CAPTURE THIS (Updating regularly)

Chapter 21

The trio met with Matty at his gallery where they waited for him to lock up before they all climbed into his shabby little azure car.

"This is so cool," Matty said, glancing into the rear-view mirror as he drove, and grinning at Amber who was sitting in the back seat with Zora. "I mean, having a friend who's painting is featured in a gallery is cool enough but now your work is immortalised in a book!"

Zora nudged Amber gently with a proud smile. "You're going to make us famous by association."

Saf laughed from the front seat. "So we've got an illustrator and a professional model. Matty, we chose our friends well. Think of all the girls we'll get!"

Matty rolled his eyes. "I have a girl, thanks. You're welcome to my share, though."

Zora giggled from the back seat. "That's generous, Matty. Saf'll need it." 

Saf clutched his heart, pretending to be hurt. "That's cold, Zo. There's no need to worry, even if I do find girlfriend, I'll always have time for my best girl."

Amber coughed pointedly. "One of your best girls. What about me, hmm?"

She stuck her tongue out at Saf, who had turned to glance at her with a sheepish smile. "You'll be too busy signing autographs to notice us." 

"Nice save," Matty interjected, punching Saf playfully as they stopped at a traffic light. 

Silence fell on over the car as they pulled up in front of the book shop. Amber found herself peering through the window of the shop eagerly to try and spot the book. 

They all climbed out of the car and Amber's friends waited for her to take the lead. It seemed that no one knew what to say. 

"Come on then, Ambs," Zora said pointedly as everyone stopped to watch Amber carefully. 

"I'm nervous. That's weird right?" Amber answered shakily. 

Matty put an arm around her should and she rested her head on his chest for a moment. "Hey, it's your big day. First move into the art world. You're allowed to be nervous but it's just us. We're your biggest fans, not your critic." 

Amber nodded and smiled at her friends. "You're right. I'm being silly. Come on, let's go inside."

Matty released Amber and she led them into the shop. The book wasn't at the front of the crammed shop, so they decided to split up to find the children's section. 

This was the first time Amber had visited this shop, so she scanned the shelves carefully.  The signs flashed past her eyes as she hurried through the shop: "FICTION A-Z", "NON-FICTION", "HISTORY" and "RELIGION". Luckily the bookshop was pretty empty so she didn't have to squeeze past people between the narrow shelves filled from ceiling to floor with books. She had reached the furthest corner of the store to a dead end of DIY books. 

"I found it!" Saf called out from somewhere in the depths of the store.

Amber turned on the spot to follow the sound of his voice, and that's when she saw the flash of black hair, stubble, glasses and of course, the camera hanging around his neck. 

Her heart began thudding in her chest as she involuntarily took a step back. 

"Amber," Alex mumbled in surprise as he looked up from cleaning the lens of his camera. 

Amber's felt a pang of sadness at the sound of her name in his smooth voice. She had heard him say it a number of times in class when he called the register but it was usually void of the tenderness and sensual familiarity that she heard now.