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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 18, 2009 4:48:59 GMT -5
He rolled his eyes at Amber's comment. "You're not too bad of a catch either," he teased. Actually, she was probably the best girl he could have ever found, but he wouldn't tell her that. He enjoyed teasing her, finding it amusing and a little bit adorable at the way she would react.
"Yes we will," he agreed, smiling at her. "You seemed to have enjoyed it quite a bit." He continued their drive, they would be there shortly. It was nice to have the long car ride to Port Angeles to get to know her better, find out more about her past. He was already curious to what else he might be able to find out about her, things that he didn't already know.
"Seriously?" he asked once again in disbelief. "Cliff-diving is more you?" He just couldn't picture it, her diving off a high cliff into the waves of the ocean. He found picturing her in laser tag gear, a vest with a sensor strapped against her body, and a gun in her hand, a lot more.... He couldn't help but laugh at the picture he had just conjured up in his mind. No....Now that he thought about it he couldn't picture her doing laser tag either. But Amber doing laser tag was a lot more believable than Amber cliff-diving.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 18, 2009 19:52:59 GMT -5
Blushing, she smiled shyly at the compliment, glad she was facing at least partly away from Mike. There were times when she could swear he only said things like that for the sake of making her blush, like some form of strange torture. She couldn't be mad at him, even if she wanted to be, he was too sweet, but it still made her wish she had more control over her face when it came to colour. "You're just saying that" she murmured, trying to hide the smile, knowing she was failing miserably.
"I did. Believe it or not, I'm an outdoorsy girl deep down" she said, tucking another strand of hair behind her ear, frowning at it, wishing it would stay in place. "That was the best bit about being on the streets between homes, I got to be my own girl for a while. Rock climbing, swimming, hiking, that sort of thing. When you don't have a bedtime or a house to get back to, it makes it a lot easier to go where you want." She hoped the mention of her life on the streets didn't worry him, when it worried her so little. He always seemed so sensitive to those aspects of her past, but she felt so comfortable talking to him, it was easy to forget to be careful what she said.
"What? Do I really seem that delicate?" she teased, laughing at his reaction. She knew she was a quiet girl, and generally gave off the impression that she was shy and timid, which for the most part was true, at least when it came to people, but she had never really thought about what people might think of her as a whole. "I guess when you get used to being two different people, you kinda forget everyone else can't see both. It's just so much easier keeping that side of me hidden around people. Nobody pays attention to the quiet girl, so it's easier to blend in that way. Truth is, you're the first person I've ever really been 'me' with. Heck, Carlisle's like a second dad to me and he and Edward don't even know about that side of me." She smiled at him, wondering how he would take that little tidbit of information. She knew he didn't like Edward much, if at all, and in a way it was fun pointing out all the ways in which he beat the Cullens, at least in her books. It was her way of boosting his ego as best she could, since she had so few other ways she could do so.
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 20, 2009 23:00:46 GMT -5
"Good thing you're dating me then, huh?" he turned to smile at her. "I like to do a lot of outdoorsy things." It was common knowledge among all of Forks that Newton's Olympic Outfitters belonged to Mike's dad. So clearly that said something about their family, or at least the men in his family. His mother...not so much, she could be found in the store wearing high heels and a dress, definitely not the outdoors type.
Mike's grip tightened around the steering wheel as Amber spoke of herself living on the streets. Granted it was better than staying and being beaten day after day, living on the streets definitely wasn't a life. And actually, there were a lot more dangers to that. But, rather than going off about his dislike of her living on the streets of various cities he decided on trying to learn more information about that aspect of her life. "What else did you do?" he asked, "I mean, how did you earn money? Get around?"
"Yes, Amber, you do seem that delicate," he told her truthfully. He only knew the one side of Amber, the side shy girl side. The side that kept to herself and very rarely let people get to know the real girl, the other side that just wanted to break through. "Why do you want to blend in?" he asked, "Don't you want to be the real you? The one that stands out and is different from the rest?"
"I'm glad you're actually letting me see that side of you. I think you should show it off more often, not that I don't like the quiet you. But if this quiet, shy Amber is just a mask, a cover up to the real one," he shrugged, "How do people know who you truthfully are? You shouldn't be afraid to be you."
