Amber

Chapter 6: (Amber's POV – At Home)

I was in trouble.

Not the kind where you forget to do your homework and pretend you "totally left it at home." No.

The kind where a certain golden eyed, smirking, infuriating boy had invaded my brain like a virus.

And now? I couldn't stop thinking about him.

—

"Amber!"

I yelped as a spoon smacked against the edge of my bowl, splattering soup onto my hand.

"Ow!" I winced, turning to glare at my mom, who stood beside me, arms crossed.

"You've been stirring the same spot for five minutes," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Are you planning to eat or hypnotize yourself with your food?"

I scowled, finally taking a spoonful. "I was thinking."

"About what?"

A certain mysterious-seatmate who talks too much.

"Nothing," I muttered.

My mom gave me a look. "Amber, if you're thinking that hard, it's definitely not nothing."

Before I could argue, my younger brother, Nathan, waltzed into the kitchen and flopped dramatically onto a chair.

"Ugh, I hate school," he groaned, burying his face in his arms.

I snorted. "You're in eighth grade. What do you have to hate?"

He lifted his head just enough to glare at me. "Everything. I got detention today."

Mom's eyes narrowed. "For what?"

Nathan sighed like the world had personally wronged him. "I threw a banana at Jake during lunch."

I choked on my soup. "You did what ?"

"He deserved it!" Nathan threw his hands up. "He kept saying my shoes looked like 'discount clown sneakers' and that my hair makes me look like a mop!"

I squinted at him. "I mean… your shoes are kind of questionable."

"Hey!"

Mom groaned. "Nathan, we've talked about this. You can't just throw fruit at people when they annoy you."

"Why not?" he grumbled. "It shut him up."

I snickered. Okay, that was kind of funny.

Mom sighed, rubbing her temples. "Just… finish eating. And no more throwing things at people."

Nathan grumbled something under his breath and attacked his food like it personally offended him.

I tried to focus on my meal, but my mind kept drifting back to him .

Adrian.

His cold skin. His dark smirks. The way he said my name like it belonged to him.

I groaned, shoving another spoonful into my mouth.

I needed to stop thinking about him.

—

After dinner, I threw myself onto my bed and grabbed my phone.

Mia: Tell me everything. Now.

I sighed, hesitating for a second before texting back.

Me: There's nothing to tell.

Mia: Liar.

Me: Go away.

Mia: Not until you tell me about your mysterious vampire boyfriend.

I groaned, covering my face with a pillow.

Why was everyone everyone telling that he's vampire..?

I wasn't obsessed. I wasn't.

But… maybe I was curious.

There was something off about Adrian Blackwood. Not just the rumors. Not just the way people avoided him like he carried the plague.

It was the way he looked at me.

Like he was studying me.

Like he was waiting for something.

I sighed and turned onto my side, hugging my pillow.

Tomorrow, I'd ignore him. Completely .

No more witty back-and-forth. No more overanalyzing the way he smirked at me.

No more Adrian Blackwood.

…Right?