Page 18 of Pages of Amber
“I’ll leave you guys to talk,”she said, blinking past the shock.“This sounds like private conversation territory.”Noah’s head bobbed enthusiastically as Amber shook hers, but Lonnie was already backing away.“He’s right, Amber. If you need help with any class, it won’t hurt to ask for it. It’s our last year and everyone should be able to end it well.”
Her words sunk in as she left. The truth was she wasn’t coping well. Not really. With every note she copied or assignment she did, two more were added to the work pile. Midterms were only three weeks away. If Amber continued on this path alone… a stone sunk into her stomach at the thought.
“So?” Noah drawled.
With a roll of her eyes, she asked,“What do you want?”
“Well, firstly I wanted to give you this since you ran out of Mrs. Wilson’s class.”He pulled a folded sheet of paper from his bag.
She scoffed,“I didn’t run out. I walked out because I didn’t want to be late to my next class.”
“It was still lunch period.”He raised a smooth brow.
“I used the extra time to arrange my locker and pick out my books,”she lied. She had wandered aimlessly in the halls, then struggled against the crowd of students leaving the cafeteria to get to her locker. She had ended up being late to her class. Not that she would tell him that.
Snatching the paper from him, she scanned it.
“Write a twelve page summative assessment and literary analysis on the novel titledA Tale of Two Cities,”Amber read. She flicked the paper in irritation.“What sort of assignment is this? How am I supposed to do this?”
She knew Literature could be difficult, but this looked like it peaked on a whole other level.
“Probably the same way everyone else did theirs?”He answered, his smartass tone prickling at her. She was in no mood for his teasing.
“Sarcasm? Really. No wonder you run people off.”Amber deadpanned.
Noah scowled.“I don’t run people off. It’s not my fault that most people don’t get witty humor. I only enjoy conversations with those who do.”
“I’m among the lucky few, huh? That means you think I’m smart, Noah. I knew you had a compliment for me.”He shot her a blank look.“But get rid of that mindset. You’ll never be able to connect with the students if they ever find out you think they’re dumb.”
“I never said they were dumb. I said they don’t get witty humor. Also, you and I don’t talk. We argue. That’s not a conversation.”
“Technicalities.”Amber flicked her wrist.“Plus we can both agree I deserve extra points for winning those arguments, you know, since I beat your intelligence.”
He narrowed those dark eyes at her.“Yeah, those extra points will definitely be useful in completing that assignment. Alone.”
“Don’t pout, Noah. You wouldn’t back away from this deal,”her voice turned high pitched and she stuck her nose in the air.“It’s not my fault you’re like obsessed with me or something.”
“Mean girls? Really?”
Her eyes grew wide.“You knowMean girls?You’ve watched it?”
He blinked. A deep flush rose in his cheeks, his freckles darker against the bridge of his nose. He glanced away, the dark tips of his hair flicking across his brow.“No, of course not. What even is that? Come on. If we’re going to start the assignment, we need to get our research from the library.”
Noah turned, walking at a fast pace down the hall that had rapidly emptied of students. Hardly anyone liked to stay behind after the bell had been rung, except those who had detention or wanted to study in the school library.
“I never agreed to working together.”Amber hurried after him.“I might if you tell me who your favorite was. Cady? The Plastics? Give me something here, Noah.”
He kept his eyes forward.“Zero clue what you’re talking about.”
“Liar.”
“Do you want to do the assignment or not?”
Amber scowled.“You’re asking like I have an option. In case you’d zoned out while Mrs. Wilson was talking, the catch was I do the assignment or fail. I’m not exactly looking forward to failure, boy genius.”
“You sure about that?”Noah taunted as he pushed open the oak door that led into the library. Amber followed a step later, the air-conditioning blasting over her.
“What does that mean?”Amber threw back, annoyance heavy in her tone. Noah glanced at her but said nothing.“Say something, jerk.”
