CAPTURE THIS (Updating regularly)

Chapter 6

"I don't know," she answered earnestly. "I could go to his house. Or call him. Thing is, if either of us do anything now that we know he's my teacher, we're breaking the law." 

Saf nodded understandingly. "I guess you can make an exception if you're breaking things off."

Amber's heart sank to her stomach. A bitter taste filled her mouth at the thought of never spending another day in Alex's little apartment mocking his DVD collection. 

"Hey guys." Zora seemed to appear out of nowhere. Her smooth, cool voice snapped Amber out of her daze. "So, I'm going to head home to change, and then I'll meet you guys outside the gallery."

Amber could feel Saf's eyes watching her as she plastered a smile on her face for Zora. "I'm going home too."

Saf shrugged. "I'm going to stay here. If I go home now, my mum's going to have a cow about me leaving again at six. Not worth the hassle. See you guys outside the gallery."

The trio parted ways, leaving Amber relieved that she didn't have to answer any more questions. She wouldn't have minded if she had the answers to Saf and Zora's questions but she didn't have any idea as to what she was going to do.  

How had she gotten herself into such a mess? She just wanted to finish the damn painting of the forest. Everything had been so peaceful. She was so content then but then she met Alex and then she was so happy. Then she really met Alex - Mr Knightly - her art teacher. Mr Knightly. She rolled his name over in her mind but she just couldn't put the two together. The Alex she knew - her Alex - was smart, warm and funny. Mr Knightly was an enthusiastic teacher who wore waistcoats and chequered shirts. Where was her dark sweater mystery man from the woods?

Someone grabbed her arm. Amber had been so wrapped up in her thoughts, she didn't have time to register herself being thrust into a dark classroom. Before she could open her mouth to protest, a familiar voice spoke quietly. She felt herself relax. 

"Amber, it's me."

"Alex?" 

The art classroom's windows had been covered with the thick black out curtains that had remained in the building from the war but each had small holes that let in a thin beam of light, causing the room to be scattered with dozens of tiny natural spotlights. 

She could make out Alex's outline. His hands were wrapped around her upper arms which were supporting her crutches. 

His ocean blue eyes were somehow twinkling despite the limited lighting and for a moment, Amber couldn't look anywhere else because for a moment, Amber was sitting on his couch beside him laughing at Mickey making a crude comment about his ex. 

They both opened their mouth to speak and in a flurry of apprehensiveness, they spoke over each other, neither listening to the other. 

"You go first," he told her. It came out more like a request than a suggestion. 

The words seemed to have gotten caught in Amber's throat, forming a lump which she tried to swallow away. What was she supposed to say? 

"I... What are we going to do Alex?" Her voice was barely more audible than a whisper but Alex seemed to have heard the words because his face fell at her words. 

He released her arms slowly, making Amber conscious of how natural it felt to have him touch him. Her fingers itched to touch him, to feel his warmth seep into her. 

Alex walked to a table and took a seat on it. Amber followed his actions and hobbled to the chair for the desk and sat down. 

He ran a hand through his hair as he spoke. "We don't have much time before someone comes wondering in here."