Last Year

four

"I'll pick you up at six, okay?"

Amelia nodded and waved goodbye at Kate who dropped her off from school. They would be going to the game later and since it was the first game of the season, the school decided to let the students go home after lunch so everyone could prepare.

She walked up the steps and headed straight for the game room where she was sure her brother was. The players where all given a day off school to be prepped and well-rested for the game. It was ridiculous how the school sometimes placed more value on winning a game.

She neared the door and opened it. She saw Alex and Mike sprawled on separate beanies. They were playing NBA on their Playstation 6.

"Hi guys!" She called out.

"Hi, Lia!"

"Hey Princess!"

Mike and Alex called out without looking at her. She glanced at the couch and realized that her brother was not there.

"Where's my i***t of a brother?" She asked.

"Kitchen." Alex replied again, without looking.

Amelia turned around and headed for the kitchen. She heard Mark talking to someone.

"If he makes his move, I'll really do something about him, man. I can't believe our first game is with his team."

"Is Lia coming to the game?"

Amelia realized the it was Clark in the kitchen with his brother. They were talking about him.

She sighed. She knew they were playing their rival high school and she knew it meant seeing their star point guard play against her brother. It would certainly spell disaster if nobody controlled themselves tonight.

"I'm not sure I want her to go."

Amelia decided to butt in.

"I'm going with Mel and Kate." She announced, rounding the corner and surprising the guys.

"You were eavesdropping?" Mark accused.

She plopped herself on one of the stools and grabbed one of the sandwiches that they have already assembled. She grinned as both boys started to protest but she took a bite and savored it, dramatically.

"Please. Both of you were talking so loud, he probably heard it by now." She joked.

Clark's eyes bulged as did Mark's. It was the first time they heard Amelia refer to the guy that everyone she knew hated and wanted to kill. 

Amelia was not sure how much Clark knew about their family secret but hopefully, he did not know everything or else she would feel really awkward around him. What happened in the past was something she was never proud of. Somehow, wanting Clark to be oblivious to it was important.

"You are so not going tonight." Mark snapped, slapping another ham on top of his bread and lettuce. "I'm not going to risk it!"

"I'm going. Stop bossing me around." She retorted. She looked at Clark, pleading with her eyes to help her. "You'll be there- Clark too. Mel and Kate will be with me. What do you think I would do in front of a hundred people?"

Clark cleared his throat and looked down on his sandwich. "She has a point there, man."

Mark stopped what he was doing and looked at his best friend. "What? You're taking her side?"

Amelia grinned triumphantly.

Clark shot her a glare before turning to his best friend. "Yeah. I mean, Melissa and Kate will not leave her side, dude. Let her have her chance at -i dunno- maybe this will be good for her, you know?"

"Thank You!" Amelia said grinning broadly at Mark who looked torn and irritated.

He grabbed his finished sandwich and stalked out of the kitchen. "Whatever. If something bad happens, I'll pummel you, Lewis!"

Amelia could not help but grin as she watched his brother disappear into the hallway and headed towards the game room.

“I did not realize he’s into being too dramatic!” Lia commented.

"You're poking a stick at a dangerous bear, Leelee." Clark warned, finishing his sandwich. He started to clean up the mess.

"Let me clean up, It's the least I can do." She offered, jumping off the stool and started retrieving the used condiments and returning them to their proper place. "Don't worry, we both know I can handle that bear pretty well. He's just being his typical annoying brotherly self. Thanks for the help, by the way."

Clark did not argue but continued to clear stuff away and putting them in the sink.

"You owe me a lot now... How many saves have I done so far? Three? Four?" He teased.

Amelia stuck her tongue at him and he tried to catch it with his fingers. She squealed and he laughed. Soon, they were standing by the sink, side by side.

"So, how was your date?" Amelia asked casually. 

She was surprised that Clark would start dating. She really thought that what he and Cindy had was serious.

"Aren't you going to ask who I went out with?" Clark replied, chuckling.

Amelia shrugged. "Nope. That's none of my business really."

