𝙎𝙋𝘼𝙍𝙆𝙎; 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙣

𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘳: 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬

Amber had just returned home from her classes. And she once again was doing nothing. She just returned home, had something to eat and then sat by the window, lost in her memories. She was hopeful that when her best friend was coming back, that would change. But until then she find her comfort in Tom. 

"Hey, Tom?" She called him, but she could barely hear him over the loud music. "I can't hear you." She told him and sighed. 

"Sorry, babe, the music is too loud here." She heard him as he tried to speak louder. "Is everything, okay?" He asked her. 

"Oh, you're out." Amber realised and her heart dropped. She wasn't sure why. She didn't want to accept that she was feeling jealous that her boyfriend was having fun without her. "Sorry, we'll talk later, it's fine. Everything's fine. Okay, bye." She hung up the phone too quickly. And then she knew she was all alone. 

"Everyone's having fun Amber, everyone but you." She told herself and put her head against the glass, and got lost in her memories again. 

❀

"There's this other thing..." Amber continued saying to her mother that same night. 

"I'm listening." Natalie turned her whole body towards Amber and crossed her legs on the couch. She looked at her daughter like her whole attention was at her. And it was. And Amber remembered that look and she missed more than anything. 

"Tom wants to go to Chicago." Amber made a hand gesture. "I want to go to New York." She pointed at herself with her other hand. "There's a slight problem here. How do you do a long distance relationship? I mean, I've barely learnt how to do relationships, generally. It's bound to fail, right? I have to come to terms with that."

"It's going to fail, only if you let it." Natalie told her. "And Amber, I know it's hard but your first love doesn't mean that it's your last. I mean, look at me. I got married to my first love, had the greatest daughter in the world with him, but that didn't work out. But now, here I am, married again. Had another daughter. Actually happy this time. You don't know how things will work out for you Amber, you never know. You just have to give people a chance. Give yourself a chance and fight for the things you love."

"So wait, you've only had two big relationships in your life?" Amber asked her, completely changing the subject. 

"Yep. That's just me. I like stability and..." Natalie laughed at herself. "Who am kidding. I tried dating, once, but I did't like it. I like my man in the house, cooking me dinner." She joked. "Hey, Mark, we're hungry here." Natalie yelled so her husband, who was in the kitchen, could hear her. 

"If you're hungry then come help." Mark called out, making Natalie smile widely. 

"We can't, we have a very serious conversation." Natalie said loudly. "I'm telling Amber how much I love having you." 

"Actually, she said that she loves having you cook for her." Amber added loud enough for Mark to hear. Natalie gasped at her and Amber only laughed. 

"Did she now?" Mark appeared from the kitchen with a big wooden spoon in his hand. 

"I did." Natalie got up from the couch and walked towards him. "It's the truth, that's why I am keeping you." She laughed and pecked his lips real quick. Mark made a face at her. 

"Hey guys" Amber said and walked towards the door. "I'm going over to Tom's for a while, okay?" She told them and took a good look at them. Mark had wrapped his free hand around Natalie's shoulders, giving her a side hug.