Chapter Five
Amber
My head snaps up at his response, almost snapping me out of my daze. The way he said it suggested he had gotten hit by more than just The Crowd.
“You shouldn’t be. It’s not fair.” I mummer, looking back down at the floor.
“Life’s not fair.” He mutters. Following this was silence. A long silence. I start to nod off a few times until he does something to wake me.
“You wanna stay here?” I offer after a while. I was starting to feel a little more awake which had to be a good sign.
“What? No. No, that’s okay.” He mutters, snapping out of his day dream. I look up at him, confused.
“You sure? I mean…I could use the company.”
“Yeah, I gotta get home anyway. My parents will be worried..”
“Oh. Okay. That makes sense. I guess I’ll see you Tuesday, huh?” I mummer, wondering who I would be on Tuesday. I can see the same question in his eyes and he stands. I stand too, maybe to fast as my vision blurs. Once I steady myself, I awkwardly offer my hand and we shake. He turns and starts to leave, gets half way to the door and stops.
“You never told me your name.” James says as he turns to face me.
“I didn’t, did I? I’m Amber.”
“Pretty name.” he nods, turning and leaving this time, calling out an order to get rest before existing the door. I stand there for a while, listing to the screaming silence echoing through the lonely halls of my house. Letting out a shaky sigh, I walk into the kitchen and get myself dinner. I have to get a job. I have to take care of myself. Is the house paid for or will I get bills for it? My cellp-well I can live without that now. Electricity? Oh god…what am I gonna do? I look down at the empty plate and sigh. This was going to be quite the adventure.
x.X.x
Pain. Burning pain. That’s the first thing I feel when I open my eyes Saturday morning. I let out a small squeek and grab for the source, my leg, to see if there was really any orange flames licking their way up my thigh. There wasn’t. In fact, when I threw back the cover to check, my leg looked better. Less swollen. I had only hit it on something. Eventually, the pain fades, leaving me with this blissful numbness of relief.
After a while, I urge myself to climb out of bed and stretch the best I can. I smartly choose to skip the shower today, not wanting to go through the process of wrapping my leg yet. I limp into the kitchen, thinking of what I need to do today. Get a job. Go shopping for food. Clean up. Not cry… “Get some rest.” The words enter my mind unexpectedly, shocking me a little. It was James’ voice. His orders to me. Sighing, I knew he was right. I needed to rest or a job would be no use because I couldn’t be able to walk to get to it. So, grabbing myself a glass of water, I plop down on the couch in the living room and start reading a book, relating for the first time in a long time.
This is what I’ll do for the next few days. Until Tuesday when I have school. Thank god we have Monday off or I wouldn’t be going. Would have to miss checking in on James. I think, blushing slightly. Wiping my mind as clean as I could, I focus on the book in my lap.
