Page 28 of Pages of Amber
“Thirsty?” He held out a bottle of water. Tipping her head back, she followed his arm up to his face. His gaze was steady on her, face blank but the barest hint of a smile nestled in the corner of his lips. He had come alive in front of the camera in a way she had never seen before, maybe except for when their countless arguments got particularly heated. A bit of that energy still lingered around him.
“Thanks.” Amber accepted the bottle. She twisted the cap and took a sip. “I should be asking you that though. You stole the show today.”
“He sure did,” Kael called. Dropping a hand over Noah’s shoulder, he thumped his arm. “That was amazing. Trent keeps going over all the footage. For the first time ever, he can’t decide what to edit or cut!”
A dark flush swept over Noah’s face, his freckles standing out. She traced the dots, her smile curling against her face. She had taken a chance on this interview and it was paying off. Amber hoped this was the start of a new era for the school president.
“You should come do another interview soon. You and me. We’ll be the station duo,” Kael exclaimed. His enthusiasm made Amber giggle as Noah quickly shook his head.
“I think I’ve had enough of the questions and cameras for one day.”
Kael shrugged. “The offer still stands, man.” With a pat on Noah’s shoulder, he headed out of the press room. Amber checked the time on her phone. They had another five minutes before the first bell rang.
Noah pulled over a chair, a sigh leaving him as he stretched out in it. She followed the movement, surprised he wasn’t eager to leave since the interview was over. Across the room, Trent and a few of his crew were hunched over the laptops. Most of the other students had left along with Kael. The silence between them felt foreign. Anytime they had been within several feet of each other, it was because they were arguing. She tried to embrace the change. if they were going to do and actually get work done, they needed to be cordial at the very least. Shifting in her seat, Amber decided to offer an olive branch.
“I thought you said cameras and interviews weren’t your thing or did you grow a new talent overnight?”
His lips quirked. “The second one. But it’s a secret. I might lose it if you tell.”
“Really? Then everyone is going to find out about it. I can’t have our multi-talented President adding another gift to his portfolio.”
His head fell back, dark eyes meeting her. “Multi-talented, huh?”
She flushed immediately. Turning away, she let out a low scoff, “I didn’t say that.”
“Sure, you didn’t,” he chuckled, causing a second wave of heat to bloom onto her cheeks. Noah folded his arms, then loosened them. He settled for digging them into his pockets. In a soft voice, much softer than she had heard from him before, he said, “I didn’t get to thank you for what you did at lunch yesterday. You didn’t need to defend me, especially with our history but you did it anyway. It meant a lot.”
“Oh.” The word left Amber on a breath. Her lungs emptied as did her brain. Noah was thanking her. He was being nice to her on purpose. Kicking herself, she tried to restart her brain to mouth coordination. Instead of saying something reasonable, she muttered, “It’s been my job for years. No one gets to take that away.”
A crease formed over his forehead, partially hidden by the tips of his hair. “What?”
She couldn’t take it back. Actually, a part of her didn’t even want to. This new atmosphere between her and Noah didn’t have to feel completely foreign, only more courteous.
She smiled, her fingers picking lint from her skirt. “It’s my job to torture you, boy genius. I’m not giving that to just anyone.”
A moment of silence followed her words and Amber cringed, wondering if she had gone and messed it up. A loud laugh burst from Noah, filling the press room and turning the heads of the crew from their screens.
Amber stared at him in bewilderment, an odd comfort filling the air between them. His head tipped back, his hair falling out of its tamed state and flopping over his eye. He put his hand up to push it away, small chuckles still pouring out of him. She ogled at the simple action of brown strands slipping between his fingers, her mouth falling open subconsciously.
The worst part about being unable to look away was the skip of her heart when he turned to her, a golden gleam enveloping his irises and the most devastating smile on his face.
“Torture away, m’lady,” he answered, his voice rough after the belly-laugh. “I’ve always only been yours to torture anyway.”
CHAPTER NINE
“DANCERS, GATHER ROUND! QUIET and listen up, please.”
The main hall of the theatre was crowded. The Fleur Elysian Ballet Theatre was a major attraction in New York since Helena Meusall had founded it. Both a school and a theatre, the institution boasted a large number of students under its tutelage along with dance professionals who regularly graced the stage for performances.
It had been Amber’s first experience on stage and in the spotlight. After enrolling at the theatre and winning her debut competition, she’d continued strongly, placing herself among some of the rising prodigies. A nudge at her elbow called her attention.
“What do you think this is about?” Lexi asked. Amber shrugged, despite her slight suspicion. Her mother had said Director Meusall didn’t do casual home visits, especially not to ask a dancer to perform a specific ballet for no reason. But she had for Amber despite the fact that it had gone terribly. Adjusting the strap of her black and pink duffle bag, she winced at the memory and what had followed it. The crowd around her and Lexi parted for a second, allowing her to spot Evelyn. Seeing Amber, a dazzling smile lit her face.
“Hi.” Amber steadied her as she pushed through to them.
“Hey.” Evelyn waved to Lexi who looked confused that she was standing with them. They had shared the same practices but hadn’t interacted often. “I wonder what they’re announcing. I hope it’s another performance since they’re done with remodeling. I love those.”
“Wouldn’t they announce the performance on the bulletin board like they normally do?” Lexi’s blonde hair curled over her shoulder as she leaned forward to ask, her confusion forgotten.
