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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 11, 2009 22:01:49 GMT -5
Amber was so focused on controlling her breathing that she jumped when Mike’s hand touched her knee, not having heard him move toward her. She opened her eyes as he spoke, giving him a watery smile, trying to stop herself from shaking. She felt guilty for worrying him like this, when he was only trying to make her day special.
“I know, I’ll be okay” she whispered, the attack making her stammer a little. She was close to tears, though she knew it was only part of the attack, and she hoped she wouldn’t start crying now. The last thing she wanted was to have him think he was the cause of her crying. “I’m just not very good with crowds, not in such small places” she explained, laying a hand over his, squeezing it tighter than she had meant to, the trembling making it hard to control her fingers. “Thank you” she added as he reassured her he would stay with her. If there was one thing that could make her feel better, it was that.
As the attack subsided, thankfully before it could reach the levels she had experienced before, her breathing began to slow and she felt the tension easing. It was almost embarrassing that something like this should happen right at the time she should be having the most fun, and she looked up as he took her hand and stood up, smiling brighter now that the attack was over.
“I believe you, though thousands wouldn’t” she teased, following his lead and pushing herself out of the chair, using his hand to pull herself up. Once she was standing properly, she released the table and immediately regretted it as she wobbled, falling against Mike’s chest, her free hand automatically reaching up to stop herself. She gasped in surprise at the stumble, the gasp quickly turning to a giggle at her own clumsiness. Still leaning against him for support, though more in case she fell than because she needed it, she looked up at him, a crooked smile on her face.
“I guess I’m not going to win any awards for most graceful hostess today huh?”
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 12, 2009 5:32:20 GMT -5
Mike breathed a sigh of relief as Amber recovered from her brief moment of panic. His smile grew as he waited for her to stand up. He took another chance at apologizing again, he really did feel bad for putting her through this. "I really am sorry," he told her again, quietly.
He gripped her hand tightly as she stood up, sure that going through such an attack would cause some form of inability to stand straight. He however wasn't prepared when he found her against his chest, stumbling when she had gotten up. Wrapping both of his arms around her as support he couldn't help but laugh along with her giggles, his cheeks flushing a light pink at how close she was to him.
As he looked down at her, into her eyes, it wasn't until now that he saw that he cared more for her than just a friend. Their relationship was more than that. Unthinkingly, he dipped his head down and kissed her. His cheeks deepening in color once he pulled away, realizing what he had just done. He stood her upright and pulled his arms away from her.
"Sorry," he muttered looking down. It was the first time he had ever done something like that, his emotions taking over his mind. But he couldn't help but chuckle at himself and he looked back to look at the friend he had just kissed. "And I'm not going to win any awards for being the smartest guy friend out there," he added. He was sure this would affect the friendship between the two of them.[Ooc: I'm pretty sure the two of them were still just friends...though my brain could be deceiving me right now...it is really late and I really shouldn't post when my brain is this mushy. But if I'm wrong...I'll fix it when I wake up. ]
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 12, 2009 13:34:33 GMT -5
It surprised Amber when Mike wrapped his arms around her, not because of the proximity, but because of the way it made her feel - safe. She had never really noticed it before but now she realised that when she was with him, she felt as though nothing could harm her. That feeling was at its strongest now, with his arms around her, as though there were a bubble around her, protecting her.
What surprised her even more was what happened next. Rather than simply letting her go, he leaned down and kissed her. Startled, Amber's eyes widened and she stared at him in shock for a moment as he released her from his arms, amazed at the sudden gesture. It was the first time anyone had kissed her and as she saw him blush, it brought home to her exactly what had happened, her own face flushing as well, her eyes quickly finding the floor. Her mind began to race as she thought about what he had said. It was one simple word, sorry, but she couldn't help wondering what exactly it meant. Was her sorry for kissing her? Sorry for surprising her? Sorry for something else? She had a faint feeling as though she had been slapped in the face, her stomach sinking. She knew she thought of him as more than a friend, and to have him kiss her and then pull away as though it were a huge mistake hurt.
Plastering the best smile she could manage on her face, she looked back up at him when he chuckled, praying he wouldn’t see how she felt, though she doubted she was hiding it very well. She never could seem to hide things from Mike.
“Maybe not” she chuckled halfheartedly, absently reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, “But the others don’t come close to winning any of the other awards.” She quickly turned away, focusing her attention on the cake he had set on the counter, busying herself with taking it carefully out of the box and placing it on the cake stand she had bought as an afterthought on her last shopping trip, too engrossed in what she was doing to think of just how lucky it had been. She was still silent, placing the finger foods on larger plates, hoping it would give the impression that the small quantity had been fully intentional, when she couldn’t take it any longer. Resting her hands on the counter, she hung her head, taking a breath to steady her nerves, sure that whatever the answer to her question was, things would never be the same between her and Mike.
