Dye | Tyrus/Ambi

Part 14: You Are Yours

Andi's POV

Amber pulls the keys out of the ignition, and the hum of the car dies, revealing the quiet whistle of the wind in the trees. Streetlights illuminate orbs of yellow on the pavement and across the car. One flash hits the left side of Amber's face as she looks over at me, casting a shadow upon her right. What's left of her lipgloss shimmers in the light, holding my attention while she talks. 

"Can I walk you to your door?" she asks. 

I nod then reach for the handle to let myself out of the car and meet her at the steps up to my house's door. She stands beside me for a second, both of us not moving, and my eyes fall down to our hands. 

I try to talk, but it comes out in a stutter. "I—um—can I—?"

She slips her hand into mine, cutting off my speech by unleashing butterflies throughout my veins. 

"Yes," she answers. 

I smile, and we walk up to my door together. I'm about to unlock it when I remember that my parents are probably home, and they don't even know Amber exists. 

"Wait, Amber," I say, but my words are interrupted by the opening of my home door.

My dad looks out at us, and I quickly let go of Amber's hand before he can notice me holding it. 

"Hey, Andi," he says. Then he turns his eyes to Amber. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Amber," I say before Amber can say anything. "She's from school. She drove me home."

I don't want Amber to say anything about herself, because I'd rather be in control of what my parents hear about her. 

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Amber," my dad says. "You've got blue hair too, huh? Are you the girl who did Andi's hair for that cosmetology class?"

Amber glances at me, eyebrows scrunched in puzzlement.

"Yup," I answer for her. Then I turn to Amber. "Wanna come inside?"

She nods, clearly just as curious to hear my explanation for everything I'm saying right now as I am eager to explain it. My dad steps aside to let us in. After removing my shoes, I start toward my room, but I'm stopped by my mom's voice. 

"Hey, how was Jonah's cousin's welcome home party?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. It was fun," I reply. "Thanks, Mom."

I see Bex look to Amber, clearly waiting for me to explain who she is. 

"This is Amber," I tell her, "a friend from school."

"That's nice," my mom says. "Are you friends with Jonah as well?"

"Yeah," Amber lies, catching on to the story I've made up. "I knew his cousin, too. It was really great to welcome him home from . . . um . . ."

"Iqaluit," I finish. 

"Right, yeah," she says. 

"Yeah, um, let's go to my room," I say. 

She follows me out of the living room and into my bedroom. I close the door tight before making my way over to sit next to her on the bed. As soon as I drop onto the quilt, I clasp on to her open hand. Amber looks at me with an amused look on her face.

"Jonah's cousin's welcome back party?" she says with a laugh. 

"I had to think on the spot," I defend. "I'm not exactly the best at lying."

"Then why are you lying?"

I sigh. "Before I started high school, Bex literally told me to stay away from girls exactly like you, and no offence, but you're not really the greatest influence on me, but I like you, and I want them to like you too, so I made up some little white lies to make you seem less—well—angsty, and now I've dug this hole, and I—"