My Heart's Always With You

The water sparkled as the mid-day sun hit it’s surface. The gentle breeze blew through the tree, ruffling their leaves and making small ripples across the water’s surface. Amber sat on a rock near the edge of the lake, the hoodie wrapped around her and the faint scent left on it filling her nose and making her miss Matt.

It had been three days and as much as she hated herself for it she was yet to ask Beth for help. She knew that this was their last chance, without the help of Beth there was no hope for she and Matt to win against her dad and Aaron. Yet even knowing this and believing it with every ounce of her being she just couldn’t bring herself to ask.

They were running out of time.

“I told you that its beautiful up here didn’t I?” Beth asked, sitting down on a rock around the same size only a few feet from the one Amber was sitting on. Amber looked over and looked at Beth, really looked at. She hadn’t changed that much since she’d left Huntington Beach, the largest change was the small diamond stud in her nose. To someone who hadn’t grown up with her it would be impossible to tell the hell she’d been put through only two years before, but Amber could see through it. She could see that Beth was still hurting, afraid to trust. She was still broken.

“Yeah and it really is, just a little colder than I’m used to.” The laugh came from Amber’s lips without her even realizing it. She hadn’t been paying attention much to anything today, her mind was too preoccupied with thinking about how she needed to ask Beth for help as soon as possible.

“Well you either have a boyfriend or you’ve taken a liking to oversized Metallica hoodies since I left. Well I mean that oversized anyways.” Beth pointed at the Metallica hoodie that Matt had made sure Amber brought with her the morning she left.

“Shut up about that Beth,” Amber laughed again, this time a natural sound that she knew was coming. “and yeah I do have a boyfriend.” She smiled as she thought of Matt, then her smile faltered when she remembered their time might be limited.

“What is his name?” Beth asked as she looked out at the sparkling water again, waiting for Amber to answer.

“Matt.” Amber simply said, avoiding using Matt’s last name this soon.

“Hey wasn’t the Sanders boy name Matt?”

“Um yeah.” As soon as Amber confirmed this Beth burst into laughter. Amber turned to look at her, unsure of what to say or ask. “Beth what is so funny?”

“Its just that you are dating a guy with the same name as Matt Sanders.”

“Um alrighty than Beth.”

“What is his last name Amber?”

“Who’s last name?”

“Your boyfriend.”

Amber looked down at her hands as she braced herself for whatever may come. “Sanders. I’m dating the one and only Matt Sanders.”

***

“What the hell is up with Johnny?” Zacky asked the next afternoon as he sat in Matt’s bedroom. Matt was lying on his bed with his eyes closed, still half asleep. He and Zacky had stayed up all night as they watched Aaron’s house and they had a show to play in a matter of six hours. He wanted to go to sleep.

“I don’t give a damn. So long as he watches Lisa and doesn’t screw any part of the plan up I do not give a damn.” Matt grumbled at his best friend as he placed a pillow over his face to block the light.

“Dude he nearly scram at Jimmy for telling him that he’d switch places with him for the day. Don’t you find that weird?”

“Seriously Zack it is Johnny. Jimmy was giving him the option to switch and watch a guy instead of following a teenage female his age around. You honestly think he’d allow that? Would you?”

“Yeah I guess that makes sense. Do you think that he thinks he stands a chance with Lisa Davis? I mean with the whole situation of the sides.”

“What are you saying Zack? I stood a chance with her sister and now we are going to find a way to be together. Are you implying something Baker?” Matt asked as he sat up to glare at his best friend, who was currently annoying him to no end.

“That is not what I mean Matt. What I am saying is Lisa obviously attracted to older guys and by the looks of her past choice, taller guys. Gnome is still her age so are you sure that he’d stand a chance with her?”

“I asked him if he liked Lisa and he said no. He likes what’s-her-name and after the months he’s spent as he calls it, wooing her, I doubt he’d change suddenly. He just wants the nicer view for him.”

“Why aren’t you watching Lisa? I mean she is your girlfriend’s little sister and all.”

“Because if I get the chance I am going to beat Aaron into oblivion.”

“That is a good reason.”

“Now will you please leave my house or shut the hell up so I can sleep before our show?”

“Okay dude I’m leaving now.”

“Thank you.”

***

“Are you crazy? Your dad didn’t kill you when he found out?” Beth asked as she focused her gaze on Amber, shock written across her face.

“He um, well you see, my dad is sort of, how do you say this to explain, um he is,” Amber took a deep breath and paused for a seconds. “he doesn’t know. He has no idea. And I’ve been seeing Matt for a few months.”

“You would do that to your family? Betray them like that and see the enemy?!” Beth jumped up and stared accusing daggers down at Amber.

Amber’s anger bubbled up as the words filled the air and reached her ears. She stood up and met Beth’s gaze, holding her ground firmly. “I am not betraying anyone. He is not the enemy. They didn’t do a damn thing to my family or our side. My father started it all because he wanted to make sure that I ended up with Aaron!”

“And how would you know?”

