For As Long As I Can Remember

3.2

Amber came closer to me and looked at the target I'd hit. "Not bad. Amateur shot." I looked at the target, it only had one gunshot hole.
       I must have missed the first shot. But the target got shot in the chest. "Hm."
 
"Try again", she said. " Aim for the head. Or at least the middle of the chest."

Was Amber being .... nice? I repositioned myself at closed one eye then aimed at the target's head.
I shot the the shot, but I still missed. The bullet instead, hit just right above the head.

"Not bad for a first time shooter", Amber admired. She took her own goggles and headphones. " Or....are you a first time shooter?"

"I used to do a few shots with my dad. But it was a long time ago. Haven't really, ever came in contact with a gun since."

"Hm. Well you might wanna work on your shots. I normally like using bigger guns. Twice the damage. But people prefer hand guns. Small, quite. Doesn't attract that much attention.", I gave her the gun and she aimed that target with one arm, posture straight and wide open eyes.   _Six shots. Three to the head and three to the heart._

I do as surprised. " Wow. You vaporised him", I chuckled.

She grinned as she put down the gun.  "So, your old man taught you huh?"

"Yea", I nodded.  But it seemed as if Amber saw my inner expression.

" How was he?"

"Who? My dad? He...he was a great guy. And even better father. I just..."

"..Look Aqua. You should know by now I'm not the most expressive girl on the block but I get it. I had father-daughter problems too."

"Well...I wouldn't exactly classify it as a father-daughter problem. More like a mistake."

She looked at me with a worried expression. I've never imagined Amber to be the sympathetic one. "How so?"

"Well, my dad was an ex-marine..." She cut me off.

"Hold on, your father was a seal! You know how much money we could've made off you", she said it in a jokingly tone.

I chuckled. "Anyway, self defense was an important aspect in his life. And he wanted to implement that on me. So when I was fifteen, he took me to a place that looked like an abandoned forest. Filled with tree stumps", I smiled then my eyes became teary. "He'd teach me how to shoot there and  tell me that Im'ma grow up to be like him one day. And I wanted to. But then", I broke off.

Amber sat on the counter and looked at me sadly. " then what?" For once her voice was soft. Gentle.

"I- I shot my dad", I blinked back the tears. " I wanted to prove to myself, to him...that I can shoot well. Apparently I shot too well. The place was set up. Target dummies would mechanically appear from the ground and you'd have to ace each shot. But them I didn't know my father was there too. He popped up behind a tree in attempt to surprise me but....."

"Aqua", her hand was on my shoulder and she rubbed my back. "It's okay."

I forced a smile. "His last words were 'It's okay sweetheart. I've lived my life. Now it's time to live yours. You've done me proud.'  He said it as if I hadn't been the one to shoot him."

"Hey. I'm not gonna lie and say", she changed her tone to imitate a mother. " *Oh honey it's not your fault.*  Bullshit. It totally was. But you have to stop beating yourself up for it.  You know I wish I had killed my father. But let's just say the grim reaper got him first."

She was about to continue when Damon showed up. "Amber."
He wore grey sweat pants and black T-shirt, carrying a gym bag. 

Amber looked at him.

"She tried to escape again", he calmly asked.
Amber looked at me and smiled. That was the first friendly smile she gave me all day.  She turned back to Damon.

"Nahh", she smirked. Damon confusedly looked at her.
His lips parted for a second. "You're smiling", Amber uttered in surprise. " I'm not even gonna ask", she chuckled.

"It's time to go", he said.

She raised her head in slight nod as he disappeared into the elevator.
She turned to me then said, "We gotta go. You have to go back to your room."

"Where are you guys going?"

She chuckled as she got off the counter. "It's safer if you don't know."

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