Dye | Tyrus/Ambi

Part 19: All Better

Amber's POV

"Um . . ." I say as I take a step backward. "I've got to go."

I start to turn around, but Andi's mom's voice causes me to halt and look back at her. 

"Amber, wait." She gives a glance to the woman beside her before bringing her eyes back to me. "You seem like you really care about Andi."

"I do," I admit. 

"Just don't do anything dumb, okay?"

I smile, feeling my chest expand freely as I take in a breath. "Okay."

I spin around and depart out of the shop, turning back onto the street to continue toward The Spoon. I'm lucky that Andi's mom didn't ask me any more questions. She seems like she'd accept her pansexual daughter in a heartbeat, but I still feel guilty that I might've just accidentally stolen from Andi the chance to come out to her mother on her own. 

When I reach the diner, I pull the door open and hear the chime. Although my intention was to just get baby taters then leave, I see Andi sitting with her friends in a booth, and I don't want to let her hear about what I said to her mother from anyone other than me. I'd rather just get that over with now, so I change routes and head over to her table. 

"Andi," I say. 

"Amber," she responds as she notices me. "What's up?"

She seems tense, and her nervous eyes keep flicking back to her friends. 

"I need to talk to you," I say. 

"Uh, yeah, of course. Outside?"

I nod, and she slides out of the booth before following me outside, leaving Buffy, Cyrus and Jonah behind. The wind blows my hair in front of my eyes as I try to look at her, so I have to pull it all over to one side to keep it out of the way. Andi notices how I'm avoiding her eyes, and she uses that as a reason to latch her hand with mine. Usually her touch settles my nerves, but right now it just makes me feel guilty.  

"I think I might've accidentally given your mom the impression that we're more than friends," I blurt. 

Andi's eyes go wide. "How—?"

"I may have tried to talk to her, and I may have said a little too much, and I'm really sorry."

"It's okay," Andi tells me. "I'm not mad."

"You're not?"

She shakes her head, a soft smile on her face. "No. How could I be mad that you care enough to try to convince my mom to let me see you?"

"Honestly, it was more me being selfish," I admit. "I just hated the idea of not being able to see you, but I I think it actually worked, and she doesn't hate me anymore."

"That's great!"

"But now I think she knows that we're together or at least that I like you, and I just feel horrible, because I basically came out for you, and I'm just really sorry. I didn't mean to—"

She scatters the rest of my words by kissing me the way I did the last time she was nervous rambling. Her lips on mine relieves my stress, reducing my worry to a low simmer rather than a full flame. She somehow snuffs out that fire, replacing it with a tender warmth that pumps out into my veins with each heartbeat she gives me.

When her lips let me go, my eyes stay closed for a second longer, eventually opening to Andi's smiling face. 

"All better?" Andi asks.