The Quarters

Mike Stone

About three weeks earlier. Almost 7 pm.

I was sitting in the passenger seat of Amber's car. The sun was close to setting and the final rays were heating up the window of the car. The rays of light put a glowy aura around Amber. Her skin was radiant. It made her green eyes even greener. She casually tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear,  and it gave me butterflies. I couldn't pinpoint it, but in all honesty, I found her wildly attractive.

She glanced sideways at me and smirked. "Like what you see Clark?" she questioned. Her voice snapped me out of the trance I was in. I blushed when I realized I had been staring. "Fuck you Stone" I retorted.

She grinned at me and then shifted her gaze to look at the road. "You kiss my brother with that mouth?" she joked. I couldn't tell if she was being serious or not. I just laughed it off.

End of flashback.

Amber and I's relationship had been more than just me doing favors for her. We got close. We would hang out. Always just the two of us. She would drive us around, or sometimes we would go on walks and just talk.

The relationship that we had was a different relationship than I had ever had with anyone in my life. It was like an intense friendship with something else lingering behind it. She made me blush, and thinking about her gave me butterflies.

But it wasn't a crush. I'm straight. But Amber Stone could definitely cause me to think otherwise. But that's not something that I could let happen. I like boys. Amber's brother to be specific.

Regardless of what Amber and I were, it was special. I couldn't lose it, but I knew talking to Mike should happen first. I wanted to say goodbye to Amber last, right before I left. The last time I had seen her hadn't gone so well. Under any other circumstances, I would keep my distance, but unfortunately, that wasn't exactly an option at the moment.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I saw Mike sitting on the bench where we had planned to meet up. The period right after lunch had already started and I knew Mike was supposed to be in History class.

I felt bad that I made him skip but if this was my last time to see him for a while then I'm sure he could deal with it. I had pretty much spent the majority of my day debating if I should tell him.

I was originally planning on not telling anyone, but when Lauren figured it out, I figured Mike and Amber deserved to know as well.

As I approached him, he noticed me and rose up of the bench pulling me into a hug. I guess he could tell by my facial expression that I wasn't coming with good news. His strong arms held me close around my waist and my head was buried in his chest. I never wanted him to let go.

I loved him, I did. But not exactly in the way most people are with their boyfriend. I had been head over heels in love with my boyfriend before him, Max and I could clearly tell the difference.

Way before we started dating Mike and I were friends. After Max and I broke up, Mike had been one of the few people who when questioned how I was doing genuinely cared.

He was so naturally caring and kind that it made opening up to him seem easy, which was strange for me because, when most people attempted to get close to me they were met with the brick wall that I constructed to push people away.

It had only seemed fair to see if we could become something more, and from the outside looking in, it was perfect. We rarely fought, and he treated me like a princess. There was nothing wrong with us other than me.

Sure, I loved having a secure relationship. He made me laugh, and he kept me happy. But even when I was with him, I felt alone. He knew me well, my dreams, my favorite color, what kind of pizza to get me when I was having a bad day. But there were parts of me that I couldn't show him.

We lacked passion and that's what I craved.

I had that with Max. Max and I's relationship was a bumpy road. But I was so deeply in love with him. Everything about him was perfect and I really thought that it was him and I against the world.

Then he broke my heart. And I ended up here. But what's even worse, is that I still cared about him. 

But Mike did his best to make things better. For the most part, he did. But I don't think we were meant to be.

Standing in front of Mike, I knew that he deserved the truth. I took a breath and began. "So" I started, "I got in trouble yesterday and now they're making me leave for a little and I'm not sure if I'm going to back or not and I have to go in front of the board. I know you told me not to get involved but I did because I wanted to be like risky or something but I'm so so so sorry." I rambled. 

Mike sighed. "Jesus." He was looking at me incredulously. 

He started to say something else but I caught him off. "Please don't be mad at me" I pleaded. 

"I'm not" he stated and opened his arm for me lean into. He gave me exactly what I needed. He wasn't demanding an explanation or lecturing me on what I did wrong. He just held me and let me be which was the best thing he could've done at that moment. 

I hoped that maybe speaking to Amber as smoothly as it went speaking to Mike. But I knew that wasn't true. Amber was far too impulsive and far too hot-headed to let that happen. I wanted to see her, especially after the last time I had. 

All Mike wanted to know is what exactly had happened. And I told him, leaving the Amber part out. He leaned back taking it in and looked straight into my eyes. "Amber?" he questioned. 

I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say. How could I hide this from my boyfriend and the twin brother of the girl who got me into this mess?

It turned out I didn't have to. Mike turned to me kissed me softly, and rose to his feet. 

"What are you doing?" I asked. 

"I'm going to kill her," he said calmly. 

I knew he wasn't literally going to kill her, but I did know that Mike usually got what he wanted. He probably wouldn't hesitate to turn her in if it meant saving me and I couldn't let that happen. 

"Mike. I'll handle it." I told him firmly. 

He looked me in the eyes. He looked defeated, "We both know you won't." he said quietly. 

I exhaled slowly. I knew he was right, and he knew he was right. 

"Maybe not the way you want to, but I'm doing it my way. Please." I said it more like a question than a statement. 

"It's not really up to me," he told me. I nodded my head at him and we were standing there looking into each other's eyes for what felt like forever. 

I reached up and pulled him close to me. He held me for a while and then kissed my forehead and pulled away to look at me. 

"Bye Mike," I said. 

"Bye, Park I love you," he said. 

"I love you too, I'll see you soon I promise." 

He kissed me once more, and I turned on my heel en route to talk to the other Stone.