CAPTURE THIS (Updating regularly)

Chapter 15

Amber was at Matty's when the call came. 

Amber, Saf and Zora were revising at Matty's apartment after school. Since all three of them didn't share a subject, they would switch with each other so that Amber would revise English for an hour with Saf and then fill in her art logbook with Zora, whilst Saf revised for Physics. Then Saf and Zora would revise Maths together, whilst Amber focused on  History. 

Watching Saf and Zora revise together was fascinating. They worked together seamlessly, finishing each others sentences or throwing equations back and forth until they had unraveled it. It was the only time when they weren't bickering with each other, instead meandering side by side like two pebbles in a stream. 

Amber paused making my notes to see them staring down at the test paper they were working through. Heads bent in concentration, hardly an inch of space between them. 

Her phone began vibrating loudly on Matty's coffee table, making the three of them jump. Amber noticed Zora grab Saf's arm as she scanned the table. Her phone was hidden under the chaos of papers that covered every inch of the table. She threw them an apologetic look as she rifled through the coffee table to hunt for her phone. She eventually found it under Zora's logbook, flashing Alex's name. 

Amber rose from the floor as she tapped the "answer call" button.

"Hello?" She answered quietly as she walked out of the living to Matty's bedroom, well aware that both Zora and Saf's eyes were boring into her back. 

"I know that I shouldn't really be calling you but I couldn't wait until we saw each other again on Tuesday," Alex blurted, as the words spilled out of his mouth. Tuesday was now officially their date night, which they had agreed on after their first date at the gallery in Apsebrooke. It felt safer not to contact each other outside of school but instead, have one allocated day when they would certainly see each other. She had given Alex her number in case one of them had to cancel. 

"Alex? What's going on?" Amber asked, still bewildered by his rambling. "You need to slow down." 

The gallery... shown them a picture of her painting... real potential... important meeting...

Amber sank down onto Matty's bed as she pieced his frantic sentences together. He was still speaking when she finally understood what he was saying. 

"They want to consider me?" She said quietly in disbelief, cutting Alex off. 

"The board at 'The Hollow Paintbrush' want you to pitch one of your paintings so that they can feature it in the gallery!" Alex told her excitedly, finally forming a coherent sentence. "I told them that you would see them next week. I hope that's okay." 

"Okay?!" She half-screamed. "This is more than okay, Alex! Thank you so much." 

She was at a loss for words. This was huge for her. After doing some research about the Apsebrooke gallery, she found out if was a hotspot for artists. People who needed artists would often visit the gallery in search for an artist to collaborate with. If the meeting went well, this could open the door to her career as an artist and it was all because of Alex. 

"I wish I could see you," he sighed. 

Amber felt her heart lurch in her chest painfully. "I wish I could see you too. Besides, I need to make this up to you." 

She said it subtly but she knew Alex could detect her flirtatious tone. Neither of them were ever out-rightly flirty with each other but if one of them made a low-key advance, the other would immediately pick up on it. 

She could hear the smile in Alex's voice. "Oh really? And how would you do that?" 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Amber replied, biting her lip in an attempt to stop herself from grinning. "I guess you'll have to wait until Tuesday to find out."