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 23, 2009 21:37:09 GMT -5
“Yup, it was one of my main criteria after all” she joked, returning the smile. “My ideal man in every way aren’t ya?” The smile quickly straightened out as she saw him grip the steering wheel and she sighed inwardly. This was going to take some getting used to still, having to watch what she said.
“I did what everybody else does, earned my way whatever way I knew how. Nothing illegal of course, and nothing immoral, just stuff that earned a few pennies for travel or whatever. People are pretty good to homeless kids, I was able to pick up waitressing work sometimes, swept floors in salons, that sorta thing. Open mike nights were good for a free meal now and then when I felt like singing, though the drunks weren’t exactly pleasant.” She shuddered, remembering some of the customers she had met on open mike nights when she left the stage. “Let’s just say some of ‘em don’t know the difference between yes and no. And then of course there was asking for spare change on the street. Hardly dignified, but it sometimes paid better than the jobs if you can believe it. That was how I used to pay my way around, that and hitchhiking.” Shrugging, she looked down at her nails, examining them carefully. Those were the hardest parts to talk about. She never liked to let anyone see that it bothered her, but when she had been groped or manhandled by patrons or drivers, or when she had spent the night in a doorway, those were the times that had been the most frightening for her. Even now, the memories haunted her, sometimes waking her up in the middle of the night as nightmares, though she wouldn’t admit it to Mike, he worried enough about her as it was.
“I never told you about my old schools did I?” she said softly, feeling the new Amber retreat a little again as she thought about her past classmates. “They were just as bad as the foster homes. When you’re a foster kid, people assume something’s wrong with you, that you’re a freak. You’re not a victim of circumstance, you’re the cause of it. That’s why the beatings never really bothered me with the fosters, they just carried on at school. Heck, some of the teachers even put bets on how long I’d last in a classroom before I ran out crying because of someone stabbing me in the back with a pencil or something. So I just try to slip in unnoticed. If I just appear, no song and dance, sometimes it takes a while before they start bullying again. It doesn’t pay to stand out when you’re already a nobody. If you have nothing to lose, people are all the more determined to prove it to you.”
“Sure, it’d be nice to be the old Amber, but I’m not sure I remember how. I trust you more than I’ve ever trusted anyone, and even with you it’s still hard to keep from just hiding sometimes. I know you’d never hurt me but...” she paused, biting her lip. She knew what she was about to say would hurt, but it was the only way to explain things fully. “When you’ve been through all that, every time someone raises a hand, you automatically think you’re the one that’s gonna get bruised. I’m really trying to get used to the whole safety thing, but it’s taking time. That’s why even with you, I’m still the new Amber most of the time. It’s getting better though, and I have you to thank for that.” She smiled at him fondly, leaning towards him and brushing a light kiss on his cheek again. She owed him far more than she could ever express, but she was determined he would always know how much he meant to her.
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 27, 2009 20:07:20 GMT -5
"I try to be ideal to your standards," he laughed, turning to smirk at Amber. His smile grew a little bit when she mentioned open mic nights. "You sing?" he asked, amused to find another thing he didn't know about her. She never ceased to amaze him, this was another thing he couldn't picture her doing, singing in front of people. He turned to look at her again and turned just in time to see her shudder. His smile fell a bit, concern returning to his expression. "What do you mean they don't mean the difference between yes and no?" he asked. He wondered what had all gone on, how much of her life he didn't know, and if it was possible that it could get worse.
"Nope," he told her, "Did not tell me about your school life." His face fell even more as she went on. He had expected her school life to be better, but it hadn't been. Listening to her explain her life made Mike feel grateful for the life he had now. He recalled the numerous times he had complained to his parents, going off on how they were terrible and how they weren't fair, how they weren't fair. They had always told him, 'Life isn't fair.' And clearly it wasn't, Mike could see that now more than ever, Amber hadn't deserved the life she had lived, and that was unfair. Mike thought back to when Amber's first day, how she had seemed hesitant about everything and meeting people, it all made sense now. "That's why you seemed so reluctant the first day of school," he stated quietly.
