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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 9, 2009 9:11:52 GMT -5
Standing at her front door, Amber peeked in the little mirror that hung between it at the window, adjusting her hair. It seemed as if lately, every time anyone came to her house, there was some level of nervousness for some reason or other, and this was no exception. She was waiting for Mike to arrive for their first date, and despite having spent most of her spare time in Forks with him, she was still on edge. Noone had ever shown interest in her before, let alone wanting to go out with her, and even though it was Mike, she was still worrying about every little detail. She knew she was probably overreacting, but she couldn’t help it. She had gotten up early that morning, tidying her house carefully to ease her nerves before getting ready, dressing in the new outfit she had bought with the money Alex had given her for her birthday, a dark blue tank top and skinny jeans with her favourite black sneakers. It was a new look for her, and she wasn’t sure how well it suited her, but she had been desperate to change her style and it had been the best she could think of for the date Mike had in mind. Her hair was tied back in a braid that kept it neatly out of the way, though a few strands insisted on slipping out and hanging on her cheek every time she thought she had managed to tidy it properly. She was glad she had bought the outfit, when Mike had told her what he had planned for their first date together. Laser tag was a new experience for her, and she had no idea what it entailed other than it was far more active than most of her wardrobe was suited for.
Taking a final peek around the living room, making sure everything was in its place, she picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder, draping her jacket over her arm as she headed out the door, locking it behind her. It was too nice a day to stay indoors and she felt that she needed fresh air to calm her nerves, so she sat on one of the wooden chairs she had bought for her deck with the gift card Mrs Newton had given her. She had intended to buy some small decorative items when she first received it, but when she had seen the adorable set of chairs, she had been unable to resist them and now she had to admit that they were well worth the money. Their country charm suited the house perfectly and sitting in one now, she felt perfectly at ease. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, breathing in the scent of the roses she had planted along the pathway to her door. She had been lucky in finding a garden centre that sold ready-to-bloom plants, and had immediately splashed out on some, wanting her garden to be perfect. Now, sitting there, the sun warm on her face and the sweet scent wafting on the breeze, she was oblivious to every little worry and distraction, basking in the calmness.
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 10, 2009 18:05:51 GMT -5
If Mike were any other guy he'd probably be feeling a little nervous right now, with butterflies in his stomach. But he wasn't. He was actually rather excited about tonights plans. Laser tag was something he did enjoy. And to top it all off he was going with his best friend, well now they were more than just friends, Amber.
Mike took the turn down Amber's street too quickly, causing the tires of his Suburban truck to screech in protest. He ignored the noise, pulling up in front of Amber's new place. He was happy for Amber, glad that she was able to get out of the hell hole she was living in before. He couldn't stand to think of it, what those poor excuses of people had done to her. If Amber would allow it he'd be at their doorstep confronting them with what they had done, what they had put the poor girl through. But Mike promised he wouldn't, and he was going to keep the promise too.
Through his passenger door Mike could see Amber standing there. He was relieved to find that she was dressed in appropriate attire for the night. He smiled in her direction before stepping out of his car and slamming the door shut. Walking around his truck, he started his way up the path that led to Amber's porch. "Hey," he called out, "You look nice."
A few more steps and Mike was standing in front of her, he held his hand out to help her from her seat. Smiling, he asked, "Ready for tonight?" It was Mike's understanding that Amber had never done laser tag, though that fact didn't surprise him. There were a lot of things Amber had never done, but Mike was going to make it his goal to show her all sorts of things she had never seen or done before.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 10, 2009 20:03:50 GMT -5
Just as she was beginning to doze off, Amber heard the familiar sound of Mike’s truck in what passed as her driveway. Smiling at the compliment he called to her, she opened her eyes slowly, blinking as they adjusted to the light level. It had grown much darker since she had sat down, and the light had settled to a pale dusk. By the time she had fully woken up, he was already standing in front of her, hand outstretched. Despite the normality of the gesture, her heart fluttered a little as she looked up at him. She could still barely believe that they were together now. They had spent so long as friends, she had been surprised to realise she had feelings for him as more than that, and even more surprised to find out he felt the same way. Now, seeing him standing there, she could see every reason why she felt that way. He was good-looking, sweet, gentle, funny, everything she could possibly ask for, and now, it appeared he was a gentleman above all that. Reaching up, she took his hand, rising from the low chair as gracefully as she could manage. Grimacing, she tilted her head to one side, tucking away one of the strands of hair that were once again threatening her sanity.