“Are you really?” she whispered, eyes trained on the counter, not even sure if he could hear her. “Sorry, I mean.”
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 13, 2009 1:55:46 GMT -5
Mike watched, confused as Amber started to busy herself with little things. When he had set her right he had seen a flash of hurt in her dark eyes. Was he upsetting her again? Tonight just wasn't his night, and yet another wave of guilt washed over him.
He walked to to the edge of the counter and rested his hands on its cool, smooth edge. Mike thought on what had just happened and why she would be upset. Had he just ruined their friendship? Had he violated her in some way, offended her? Mike wouldn't blame her for feeling that way, it had been a spur of the moment thing. The worry was clear on his face as his pale eyes continued to watch her every move.
He was relieved when she finally spoke. "Truthfully?" he asked, still unsure if he should come clean about his feelings for one of his best friends. But he figured they were pretty clear now and he might was well just get it over with. It would make or break their friendship, but Mike thought it'd be better to end it now instead of drawing it out longer. "No, I'm not sorry I kissed you," he confessed in a whisper that matched hers in volume. He sighed in relief now that he had finally got his true feelings for her out.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 13, 2009 5:03:18 GMT -5
As she waited for his reply, Amber couldn't remember having ever been so terrified in her life as she was now. No matter what he said, she knew things would never be the same again, and the thought that she might lose the one person she cared about more than anything was unbearable.
When he finally did speak, the relief she felt was almost tangible. Releasing a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding, she turned to look up at him, beaming. Slapping him playfully on the arm, she giggled, reaching up to tuck away a piece of hair that had fallen onto his forehead
"Then for goodness' sake, Mike" she said, allowing her fingers to run through his hair until her hand rested on the back of his head, "don't scare me like that!" Her smile softened as she gently pulled his head down toward her, brushing a soft kiss on his lips. Releasing him, she let her hand rest on his shoulder as she looked him in the eye.
"Nor am I" she said softly, feeling happier than she could ever remember feeling in her life.
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 14, 2009 3:42:36 GMT -5
The only thing Mike remembered once he had told Amber he did not regret kissing her was a playful slap on the arm and then the feeling of her lips on his, once more. It was a surprise to him, he hadn't thought that she had felt that way about him. But he was relieved. More than relieved. He was ecstatic that the two of them clearly shared the same feelings about each other. As the happiness bubbled over he couldn't help but laugh a little.
"I am however sorry that I scared you," he mumbled to her, a huge grin plastered on his face. He reached up with one of his hands and grabbed the one of hers that rested on his shoulder. He wove his fingers in between hers, the feeling comforted him, both of their hands together like this.
Voices from the other room reminded him of where they were, and what they were supposed to be doing. He shook his head slightly, and turned toward the other room. He started back in that direction, pulling her behind him. "Come on, we have a party to host," he told her, still smiling.
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Post by Carlisle Cullen on Jan 14, 2009 13:18:32 GMT -5
Carlisle returned Elaine’s smile, looking down at her with warm amber eyes as she approached him from the kitchen. He was distracted for a fraction of a second by the sound of Amber’s erratic breathing, but he stayed put, confident that she could work out her tension if she had some alone, or almost alone, time.
“No, no, I heard you,” he told her. “Our hosts managed to get to the door before I could get to my response, though.”
He chuckled a little, the excuse a good one for the human, though he knew that he had been paying a little too much attention to his own guest’s worries to prepare his response to Elaine before Amber and Mike got to the door. His eyes crinkled as he laughed.
“Yes, it suits you, Elaine,” he didn’t have to lie, though his practice at small talk outside of the hospital was sorely lacking these days. He smiled at her and nodded his head. “Well, I suppose I shouldn’t monopolise your time at the party, being the resident ‘old man’,” he laughed a little, his words truer than they knew. “It was nice to see you again.”
He turned away from Elaine after that, allowing the other kids to get their fair share of the girl’s attention. He was sure that she would find herself more popular than she expected that night, it was a bit of a shame how shallow teenagers could be, but it was more to do with confidence than appearance. He was glad to see that she seemed happier now. His eyes immediately sought out his son and almost-daughter-in-law and he approached them with a welcoming smile. He was definitely out of his element, but he had enough innate personal confidence that he just about managed to fit into the party without sticking out like a sore thumb. He didn’t plan to stay long, but he would give Amber and Mike the time that they needed to emerge from the kitchen before giving his own gift.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 14, 2009 18:54:22 GMT -5
Blushing a little, Amber smiled as he apologised, a touch surprised by his reaction. She had wondered if perhaps she had pushed things too far by returning the kiss with one of her own, but it was evident by the grin on Mike’s face that she hadn’t needed to worry.
