Chapter 7

AMBER'S POV
Maddie stayed by my side as Mel scrambled away with her two kids in toll, to look for the boys. I was mentally scolding myself as I gave my daughter a hug to soothe her, I haven't even seen Jay Harley yet and I had almost passed out. Was my reaction due to the anger and disdain I felt for the human? Or was it something else entirely?
"Are you alright, mum?" I had to comport myself, I had scared my little girl. I leaned down, gave her a kiss on her head and whispered,
"I'm fine baby, I'll be better once your Aunt Mel brings the boys" My little girl wasn't so little anymore and it was both a blessing and a curse. She lifted her head and asked out of nowhere,
"Is it because we came to the carnival?" I managed a smile as I stuttered,
"No...baby...it's just..it's late and I have to still find a way to fit into the cheerleader uniform" I winked at her and I saw her relax. She didn't exactly believe me but she was ready to let it go. My babies were slowly becoming more adult than even me that was obviously the adult.
As I moved Maddie's mind to the uniform, I moved mine too. The anniversary was in two days and my uniform really didn't fit, I didn't exactly add much weight but you can't possibly expect my 27 year old body that had carried and given birth to three adorable children to still fit in my 17 year old cheerleader uniform that I had made extra tight cause Melissa pushed me to do so,
"It's going to get boys to talk to you" she encouraged me as the school seamstress tightened the uniform to fit my slender but hourly shape. I ended up regretting that choice though, almost like every other choice I had made cause Mel persuaded me to.
"...you give it to Mrs Carol? She could find a way to amend it just like she does with my clothes" Maddie rambled on and I was struggling to match her pace,
"Mrs Carol?" She nodded. Mrs Carol was our neighbor who had a puppy the kids spent way more time with than anything, she was also a seamstress. There was a chance she would be able to ease up the uniform enough for me to survive an afternoon with it on.
"That's a good idea, thanks darling" Maddie gave me a toothy grin as I gave her another kiss on her head. Who says having a girl child doesn't have benefits?
Maddie said something about getting cotton candy and I couldn't refuse her as she dragged me to the booth where it was been made, I knew I needed to put something inside me. I had spent the whole day worrying about the carnival, the kids and involuntarily, Jay Harley. My fears had come true but that wasn't going to make me ruin such a nice event for my kids, they deserved to have fun and they were going to have it.
"Amber Swift!" I turned my attention from Maddie who was stuffing cotton candy into her mouth and towards the person that had called out my name.
"Amber Swift! Wow, it's really you" A petite woman emerged from the crowd as she rushed towards me with outstretched arms. Cassie? Wow.
I mumbled as she crushed me in a hug, "Cassie, wow, it's been ages. How are you?" The woman was very thrilled to see me but I couldn't exactly return her enthusiasm. Cassandra Blake was the stunt personnel back in our cheer leading days, friendly and sweet Cassie. She was everyone's friend and a total sweetheart and she was back in Los Angeles, for the reunion. Great.
JAY'S POV
For the second time that night, I wondered how anyone could have such blue eyes. Daniel was staring at the two boys also, I noticed the little girl wasn't with them but the boys were identical.
"Twins?" Daniel asked the boys, voicing out my thoughts. They nodded in unison and I smiled. Triplets.
"What can I do for you?" They looked like they needed something, but were too excited to voice it out. What was it? An autograph? A hug? I couldn't exactly tell, they were beaming and i wasn't exactly sure how to act. This was the first time I was meeting kids who were fans of mine.
"Wow, it's really you" One of them spoke as he shook hands with me and I could tell he was the sharp one, probably the older one too. Something about him reminded me of how I used to be back when I was little but I didn't know why. It could be the blue eyes which were a totally different shade compared to mine, theirs shone like diamonds.
Daniel scoffed, "You know about Jay Harley?" The kids gave another nod and I couldn't help but feel good about myself. I was still popular in Oxford Oaks a decade after I left, it really did feel good.
"Everyone knows Jay Harley, the famous captain of the basketball team of Oxford Oaks" the little boy quoted as his brother nodded in agreement. "You're a legend in Oxford Oaks" he concluded, grinning from ear to ear. Real fans, wow.
I wasn't exactly a legend, but I sure was famous and life outside school worked in my favor. It was just all about strategies and well positioned plans, let's not forget the ladies. Most definitely the ladies.
"Thank you. What's your name?" I smiled back at the boys and the quiet one mumbled something that I didn't quite hear and the sharp one repeated it,
"My name is Frankie" he pointed to his brother, "And this is Danny" Daniel shook hands with the one who was bearing his name as he fist bumped the other one. Both of them looked like they were having the best moment of their lives, it was wholesome but confusing to watch.
"Danny and Frankie. Nice to meet the both of you" I remembered the girl from earlier and asked, "What about your sister?" The boys were about to answer when a busty woman walked up to them with a child holding on to her hand and another one tugging on her other hand.
"Danny, your mum have been looking for the both of you. Go to..." The woman trailed off as her eyes drifted to me and I knew why, the moment our eyes met. Oxford Oaks' prom queen back in the days, assistant lead cheerleader and my very first girlfriend, Melissa Hughes.