Love and Math In Between

12 //mothers and care//

We all are so much more than bare souls.

A/N : li'l emotional scenes here we go.

I see Thea's hand waving at me. I push all the thoughts out of my mind and put on a smile and approach the table. My eyes immediately wander to where Marshal and the other guys are seated. My mind is still reeling from what he told me.

Quick secret : ITS MY FRICKING AMBITION TO MAJOR IN MATH AT STANFORD.

Pushing away all my thoughts I arrive at the table and immediately and Dalip puts a hand around my shoulders. The guys are discussing the upcoming soccer game. From what I've gathered their biggest enemy in the game is DewHills high. I clear my throat ,"So, when's the next game guys?"

"It's next bloody week!" Newt wails out loud. "This drama shit is annoying the shit out of me. All that useless time we could spend on practicing. I am not ready to lose to DewHills."

"I would say it's pretty shit too but Thea's my partner. So no complaints there", Austin says gleeing.

"You better not have any boy", Thea glares down at Austin and I break into a smile. Niall looks at me and passes me the Fries.

Oh lord finally. FOOD!

"So Amber , how's your act going? You got paired up with Mr.Moody over there" Niall points to Marshal. Moody who? Marshal. Sure , he can be a total jerk but Moody is not one word I would use to describe Mr.Marshal. That boy has too much to talk and too much to say.

"Moody. Not so. But it's fun hanging around with him", I say coolly.

Everyone stares at me incredulously. Austin was baffled but he spoke up , "Oh lord no. Fun is not a word for Marshal Anderson."

"Guys come on. He may be rude sometimes but once you get to know him he's a charm. He took me to his favorite Pizza place and guys! He owns a Harley.It's such a beast. By the way , the pizza tasted like heaven." I say with happy emotions flowing through me.

It was a moment of total silence. Wait what is going on! Then the clamoring started. Niall, Austin , Newt , Dalip and Thea start bombarding questions from each corner. I couldn't hear a single except understand that everyone was shocked or confused or both. Then it was pin drop silence. Until Austin just said , "Amber do us a sun-sized favor and tell us what is going on between you and the Anderson brothers?"

He seemed serious and confused.

And so I launch into what is supposed to be a great story. I don't remember much itself.

I tell them about my first day meeting with Marshal and how I got paired up with Bryce. I told them about how I discovered about Bryce and Marshal.

But after that I stopped. Then I realized me and Marshal became friends. After puncturing my cycle , getting paired up for the Drama , the kit kats , the Pizza place , the bike rides, costume store and his friends. damn so many memories already

I didn't tell them much after that. Just gists here and there. It seemed personal. Seemed nice and happy and bubbly. Once I was done all the mouths were agape. Only Thea gave me those suspecting eyes but the guys were too wrapped up.

"So Amber..", Niall began "You practically know nothing about them."

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN I scream in my mind. "I know a lot. I mean , I know where they live , I know they are brothers, I know both of them are the best Mathletes I would ever know , I know so much more about Marshal." I almost scream.

"Hey hey Amber calm down." Newt tries to pacify me. He looks around to the others and then turns to me , "Amber there are some things you need to know. Especially about Bryce."

'Guys it's really not helping to build up the suspense. Just tell me!," My voice is now impatient.

'For starters - They are step brothers." Thea blurts out.

HOLY WHAT!

"And Amber , Marshal over there was not a boy who kept to himself and had only 3 to 4 friends. He was the star of this school until 2 years ago." Dalip says in a saddening voice. " He was great. He was happy. He was incredibly smart. He was on the way to becoming captain of the soccer team. Everyone loved him."

I am shocked. There is no other word to put it. I mean, my mind is boggling. Marshal. That's all I can think about.

Newt glances at me and continues , " Then everything changed. He became someone we all never knew. He stopped playing. He stopped talking to everyone. He skipped classes but that boy has a great mind. And the only thing we all got to know and the only thing we all know , is that his Mom died."

Just stop. If they continue telling me more I will start crying. Because I know what it is like to grow up without a mother.My thoughts for Marshal , increased a hundredfold. I mean - Mothers! My mom always said one thing to me , when I got injured or hurt or sad , "I made this body from scratch. Don't hurt it." And when she left us , it hurt all over. And the worst part is , she wasn't there to mend it.

Thea notices my change and just asks everyone to stop. She takes my hand , "Amber look, I know you are eager to make friends. But Marshal no matter how good he is to you , he is just a guy with a shady past .And Bryce , the stories we've heard about him , they'll need a day to explain. Just stick with us." Her voice is reassuring.

I don't want to tell them how I'm feeling. Instead , I take a deep breath and put on a fake smile and say ," Guys I appreciate it , really. But he's just another guy I know. We got paired up for the drama and his brother for math. Nothing more. There's nothing to be involved with and honestly , I don't care."

Deep down , those were the purest lies I had uttered in a while.

I cared so fuckin much.

I looked back to see Marshal , and we made eye contact and he broke into a smile.

Tell me, how could I not cry right now.

a/n : HOLYMOLY guys, this chapter got me kinda emotional geez.

DON'T WORRY - the next few chapters are fun fun and laughter!!

Btw that mother line , lifted it off from Grey anatomy whoops.

Vote , comment and CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM!

HAPPY READING xoxoxo