“I read the family book of records, in his own handwriting.” Amber turned and walked away, leaving Beth standing there as she decided what to think. The soft sound of the trees met Amber’s ear as she walked along a trail and let the mountain air fill her lungs.

Her mind was beginning to think that coming here had been a mistake. She couldn’t bring herself to ask Beth for help and now Beth had shown an open dislike to the idea of she and Matt being together. Her thoughts wondered as she walked away from where she had been and just kept pushing forward, until she found another little clearing by the lake.

There was another large rock for her to sit on, so she took her seat and stared out at the water. She was calming down again but reality was sitting in. If this failed then they’d have one option left to stay together. She looked down at her left hand and at her ring finger with a gulp. “I guess at least Amber Sanders doesn’t sound bad.” She mumbled to herself with a smile.

***

Beth was sitting in the living room of the cabin when Amber returned around an hour and a half later. She looked up at Amber and smiled apologetically. “Amber I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t know.”

“Yeah I know. And I’m sorry I lost it.”

“I don’t blame you. So do you love him?”

“Yes and before you can ask he loves me too.”

“Did Aaron ever come back?”

“Yeah he was dating Lisa for a while, then she dumped him.”

“Lisa?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow. Well house about we watch a movie or something?”

“Sounds good to me.” That night Amber lay awake in bed, thinking about how she had two more days to ask Beth for help before her plane left Saturday morning. She had to talk Beth into it and she wasn’t above begging at this point.

The moon light was shinning in through the window which only made her miss home and Matt that much more. Her mind kept drifting back to those nights on the beach or the nights in Vegas. A sigh escaped her lips as she rolled over and squeezed her eyes shut to avoid the thoughts. Then she pictured Matt’s face in her mind and her eyes opened again.

She grabbed her cell phone and flipped it open to see the picture of them that was her wallpaper. She opened the menu and selected the photo gallery. Scrolling through the pictures she had of Matt finally helped put her mind at ease and allowed her to fall asleep, her cell phone on the bed next to her.

***

“Matt you wanna come hang out at Brian’s house?” Zacky asked after they came off stage later that night.

“Nah, you guys go ahead. I’m just gonna head home and get some sleep.” Matt answered, causing each of his friends to give him knowing looks. He was not going home and they knew it. He was going to follow Aaron again.

“Dude your dad has someone watching him. Lets just go have some fun.” Jimmy placed a hand on Matt’s shoulder, hoping that Matt would listen.

“I’m not watching Aaron. I’m just going to go home, honestly.” Matt told his friends who looked disappointed with him. “See you guys tomorrow.”

“Later man.” They all told him as he walked out the door. He thought of Amber all the way home, and when he walked in the front door of his house and saw his dad sitting on the sofa with a look of disappointment on his face he knew something was wrong.

“Dad what happened?! Is everyone okay?” Matt asked, a million possible tragedies running through his head at once. Mr. Sanders look over at his son and sighed.

“Everyone is fine son. But Anthony has decided that he’s had enough of the sides working together. We are supposed to go over to their house next week for the final meeting.” Mr. Sanders watched as Matt’s expression changed suddenly.

“Dad this is falling apart. I’m kinda of scared about what is going to happen.” Matt confessed as he sank down on the sofa.

“I know you are. But I have a feeling that you two will figure it out. I’m just sorry I couldn’t stall for you two longer.”

“Dad you tried. Besides I don’t think anyone can change Anthony Davis’s mind once it’s made up.”

***

“Dad why are you in such a hurry to end this deal with the other side?” Lisa asked as she sat in the den with her dad.

“Lisa it has just been enough. They are not our friends and we are caught up on our targets again, which was the reason for the truce.” Anthony answered.

“I think you are just scared of competition.”

“I am not scared of competition.”

“You are scared of something. I don’t know exactly what it is but you are scared of something. What is it?”

“Nothing. Why did your sister go to visit Beth?”

“Because she wanted to? Why does it matter?”

“It’s just that she hasn’t been home much lately.”

“Well dad she’s been avoiding Aaron, and I don’t blame her.”

“She wanted to go visit her after she saw Samantha and heard that Beth was starting to miss Huntington Beach.” Esme’s voice answered from the doorway of the den.

***

“So what are we doing today again?” Amber asked Beth when she walked into the living room the following morning.

“All day horseback riding. We’ve gotta leave soon.” Beth answered before taking another drink of her coffee.

“Okay got it. I’m going to go eat something real quick then.”

“Hey Amber?” Beth asked a few minutes later as she walked into the kitchen where Amber was eating a slice of toast.

“Yeah?”

“Can I see a picture of you and Matt together? It’s been a while since I’ve seen two people be happy together and I’m beginning to wonder if there is such a thing as two people being happy together.”

“Yeah,” Amber reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone, flipped it open, and handed it to Lisa. “I know that Aaron really screwed things up for you Beth but you’ll find someone who cares about you. If I found someone who loves me then you definitely will. It just takes time.”

