From the author:

I have preseason/tryouts in 6 and a half hours and am very much freaking out. I know I don't update much anyways, so my swamped schedule won't put a dent in my updating that much, but I managed to finish this chapter to hopefully hold over those of you who care about this story. Please enjoy! It will make me feel a little bit better which is good because right now my anxiety is so high my stomach is trying to twist itself until it no longer exists. Anyways, enough about my problems you don't need to care about. Here's some more Amily Malcolm for you guys❤️

I woke up in an unfamiliar bed with a familiar empty feeling in my stomach. I sleepily looked around the room, recognizing the Nike duffel bag pushed off to the side. Muffled chatter and laughter came from downstairs. Feeling hungry and left out, I groggily pulled the covers back and slipped off the bed. Without the blanket's warmth, chills ran across my arms.

I shuffled to Ash's bag and crouched beside it. I unzipped the flap and pulled out my favorite sweatshirt. With a smile, I pulled it over my head and took in the familiar scent that encased me. I couldn't describe it but it was just . . . her. It was my favorite smell. It reminded me of home.

I quietly pushed the bedroom door open and looked off the landing. The landing overlooked the living room. When I spotted Ash sitting on one of the couches, I scampered down the stairs and ran to her. I jumped onto her lap and wrapped my arms around her neck, resting my head on her shoulder.

She grunted in surprise but chuckled when she realized it was me. "Well hello, baby. I was just gonna go up and wake you." She rubbed my back. "Are you hungry?"

I was very hungry, but I didn't want her to let go. "I'll get something in a little," I murmured, playing with the charms on her bracelet.

She nodded and continued talking to the group of girls scattered around the living room. Her chest vibrated against my ear as she talked. I could feel her words through my body.

They talked about school and boys and other meaningless topics. I preoccupied myself with playing with her limp fingers and simple gold charms. Her other hand mindlessly played with the ends of my hair and traveled across my back soothingly.

"So what are you guys planning to do after high school? Where have you guys applied?" Aspen, a junior and a talented forward, asked.

I tensed at the question. Ash never talked to me about college. I never talked to her about it. It was sort of an unspoken rule to avoid the topic. Whether it was more for my sake or her's, I didn't care. I was glad we didn't talk about it.

"A couple schools are watching me play this season," Jess said nonchalantly. "But we'll see. I'm really liking some schools in New Jersey."

Claire added, "I'm just kinda letting life take it's course. I'll end up where I'm supposed to be."

"Ashley, what about you?" Payton, another junior, spoke up. "Schools have got to be knocking on your door."

"I wouldn't say that." She laughed. "I've talked to a couple coaches, but I'm staying close to home."

I relaxed a little.

Brooke, another senior, snorted. "Stop being so modest and brag a little would'ya?" She threw a cool ranch Dorito at Ash's head. It fell onto my chest, so I ate it happily. "I saw the UNC coach chatting it up with you."

I slowed my chewing and looked up at Ash in surprise. "UNC?" I coughed around chewed up Dorito. "As in University of North Carolina? The school Tobin Heath went to?"

Ash admonished, "Don't speak with your mouth full."

"That's the one," Brooke sang.

My older buddy seemed to get flustered the more we talked it up. "It's a very competitive program, and we were talking more about Amily than me." She disentangled our fingers to wipe her palm on her knee. She gave her hand back to me, but I suddenly felt sick.

She was lying. Why was she lying?

"I'm-erm-I'm gonna get something to eat," I murmured, climbing off her lap.

As I stood up, she kissed my head and patted my butt. "Okay, buddy. There are leftover's in the fridge."

I nod and hurry to the kitchen. I didn't want her to notice something was wrong. I threw some food onto a plate and nuked it. With a fork and a plate of warmed food, I moved to the porch to get some fresh air. Outside was still and dark aside from the light coming from the porch.

Against my will, my chest tightened, and I could feel the unmistakable stinging in my eyes and pressure in my nose. I threw my head back and slumped into the cushioned rocking chair. What is wrong with me? Why do I want to cry over nothing? Wait, am I supposed to get my period?

Maybe it's because Ash may move five hundred miles away.

I trusted Ash. If she said UNC wasn't an option, then it wasn't an option. I wiped my eyes.

After scraping the last of my meal off my plate, I set it aside and curled up in the chair, rocking back and forth. I looked up when the screen door was thrown open. A very annoyed Gracie tossed my phone at me. "Your phone won't shut. Up," she growled.

I blinked. "What crawled up your butthole and died?"

She rolled her eyes and shut the door behind her.

I snorted and picked up my phone. Scrolling through the texts, I scrunched my nose in puzzlement. My phone rang for the twenty-third time. I accepted the call and put the phone to my ear. "Dude, are you okay?"

"No! Where are you? I've been trying to call you!"

"Woah. Re-lax. What's going on? Are you dying?" I was so confused. "Where are you?"

"You need to get your butt to the tire swing."

"Why? What's going on?"

"Just hurry!" She hung up.

I jumped off the porch and ran towards the lake. The moon reflected off the water. I veered to the right and slowed down when I saw the big tree. Breathing a little heavier, I walked around the bushes to the part where the shrubbery opened up. Standing at the tire swing, I saw Sierra holding up a very wasted Sawyer.

"Are you stupid?" I hissed at the junior.

Sawyer gave me what I guessed was a glare, but she was way too drunk to even move her face properly. "You are," she slurred.

I rolled my eyes. "Just let her go," I deadpanned.