“Not really. Are you absolutely sure you wanna do this?” she asked, pouting and giving him her best puppy dog eyes. “I mean, you know how clumsy I can be sometimes” she turned around and glanced behind her at her butt before glancing back up at him, batting her eyelashes, “I dunno if I wanna risk hurting my tushy” she finished, laughing. Now that he was here, she couldn’t believe she had felt nervous. Quite the opposite, she felt even more comfortable than ever with him. Regardless of how the evening turned out, even if she fell every five minutes and bruised every bone in her body, she felt it would be worth it if she was with Mike.
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 11, 2009 5:33:27 GMT -5
Mike smirked as he pulled her up. They had been through this several times. They were going to go play a couple games of laser tag. Whether she liked it or not. Mike was going to get her out and about doing the things teenagers should be doing. She had lives such a sheltered life before, she needed this.
"Of course I'm sure," he laughed. "And I'm sure you're tushy will be fine." He rolled his pale blue eyes at her. Of course she was worried about hurting herself while playing a fun game, but wasn't when she was living with those...people. He squeezed her hand slightly at the thought, but eased the pressure as he banished the thoughts of them from his mind. He was not going to let them get the best of him tonight. All that mattered was the two of them, and him making her happy and getting her out of the confines of a home.
Keeping his hand wrapped in hers, their fingers intertwined, he pulled her in the direction of his truck. He couldn't believe how confident he was beside her, how comfortable he felt. She was his best friend, but more than that now. Mike could get used to that.
As they reached his truck he opened the passenger door for her, his gentleman side taking over. He held his hand out and gestured for her to get in before shutting the door gently behind her. He walked proudly around the front of his truck before stepping in and buckling himself in. Starting the truck he turned to look at her, a huge grin on his face. "You're going to love this," he promised.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 11, 2009 10:42:03 GMT -5
"It better be, for your sake" she grumbled, though her lips betrayed her, quirking into a smile, regardless of her attempts to frown at him. She felt the pressure on her hand and felt a twinge of guilt. She knew that he was sensitive about her upbringing, every comment she made about getting hurt always reminded him of her foster parents and there had been numerous times when she had had to calm him down, letting him know that she was okay, that she didn't want him to do anything rash for her sake. She had been too free with her words again, and she regretted it. She hated to make him think about that aspect of her life. It was in the past, and it still seemed strange that he was more affected by it than her. Anyway, she reminded herself with a little smile, she had news for him that might change the way he looked at it.
She allowed him to pull her toward his truck, hiding a small smile at the way his fingers wrapped around hers. His hand felt warm and comforting, something she had never noticed before. She liked the feeling, enjoying the sense of being protected and safe, even though she knew there was nothing to be protected from. Climbing into the truck, she settled into the seat, giggling a little as he walked to his own door. He looked almost comical, seeming so proud, as though he had won some kind of battle. In truth, he had, she was actually about to be playing laser tag, willing or not, and there was another battle he had won, though he didn't know it yet.
She smiled at him as he grinned, resting a hand over his on the steering wheel. "I'm sure I will, I'm with you aren't I?" she said, absently squeezing his fingers as she prepared herself. No matter how much she thought about it, she still couldn't believe what she had done.
"Actually, I have some news for you" she said, blushing a little, glancing down at the steering wheel. She was a calm person, and the thought of having been the cause of anyone's misfortune, no matter whose, still made her feel...wrong. "I talked to my last social worker yesterday" she blurted out at last, looking up at him, wanting to see his eyes when she told him. "I reported Sarah and Philip. They're going to be banned from fostering, and she's going to see about bringing them up on charges of abuse." She smiled broadly, saying it aloud finally making it seem real. "I did it" she whispered.
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 12, 2009 4:14:34 GMT -5
as he went to shift his truck out of park and start the drive into Port Angeles he was surprised to find Amber's hand over his. He turned to smile at her. "You give me too much credit," he laughed. "I'm sure you would have had fun with whoever you went with."