“Wow you two look so happy together. He is cute!” Beth handed Amber her cell phone back and sat down at the table before sighing. “I miss being able to trust guys.”

“I told you that we should of just got some tiger lilys and su-”

“Amber we talked about that.”

“Yeah, yeah I know. Alyce hit him with her car a few months ago.”

“Did she hurt him badly?”
“Nah, she was going too slow to do any real damage. It was a wonderful moment though.” The two burst into side splitting laughter.

“Has she gotten drunk lately?”

“Yes and she got me drunk too. She spiked the damn pickles, and I swear on my life that I am not making this up. Better yet Matt and Kellan were there to see everything. It was horrible, absolutely horrible. And embarrassing!”

“What I would have paid to see that! How bad of a hangover did you have the next day?”

“Oh god it was pretty bad.”

“Crap! We’ve gotta go or they’ll leave without us.”

“I’m right behind you!” On the drive to the horse stalls Amber couldn’t help but take in the beauty of this place. The water, the green, and then a chipmunk ran by and distracted her. “Chipmunk!”

“Oh my god Amber, what are you? Five?” Beth laughed as Amber stared out the window with a huge, goofy grin on her face.

“You know what? You can just shut up. I am not five! I just like small, cute, furry creatures. That’s all. So sue me.”

“For what? Your cat?”

“You can never have Willow! She is my Willow! All mine!” Beth rolled her eyes and laughed as she pulled up to the stables and shut off the car.

***

“You are ready for Amber to come home tomorrow aren’t you?” Zacky asked as he sat in the car with Matt the next afternoon.

“Yeah, I can’t wait. I just hope that Beth agrees to expose Aaron for what he really is. If she doesn’t I think we might be screwed.” Matt answered as he looked at Aaron’s house again. They’d been there all day and he hadn’t even walked out the front door.

“I think he is coming out! I think I see the door opening!” Zacky exclaimed, glad that there was finally a sign of movement from the scum bag.

“Nope, that was a shadow of someone from across the street.” Matt popped Zacky’s bubble.

“Shit! Oh well, maybe he died or something!”

“I need to tell you something Zacky, but you can’t tell anyone.”

“Alright.”

“I almost married Amber in Vegas.”

“You what?!” Zacky stared at Matt with his mouth hanging open.

“A few months ago I suggested that if things didn’t work out how we needed them to that maybe she and I should just get married. And well when we were in Vegas it came up. We came really close to going through with it.”

“On that trip did you well you know, get any?”

“Zack you are a pervert. And no, we’ve never done anything like that.”

“You’ve never wanted to?”

“Zip it Baker.”

“Well I mean I’m just asking. What? Now I can’t even ask? If you’d like I could go walk down main street and announce that you’ve never once thought about anything like that involving Amber.”

“I’m serious Zacky, shut it. And stop putting my girlfriend’s name in the same sentence with your questions about things you don’t need to know one damn thing about.”

“Whatever man.” Zacky laughed and looked back towards the house, holding in his final comment and grinning like an idiot.

“Did you make it your personal goal to annoy me this week?”

“As a matter of fact no, but I should’ve. I would have been good at it!”

“You were good at it, without even trying.”

“Hey man?”

“What Zacky?”

“So you’ve seriously never thought abo-”

“Shut up Zack, just shut the hell up.”
***

“I can’t believe that you leave tomorrow. It seems so soon.” Beth told Amber as they sat in the living room.

“Yeah I know it does.” Amber answered aloud while she was screaming Ask her you idiot! This might be your last chance! Do you love Matt and want this to end well? Then ASK her! NOW!

“Promise that you’ll come see me again sometime?”

“Yes Beth, I promise.” Amber took a deep breath and looked over at her friend before she opened her mouth. “Beth I need to ask you for help.”

“What do you need?”

“Aaron threatened me and Lisa. He told me that if I didn’t dump Matt and accept that I was going to end up with him that he’d rape and beat Lisa and then he’d come after me. I can’t tell my dad because I know that he won’t believe me.”

“Then go to the cops and get a restraining order?”

“They won’t do it Beth. I don’t have any proof for them.”

“What do you need my help for then?”

“Beth will you please come back to California with me and tell my dad what Aaron really is? It is the only way I know Lisa will be safe and the only way I’ll be able to stay with Matt. I wouldn’t ask you except for you are the only person I can go to for help with this. There is no one else that can help me.”

“Amber I-I” Beth stuttered as she started to freak out.

“Please Beth, we need your help. This is the last shot we have. There are no other options to keep Lisa safe and for Matt and I to be together. This is the only way.”

“Amber I can’t just go back there and walked right back to everything. I can’t face Aaron and I can’t talk about what he did to me. I’m sorry but I can’t help you.”

“Beth please? I am begging you. Please?” Amber’s heart was dropping with each passing second and she was losing hope.

“I’m sorry Amber.” Beth got up and left the room, leaving Amber sitting there broken in pieces. All hope she had was now shattered and she was doing everything she could to hold in the tears that wanted out. It was over now. It was all over.