Page 61 of Pages of Amber
NOAH
Does it suit me? Or do you like seeing my smile?
AMBER
Both.
He didn’t respond for a minute and Amber wondered what his reaction was at her admission. A giggle left her, her heart beating at random in her chest. How had she lived her life without feeling this happy at every moment and how was it that Noah so easily brought it out of her?
NOAH
Good to know.
Goodnight, m’lady
Dream sweet dreams of me.
A corny smile spread across her face as she wished him goodnight. She would dream sweet dreams. Dreaming of him, though. That wouldn’t be anything new. He had always been the star of her dreams, even when he’d been the boy she had liked to dislike.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
THE FROWN ON HER face felt stiff and unnatural.
She glared at the small metal box before her, her hands scouring every inch. It wasn’t here. She had left it at home. Again. Amber groaned, the tempting urge to smack herself peaking. She needed to stop kissing Noah. He was turning her brain to mush. Even being around him made her knees turn into jelly and got her heart racing like she’d danced a hundred variations.
But did Noah care? Of course not. With his cheeky grin and mischievous eyes, he followed her around all week, accosting her in the halls and waiting outside her classes. He’d say nothing for several seconds, then right as they turned in a secluded hall, he’d pull her into the nearest class or closet and kiss the living daylights out of her, thus turning her brain into mush and causing her to barely retain any memory of what she had last been doing. She had to admit he was nailing the leg-raise, fireworks and electricity combo a little too well. It was already a few minutes before lunch break and Amber had no idea how the day had flown by so fast.
Thankfully, Evelyn had dragged her away from the doorway of her last class, claiming Noah had been hogging her. Her winning statement had been, “Back off, I haven’t seen her all day. You’re not her only friend, you know?”
That had been spinning in Amber’s mind for a bit. She and Noah obviously weren’t friends anymore. Friends didn’t kiss each other until they couldn’t breathe or have their heart ready to run out of their chest at the mere sight of each other or share longing looks every time they met each other’s gaze. At least not any friends she knew.
Amber shook her head. This thing with Noah was taking up more brain space than she had at the moment. She needed to turn in her assignment to Mrs. Wilson, finish up her practice for the audition this weekend. Then, maybe she and Noah could talk about whatever this was. Their collaboration had come to an end, but she couldn’t deny that it had brought them much closer. This deal had forced them to see more of each other, understand and connect and it had sparked feelings between them. Feelings other than dislike or the need to constantly bash heads. Amber wondered why she had ever pushed Noah away so much. Had she always felt this attraction between them and wanted to ignore it for as long as possible? Or had she noticed those lingering looks and deep stares they shared at every argument but hadn’t wanted to fool herself into thinking there was something there?
It had happened anyway and she found no regret in it. In fact, she hoped for more. More midnight kisses, more lingering stares, more of the connection between them. She wanted it all. But hope had never been on her side.
“… she said we should study the harder topics. I have a sinking suspicion her questions might come from there. Why does she have to make it so hard?” Evelyn leaned in to Amber, the swish of her jacket sliding against the lockers pulling her gaze.
“We could study the questions from the previous year,” Amber suggested. “She might repeat a few and we’ll get a little clue on how to answer her questions.”
Evelyn’s nod was sober. She sighed. “Why do we have to be tested, though? Can’t we just say we attended classes and retained knowledge and they’ll take our word for it?”
“Honesty is as honesty is. It would be easy for anyone to lie about their attendance and stuff. This way, they have hard proof and you have to study so you retain even more knowledge than simply listening in class.”
“Why do you have to be so practical sometimes?” Evelyn narrowed her eyes.
“I can be impractical if you want but one of us has to be the non-delusional one here.” Amber teased. “What do you have against tests and examinations?”
She scoffed. “What don’t I have against them? They’re evil, mean apparatus meant to torture students, make them study and worry about their grades until their heads want to explode. Also the fact that they have the power to make students repeat a grade even though they’re just pieces of paper with words written on it! Do I really need to go on?”
“Those pieces of paper help people get jobs and recognition from other people, Eve. They have their positive sides.”
“I still hate tests and exams,” Evelyn groused, folding her arms.
Someone was a grouch today. She was an adorable grouch though. Amber flung her arms around her friend in a show of sympathy. Evelyn remained stiff for a few seconds then sighed and sunk into Amber.
“It’ll be okay. We can study together. You, me, Emmett–”
“Emmett’s stupid. I’m the smarter twin.”