Mike pulled into a small parking lot that was in front of a large, concrete building. The building was flashing with large, neon signs, announcing that the place was an arcade of sorts. Pulling into the parking spot quickly he shut off the car and turned toward his passenger.
"We'll work on bringing out the old Amber," he said with a smile. "I mean, it's not going to just happen easy, especially after all you've gone through. But I'm here to help you go back to how you used to be, how you want to be. If that's what you really want." He stepped out of the car, shutting his door and walked to the other side of his truck. Opening her door he waited for her to step out, a huge grin plastered on his face. "Ready for some fun?" he asked, staring at one of the large, neon, signs flashing the words 'Laser Tag'.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Feb 1, 2009 21:14:20 GMT -5
Nodding, Amber grinned at him, surprised he had never pegged her as a singer. It was her favourite thing to do and she was amazed that, despite her habit of singing or humming every chance she got, it had still remained a secret.
“Mmmhmmm, all the time actually, I just don’t do it in public now. There’s not really that much chance, or reason. Music is my life, I’m just good at hiding it. Even though there’s two Ambers, there another one that only comes out when I have music around or I’m singing. It’s like I’ve been underwater and I’ve finally found my way to the surface. I can’t even describe it properly. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll sing for you” she teased. Secretly she knew that despite her nervousness, she would probably burst into song in a crowded mall if he asked her to, simply to feel the sense of release and utter joy that filled her whenever she sang.
Lowering her eyes again, she bit her lip again, gnawing at it nervously. She was ashamed of some of the things that had happened in her life, and this was one of them, whether it was her own fault or not. “That’s why I don’t like to go to clubs and bars now, the guys tend to...” she paused, wondering how she could explain without him freaking out. She turned towards her window so that he couldn’t see her face, closing her eyes as she spoke. “They used to try to get more than I was offering. I gave them music, they wanted other kinds of entertainment. When I didn’t want to oblige, they sometimes tried to get what they wanted the hard way.” She was glad her eyes were closed, it held back the tears that were trying to escape, something she didn’t want today.
“Yep” she said, glad of the subject change. “I thought I’d die when Jess came up to me, and then you as well, it was my worst nightmare! Who woulda thunk that down the road, my worst nightmare would turn out to be my dream guy” she chuckled, unfastening her seatbelt.
“Sounds good to me” she said as he stepped out of the truck, watching him walk around to her side, ever the gentleman. Allowing him to open the door for her, flattered by his chivalry, she took his hand and swung it gently, grimacing at the sign that had caught his attention. “If you say so, though I’m still not sure it’s my cup of tea.”
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Post by Mike Newton on Feb 7, 2009 13:05:55 GMT -5
With his fingers intertwined with hers, he pulled her in the direction of the large building. "I know I've probably told you this a thousand times in the car alone, but you're so dramatic," he said with a slight chuckle. No matter how much convincing he was sure Amber would never let up with the speculation of laser tag being some terrible punishment. She would just have to see for herself.
Thinking about the previous conversation in the car Mike gently squeezed her hand, he hadn't gotten the chance to comment on some things that she had said. Though that was probably a good thing, that he got the chance to get some fresh air instead of going off on some rampage about the drunken men she had encountered numerous times while she lived on the streets. He turned toward her with a sad smile. "I know no matter how much I apologize it doesn't make up for anything that has ever happened to you," he spoke quietly, "I want you to know that as long as I'm around, I'll never let anyone hurt or touch you. You deserve and did deserve so much better." Red covered Mike's eyes as he thought about the drunks that Amber had spoke about, she hadn't gone into detail, but Mike could draw his own conclusions. With another squeeze of her hand Mike calmed, comforted by her touch and the fact that he knew she was safe right now.
