CAPTURE THIS (Updating regularly)

Chapter 25

Alex laughed. "What a wise eleven year old." 

Amber smiled fondly down at her tea. "I still have his letters and keychain. He moved away soon after that, and I missed having him sit next to me in class. I always thought it would turn out like a sappy romance, and we'd grow up and find each other again."

She felt Alex's piercing gaze settle on her and she glanced up to meet it. "What?" 

"I just never took you for a romantic optimist," he observed with a slight shrug. "You never struck me as a hopeless romantic." 

Amber took a sip of her tea to test if it was too hot. "Well, my parents were always so happy, so I figured something like that would happen to me. Of course, their happiness didn't last, so I stopped thinking of it like that." 

Alex reached across the table and took her hand. "It could still happen." 

She threw him a wordless smile to show she was grateful for his comfort. 

"You know, this place used to look nothing like this," Alex remarked, changing the subject. 

Amber glanced around the room, finding it hard to believe it was anything other than the country cafe in front of her. "Really? So you're telling me when your first girlfriend broke up with you, it was nothing like the place we're sitting in?"

Alex nodded and gestured toward the table at the front of the cafe behind the large glass windows. "It used to be this grimy little diner where those sold cheap milkshakes to the kids in school uniform, and she broke up with me at the table right over there." 

Amber laughed. "Did it scar you for life? Did you vow to never set foot in a diner ever again?" 

Alex chuckled. "No, but I was drinking a strawberry milkshake when she dumped me, and I still feel weird drinking them."

Amber took a sip from her mug. "Damn, they don't do milkshakes here or I would have ordered you one." 

Alex rolled his eyes again before checking his phone for the time. "We'd better go, I told Sylvia we'd be at hers by one." 

Amber guzzled the remainder of her lukewarm tea and rose from her seat. 

Alex wrapped an arm around her waist and planted a kiss on her cheek, which momentarily stunned her. "I like being able to do that somewhere other than at home." 

Amber's heart fluttered at her chest as she rose a hand to stroke his cheek. "Me too." 

***

Sylvia lived in a small cottage with her mother on the opposite side of town, which was only a thirty minute drive from the Knightlys' home. 

Amber found herself fidgeting in the car, unable to sit still. Until that point, she had not allowed herself to think about visiting Sylvia but it had only begun to dawn on her how it was that she was visiting her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend at her home. 

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea, Alex," she told him as they drove down the winding country lanes. 

Alex glanced over at her in concern. "What do you mean? It'll be fine. I know she's looking forward to meeting you." 

Amber sighed. She knew how much of a big deal this was to Alex. She meant a lot to him, and whilst the rational part of Amber understood that, she fought the bouts of jealousy that washed over her. She knew it was stupid, but he hadn't seen her in over a year, what if being together in her home uncovered some memories for Alex? 

So wrapped up in her own thoughts, she didn't even notice Alex reach over and take her hand in her lap. 

"I want her to meet the most special person in my life right now, is that so bad? Meeting Mary and David wasn't as bad as thought you would be, why should this be any different?"