Amber Eyes

FORTY

Nate: Text me when you're up.

I slow my pace a bit and take the time to text him back.

Harley: I'm up.

He reads the message immediately which confirms Lily's words.

Nate: We're at the open lounge if you want to come.

Harley: Who's there?

Nate: Asher, Reece, Cammy and me.

I didn't expect Cammy to be there at that time but I make my way to the lounge anyway. Entering the area that's almost empty at this hour, I spot them sitting there, with Cammy having a tense expression on her face. She looks tired just like the others. I'm about to say something when Asher sees me, his lips immediately turning into a small smile. Even though he probably hasn't slept all night, he looks the least tired amongst them all.

Nate isn't here, though.

"Morning, Harley," he says to me, "You sure look like you had a lot of fun yesterday."

I shake my head. "I drank more than I should have. My head hurts."

He laughs and gestures to me to sit down. "You're hungover. You had nothing but beer yesterday."

"I know. I should've eaten something." I sit down next to him and keep a hand through my hair. My head hurts a lot right now and I want to go in the room and sleep again because I want to but I know that if I lie down now, it will take me a long time to actually sleep. "I'm gonna leave in a while."

"How're you gonna go?" he asks me. I'm still not used to him being calm and caring around me yet. Maybe he has always been this way and I've just noticed it now. Maybe it's just an act he's putting up right now. Maybe he's just playing with me. I have to force myself to stop thinking in order to relax and close my eyes for a few seconds.

I feel something warm touch my shoulder and I look up to find Nate next to me. He has a cup in his hands and is extending it to me. His gaze is set on me as well but there's no smile on his face right now. I take the cup from him, muttering a little thank you to him. He drags another chair and sits down, breathing out.

I inhale the smell of the hot coffee and take a sip. It's so hot that it burns my tongue but I take another anyway. I didn't know he'd know what kind of coffee I like but it's perfect somehow.

"What were you guys talking about?" I ask them, my voice low. I see Reece and Cammy exchange looks. Reece sits back with his hands folded, letting out a sigh.

"Yeah, Ash, tell her, won't you?" he says, the taunt obvious in his voice. "You do like sharing your plans with your friends, don't you? Or you just can't see her face till you betray her?"

I choke on my coffee but don't look up.

"Reece," Nate warns. "Don't."

"Did I say something wrong?" he asks mockingly. "I don't think I did."

There's an awkward silence where no one speaks anything. I'm just drinking my coffee and they're all giving Reece incredulous looks. The awkward silence is broken when Asher clears his throat and begins to speak. "Did you know that Cammy here is aiming to be the next student body president? Or the vice president, for that matter."

I almost spit out my coffee once again and cough once before looking up, my eyes flicking between Cammy and Reece. I keep my coffee on the table and open my phone, going on the school app and checking the second year ranking page. Cammy's name comes up fifty second and I click on her profile, revealing her score. "You're like very," I pause, trying to find the word that would be the most reasonable word that is possible to be used in this scenario, "average, I guess?"