“I suppose I’ll forgive you” she murmured playfully, lowering her eyes automatically when he took her hand. It felt somehow right, her hand in his, but at the same time it almost felt as though she didn’t deserve it. She had never really believed that someone like her could find someone to care for her, and now here she was, standing in her own kitchen with, to her mind, the most perfect person she could imagine, and he cared about her. She gave a little mock sigh as he pulled her towards the door, though she now felt as though anything could happen at this party and it couldn’t possibly affect her happiness.
Stepping back out into the main living room, she groaned as she saw just how many people were there. The room was packed almost beyond its limits, and with her luck, it would just get worse. Suddenly, an idea hit her and she darted into her room, throwing open the closet door and kneeling down so she could properly see all that she had crammed in there. She had only been in the house a short time and still hadn’t gotten around to putting all the less important things in their proper places, though now she was regretting her laziness. Scrabbling through all of the various items, she soon realised that she wouldn’t find what she was looking for on the floor and stood up, hands on her hips, glaring at the junk.
“Why is nothing ever where I think it is?” she muttered to herself. Thinking a moment, it finally hit her and she quickly stepped inside, standing on a box to reach the upper shelf. She was just in time to grab the extension cord before she toppled off the box, banging her head against the closet door. Giggling a little at her own clumsiness, she bent down and picked up the machine that stood in the corner of the closet, kicking the rest of the stuff inside before nudging the door shut with her toe and heading out into the living room. Heading straight for the corner where her little stereo stood, she set the machine on the table and plugged it in. It had been a gift from her social worker to celebrate her 18th birthday, a karaoke machine, since she had known Amber loved to sing. Lifting the stereo, she turned to face the room.
“Okay everyone! It’s getting a little crowded in here, so it’s on to plan B!” she called, amazed at herself for having the courage to raise her voice enough to speak to so many people at once. Casting a quick smile at Mike, silently thanking him for her newfound bravery, which she was sure was his doing, she began to make her way to the back garden. “Karaoke in here, dance party out back!” she called over her shoulder before stepping out onto the deck.
As she stepped out onto the deck and plugged in the extension cord and stereo, she glanced around, assessing just how much space there would be. Thankfully, although her house was small, the garden was one thing she had refused to skimp on, and there was plenty of room for her guests to dance and generally have fun. Her eyes roved over the garden with pride, before they narrowed slightly as she spotted Alex and Jessica sitting on the bench that stood to one side of the grass. She knew Alex and Elaine were dating, or at least had been, and while the two girls had never been terribly close, after her kind gesture, Amber felt that Elaine was perhaps far underrated as a person and as a friend. She couldn’t help worrying as she watched the two on the bench whether something had gone horribly wrong between Elaine and Alex, that he should be out here with Jessica instead of his girlfriend, but it wasn’t in her nature to get involved. Instead, she busied herself with arranging the stereo so that the sound could carry properly, glancing in their direction every so often to see if she could perhaps divine what was going on.
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Post by Bella Swan on Jan 16, 2009 21:06:14 GMT -5
Bella looked up at Edward with a happy smile as she felt his arm shift up over her shoulder, and she automatically shifted to accommodate him. It was something she always did these days, well possibly in past days too, she had just never noticed before her mother had told her how she orbited him. It was kind of weird for Bella to hear her mother talk about them in such a manner, but not she loved it about their relationship. There was something deep about it, a love that went beyond conscious thought and desire. As she looked up at him once more, her head rested against his side, lightly, cushioning her head in the familiar stone she loved so much.
“We would need more space though,” she said, seriously, her eyes twinkling a little with her thoughts. She had quickly translated the little cottage into the place that she and Edward would dwell and entertain in the future. She still hadn’t quite reconciled the wedding ring in the image, but it was coming, slowly. She bit her lip a little, her face pointed up to her fiancé, but her eyes glazed in thought.
“Y’know, to house your enormous family…” her voice ended on a content sigh and she lifted an arm to rest her hand on Edward’s back. It was strange to think that she was so young taking such a big step, much like her own parents, but she knew she couldn’t bear to spend a moment apart from him. His way made sense. She looked up at Carlisle with a smile as he approached, comfortable enough with the doctor to not become a shrinking violet under Edward’s arm.