"Oh, and you're going to have to sing for me. You know that, right?" Mike said with a smile, trying to lighten up the mood. He pulled the door handle open and held it open for her.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Feb 8, 2009 8:50:05 GMT -5
Sighing, Amber groaned like a petulant child, though it was more for show now than anything. The prospect of spending time with Mike was worth anything, even facing something as completely unknown as laser tag. “I may be dramatic, but I have a sinking feeling something is gonna go horribly wrong and end up with me flat on the floor, or worse. I’ll give it a chance, I promised, but if I don’t like it, you owe me ice cream” she teased. “Ice cream makes anything better.” Nodding as if she had shared some great pearl of wisdom, she smiled softly as he squeezed her hand, glad he wasn’t too upset with her for what she had told him. It didn’t matter how often she told herself otherwise, she always felt as though she should have seen the dangers she had faced and somehow avoided them. She felt strangely lighter, knowing he knew about that side of her past and yet didn’t seem to hold it against her. She looked up at him as he turned, returning the smile with one of her own as he spoke, though it faded quickly.
“I don’t want you to apologise for them, nothing can change what they did” she said quietly, her free hand reaching out to rest on his waist, for some reason needing the extra contact. “The past is past, and even if it hurts, it can’t come back.” At his last words, her eyes filled with tears, the simple sentiment meaning more than he could possibly know. Slipping her hand around his waist, she leaned forward, resting her cheek against his chest and holding him tightly. “I know Mike, and you have no idea how much that means to me. I always feel safe with you. Besides” she added, looking up at him, a bright smile suddenly curving her lips as she looked at him. She sometimes wondered if she really was biased, or if the other girls in town were simply oblivious to what she saw as absolute perfection. “I have better now. Much, much, much better.” She returned the squeeze of her hand and released his waist, leading the way through the door, suddenly feeling infinitely more confident about the whole situation.
“I’ll think about it” she joked as she looked around the building they had entered, bewildered by the sheer size of it. “Maybe even later on” she giggled childishly, her eyes returning to his face, the sadness of their conversation forgotten in the excitement of such a new experience. “If I survive, and if you’re nice.”
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Post by Mike Newton on Feb 26, 2009 1:34:56 GMT -5
Mike gently pulled Amber through the crowd, keeping her close to him as he weaved in and out of people. His mind roamed over what had just happened in the doorway, how she had been comfortable with putting her hands on her waist and leaning into him for comfort. He was glad he made her feel safe when around him. He would do everything now to make things better for her, the girl he was quickly falling for. "You'll survive, I promise you that much," Mike laughed, a sinister tone to his voice. He had simply promised to make sure she survived, not anything more.
The building was crowded with kids of various ages, flashing lights reflected off the walls and mirrors, and the beeping of various arcade games and the yelling of excited children. Mike made sure to not let Amber get jostled about from the crowd as he made his way to the game counter where the laser tag games would be purchased.
As they nearly reached the counter Mike paused, stopping them in their tracks a few feet away. He turned to face Amber, a large grin adorning his face. "Alright," he started, "I've already made you a couple promises tonight. One, I promise I will not let anyone ever hurt you. And two, I won't let you get killed in our laser tag games. It's your turn to promise me something." He paused for a brief moment, his blond brow raised, waiting to see if she would object. "Promise me that we won't talk about anymore of the difficult stuff of your past, but instead the happier notes," he offered, his tone holding a note of pleading.
"I don't want to see you cry anymore," he continued, reaching his arms up to scoop her into them, bringing her closer into a friendly hug. He relished the feeling of her warm skin and her sweet, clearly feminine scent before releasing her again. A large, childish, toothy grin was prominent on his face as his blue eyes looked down into her dark ones. "And again, I'm making you another promise. What does that make this one, the third one?" he questioned jokingly, "If you do not enjoy yourself, and even if you do, we will go out to ice cream after this."
With the last promise he wrapped his hand once more around hers and continued the trek to the counter to purchase their games.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Feb 26, 2009 9:02:29 GMT -5
“You better hope so” Amber giggled, following him through the crowds, feeling strangely sheltered as she did so. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination but it was almost as if he was guiding her in such a way as to keep the other patrons from coming into too much contact with her, something for which she was immensely grateful, even if it was just coincidence. The crowds were one of the things that unnerved her most, and being so close to him made her feel infinitely less frightened of the loud strangers. Looking up at him as he stopped, she raised an eyebrow, suspicious of the grin that had stretched across his face. Anything that made him grin that much was sure to be bad news.
