Just an Echo in the Darkness

~Chapter Sixteen~

Once Ambria got to the cell, Brielle, Julia, and Harlee were whispering excitedly. Ambria didn't feel in the mood as she climbed up the bunk, not caring how many slivers she got. She laid down on the uncomfortable mattress, not caring about all the tiring nights.

Ambria didn't care about anything. The tears. The worried glances. The heartache. The pain she felt in her chest as she struggled to continue breathing. She couldn't care about anything. She just felt numb.

Ambria heard the whispers that were now worried and nervous. She heard her name in most of the whispers going around Harlee, Brielle, and Julia but she didn't really pay enough attention to anything they were saying.

Ambria couldn't forget the pained, tear stained, heartbroken, brown eyes that looked back at her as the crowds separated them. Ambria remembered when he tore his hands through his hair and turned away from her. Ambria kept re-seeing the broken seventeen-year old.

She had nothing else to do besides recall all her memories of Bryce. So Ambria closed her eyes trying to fall asleep, and get past the numb feeling in her stomach. As much as she tried to slip into dream land, she couldn't. She had disappeared into the memories, always coming back to the first day they really met.

They had been in the same sixth grade Language Arts class, but she didn't really meet him until Harper became her friend. Harper had invited her over because they had wanted to try a new cookie recipe her mom had found. Hudson had invited Bryce over at the same time, not realizing his twin would have a friend over.

Bryce and Hudson were playing on the PEGS9 when Harper invited Ambria inside that two story, five bedroom house. Ambria remembered the arguing going on in the background with Harper's two younger sisters, Avery and Annika. They were arguing all about who's doll was who's, and Ambria was already about to cover her ears.

"I know. This is how I live everyday," Harper had said, as she walked over to their room, yelled a few things, and they quieted down. Harper had noticed Ambria staring at the two boys. She already knew Hudson fairly well since he was in her Math, Language Arts, PE, and Art classes.

"Hudson, you know, and this is Bryce," Ambria remembered Harper said, walking in the middle of the room right in front of the TV to annoy them. She pointed and gestured towards Bryce. "You wanna go play soccer in the backyard?"

But instead of playing soccer, and baking they sat on the coach along with the boys, beating them at any game they wanted to face us at.

Martian Escape, Mage Maze, Shadow Spies, and Agency of Shadow. Every single game we all laughed, smiled, and teased each other. Though the teasing was mainly coming from the girls, who won every round, Bryce did make sure he had nicknames for each one of them. Ambria's being Ambriadextrous.

The nickname was always annoying but after losing Bryce like she did this evening, she would die to hear him call her that again. She never noticed how important the nickname was to her until he stopped calling her it.

"Ambria, Ambria!"

Ambria opened her eyes again, to find Brielle leaning over her. She was standing on her bottom bunk and looking up at Ambria.

She whispered again, "Are you okay?"

Ambria then realized she had been crying and that everyone else was asleep. She quickly wiped away the tears, "Yeah. I'm fine."

Ambria tried to make her voice sound clear, but it was muffled, because of her clogged nose.

"Ummmm.... cause you are obviously fine." Brielle said, sarcastically, gesturing to the Ambria mess. Ambria had her dark brown hair pulled into a tangled, curly ponytail. Her sky blue eyes were red around the rim, and usually light skin looked dark, and pink.