Backstabbed (Amber Freeman x Fem Reader)

chapter 19: dark baggage

The group all sat around the three picnic tables, their usual spot. Liv was clinging on to Chad as usual. He was rambling on about the recent killings of three dudes from the football team. Chad knew all of them because he was just super friendly like that. It was harder now to get new recruits for the team.

Liv just nodded at everything he said. Amber and Y/N were on top of the table across from them with her head on Amber's shoulder, not really paying attention.

Tara was sitting down on the actual seat on the couple's table, her knees up to her chest and arms resting there as she looked over at Chad talking. She moved her booted leg every few seconds, adjusting to the irritation the brace gave her.

Mindy said that she had to go meet her long distance girlfriend at the office. She would not stop talking about her and since she had told Mindy that she would be transferring to their school, the girl constantly squawked in excitement.

Chad and Richie once again had spent a week being fixed up at the hospital with Liv joining in on the mix.  The couple wanted to continue going to school to as soon as possible to not be separated from the others.

Since that night, Sam and Tara had cut Sidney completely off, not wanting anything to do with her. The slight suspicion and timing was enough to have their backs turned on her. Sidney tried to also reach out to Y/N but she pushed her away as well.

"I was telling coach that we should—Is she okay?" Chad stopped his ramble to point at Y/N, catching their attention.

Amber gave Chad a puzzled look before tilting her head to glance at Y/N. The second she moved her head, Y/N had slipped from her, almost falling face first into the ground. Thankfully, Amber had good reflexes and caught her.

Tara had also rapidly shot out her arms in hopes of catching Y/N. Heat rising to her cheeks, she awkwardly retracted her hands and turned her body entirely away from them.

"Woah, babe. Are you alright?"

Amber turned Y/N to face the sleepy girl in her arms. Now getting a good look at her, there were large dark bags under her flawless skin. Her eyes shot open in surprise and confusion, forgetting where she was for a second.

"Hmm? No, yeah. I'm alright. Just been staying up late with the officers trying to plan for school stuff. It's been busy."

Amber wasn't buying that excuse. She knew what this was about and she could only give Y/N a concerned look right now, not without giving much away. If Mindy was here right now, she would question her statement. Y/N was thankful that she wasn't for the time being.

Y/N had been struggling with sleep for weeks now, but she didn't want to admit the real reason behind it.

Ever since she had killed Gale, her nights had been plagued with nightmares. The memory of her violent death was haunting her, leaving her feeling guilty and afraid. She tried to push the thoughts away, but it was no use.

She didn't know how to escape it. The reporter's bloody image heavily overwhelmed her sleepless nights. Y/N would wake up in the middle of the night, screaming and covered in sweat. Amber would always calm her down and stay up with her until she fell back asleep.

Now the impact of the group attack at the Carpenter sisters' was weighing in on her as well. She had never felt genuine fear for herself and Amber than ever before. Seeing Ghostface and having nothing but horror fill her up, at that time, felt so real. She almost forgot that it was all a performance.

"It's never been that serious, though. You sure you're good?" Liv asked, giving her a look of concern.

Y/N snapped from the probing question, unsure if Liv was being genuine or trying to be a bitch right now. Either way, she wasn't in the mood to entertain her.