Clark laughed. "Oh, and asking about how it went, is?"

Amelia punched him on the arm. "Jerk! Fine, don't answer."

She stood beside him as they started rinsing out plates and utensils to put into the dish washer.

"By the way, where's your sister? The one I spoke to last night... I'd love to ask her out." He teased, shoving her lightly with his shoulder. 

Ever since they entered high school, Clark usually pretended to flirt with Amelia but that all changed when they had respective boy and girl friends.

"Oh, she died. Tragic, really..." She muttered. 

She realized it had been a while since she and Clark had some fun time. Unlike before, they used to hang out a lot with and sometimes, even without her brother.

"Aw too bad. I was going to ask her if she wanted to catch a movie with me this weekend." He replied, his voice dropping low. "She's the reason why my date didn't go so well."

Amelia frowned and stared up at him. He was again looking at her with a strange expression. She was suddenly confused if he was still joking or if he was serious about it. Clark winked and Amelia realized he was just teasing. Clark wouldn't dare ask his best friend's brother out on a date, right?

She splashed him with some water. "You're such a jerk. Quit it!"

She heard him chuckle as she ducked and opened the dishwasher, pulling the upper rack. She started assembling stuff in it. She was aware that Clark was silently watching her every move. It suddenly made her feel self-conscious.

She slammed the dishwasher door shut and turned to face him. She almost jumped in surprise at how close Clark was standing beside her. She could see the outline of his pecs through his shirt.

"I meant it, you know." He said, in that same low voice. There was a static in the air around them. Amelia couldn't remember when she last felt that but then, Clark started going out with Cindy as soon as she was starting to go out with her ex.

Amelia could feel her cheeks reddening. "Uh- what do you mean? I mean- what are you talking about?"

Was he referring to the date? Movie? Asking me out? She mumbled in her head. She felt something inside her panic. Of course he wouldn't! That would be awkward right?

Clark stared at her for a moment and Amelia felt like she was being scrutinized thoroughly. His blue eyes were piercing her green ones and she could feel his warm, sweet breath brushing her face. She again realized how close they were standing.

Just as Amelia could feel that she could not take the tension between them anymore, Clark grinned and pulled back slowly. He pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. He brushed his finger softly down her cheeks.

"I meant what I said… about you, needing this opportunity to get out there and see the guy." He murmured. "This might also be the chance you're looking for to convince your brother that he doesn't need to be worried about you in that department anymore."

Amelia was speechless. Clark tugged on her ponytail before picking up his sandwich and leaving her in the kitchen alone to sort out the new confusing feelings that were rushing around her.

Mark might not need to worry about her and how she will deal with her past but something told her that there might be a whole new different issue brewing in the future.

"Ugh. Couldn't you have picked seats farther than these?" Melissa growled as they climbed up the steps of the bleachers.

Kate shrugged. "I'm just making sure Amelia is as far away as possible from he-who-must-not-be-named!" She replied. 

"Stop complaining. I left my pompoms here to reserve you places. Show some gratitude. You're not going to be the ones going down the steps and performing a routine, you know!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" Melissa teased but settled on the seats. 

It was higher up than they would usually situate themselves when there was a big game. Usually, they would be lined up on the first row, just behind the team's bench. But a lot changed since last year.

"Thanks for bearing with me." Amelia mumbled at her friends. "But, I would be perfectly fine here by myself, Mel if you want to be closer to the team."

Melissa shook her head. "Nope. Did you see Bruce trying to absorb you with his gorgeous hazel eyes? If i didn't know you abhor the guy, I would be jealous! I'd rather sit here with you and make sure he doesn't get anywhere near you, okay?"

"And this doesn't have anything to do with the fact that he can ogle you too, right Mel?" Kate retorted.

Amelia and Katie shook their heads and laughed. "Sometimes, I don't know if you're really serious about Bruce or you're just tugging our chains."

Melissa just wiggled her eyebrows at them with a goofy grin. She thrust Kate’s pompoms towards her. "Here, you better go down before Laura uses this opportunity to steal your spot!"