Though he was glad that she was excited to go with him. Hearing her say that made him feel important, like he was wanted. It was a completely different thing, dating Amber versus dating Jessica. Where Jessica was self-absorbed and the queen of gossip, Amber was caring and quiet.
His pale eyebrows raised when she mentioned that she had some news to share. He watched her cheeks blush and her look away, and he wondered what it could be. It seemed like something important, something that she seemed almost disappointed in the news she had to share. Listening, his eyes popped in shock as she blurted out what she had done.
A huge grin spread across Mike's face as he leaned toward her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a hug. "You did do it," he muttered as he squeezed her gently.
"That's great news Amber," he told her, releasing her from his grip. "I'm so proud that you were able to tell someone. To get those lousy people punished like they should have been a long time ago."
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 12, 2009 15:20:37 GMT -5
Giggling, Amber returned the hug enthusiastically, glad to see he had taken the news as well as she had hoped. She loved to see him smile, and knowing that her news had that effect made it all the more special. Before he released her, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, unable to think of any other way to truly express how happy she was.
What he said next only made her even happier, feeling as though she might burst with joy. Noone had ever said they were proud of her before, usually only complaining that whatever she had done right had taken her too long, and that Mike should be was the icing on the cake. “I’m just glad you don’t have to worry about me anymore” she said softly as he let her go, reaching up to straighten a hair that had fallen over his forehead. “It’s all in the past now.”
Leaning back into her seat again, she sat so that her back was partly resting against the door of the truck so she could look at Mike. “I suppose we should get this over with then” she grumbled, unable to keep from smiling. “But be gentle, won’t you? I don’t take defeat too well.”
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 13, 2009 2:11:47 GMT -5
A slight blush pinked Mike's cheek when Amber kissed him. He shifted out of park and turned the truck, his head turning, hoping she hadn't seen his blush.
He couldn't help but chuckle a little at her enthusiasm, though he couldn't blame her, this really was something to be ecstatic about. Mike had constantly worried about Amber as soon as he found out about what her foster parents were doing to her, what previous foster families had done to her. He had threatened multiple times to confront them about it, but hadn't because it wasn't what Amber wanted. And Mike's main priority was staying loyal to his friend.
Mike huffed as Amber mentioned him not having to worry about her anymore. "I think I'll always worry about you Amber," he told her. Even though she had been away from Philip and Sarah for a while now, he still worried about her. Her being alone all the time in her own place, anything could happen to her and no one would know. He hated to think and worry about the what-ifs, but it was hard not to. "Yes, it's all in the past," he agreed happily.
Mike laughed as he turned to look at her positioned against the door, her tone unamused, but a smile on her face. "Oh you know you're going to have. You act like I'm taking you to go get your teeth pulled or something," he said, amused, returning the smile. "And we've been through this, I make no promises," he teased. Truly, he would be gentle with her, maybe even let her win a round. Though, for some reason, he was sure she wouldn't be terrible at this, but then again, he could be wrong.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 13, 2009 5:33:41 GMT -5
Smiling, Amber watched as Mike turned away, sure she had seen his face colour, though she said nothing. Even as friends, they had each had their own roles. She was the quieter one, preferring to stand back and let Mike have the spotlight while she simply watched. He was the protective one, always seeming to thrive on looking after her, being the stronger of the two, which suited her just fine, she enjoyed the feeling of safety she had when she was with him. There seemed no reason for that to change now, and if he didn't want her seeing that little sign of vulnerability, she could pretend she hadn't. She blushed a little herself as his comment only served to confirm her thoughts.
"You really don't have to, you know" she said, turning her head a little to watch as the distance slipped by, still unfamiliar despite her time in Forks. "Nothing's going to happen to me. I'm a grown woman now, there's no fosters to worry about."
Grimacing, she pouted at him again, resigned to her fate.
"Try not to give me too many options, I might take one" she grumbled, though she knew it wasn't true. "Getting teeth pulled sounds pretty good about now."
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 14, 2009 3:52:55 GMT -5
"The fosters aren't the only dangers to you out there," he told her, both hands remained firmly on the steering wheel and he kept his eyes forward. "I mean there's other freaks out there what would take advantage of a teenager living on her own. And there's no one out there to protect you, and sometimes doors and windows being locked isn't enough to keep a determined criminal out."