Nodding, she listened to him as he recapped what he had said, smiling as he promised yet again to keep her safe. It was amazing how those few little words made such a difference to her. “Okay” she said, tilting her head slightly as she agreed, still suspicious but feeling that after their discussions, the least she could do was trust him, which she did, unconditionally. It almost made her cry again when he asked her not to talk about the harder times she had been through, not because she wanted to, but because it touched her that he was so affected by it. Allowing him to wrap his arms around her, she rested her cheek against his, closing her eyes at the sweetness of the gesture and the sheer naturalness of it. “I promise” she whispered, “No more bad talk, only good.” She wrapped her arms around him again, returning the hug with a tight squeeze of her own. “Anyway, I have a new life now, and I’d rather be thinking about the here and now than the there and then” she added, chuckling at the ridiculous wording.
She grinned again as he pulled away, unable as always to resist the contagious cheerfulness that was Mike. “Yup, three, you’re on a roll” she remarked, nodding sagely, her eyes lighting up at the promise. Raising her hand in a muted celebration, she wrinkled her nose, an almost childish expression on her face. “Woo! Ice cream!” she cheered as he took her hand, following him toward the counter, now thoroughly looking forward to their time together, although the promise of a sweet treat did colour her judgement a little. “Mint chocolate chip for me!”
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Post by Mike Newton on Mar 13, 2009 1:30:46 GMT -5
Mike shook his head in laughter at Amber's enthusiasm at the simple idea of being rewarded with ice cream at the end of the night. He reached the counter, resting his arm on the cool edge and positioning his body toward her. "You amuse me," he laughed, shaking his head lightly. He turned back to the attendant behind the counter, paying for the two games of laser tag they would play. "Come on," he ordered, grasping her hand again and pulling her enthusiastically back through the crowd and to the line of other kids and adults waiting to be let into the confines of the grounds they would play laser tag.
They didn't wait in line long before an arcade worker let everyone in, letting the customers choose which colored team they wanted to be part of; orange or green. During the wait Mike didn't let his fingers leave Amber's, keeping a tight grip on her small hand. As he pulled her through the door he turned to smile at her as he chose the side with less members in an attempt to keep the numbers even. This game they would be orange.
He waited patiently as the employee explained the rules and instructed them on how to play the game; Mike knew how this worked like he knew the back of his hand. Once finished they let the teams enter their dressing room of sorts where they would gear up for the game. "Alright," Mike said, pulling Amber into a far corner of the room, picking up on of the censored vests. "You put this on like this," he explained, pulling the vest over her head as he instructed, he would do it this time and she could do it the next. "And make sure you keep both hands on the gun," he told her, slinging the gun's strap around her neck and placing it in her hands, "You don't want to drop it and break it. The game's really simple and fun, and I won't leave you to get killed."
With a shout from the workers they were free to enter into the arena where the game would begin. Mike was dressed in his gear, positioning himself close to Amber as they entered into the dark, glowing, and mist filled game area. A sound of a buzzer announced the game was to begin and shouts and running footsteps sounded through the room.
The two games flew by, Mike truly had enjoyed himself as he pulled the vest from his sweaty frame, his hair sticking to his face. He was grateful that he had decided to put extra deodorant and cologne on, he would have been forever embarrassed if he had wreaked after the game. He pulled his head slightly through the neck of his t-shirt, wiping the beads of sweat from his forehead. His blue eyes looked at Amber questioningly, wondering if she had enjoyed herself at least a little bit, "Soo, what'd you think?" He smiled hugely, anticipating her answer, if he was being honest it wasn't such a terrible game. "Now on to ice cream," he added.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Mar 13, 2009 21:51:32 GMT -5
Giving him a smug look, Amber grinned proudly at his comment. “I do my best” she said simply, allowing him to take her hand again, curling her fingers around his, grateful for the comfort even if she knew her fears were irrational. Returning his smile as he picked the team they would play on, she couldn’t help thinking it must be a good omen that he had chosen her favourite colour. Her favourite person, favourite colour and soon her favourite food, surely the date couldn’t go badly. The sense of confidence quickly faded, however, as the rules were explained, the large amount of information virtually overloading her brain.