Kate waved goodbye and told them she'll be meeting them after the game.

Melissa and Amelia sat in comfortable silence waiting for the game to start. They watched and waved at friends who were slowly filling in the vacant seats.

"Hey Mel, do you know who your cousin went out with last night?" Amelia asked. She did not know why she was curious.

Melissa laughed. “Oh, he went out with Tamara Reeves. You know, the swimmer."

"Oh I see." Amelia replied. 

She scanned the crowd and sure enough, Tamara was there seated on the row behind the players bench. She was very pretty with long brown hair and a nice figure. Cindy was prettier but Tamara was definitely not someone you can just scoff at.

"Why'd you ask?" Melissa's voice made Amelia stop stalking Tamara. When Amelia looked at her, Melissa's face was seriously looking at her as if something was up.

Amelia blinked in surprise. "Uh- nothing- I just- I guess I just wanted to know who he replaced Cindy with. I mean, come on, she used to hang with us for a time when they started going out, right?"

Melissa looked thoughtful and then nodded. "I guess so. She was never close with us like how you and Kate and I are. She was someone who was there because she was Clark's girlfriend."

"She was always nice to me." Amelia replied. "Maybe that's why I'm curious about Clark suddenly dating someone."

"Uh-huh." Melissa replied with a non-committal voice. Amelia broke her gaze and looked at the basketball court.

"Okay, it's starting. They're going to announce the starting players!" She said, grabbing Melissa's hand for support.

"Just take a deep breath. Remember, there's nothing between you and that asshole anymore, okay?" Melissa reminded her.

Amelia gave her hand a squeeze and then grinned nervously. She was pretty sure there was no more affection or feeling left inside of her. But still, some wounds, even though they have turned to scars, still need a little more healing.

The announcers were going to call out the visiting school's players first. Amelia listened her heart pounding nervously. She looked at her brother's team bench and found Mark and Clark looking up at her. She gave them a nervous smile and waved.

"...- Toby Newton..." The announcer said through the speakers. "And finally, point guard and team captain of Ridgemont High- Tristan Scoffield!"

Amelia felt her heart beat slow down almost painfully as the familiar tall frame with messy auburn hair ran out and onto the court. Even if she closed her eyes, she would still be able to see him. She had memorized the way his body moved. She could remember how he smelled and she would always, always have an imprint of that smile of his in her mind.

She felt Melissa squeeze her hand and Amelia steeled herself, willing her heart to stop being a wuss and pump normally. She took a deep breath and finally gazed at Tristan Scoffield. 

She realized that he was scanning the bleachers for someone and then suddenly, his eyes landed on hers. Apparently, what Kate thought was far enough, wasn’t. 

She could feel his gaze burning holes into her skull. He just kept staring like he had seen a ghost while his team mates slapped him on the back and cheered.

"Amelia! Snap out of it! Your brother is waving like a mad man at you. If you don't stop gawking at Tristan, Mark will march his way up here and leave the game with you in tow!" Melissa growled to her ear.

Amelia managed to pull away and turn her head towards the direction where her brother was. She noticed that Clark and Alex were holding both Mark's arms because it looks like he was going to come get her. She shook her head and smiled a huge smile at her twin brother.

"Wave, Lia! Come on, move!" Melissa encouraged. She grabbed Amelia by the shoulder and gave her a small shake.

Amelia began to chuckle as she realized how silly the situation was becoming. She raised her hand and waved at her brother, even jumping up and down like a silly girl. Maybe the nervousness and all that pent up emotion had given her an adrenaline rush.

"Okay, you can stop jumping, silly girl!" Melissa cried, also laughing now as she tugged on her friend's arm and pulled her down to sit. "I think your brother's pretty convinced. Good job, Lia."

She grinned at Melissa and then hugged her. "Thanks, Mel. You rock! I think I can be honest and say I almost choked but you helped pull me out. Now, I think I can handle the rest of the game."

Melissa squeezed her tight. "Good because I was so close to pushing you down these bleachers just to get you to wake up!" She teased and they both ended up laughing like loons.