He sighed as he ranted some of his worries out to her, it really was impossible not to worry about her. And it wasn't even just the dangers of people, but the household dangers that had him worried.
"You know," he told her, turning to look at her. "You should get a dog," he couldn't help but chuckle a bit at what he was saying, "A big dog. A big, scary dog. I just might worry about you less."
"Trust me, you'll have fun," he laughed. "And I'm assuming by your comment that you've never had teeth pulled, trust me, it's not fun. Laser tag is a trillion times funner than that."
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 14, 2009 17:43:06 GMT -5
Leaning her head against the window, she sighed quietly as Mike rattled off the various reasons she might be in danger, the operative word being ‘might’. It was sweet that he cared so much, but sometimes she wondered if perhaps, despite his claims that she worried too much, it was in fact he who was the true worrier. Regardless of how many times she tried to reassure him, it never made much of a difference.
“Mike, I’m hardly a prime target, and it’s not like there’s anything worth stealing at my place. Most people wouldn’t even take a second look at my house, not even long enough to notice it, let alone try to break in. Please, I’ll be fine. Besides, if I ever need protection all I have to do is call you and I know my knight in shining armour will be there in a flash.” She smiled as she finished speaking, hoping that appealing to his macho side might soothe his worries. “Or you could always just come to my place more often, then I wouldn’t be alone and there wouldn’t be so much for you to worry about” she teased, shifting in her seat a little so she was more comfortable. Her eyes widened at his suggestion, covering her mouth to muffle the laughter she let loose at the idea.
“A dog?! Are you kidding? What would I do with a dog? I can barely look after me, let alone having a dog in the house! I mean” she bit her lip, realising she had worded her reply completely wrong, “I’m still getting used to being on my own, I don’t think I’m quite ready to take on that much responsibility. And anyway, what’s to stop me being scared of the dog?” she batted her eyelashes innocently, praying he wouldn’t take it into his head to make sure she ended up with a new pet. She loved animals, but she certainly didn’t think she could cope with one of her own. Shaking her head no, she grimaced.
“I’ll take your word for that, my teeth are all mine and all intact thank you very much. As long as I’m with you, I’ll have fun...but I pick what we do next time.”
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 15, 2009 20:41:45 GMT -5
"I'm hardly a knight in shining armor," Mike laughed. "Though, yes, if you ever need protection I'm one call away. Day or night." Mike couldn't put any more truth into his words, he was being as honest and sincere as possible. If Amber ever called him in the middle of the night he'd be at her place in a flash, no matter what. Even if his parents had forbidden it, he'd find a way to her place.
"Hm. I like that idea," Mike told her with a smirk.
"It was just a suggestion," he laughed at her reaction. One of his pale brows rose when she mentioned not being able to take care of herself, but he didn't say anything on it. He knew if she ever had any problem he'd call her, or at least he thought that was what she'd do. "You wouldn't be afraid of your own dog."
The mention of pets had Mike curious, he still didn't know that much about Amber's past, and what he did know he didn't particularly like. "Have you ever owned a pet?" he asked, curiously.
Mike turned toward Amber, his face an expression of mock sadness. "You didn't like my idea of a first date?" he asked her, his lips turning up into a smile. "Fine," he huffed, "You can pick next time."
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 15, 2009 21:31:40 GMT -5
“Well, maybe not the shining armour bit” Amber replied, smiling cheekily. Mike was so much fun to tease, and he never minded her goodnatured joking, even when it came out wrong, unless of course she mentioned a particular subject. “Wouldn’t want to hide that toned physique, it’d be a crime against humanity!” Reaching across, she patted his leg, not daring to touch his hands while he was driving, but wanting to reassure him that she knew she could count on him. “I know, and if I’m ever in trouble, or even if I just need you around, I promise, I’ll call straight away.” Her smiled turned bashful as she lowered her eyes, glancing away again, her lashes blocking her view of his face. It still surprised her to hear him say things like that, that he wanted to spend time with her, though it made her heart flutter a little when he did.
