok. But I’m going to bed so I can get some sleep. Night Matt. I love you.

She waited for a reply and it came quickly. She opened her phone and smiled. Night Amber. And remember if u ever need anything I’m here. I love you. With that Amber smiled and closed her phone. hat night she fell asleep with that same smile. She knew that Matt loved her as much as she loved him, and her dreams were filled with Matt’s face.