𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃, 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙣, 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚𝘾𝙪𝙩

05.

five.

    "Quinn." Amber breathes out, her arms wrapped around her body as she watches the boy walk toward her with wide eyes. "You shouldn't be out here this late." He frantically told her, grasping her arm and pulling him closer to him to walk with him away from the mall Amber had just left.

    Amber looks back at the building in worry, watching for anything to emerge from the shadows of the stores before blindly following Quinn to his car- which had been parked illegally in the street.

     "Hold on, what is going on? Quinn- stop for a second!" Amber pulls herself away from Quinn who stares at her, his eyes almost hurt by her reaction as she brings her arms around her once more. A little embarrassed by her outburst. But to be fair, Quinn is starting to scare her- confuse her.

    One second he's ignoring her the next he's practically dragging her to his car. She doesn't understand him.

    "What are you doing?" Amber asks softly, her eyes never leaving the glossed street below her. She listens for a response for a moment but after a while she assumes he didn't hear her so she opens her mouth to repeat.

   "It's hard to explain." Quinn simply states. Amber's frustration bubbles in her chest as she scoffs, pinching her arms. "I don't think it's that hard. You've been ignoring me since homecoming.  Then we hang out and I think things are going somewhere but the next day you're with the new girl? Are you two a thing? Now you're practically dragging me to your car? I just don't understand you!" Amber bursts out, finally looking up at Quinn who looks lost in what she's saying.

    His lips part but no words come out. Amber sighs deeply from her nose, bringing one hand to hold her temple as she tries to think of what to say next. "Homecoming? You left me, Amber. I saw you dancing with that guy after I went to grab a drink and I couldn't find you for the rest of the night and then you invited me into your home as if nothing even happened, I don't know what you're doing to me." Quinn answers silencing Amber as she stares at him with wide eyes, her body straightening at the confession.

    It's all clicking into place for her.

    She didn't realize how different the situation looks on his side. Amber smiles softly, her feet moving towards him as she uncrosses her arms. "Quinn, I didn't leave you. That guy, I don't know him. He came up to me because he thought you had left me. And honestly I thought so too. You were gone for so long I didn't even know where you had went so I said yes to a single dance. You couldn't find me after because I had just decided to leave, I figured you had done the same." Amber explains, watching as Quinn's face slowly relaxes at the realization. She can't help but laugh a little.

    God she's so dumb.

    No wonder he had been so back and forth with her. It saddens her a little that he views her so low as to think she's bullying him in some form. "Quinn, we have to go!" Amber's head turns to the voice of Lucy, who is running down the steps of the mall; her eyes wide and clothes a little messed up.

    It brings Amber back to her previous question, one Quinn didn't deny. Quinn hesitates as he nods, unlocking his car for Lucy as she immediately hops in. Amber looks away, the feeling of stinging burning through her. "I should probably go, my parents are home." Amber whispers so faint Quinn almost missed it as he tosses Lucy his keys to start the car.

    His head snaps towards Amber who is already walking off to her own car in the parking lot. "Shit- Wait, Amber!" Quinn calls out but she doesn't turn to face him, her head swimming with thoughts she doesn't know if she can hold down if she gives him the chance to speak.

    "Quinn! Now!" Lucy groans out, opening the passenger door and practically forcing him to get in the car. Quinn curses to not only himself but to Lucy who ignores him, pressing on the gas and speeding out of the area, the area where Val, Brian and the poor security guard who was just trying to help were just murdered.