Page 35 of Pages of Amber
Evelyn and Noah looked over at the sound of her voice. Evelyn squinted. “School’s over and not a hair out of place. What’s your secret?”
Nothing but some gel and a handful of bobby pins.
“Inside voice, Eve. We’re in the library.”
“Inside voice, Eve. We’re in the library.” Evelyn mocked her twin. She moved over to his side of the table and poked his bag on the empty seat. “Move it, meathead.”
Amber hesitated, seeing the last free seat was right beside Noah. At the questioning look from Evelyn, she quietly dropped in the seat. Noah watched her as she sat, his gaze following the book binder suspiciously.
“Don’t tell me…”
“Yep. Our great big list of ideas to make Noah the best student body President of Redmington Academy.” Her smile broadened at the blanched look that took over his face. Those freckles of his were making the appearance of a lifetime.
“We’re still working on the title.” Evelyn smirked.
“Please don’t tell me I have to face those junior girls again.”
“Why not? You’ve gotta give the fan girl club what they want, Noah.” Emmett’s smile was positively evil. “It’s not every day you get something made in your honor.”
Noah glared but Emmett barely noticed as he snickered at his friend’s misery. He frowned at Amber. “You agreed to this plan?”
“Originated it, actually.”
“We’re supposed to be on the same side here.”
“There are no sides, Noah. There’s you, me, the work we both have cut out for us and the screaming fan girls willing to chase you down the halls.”
He put down the pen and leaned back. “Don’t forget this is a two-way deal. Did you read the chapter I asked?”
“Yes sir.” She saluted his unamused look. Amber dug into her bag and pulled out one of the textbooks he had given her. “I made my notes too.” She showed them to him, her expression smug. “You’re the only one dragging your feet, boy genius.”
He pulled her note toward himself and ran through it. The tiny smile on his face gave away his approval but he said nothing. Instead, he opened up the next chapter and they got started. For the first time since their lessons began, they studied together with the twins. She and Noah started on writing out the summary. As time wore on, Evelyn provided distraction when Amber felt her brain would implode, Emmett tugged on his sister’s hair to annoy her and kept asking random questions.
Amber watched the camaraderie between the siblings in amusement and longing. A pang hit her chest as they conversed, shoving each other and joking around. She had never known what it was to have a sibling. Someone who would always be there. Someone she could rely on or talk to when she got tired of the loneliness. Beverly and Lexi had usually kept her mind off wishing for a sibling. The three of them had been close for years and Amber had been content in their company. Lately though, their conversations had been minimal and lackluster. Something felt missing. Amber was hopeless as to what it was but something had shifted between them.
She couldn’t help thinking it was her fault. No. She knew it was her fault.
Turning her back on them had been the last straw. It had broken their trust in her. The gulf that sat between them widened every time she looked back at it.
“I want to go. Come on, guys. It’ll be fun.” Evelyn’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She looked up from her note.
“What’ll be fun?”
Evelyn turned to her, a sparkle lit in her dark green eyes. “Coney Island is reopening in a few days. I’m trying to convince them to come with me but they’re being big babies about it.”
Emmett groaned. “It’s below ten degrees outside. The weatherman said so.”
“No, he didn’t. He said there would be clear skies all week and the sleets are melting.”
Emmett groaned again. Amber laughed and glanced at Noah who stayed quiet, watching the exchange. “Why don’t you want to go?”
“I never said I didn’t.”
“You didn’t say you wanted to, either.”
He hummed in response, his hand reaching for his hair. It was a complete mess now but Amber didn’t have the strength to keep him from repeatedly touching it. She recalled Mrs. Filch’s words from earlier. A bit of fresh air and change of scenery won’t kill the boy.
“It sounds like a nice trip. Clear your head from school stuff, go on rides with your friends and let loose a bit. You’d be refreshed by Monday,” she said.
