Wild Horses

FIVE

"Who'd ever thought that I would have the guts to change..."
- Maria McKee; I've Forgotten What It Was In You (That Put The Need In Me)

"So what city are you in now?" asked Faith.

"Wilmington," Amber replied.

"Delaware? What the fuck is in Delaware?"

Amber chuckled. "Beats me."

"When are you coming down south?"

"Well, I'll be home for Christmas, as the song goes. But we don't play Atlanta until February."

"Oh, that sucks. But at least you won't be on the road for the holidays," remarked Faith. "I don't think I could live like that. City to city."

Amber rose from her hotel bed and dug inside her suitcase for her cream sweater while Faith continued to chatter through the speaker. Although she'd been on the road before, Amber wasn't prepared to give her cousin a response to her comment. She'd only been on the Harry Styles tour for two cities so far, Wilmington being the third. While she missed Pauline and Laci, this had been her dream since she was twelve. Being on the road, living in a suitcase...it was just part of the life that she'd accepted, if not actually looked forward to.

"So are you gonna tell me what he's like?" Faith asked.

"Who?"

"Fucking Orlando Bloom. Harry, you idiot."

Amber laughed. "He's great. Really, really sweet. Every good thing you've ever heard about him is true."

"Yeah? Even the size of his pecker?"

"Shut up!"

Amber heard Faith cackle through the phone, a little squeak at the end like a tiny mouse.

"You know I'm messin' with you," she said. "Although inquiring minds do wanna know."

"I'm sure you do," Amber muttered as she tied the laces of her Nikes.

Finishing up her conversation, Amber semi-promised Faith she'd make sure she had a ticket to the Atlanta show before hanging up. She wasn't really sure why it mattered to Faith at all, seeing as she hadn't bothered to come see her perform since she'd moved to Savannah, and probably hadn't ever listened to her music - or Harry's for that matter - but there was still a certain comfort that came from chatting with her cousin that she couldn't explain. So somehow, deep down, Amber felt an obligation to be kind to Faith.

Just as she was dabbing on some lip gloss, a knock sounded on her door. She knew who it was before opening it. For the last couple of days, Carter had been oddly nice to her. Though he never mentioned his mood at the first concert, nor the night before when he'd pushed her against the wall in his drunken state, he'd seemed to find some kind of resolve, perhaps finally admitting to himself that they were just friends and bandmates. He'd also been showing Jeff and Harry some kindness, always shaking their hands when either of them walked into the room, though he never seemed to stick around for more than a minute or two.

It was a start, Amber decided, and the smile on his face when she opened the door only reassured her more.

"Mornin'," he greeted, an arm stretched out against the door frame. "Are you hungry?"

"Starved."

"Good, me too. John and Bren are already downstairs."

"You're chipper this morning," Amber smiled.

"I've been up a while," Carter shrugged. "Went to the gym."

"Look at you," Amber raised her brows in amazement before shutting the door behind her.