CAPTURE THIS (Updating regularly)

Chapter 18

He paused to gaze into her eyes for a moment. It was like she was falling down the rabbit hole. He was trying to plead with her. A small smile played on her lips.

"What exactly did you have planned for us?" she questioned, biting her lip teasingly as his eyes flickered over them. 

"I guess you'll never know," he whispered into her ear before hungrily kissing her. 

They were both aware that that night would be their last evening together before Amber left for Ann's house. In the two months that they had been together, this was the longest they would be apart. A piece of Amber worried that he would lose interest and forget about her but she was reassured by how fast their relationship was moving. In the last few weeks, they had grown almost inseparable. Whatever time Alex had left, he would try to spend it with her. In fleeting moments of longing, he would even invite her to public places, momentarily forgetting their forbidden relationship.

"If you really miss me, you could always stare at that painting you have of me in the office," Amber joked as they broke apart from the kiss. 

Alex laughed, a sound that still made Amber's heart flutter in her chest. He glanced down at her fondly and ran a gentle hand through her untamed mane. "I have a better idea." 

He pulled away from her and hurried out of the room. Amber, feeling chilly at the sudden withdrawal of his body warmth, wrapped her arms around herself and waited. 

He emerged through the doorway a few moments later fiddling with one of his Polaroid cameras. Amber stalked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. 

"What exactly are you doing?" she whispered into his ear. 

She felt him shiver at his voice and a smug smirk broke out onto her face. 

He held the camera up at arm's length so that he could get both of them. "You know what they say: you should take a picture, it'll last longer."

"Hmm, I suppose you're right," Amber muttered, feeling Alex freeze in her arms as her breath tickled his ear. "I guess you should capture this." 

As she pecked his cheek, the flash went off. 

***

The journey to Ann's new apartment seemed endless. Amber got on a train from their local station to London which lasted an hour, then a much more busier underground train and finally a local bus. Luckily, moments before she had left the house, Amber remembered to pack a sketchpad and some pencils to keep her occupied. She shifted between sketching people on the train with her and the people in her life. Her hands itched to draw Alex. She already yearned his touch. It was never this hard before. In her old relationships, a week away was nothing. Texting and calling was enough but right now, Amber felt an ache in the core of her being, gnawing away at her insides.

When Amber, finally found the building that now belonged to Ann, she found her sister leaning against the door frame on her phone. 

"Ann!" 

Before she even thought about it, Amber found herself breaking into a run. It was only until she had pulled Ann into a close hug, that she realised how much she had missed her big sister. 

Ann's grip on her was like a vice. They stood like that for a moment, neither of them caring about the strange looks they were getting. 

"I feel like it's been years," Ann mumbled, her voice thick with emotion.

"But I'm here now," Amber replied, pulling away to show her sister an encouraging smile. "You have me for the whole week. My complete undivided attention."