Exposure • Tamber

Chapter 15: Frozen Hands and Warm Hearts

"Yeah." Amber knew she had to give a little more or Tara was bound to give up on her, and that was the last thing she wanted. She just needed some time to figure out what to do now. "I have dinner with, uh, family."

"Oh, I didn't realize you had family here." Tara tried to control her desire to ask a million questions at this small gesture of opening up.

"I have a brother at Blackmoore, and my sister is coming to town for the day." Amber slowed her pace as they approached the student parking lot, "And my mother, of course."

Tara nodded, trying to decide if it was better to call this conversation a success and just say goodbye or try to keep inching that door open more.

"Are you? Sticking around, I mean?" Amber asked as they reached her car. She unlocked the door but kept it closed, turning to lean her back on the cold frame.

"Yeah!" Tara smiled before calming her excitement of Amber actually continuing the conversation even though she had an easy out, "I mean, me and Mindy are just sticking around here. Anika goes home because her family is only an hour away. She always brings us back stuffing that her mom makes and man, if you think Anika makes good food you haven't had her mothers stuffing."

Amber smiled as Tara continued to rant about Anika and pie and something called a Party Pie Pizza Pile that Mindy was determined to finish this year.

"Sorry." Tara tucked some hair behind her ear, "I was rambling, wasn't I?"

Amber chuckled and turned and opened her door. She paused for a second before turning to look at Tara over her shoulder, "How about a ride?"

Tara smiled and rocked onto the balls of her feet, "That would be great." She quickly made her way around the car and climbed into the passenger seat as Amber started the engine.

Things were suddenly feeling normal again. Like they had before the night of the first snowfall. But an uneasiness settled in Tara's chest and she knew that's not what she wanted. She had to figure out what was making it so hard for her to talk to Amber and admit her feelings.

—

Anika, Mindy and Tara all sat around the table silently. Tara had basically word-vomited everything that had happened in the last month between her and Amber and she was waiting for advice. An opinion. Anything. But the pair of girls just continued to stare at her.

"Nothing?" Tara deflated, "You really have nothing to say?"

Anika tried to smile but it came off awkward and forced. Mindy noticed and brought their hand up, their fingers rubbing gently on their chin.

"She knows something." Mindy leaned towards Anika slowly. They knew Anika was awful under pressure and the right amount would make her spill whatever it is she knew.

Anika's eyes widened and her posture went stiff, "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know anything. Brownie?" She stood up quickly and shuffled over to the plate sitting on the counter, shoving an entire brownie in her mouth.

"You're right!" Tara sat up taller, "She does know something!"

Anika shook her head quickly, dark hair bouncing frantically as she tried to chew the brownie in her mouth.

"Come on, Anika." Mindy urged, "This is Tara." They gestured to Tara across the table and the brunette gave her very best puppy dog eyes.

They usually worked fairly quickly on her sister and they had even worked once or twice on Amber, but Anika was holding strong.

"I can't." She mumbled, brownie crumbs threatening to tumble out of her mouth. She chewed a few more times then swallowed, "I can't get in the middle."

Tara sighed and leaned her cheek in her hand, her elbow resting on the table. She knew it was no use. Anika was like a vault when it really mattered. She had found that out her first year when she was the FloorDon and refused to repeat anything that was told to her in confidence. Tara would be mad if she didn't think it was such a great quality about her.