CAPTURE THIS (Updating regularly)

Chapter 11

He gave her one of his uneven smiles as he walked back to the table. She took the chance to look over his torso-hugging sweater, making his slender waist evident. 

"So, they're out of cream so the drinks will take a little while," he told her as he slid into the booth opposite her. 

"I was just thinking about the last time I came over to your flat," Amber told him with a small smile. "That was supposed to be our first date." 

Alex's face drained of colour slightly as played with his car keys in his hands. "I don't think that counts as our first date. I messed up and my cousins were there." 

Amber laughed. "I assumed it was a package deal, I thought they came with you." 

Alex chuckled quietly and Amber felt the relief flooding through her. She was glad they could still talk like they used to. She had missed his care-free laugh. 

"Mikey and Eli have a habit of scaring off girls, even if the Silvia thing doesn't do it," Alex told her with an amused smile resting on his face. 

Amber glanced down at his hands that were still fiddling with the keys and felt tempted to place her hands in them. It had been so easy before. She could just reach over and touch his arm or take his hand in hers. She missed the feeling of his arms around her waist... the warmth of his body seeping through her clothes. 

"What's it like walking on your own?" He asked abruptly, as if reading her thoughts. 

She glanced up to find him watching her watching his hands and smiled embarrassedly. "It's great not having strangers stare at me any more. Of course, you're out of your job as my human-crutch now." 

A smile spread onto his face. "Yes, well I'm so used to it, sometimes I find myself holding an arm out for no reason." 

Amber rolled her eyes at his sarcasm. 

The waitress came over to the table with their drinks and Amber took the chance to check her phone while Alex was distracted. She was relieved to find that she did not have any frantic texts from her father. 

"So what's teaching like?" Amber asked tentatively as the waitress walked away. 

She didn't want to focus to much on Alex's alter ego as they had finally gone back to normal. It was still a sore subject for both of them and she worried that lingering on it would make it too awkward for them to even maintain a friendship. Alex seemed to register her concerns as he paused thoughtfully before answering. 

"Well, it's harder than I expected. There's so much planning and paperwork," he answered honestly. "But I need to get paid."

Amber gave him a sympathetic smile. "The photography's not bringing much in any more, is it?" 

He shrugged. "It was bound to happen at some point. Being an artist isn't exactly the most stable job." 

Amber glanced down at the steam flowing out of her mug. "Yeah, my dad likes to remind me of that. He wants me to study English at university but it doesn't feel right to me." 

Alex watched her stare down at her mug. "It's up to you to do what makes you happy." 

Amber sighed and peaked a glance up at him. "I don't know what would make me happy." 

A delicate smile rose to his face. "I can try to show you happy." 

Amber turned to look out of the window to hide her blush. It was beginning to get dark and she knew that her father would call her soon to ask when she was coming home. She didn't want their time together to end because the morning would come around and she would be Alex's student again. 

"When are we going to see each other again?" She asked, unable to look at him whilst asking him the question as it felt far too direct. 

"It's not going to be easy," he said, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck. "In an ideal world, I would want you to come over to my apartment again." 

Amber glanced up at him, despite her scarlet cheeks begging her not to embarrass herself any further. "We have a choice to make." 

Alex bit his bottom lip and hesitantly met her gaze. Once their gazes met, she couldn't look away. 

"Come over," he said gently. "I'm making the choice for us." 

An unconscious smile rose to Amber's face. "I'm happy with your choice." 

Amber was glad to be distracted by the vibration of her phone in her purse. "Sorry, I'd better take this?" 

Whilst Amber spoke with her father, she was conscious of Alex drinking his coffee and watching her talk. Mr Riley wanted her home soon and Amber understood that he felt alone in their big house without Ann. 

When she hung up, Alex threw her an understanding smile. "Time to go?" 

Amber nodded, placing her phone in her purse and finishing the last of her hot chocolate. 

"Would you be okay coming over to my flat?" Alex asked, playing with his mug. 

Amber nodded. "I'll get a lift. You don't think anyone will know, do you?" 

"I don't think so. I live quite far from the school anyway." 

"How does Friday sound?" Amber asked thinking about how her father had made a habit of coming home late on Fridays in the last couple of months. 

Alex rose out of his seat. "I can't do this Friday. I've got a staff meeting. I could do next Friday, though."

Amber nodded, getting out her seat. "Next Friday at four." 

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Hey! 

So Alex and Amber have decided to be friends. Whatcha all think? 

-Fariha x