Watching carefully as Mike showed her what to do, unable to hide the slight blush as he pulled the vest over her head, though it soon turned to a frown at his words. “I’m not that clumsy you know, I can hold a gun without dropping it. I think” she added, glancing down dubiously as the words sank in. She never really approved of his hobby of hunting, though she wouldn’t tell him so, guns made her nervous. Holding this one made her feel uncomfortable, even if it was just for laser tag, but she smothered the feeling. She had promised she would try to have fun, and that was what she would do. “Better not, or you might get killed too” she answered as they entered the game area, her pulse racing with nerves.
The next while passed in a blur for Amber, and she barely registered anything apart from the shouts and the numerous thuds as she ran into people, mostly Mike. Following him back out into the equipment room, she leaned against the wall for a moment, catching her breath, brushing back the damp strands of hair that stuck to her face. Standing up straight again, she smiled and rolled her eyes. “Okay, so it wasn’t all that bad, though I’m still gonna be bruised. I can’t believe I ran into you that many times! It’s like I turned into the queen of klutzes instead of just the princess” she grumbled. “Sorry about that” she grinned sheepishly, her eyes lighting up as he mentioned the ice cream. “Ice cream indeed” she repeated, grasping the edge of the vest and pulling it up over her head, freezing as she felt a breeze.
“Oh no” she groaned, “please tell me that’s not what I think it is.” Yanking the vest fully off she glanced down, her face turning bright red as she saw her bra, her tank top having tangled in the vest as she removed it. Glancing around to make sure no one else was watching, she quickly untangled the top and pulled it back on, leaning back against the wall and covering her face with her hands. “I cannot believe that just happened. I told you. Didn’t I tell you something would happen? Always does, but I didn’t think it’d be that bad.”
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Post by Mike Newton on Mar 14, 2009 23:55:39 GMT -5
Mike stood proudly by the equipment, staring down at Amber, glad she had just admitted the game wasn't that bad. It was definitely better than hearing that she had a terrible time, he would have died a little on the inside if something along those lines had come out of her mouth. "Ugh, yeah, I've never been so hurt on a date before. Remind me to wear padding next time," he joked, his tone bitter. He lifted his arm to the opposite shoulder and rubbed in, feigning some sort of injury or bruise with a dramatic grimace that pulled his lip up over his teeth. The mock-resentment didn't last long before his own amusement spilled over and a feeble laugh broke free of his throat. "You weren't that bad," he told her, shaking his head, "I didn't get...."
His sentence trailed off as his eyes stared at her face, not daring to move anywhere else on her body. He had just watched her pull her head through the vest, taking her shirt with it, and there was no way he was going to take advantage of the lack of upper body clothing. He would not disrespect Amber like that. So, instead, he kept his attention on her face. Part of him wanted to help her put her shirt back on so no one else would see, but he was already restraining his teenage boy hormones enough, any movement might have caused him to sneak a glance. At the thought of his own male tendencies he remembered where they were; a laser tag arena. A place full of younger, less restrained boys. The thought of another guy looking at Amber's exposed frame caused a flash of anger to flow through him. He wanted to dart his eyes around the room and punch any guy that may be looking at her, but decided controlling his own temptations was priority, he didn't want to ruin anything between him and Amber and being rude by gaping at her in her bra would certainly ruin that.
Relieved her shirt was back on Mike let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding and relaxed his jaw which had been completely rigid before. Quickly he took a glance around the room, relieved that everyone else seemed oblivious to the going ons in their corner. When his eyes returned to Amber he felt bad that Amber was entirely embarrassed, her hands hiding her face. Feeling the need to reassure her it wasn't that bad he stepped toward her, reaching a hand out to rub her shoulder. "That was nothing," he told her, his head bent trying to get her to look at him. "No one even noticed. Besides me. Everyone else is oblivious to the fact that you just tried to flash them," he joked in a feeble attempt to make her smile.