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 18, 2009 4:37:25 GMT -5
A quiet chuckle escaped Mike's lip and he listened to Amber groan as they entered the now crowded living room. But as she released his hand and disappeared into her room his blond brow scrunched and his eyes narrowed. He wondered what she could be doing, and he hoped that she hadn't run off to hide from the crowd.
Glancing around the room he could see how this might be overwhelming to her. The quiet, shy Amber he had befriended probably wasn't used to this much social activity in such a small space, especially when it was all directed at her since she was not only the host, but the owner of the house and the birthday girl. He smiled at everyone as he waited impatiently for Amber to return from where she had run to. As he was about to go find her, his impatience getting the best of him, she came out of her room.
His eyebrows raised as she appeared, holding a karaoke machine. He was a little shocked to find that she owned one of these, but then again, he didn't know much about her. He followed her after she announced her plan; he hoped she wasn't expecting him to partake in any of the activities she had planned. As she paused there on the porch he grabbed her hand again, threading his fingers between hers. "Brilliant plan," he told her with a smirk.
His pale blue eyes followed hers to Alex and Jessica. He didn't think anything of the two of them, it was just Jessica being...well...Jessica. Flirting with another boy he figured, one he didn't know much about. He turned back to look at Amber, seeing the worry on her face, he glanced back the other two. "What's wrong?" he whispered, wondering what about the two of them had her worried.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 18, 2009 18:43:21 GMT -5
Amber had been so pre-occupied by her backup plan that she had virtually forgotten everything about the last few minutes, most of it almost too surreal for her mind to fully register. It was a shock to her when she felt a hand grab hers and she jumped a little before she realised it was Mike and smiled up at him, the warmth of his fingers reminding her exactly what had happened in the kitchen. It made her feel a little giddy, to think that less than an hour ago, they had just been friends and now he was holding her hand as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Squeezing his hand, sure that any moment she would wake up from this dream, she wrinkled her nose at him. “Why thank you! I’m quite proud of it myself. My social worker gave me the machine for my birthday, and it’s just been gathering dust since. Might as well get some use out of it” she chuckled, hardly about to admit to the guilty evenings she had spent, when she couldn’t think of anything else to do, singing her heart out at the top of her lungs to the various songs her social worker had loaded onto numerous discs for her.
Her brow twitched a little as he spoke again, the sound making her wonder if the couple would have heard them. Turning up the music a notch, she pulled him a little closer to the wall of the house, as far as possible from them. Gesturing with her head toward them, she stepped closer to him so she could stand on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, adjusting his collar with her free hand to make the act seem less conspicuous.
“I’m just worried, that’s all. You know what Jessica’s like, I don’t want Elaine to get hurt” she murmured under her breath, her lips almost touching his ear as she spoke, hoping no one else would hear. Suddenly, she realised why the proximity of the two wouldn’t have bothered Mike. “Oh my God, I totally forgot you didn’t know him! Alex is Elaine’s boyfriend! Or at least he was. That’s what’s got me worried, he completely ignored her inside, and now he’s out here with Jess. I swear, if he thinks he’s going to mess with Elaine at my party...” she let the sentence hang as she turned to look at them again, her voice shaking a little. She had never had much in the way of friends, and no family to speak of, and now that in a sense she had both, she was protective of them, her motherly side naturally coming to the fore when she felt they were being treated unfairly. Gritting her teeth, she looked away from them and took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she calmed herself. “Sorry, it’s none of my business” she murmured, turning to head back into the house, casting another glance at them as she did. Her instincts were telling her she should be saying something to Alex, for Elaine’s sake, but she knew she hadn’t the courage to stick her nose in where it didn’t belong.
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Post by Jayden Murphy on Jan 19, 2009 19:42:35 GMT -5
The room was getting crowded though even less then this and Jayden would have felt over whelmed. She stared out at the sea of faces searching for those she knew. She could see Carlisle talking with Bella and Edward. She caught a little of their conversation, but didn’t listen in on them. Her eyes drifted around the room. She saw a dark haired boy leaving the room with a girl, heading towards the back door. The back door; Jayden found her escape a chance to get out of this madness. She placed the gift she had brought on a nearby table and began making her way across the room. It was then she heard the conversation in the kitchen. Stopping a few steps from the kitchen door she listened. Beyond the door she could hear and girl and a guy talking, flirting; that much was obvious. She could hear the trepidation in both their voices. The raised heard beats and the gasped breaths. Then no breaths. Jayden dipped her eyes to the ground and smiled a guilty smile. Trying hard to listen back to the party she still heard whispered words and apologies then another kiss.
