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November 18
The Pink Ladies came back that night; keen on changing Amber's mind.
They hurled pebbles at her window until she caved in and answered. But she disregarded them and their threats of how she'd be ruining her life by marrying Buddy, and how she would spend the rest of her days taking care of him with no time for herself anymore. They protested that she was too wonderful to let all of her nightmares come to life, but she shooed them off.
It was nearly midnight and Amber was still awake. She was lying in bed on her side, wearing a fluffy pink nightgown with her legs to her chest as she held Richie's jacket close to soothe her rapidly beating heart.
There was commotion at her window, no pebbles or stones, only eager scurry to lift the unlocked opening. She sighed deeply, turning over to scold the Pink Ladies, but instead, her heart dropped.
It was Richie who was stumbling in through the narrow space.
Amber sat up with shock shadowing her features.
"Richie?" She whispered in utter disbelief while rising to her feet as she gawked and her breathing picked up, fearing that her eyes were deceiving her.
"Oh, hi," He fought a smile, catching his breath and standing casually in the middle of her room now that he was settled in.
"Oh, hi!?" She echoed incredulously as her body began to tremble while sprinting and then launching herself into his arms.
He caught her despite the suddenness, a gentle laugh escaped him at her eager state, and he squeezed his arms tightly around her torso and waist, with hers around his neck.
Tears welled up in her eyes and fell like a waterfall down her face. He nuzzled into her neck and picked her up so she lifted her legs in the air behind her.
She savored his embrace; finally wrapped in his arms once again after believing she had lost him forever, but she backed away to cradle his face in her trembling hands.
"I thought I was never going to see you again." She breathed out.
He smiled, holding her tightly with his hands gripping her back to keep her close as if she'd disappear, "I'm here, mama. My parents put me on a bus but I got off it. Turns out, faking stomach pains works anywhere."
"Cynthia?" She recalled as they laughed at the memory of their friend's distraction in detention.
"Not that I care," He began afterward, but his body tensing and his hands tightening on her back said otherwise, "But I thought you were marrying Aldridge."
Her face fell as her heart began to race now that reality sunk in once more since she had removed the ring earlier as it was only for show, "I..am." She hesitated, pulling away from his grasp.