"Now come on," he sighed, letting his hand trail down her arm to her fingers, intertwining them with his. "Let's go get that ice cream you were so ecstatic about before. Wasn't it mint chocolate chip you wanted?" He pulled her hand slightly, hoping she would follow rather than continue to think about what had just happened.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Mar 16, 2009 13:53:03 GMT -5
Standing with her back against the wall, Amber was wishing she could sink into the floor and disappear with the embarrassment she was feeling. It would have been bad enough had they been in a small room with just the two of them, but at least then she might have been able to cope with what had just happened a little easier. Instead, she had just pulled her shirt off in a room full of people, one of every girl’s worst nightmares. She could hardly believe it. Her luck had never been the best, and her clumsiness had often been the butt of jokes at school, usually from Mike or sometimes even Edward when he was in a particularly social mood, but this took the cake, the icing and the plastic fork as well. Her only consolation was that, as far as she could see in the small glance she cast around the room, no one had noticed her little display. Even Mike had had the decency to keep his eyes averted, something she didn’t think she could ever thank him enough for.
She still had her face covered when she felt his hand rub her shoulder, the gesture surprisingly soothing given her present mortification. Lowering her hands, she raised her eyes to meet his, a look of pure ashamed horror on her face. She appreciated the sweet way in which he tried to make light of the situation and she forced a weak smile to make a brief appearance, the best she could manage at the moment. Giving a half-hearted chuckle, she shrugged. At least he saw the humorous side of the situation, what there was of it, she might as well try to do the same. “Well, since it was just you I was trying to flash, I guess my mission’s accomplished”, she mumbled, deciding that even if she did embarrass herself further by the statement, it couldn’t possibly make things any worse. “I have no idea what I would’ve done if anyone else had seen, I might’ve been embarrassed.”
She shivered slightly, the touch travelling down her arm making her skin tingle. Curling her fingers around his, she gave him a grateful smile, pushing herself away from the wall as he pulled on her hand and grabbing her things. Ducking her head, she edged closer to him, resting her temple against his shoulder and sighing. “Yep, mint chocolate chip indeed” she confirmed, tilting her head back to look up at him. Biting her lip, she thought for a moment before the fond smile brightened a little and she tucked her things under her spare arm, resting the hand in the crook of his elbow. “But...can there be sprinkles too?” she asked hopefully, squeezing his hand slightly to let him know she was more than happy to play along and move on to the next stage of their date, even the past few moments unable to ruin the happiness she felt at spending time with Mike. “I think sprinkles are called for.”
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Post by Mike Newton on Mar 22, 2009 20:34:49 GMT -5
Mike chuckled quietly. "Mission not accomplished. It only counts if the person you were trying to flash actually saw something," he told her, squeezing her hand slightly, "But, I'll give it to you for trying." Any embarrassment Mike had felt for her was washed away now and the entire thing seemed like something from way in the past. It was now just something they could look back on and laugh at, something Mike could easily use against her and tease her about if he felt like it.
As she leaned her head against his shoulder Mike's frame trembled with warmth. The way she rested against him comfortably made him feel alive and happy, he enjoyed her touch completely. Mike chuckled amused, "Sure, there can be sprinkles." The way she spoke was like she was a little girl, begging for the additional sugar on her already sweet ice cream. There was no way Mike could have resisted her please for the sacred sprinkles on her ice cream. "Especially after you just failed the whole flashing deal," he added, smirking down at her.
Mike continued to pull Amber through the crowds of yelling children back out the heavy front doors that released them into the cool air of the outdoors. The air was moist with a light mist that was a usual part of their daily weather. The lighting outside was very minimum, the sun was down and the only things keeping the parking lot lit were the sparse light polls distributed across the area. Keeping his hand around hers he led them to his vehicle, only letting go as he unlocked and opened her door.
"I know the best place for ice cream," he told her as he rounded the front of his truck to get to the driver's side. Easily hoisting himself into the seat and buckling up and turning to look at her as he started the car. He smiled easily at her. "It's not too far from here, and they have really good ice cream," he added, backing out of his spot and getting onto the main road of Port Angeles.
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