She blocked it out then and concentrated on the white noise of the party. Jayden had never been close enough to another to share a first kiss. Perhaps this voyeuristic listening was as close as she would get. She again sought out those she knew, but still they were talking amongst themselves. Just as she was contemplating the exit a blushing girl made her way in from the kitchen. After rummaging in the closet she announced a dance party in the garden. Perhaps that wouldn’t be the best escape, Jayden thought to herself.
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Post by Mike Newton on Jan 20, 2009 23:51:34 GMT -5
Mike nodded as she explained her idea and about the karaoke machine. "That's nice," he commented, grateful that at least her social worker was kind to her. He still couldn't believe how messed up social services was, letting a girl go all her life from foster home to foster home unaware of the abuse she was receiving.
He followed her as she pulled him further away from the other couple. His brow furrowed as she leaned into his ear, explaining the situation. Snapping his eyes back to Alex as Amber told him he was dating Elaine, he didn't tolerate that kind of disrespect toward a girl, especially one of his friends. He turned back to Amber, placing an arm on her shoulder to calm her down. "Don't worry," he whispered quietly, "I'll take care of it."
"And it is actually your business, she is your friend," he told her, "But don't worry about it, go inside and host your party. You don't need to be bothered by jerks like him. Who invited him anyway?" Mike knew very little about Alex and definitely knew he hadn't invited the kid. He turned back to look at Jessica and Alex, wondering what it was he was going to do. Taking a couple steps away from Amber he turned back to smile at her before turning around and walking to the other two of them. "Hey," he greeted as he paused by the bench.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 22, 2009 18:19:08 GMT -5
Shrugging, Amber glanced back at Alex, biting her lip nervously. "I have no idea, I only invited you and Carlisle. Everybody else is news to me." As he stepped away from her, she returned his smile halfheartedly, unsure what he planned to do about the situation.
"Please" she whispered just before he turned away, "Don't go getting yourself hurt. And for goodness' sake, try not to make too much of a scene. You've already nearly killed me once today, I don't need a heart attack on top of that." She frowned at him, knowing the smile still hadn't left her lips but hoping he might at least take her slightly seriously. Turning to head back indoors, she quickly wove her way through the crowd to the guests she hadn't yet welcomed properly.
The first figure her eyes found was Elaine and she made a beeline straight for the girl, wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug. "Thank you so much Elaine! You have no idea how much that cake is appreciated. You've really saved my bacon, and it's gorgeous! How did you know those were my favourite colours? Not to mention the flavour...chocolate and coconut? Heaven!" She knew she was being slightly more bubbly than was her norm, but she truly appreciated Elaine's kindness, and she wanted to be sure that was clear. Her eyes quickly darted around the room, seeing Carlisle busy talking with Edward and Bella, before resting on Carlisle's guest. She looked just as nervous as Amber had felt, and her heart went out to the poor girl.
"I'm really sorry Elaine, I have to welcome some other people, but please, make yourself at home okay? And thank you again" she added as she excused herself, once again edging between people until she reached the girl, nodding to each guest as she passed, smiling more brightly than she would have thought possible under these circumstances. As she passed Edward, Carlisle and Bella, her face flushed slightly as she remembered Edward's words when they had first met, suggesting that she and Mike might one day be more than friends. It was almost as if he had seen it coming, and she couldn't help wondering if perhaps he had noticed something she had missed.
As she reached the stranger, she held out her hand, smiling softly at the girl, the same gentle smile she had learned from Carlisle that she used to try to help put patients at ease in the hospital. Something about the girl made Amber like her straight away, and she wanted her to feel welcome in her home, stranger or not.
"Pleased to meet you, my name's Amber. I'm so glad you could come, you're more than welcome" she said cheerfully.
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Post by Jayden Murphy on Jan 23, 2009 23:55:19 GMT -5
Jayden watched as the girl from the kitchen return from the outside and began to flit among the guests. The hostess spoke to another guest then seemed to notice Jayden and head towards her. Quickly she searched for a way out, an exit a distraction. She didn’t know what to do, or how to handle it. Glancing quickly towards Carlisle, Bella and Edward Jayden noticed they were talking and not look to her. She had to do this alone. A simple conversation, she told herself.
The girl stood in front of Jayden and spoke to her so welcomingly and friendly that Jayden couldn’t help but smile. Words fail her for a moment as she took in the girl’s appearance and scent; she also heard her now calm heart beat after the escapades in the kitchen. Jayden looked away from the girl embarrassed that she had heard such a private moment.
Looking back Jayden spoke slowly. “My name is Jayden and it is lovely to meet you.” She smiled. “Thank you ever so much for the invitation to your party. It is a lovely home you have.” She spoke the formal words with a genuine smile and held the girls eyes contact.
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