Hello

Amber's Grit

Solomon watched Amber's car creep up to his house. He stepped down from inside the verandah and welcomed her with a wave.

"Sup?" He asked.

Amber couldn't believe she was here, but here she was. Her sister's weird instructions raised to the top of her head, but she quickly phased them out of her mind. 

She exited the car, tried to smile, and throw off the hesitation of their movements or the thick silence. 

"Hey," she said.

Solomon shrugged and she expected there to be something more intense between them, but she wasn't sure what to think after all that ridiculous theater.

He didn't miss a beat though as he smirked and he led the way. Amber held on to the strap of her handbag. The moment they went into the house Amber caught sight of the girl she wanted to talk to, walking through a hall. 

Amber's eyes flicked to the side as she went around him. "Shanice?"

The girl stopped and turned around to look at Amber. Amber wagged her eyebrows. Shanice jogged over to her.

Amber gazed from Shanice's face to her body. Shanice was skinny, but pretty. A disturbing pulse shot through her chest as she steadied her anxiety seeing Solomon's—friend. She pushed down the emotions bursting at the edge of the boiling pot. 

Amber's fingers tapped against the handbag strap as her mind contemplated whether it was a good idea to come here.

Solomon said, "So, this is—"

"Let me talk to her nuh?" Amber asked.

Solomon froze up at her words. She didn't mean to exclude him, but she wanted to get this over with. 

"Alright, if you guys need me."

Amber grinned and tilted her head. "No. We don't need you."

Solomon scowled at the comment, while Shanice giggled.

He recovered and smiled. "Cool, me'll be at some other part of the house, since me not needed." Solomon walked away. 

Shanice glanced at him leaving and as she was about to turn toward Amber.

"Sorry," Amber said. 

Shanice's face softened as her eyes widened. "Hm?"

She could go further into her apology, but was too nervous to. Amber rolled her eyes and shrugged. "It's good to meet you. So you're his friend?"

Shanice nodded her head. "Hm, if you need me to move out I—"

"What? No? You act like we're married or something. Me and Solomon just you know. You good, stay."

Besides, if they were doing anything behind Amber's back she needed to see it in front of her face and it would be harder if they were separated.

Shanice chuckled as she tapped the arm of Amber. "Well, you never know, you might get married to Solomon."

Amber's cheeks burned as the imagery of Solomon's big body in a black suit popped into her mind. "Yeah, we'll see."

Shanice waved her hand toward the kitchen. "You need anything?"

"Water is fine."

They went into the kitchen and went through the uneasy motions of learning about each other. 

As Amber found out, Shanice was the sister of his best friend, so they weren't that close. That made Amber's mind less clustered and she became lighter knowing that, which was weird.