Chapter 144 - 137: She's your...?

Amber was waiting for Erick to come out of the locker rooms near the bleachers. She sat down at the bench, with her chin propped on her palm as she watched the cleanup crew use a turf sweeper to clean the football field. Beside her leg was her small backpack. At first, both Dana and Jeayan offered to bring her backpack for her since they were going to go to the car and wait there but she refused. How could she let them bring her backpack when all of her snacks were in there?

So, while waiting for Erick, she was halfway through her snacks.

She was in a daze, watching the cleanup crew clean, munching on a prawn cracker when she heard someone call her name.

She turned around and was pleasantly surprised to see Krys walking down the bleachers with a smile on his face. Behind him was a couple of his friends. He stopped beside her and asked, "Oh, you're here too?"

Amber nodded as she placed her bag of prawn crackers back into her backpack. She stood up, hoisting her backpack on her back. And unconsciously, she took a step back when she thought they were a bit close. She did not notice a mysterious glint in his eyes when he saw her took a step back.

"I didn't know you like football," Amber commented, smiling back.

Krys jerked a thumb over his shoulders, pointing at his two friends, who were talking with each other a few metres away. "It's more like I'm accompanying them," he admitted. "Though, I probably shouldn't say that since it sounds like I'm not supporting my school team," he laughed.

Amber laughed. "No worries," she reassured. "To be honest, I'm not that big of a fan as well. I'm here because my boyfriend is playing."

Krys c.o.c.ked an eyebrow. "Oh, do you mean, Erick?" he asked.

Amber nodded.

Just then his two friends walked over to them. They quickly introduced themselves to Amber who introduced herself back. Then they turned to Krys, saying that they will wait for him in the car. Krys nodded back.

After the two left, Krys turned back to Amber and said, "I did not realize that you two were a couple."

Amber gave him a sheepish smile.

Krys held up his two hands, as if trying to reassure her of something. "Oh, I'm not saying that you two don't suit each other. It's just that there were rumours that you two were together but there hasn't been any official news about it."

Amber tilted her head in confusion. "Official news? What's this? Hollywood news?" she sarcastically said. "Is there supposed to be news about us getting together? I don't think it's any of anyone's concern about my relationship with Erick," she further commented, a hint of anger could be heard in her tone.

Krys' eyes widened at her sudden outburst. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, looking down at his shoes. "Oh sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I mean, I just thought…"

Amber sighed as she cut him off, feeling bad for lashing out at him. ���Nah, it's alright," she reassured.

The two of them went silent for a while.

Then Krys looked up with a smile and said, "Anyway, I'd better go. My friends should be waiting for me."

"Oh," Amber said. "Are you all going straight back home or staying here in this town and looking around?" she asked.

Krys shrugged. "Probably the latter," he answered. "It's not everyday that we go to Port Robston Bay anyway," he finished with another grin.

Amber grinned back and nodded. "Then I'll be seeing you back at school next week!"

Krys nodded back as he turned around and walked away with a wave.

Just as he left Amber, Bastian came by, carrying a large duffel bag on his back. He was with a couple of his teammates. It looked as if they had just had their showers, seeing how their hair was still wet.

Bastian was laughing with his teammates when he noticed that Amber was still standing alone near the visitors' bleachers.

A huge smile bloomed on his face as he looked around. 'Great! He's not here yet!' he thought mischievously, thinking of ways of how to annoy a certain young shifter.

He turned to his friends, saying a few words before jogging over to where Amber was standing.

As he got closer to Amber, a frown slowly replaced the smile on his face. When he stood in front of Amber, he looked around them, discreetly sniffing.

Amber frowned, looking confused when she saw him looking around, as if he was looking for something. Then her eyes narrowed. "Did you just sniff me?" she asked suspiciously. What's this? Before, it was Erick. Now, it's this guy. Is he…?

Bastian whirled around to face her and gave her a sheepish smile. "Eh? No no," he denied vehemently, shaking his hands in front of him.

She continued to look at him suspiciously. She then leaned closer and said softly, "Are you, by any chance, a shifter?"

Bastian's eyes widened. He then masked his surprise and pretended to frown at her. "Huh? What are you talking about?" he scoffed. "How can I be that? Don't you know that word is ban?"

Amber just c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at him, her face reading that she wasn't buying his BS.

Before she could say another word, someone had placed his arm around her shoulders. Amber looked up and saw Erick fiercely glaring at Bastian. "What are you doing with her?" he asked.

Bastian held up his hands once more. "Chill, bro. I just saw her here alone and I just want to talk to her," he explained.

Erick looked down at the girl in his arm and asked, ignoring the young man in front of them, "Where's the others? How come you're here alone?"

Amber looked up and smiled at him. "I'm waiting for you. Jeayan and the others are probably waiting at the parking lot."

Erick nodded. "You girls going straight home?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure of their plans yet."

"If you girls stay, I can join you," he replied.

Amber nodded. "We should have some space in the car," she answered.

Bastian frowned as he watched them talking as if he was not standing in front of them.

"Hello? Bastian here! Are you ignoring the handsome me who is standing just in front of you two?" he said, waving his hands at them.

Both Erick and Amber turned to him. "Why are you still here?" Erick asked rudely.

"This area is still my school's property, you know," Bastian replied sarcastically.

Erick looked down at Amber and said, "Seems like we're not invited here any longer. So it's best that we get out of here immediately. Besides, I bet something smells bad here, right?"

Before Amber could reply to him, Bastian punched Erick on the shoulder, jostling Amber as well who was still in his arms.

Erick released Amber and then stood in front of Bastian, giving an intimidating front. "You want a fight, bro?" he asked threateningly.

Bastian smirked as he pulled his arms back in a stretch. "Do you?" he asked back.

Amber quickly stepped between the two of them and told them to stop. She then hissed softly, "Are all shifters this full of testosterone?"

The two young shifters froze. Erick let out a light chuckle as he straightened up. But Bastian turned to her, looking awkward. "Now, now, little lady," he started. "Didn't you remember that I said that word is taboo?"

Amber just raised her eyebrows in a condescending manner. She then turned to Erick, her face asking without words, is he for real?

Erick's light chuckle turned to loud laughter when he saw the disdain on his girl's face. He turned to his friend and said, "Cool it. She knows."

Bastian's eyes widened in shock. He did not expect a human being to know about their existence. Yes, even though they were still around but they were in hiding. No one was supposed to know that they still roam around in plain sight!

He turned to Erick, still shell-shocked.

Amber frowned when she noticed Bastian's still shocked face. She leaned closer to Erick and asked softly, "Am I not supposed to know that? Is it really taboo? I do recall people not talking about it but is it that quite serious?"

Erick scratched the back of his head, pondering. "It's not really that serious but yeah, people don't usually talk about shifters in the open."

Bastian leaned closer to Amber, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He then sniffed openly, drawing a weirded look from the young woman. Erick immediately pushed Bastian's face away. "What the heck are you doing?" he loudly asked in disbelief.

Bastian narrowed his eyes more, but this time at Erick. "She's your…?" he asked slowly.

"Mate."