Sierra gave me an unamused look and let go of the wasted junior. The girl collapsed under her own weight and fell in a heap of her own limbs.

I raised my eyebrows. "Just leave her. She got herself into this mess."

The freshman sighed and crossed her arms. "If she gets caught like this, they're gonna make us all go home."

"So? At least she'll get what she deserves."

Sierra helped the girl back onto her feet. "Ams, come on. You're gonna seriously ruin everyone's weekend because of a stupid grudge?"

I scoffed. "A stupid grudge?" I hissed, now becoming annoyed with both of them. "Sawyer's life goal is to make my life a living hell."

Sawyer laughed louder than needed. Sierra tried to shush her not that it mattered. We were too far from the house to be heard.

"Don't flutter yourself, Malcolm."

"You mean flatter?" I corrected.

"Umm, no. I mean flutter. I'm not stupid, and I don't care about you," Sawyer rambled. "Like at all. Like I wouldn't care about you ever. Even if you saved my cat. And that's the truth. I'm not lying. I never will and never have and . . . ummm, yeah, never will."

I motioned to the junior. "Do I need to say anything else?"

Sierra dropped Sawyer and moved to put her hands on my shoulders. "Amily. I really don't want to go home yet," she said softly. "You'd be doing this for me."

I tugged on Ash's hoodie strings, resisting the urge to chew on the ends. "Why did you have to word it like that," I sighed, looking at Sawyer who was staring intently at the grass.

Sierra perked up and hugged me tightly. "Thanks, Ams! You're the best!"

I grumbled, "You got that right. So what exactly are we trying to do?"

———

"I'm gonna tape your mouth shut," I whispered harshly.

"Pfffffft." Sawyer laughed madly. "I'd like to see you try!"

I put my hand over her mouth. "I hate rock, paper, scissors," I muttered and led Sawyer in through the back door. I looked through the back room to the living room. Sierra was talking animatedly. "Hey!" I pulled my hand away. "Did you just lick me?" Why do I always lose rock, paper, scissors? Now I'm stuck dragging Sawyer's drunk, loser butt up to her room while Ese gets to sit in the living room and distract them. I kindly offered my assistant and end up doing the hard work.

Sawyer stuck her tongue out and leaned towards me. I stiffened my arms, keeping her a safe distance away. "You're gonna get us caught."

"I don't get caught." She smirked sloppily.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, okay. Come on."

Sierra made eye contact with me and nodded. I helped Sawyer to the stairwell and pulled her onto the first step. It was pitiful really. She slammed into the railing so many times I swore it would splinter. At one point, she slipped and almost face planted. I was surprised that everybody in the living room didn't turn and stare at us by the third step.

We managed to make it all the way up without being caught, and I had no clue how. Whatever Ese was distracting them with had them very engaged. I dragged Sawyer's practically limp body into our room and dumped her on the bed.

The mattress dipped under her weight. She shifted slightly and asked, "Did you get your ass beat?"

I glared at the junior . . . not that she could see or comprehend the heated look.  "No," I said shortly.

Sawyer smacked her lips and curled up into a ball. She let out a pathetic, "Oh."

"Oh?"

"What did Ashley do?" Her voice didn't have any of the emotions I expected. Instead it sounded innocently curious. Innocent?

I pushed Sawyer around on the bed and pulled the covers out from under her. "None of your business," I said void of emotion.

She uncurled herself and sprawled out like a starfish. With a snort she asked, "What's stuck up your butt?"

"You," I bit back.

She scrunched her nose. "Ew. You're gross."

I rolled my eyes and pulled the covers around the very much intoxicated girl. She still smelled like alcohol, but I wasn't going to go through the effort of changing her clothes. It was her own fault, so I didn't feel too bad.

I went to go back downstairs and rescue Ese. I reached the door and was about to pull it closed behind me when Sawyer spoke so softly and suddenly I almost missed it. "I miss Hannah."

Sawyer never talked about Hannah. The name always put her in a foul mood. It had been two years since the alumni graduated. Two years since Sawyer saw her. At least, as far as I knew.

"Even though she spanked you?" I asked dryly.

This was the same girl who ranted to her quote-in-quote friends how screwed up the team dynamics were. How the older girls disciplined the younger girls when they were out of line. More commonly seniors spanking freshman though sophomores and even juniors got their fair share of trips over a senior's lap. Rumor had it that the seniors also kept each other in line but no one asked and no one said. Though, I suspected, it wasn't really a secret.

My point was, Sawyer told people how happy she was Hannah was off her back. The alumni was Sawyer's senior buddy, and I have to admit freshman year Sawyer was actually a decent kid. At least, she was trying to better herself. After Hannah graduated, her habits and attitude went haywire.

Sawyer told everyone she couldn't careless about anything and convinced everyone she was tough.

I wasn't aware Sawyer had a heart, so I just assumed she was happy Hannah was gone.

I listened to the junior's breathing, taking note of the slow rise and fall of her chest. She must have fallen asleep. I pulled the door closed and just before it hit the doorframe, Sawyer managed to murmur, "Especially because she spanked me." I stared at the closed door with my jaw dropped and frozen.

I took a deep breath and closed my mouth. Sawyer Noble missed Hannah Collins. Especially because she spanked her. With this running through my head, I turned and yelped. "What the heck?" I gasped. "What are you guys doing? You scared me!"

"What were you two doing with a very drunk Sawyer?" Ash asked. Jess stood beside her with a firm hand on Ese's back.

Huh. I guess we weren't as sneaky as we thought we were.