His question surprised her, and she realised that apart from her foster parents, she had told him almost nothing about herself. It made her feel a little guilty. She trusted him more than she had ever trusted anyone and yet almost her entire life was a closed book, even to him. Thinking carefully, she ran through her various homes in her mind, trying to remember if she had ever had a pet of any kind.
“I’ve never really had one of my own, but I helped look after a couple once or twice. My fourth family had a Doberman called Sally. She didn’t like me much, kept biting me whenever she could, though I’m not really sure why. The sixth had a pair of horses that they used to make me look after, though I didn’t mind that. They were beautiful. A pair of black mares, I used to muck out their stables and that sort of thing, and I got to ride them whenever they needed more exercise than their owners felt like giving them. Course, they never let me use their precious saddles so I always ended up riding bareback, but that was more fun anyway.” She leaned her head back against the glass again, her thoughts miles away as she remembered them, the feeling of the wind in her hair as she rode. She knew it was a side of her he had probably never imagined existed, it even amazed her that she had been reckless, and suddenly it made her long to do something out of character. Turning back to him, she grinned, wondering what she would think of her idea.
“It’s just not very me, you know? I’ll give it a chance though” she added, nodding as though proud of herself for being so open to his ideas. Pursing her lips, she pretended to think a moment, though it was simply an act, she knew exactly what she was going to suggest for their second date. She had heard the kids from school talking about it when they had gone down to First Beach one weekend, and had even watched them showing off. It was exactly the kind of thing the ‘old Amber’ would have done. “Well, for next time, how about...cliff diving at La Push?” She bit her lip, watching his face to see his reaction. It was totally out of character for the girl the kids in Forks had come to know and more or less accept, and she couldn’t help wondering if perhaps it was too out of character for Mike to accept. If he couldn’t, that was fine by her, she liked the quieter version of herself just as much as the old. If he did, that too was fine. Both were equally ‘her’, and she was happy to be whichever he preferred.
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 16, 2009 5:58:01 GMT -5
"Hah!" Mike blurted. "Toned physique my...," he let the sentence trail off as he laughed. Only Amber would think of him to have a toned body, she was too biased when it came to his appearance. Then again he too was biased when it came to the way she looked, she would always look better than any other girl. "You better call," he threatened, a teasing smile playing at the corner of his lips.
He listened as she explained a little more about her past, things that Mike had never known about her. It was nice to hear more about her, parts that weren't horrible and things that didn't make him cringe a fume with anger. He glanced at her briefly as she described the horses she used to care for, she seemed to have enjoyed them. He turned back to the road before he spoke. "You know, I've never ridden a horse," he confessed. In fact, he wasn't sure if any Forks students ever had, as far as he knew no one around here owned horses.
Turning back to her he nodded as she did, agreeing that laser tag was not something he could picture her doing right now, or had ever pictured her doing. But then as she explained what she'd like to do for their next date laughter bubbled up and out of his mouth. Was she seriously suggesting that they go cliff-diving? This suggestion was definitely not something he had expected to come from her. "Are you serious?" he asked in disbelief. "You just told me laser tag wasn't very 'you', but now you're suggesting...cliff-diving?" He couldn't help but laugh some more. "Alright, if that is what you'd like to do for our next date, then cliff-diving we shall go."
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 17, 2009 14:13:50 GMT -5
“Hey! Don’t sell yourself short, you’re quite a catch you know” Amber scolded, giving him a half-hearted slap on the shoulder as she did so. It never ceased to amaze her how modest he was, despite being very good-looking, in a sort of boy-next-door way. “Cross my heart, I will. No hesitation.”
“We’ll have to go sometime. You don’t know what you’re missing” she said, beaming at him. “There’s nothing else like it in the world. It’s like flying, you’re totally free.” She couldn’t help laughing at his reaction to her idea, throwing her head back against the headrest before covering her mouth quickly with her hand to mask the sound.
“Just because I can’t see myself shooting people with lights, that doesn’t mean I don’t relish plunging to a watery grave once in a while” she giggled, smiling innocently at him. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. The cliff-diving thing is probably a lot more me than you might think.” She let the subject hang as she leaned her elbow on the window ledge, resting her chin in her hand, gazing out of the window again, the scenery that was passing them almost hypnotizing. “Yep. I think diving will be perfect.”
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