It’s their divorce but it’s her life and no one ever asks her what she wants or if she’s okay or anything at all. In all of this Michael is the only one who’s even asked her what she worries about.
“Mine did when I was your age too,” Michael admits.
They sit with that quietly and she knows her hope is not in vain. He does understand.
Finally Michael stretches, both arms coming up over his head and his back arching. “You’re really cool to talk to Amber, thanks.”
She smiles at him, the warmth of his words settling inside comfortably. “I gotta get home,” she says as she stands.
“Hey, I’ll take you.”
Amber almost says yes. She really wants to be as close to him for as long as she can but—
“You’ve been drinking all night.”
“Nope, not me, just everyone else. I promise.” He crosses his heart and smiles guilelessly.
“Let me smell your breath.”
Michael laughs, “What?”
“I’m serious. If you haven’t been drinking then you shouldn’t smell like alcohol. Let me smell.”
He grins, bemused, but leans in and she takes in a deep breath. He doesn’t smell like alcohol. He smells pretty good actually. Amber’s eyes flutter closed. Really good, like mint and spice and—
“You’re not falling asleep on me, right?” Michael asks and his voice is whisper soft with a faint note of amusement ringing clear.
Amber’s eyes snap open and she blushes hot. “N-no,” she stutters.
Michael laughs again. “Good. ‘Cause I still need to know where you live. You satisfied now? I’m not too alcohol-ly to drive you home?”
Amber smiles tentatively and whispers, “You can take me home.”
He jumps to his feet and does a complicated sweeping bow. “My lady, please lead the way.”
Amber rolls her eyes even as the faint blush that had been going away floods her cheeks again. “Whatever,” she mumbles shyly, “I don’t know where you parked.” Which is the dumbest thing to say, bar none, it’s his freakin’ house. Where else would he have parked?
Michael doesn’t call her out on it. He leads her to his car, one arm securely planted around her shoulders, chattering away all the way.
On the ride home Amber rethinks her original statement; it’s been a pretty good night actually.
Chapter Two
One of the major disadvantages of being in the drama club is the fact that Amber never manages to catch the school bus no matter how quickly she packs her bag or runs to the stop.
“No!” Amber groans and slams her palm against the brick wall as she watches the bus pull away. Again. Not today of all days, she forgot her wallet on her bed!
Every single freakin’ meeting, it always ends the same. And she’s not in the mood to call her annoying brother to come pick her up.
Amber sits down on the steps, arms crossed.
She loves her brother to death but lately he’s been the biggest jerk and she really just didn’t feel like dealing with his crap. But it’s between that or walking all twenty blocks home herself. Calling her jerky big brother it is then.
He picks up on the second ring. “What do you want?”
“Jeremy, I missed the bus again,” Amber starts, mature, calm, not even the slightest hint of whining.
He hangs up on her anyway, with a curt half-laughed, “better get to walking then!”
Cell phones don’t even have the decency to give her the dial tone sound, instead it’s just turned off and she’s staring at her home screen again.
“Bastard,” she hisses and snaps it shut. She climbs to her feet already feeling the ache in her calves and thighs just from the thought of walking all that way.
Barely a block has passed when she hears a loud honk from behind her and a familiar red Mercedes pulls up alongside her. It’s Michael.
“Hey, Amber, where you off to?”
Amber’s heart leaps into her throat just like every other time he says her name. He looks GQ cute even dressed casually in his white t-shirt and faded blue jeans with his hair spiked
“Mine did when I was your age too,” Michael admits.
They sit with that quietly and she knows her hope is not in vain. He does understand.
Finally Michael stretches, both arms coming up over his head and his back arching. “You’re really cool to talk to Amber, thanks.”
She smiles at him, the warmth of his words settling inside comfortably. “I gotta get home,” she says as she stands.
“Hey, I’ll take you.”
Amber almost says yes. She really wants to be as close to him for as long as she can but—
“You’ve been drinking all night.”
“Nope, not me, just everyone else. I promise.” He crosses his heart and smiles guilelessly.
“Let me smell your breath.”
Michael laughs, “What?”
“I’m serious. If you haven’t been drinking then you shouldn’t smell like alcohol. Let me smell.”
He grins, bemused, but leans in and she takes in a deep breath. He doesn’t smell like alcohol. He smells pretty good actually. Amber’s eyes flutter closed. Really good, like mint and spice and—
“You’re not falling asleep on me, right?” Michael asks and his voice is whisper soft with a faint note of amusement ringing clear.
Amber’s eyes snap open and she blushes hot. “N-no,” she stutters.
Michael laughs again. “Good. ‘Cause I still need to know where you live. You satisfied now? I’m not too alcohol-ly to drive you home?”
Amber smiles tentatively and whispers, “You can take me home.”
He jumps to his feet and does a complicated sweeping bow. “My lady, please lead the way.”
Amber rolls her eyes even as the faint blush that had been going away floods her cheeks again. “Whatever,” she mumbles shyly, “I don’t know where you parked.” Which is the dumbest thing to say, bar none, it’s his freakin’ house. Where else would he have parked?
Michael doesn’t call her out on it. He leads her to his car, one arm securely planted around her shoulders, chattering away all the way.
On the ride home Amber rethinks her original statement; it’s been a pretty good night actually.
Chapter Two
One of the major disadvantages of being in the drama club is the fact that Amber never manages to catch the school bus no matter how quickly she packs her bag or runs to the stop.
“No!” Amber groans and slams her palm against the brick wall as she watches the bus pull away. Again. Not today of all days, she forgot her wallet on her bed!
Every single freakin’ meeting, it always ends the same. And she’s not in the mood to call her annoying brother to come pick her up.
Amber sits down on the steps, arms crossed.
She loves her brother to death but lately he’s been the biggest jerk and she really just didn’t feel like dealing with his crap. But it’s between that or walking all twenty blocks home herself. Calling her jerky big brother it is then.
He picks up on the second ring. “What do you want?”
“Jeremy, I missed the bus again,” Amber starts, mature, calm, not even the slightest hint of whining.
He hangs up on her anyway, with a curt half-laughed, “better get to walking then!”
Cell phones don’t even have the decency to give her the dial tone sound, instead it’s just turned off and she’s staring at her home screen again.
“Bastard,” she hisses and snaps it shut. She climbs to her feet already feeling the ache in her calves and thighs just from the thought of walking all that way.
Barely a block has passed when she hears a loud honk from behind her and a familiar red Mercedes pulls up alongside her. It’s Michael.
“Hey, Amber, where you off to?”
Amber’s heart leaps into her throat just like every other time he says her name. He looks GQ cute even dressed casually in his white t-shirt and faded blue jeans with his hair spiked
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