Page 27 of Pages of Amber

Evelyn jabbed a finger over her shoulder. “Yeah. Over at the stage desk with Emmett and Kael. You should’ve seen the way he wrangled us out of the house this morning. I barely had my shoes on.”

“We introduced him to Kael so they could get a bit comfortable with each other before we get rolling,” Trent said. He looked down at his clipboard, his pen scratching at the paper. “He and Kael started a competition on who could mention the most words associated with or similar to others. They started with news, then science. The last round is literature.”

“The words kept getting bigger and longer.” Evelyn shook her head. “I left right as Noah got Cicero-something orations. It’s too early to remember how he pronounced it.”

“I think it's Ciceronian orations. It means speech or writing in the style of Cicero, a statesman and orator revered for his specialization in Latin prose. His literary style was majorly rhetoric, carrying eloquence and rhythm that largely influenced the understanding of literary prose,” Amber replied. She could remember the day Mrs. Wilson had first mentioned it.

She stilled when she registered the wide-eyed looks on Trent and Evelyn. Her voice trailed off, cheeks growing hot the longer they stared. God, she needed to know when to put a sock in it. They hadn’t asked her to dump random information on them. They probably hadn’t thought she would even know what the word was. Were they weirded out that she sounded like a geek?

Evelyn blinked. “I almost forgot. You’re in Contemporary Literature with Kael and Noah, aren’t you?”

“She is,” a voice answered, startling Amber.

The newcomers stepped up to them. Kael waved at her, a genial smile bright against his dusky skin. His coily hair was cut short, shorn on both sides. Somehow, the neatness of his hairstyle must have imprinted on Noah’s. He hadn’t slicked his hair but had managed to tame it by combing it to the side. The waves now fell to his ear and away from his eyes. Noah seemed to be analyzing her as intently as she was to him. His gaze paused on her hair, his mouth popping open.

“What’s that?”

Her hand flew to her hair. He didn’t like it? Amber dropped her hand, a frown climbing onto her face. What did she care if he did? She’d never heard Noah say a nice thing about her. This wouldn’t be a first.

Evelyn smacked Noah, her tone scolding as she said, “Hey. If you don’t have anything good to say, then don’t say anything at all. We’ve covered this, Noah!”

He floundered, still recovering from the hit. “I didn’t mean...”

“We’re ready to start, Trent,” someone called out.

Trent threw a thumbs up, cupped his hands and belted, “We need only the crew in the room please. One minute to camera time. Places everyone.”

The ‘crew’ was a total of ten students including Trent, who had the role of Director and he exercised the part like a pro. His skills with directing the cameras, props and organizing the studio were impeccable. Kael was the club’s spokesman and regularly appeared before the camera, either solo, with another newscaster or the guests on set. The Press Club was a mix of debate and tech class and others who wanted to volunteer and join in. Principal Ellis had agreed to let them record student and staff interviews, share community news or announcements on the school sports teams and broadcast them on the TV’s stationed in classes and offices around the Academy. They usually came into school an hour early to film their sessions and get it running through the day by the time students arrived.

The ‘press room’ was a classroom turned studio. It was well equipped with two video cameras on tripods, clip mics, a background over the board they changed every week, a desk and chairs positioned in front as the stage. In the corner, a table stocked snacks a few of the students had brought in and next to that, a table with laptops arranged for monitoring the videos and editing for broadcasting. Trent had previously mentioned to Amber that he was looking into applying for an addition of a green screen and upgraded computers from the principal.

Amber walked over to their seats as Noah waved off the twins. He returned, taking a place in the middle while Kael adjusted his chair on Noah’s right.

“Everyone ready?” Trent asked. At the answering nods, he began the countdown. “Three…”

Amber sat up in her chair.

“Two…” She did one last check of her hair, careful not to dislodge the gems. Noah tilted his head, watching the motions.

“One.” He leaned over, enveloping Amber in a citrusy scent with a hint of vanilla.

In a second, his voice rumbled into her ear, “What I meant to say earlier is you look lovely and those sparkly things make you dazzle more than you already do.”

“What?”

“ACTION!”

“Hello, Redmington Academy. Another episode here at the Club with Kael and you’ll never guess who we have on the panel today. A star ballerina and recent regionals winner, Amber Coleman and surprisingly, our very own student body president, Noah Rhodes.”

Amber wasn’t sure what magic Kael had worn over Noah but it was working. Excellently. Noah had taken a minute to loosen up at first, only answering in single phrases until she had redirected a question about the library system to him and he had lit up under the studio lights. Now, he and Kael talked, even exchanging jokes like old friends. It was such a crazy sight and she was mesmerized, unwilling and unable to look away.

Noah glowed the more passionately he spoke about the little things she would have never imagined from him. He talked about the teachers implementing activities and tutoring groups to facilitate easy learning, the upgraded services at the library so every book could be easily shelved and located, the cafeteria bringing in fresh products every day to ensure the students had a wide pick of cuisine.

“It's hard work,” he said. “They do it for us and they do it well. I think we need to start appreciating that more.”

She nearly melted. Amber wasn’t sure if it was the heat from the lights or from fixating on the boy who, up until that moment, she had barely been able to tolerate. Then again, she had never seen this side of him. It was in one word, otherworldly. Sitting there, watching him, she began to realize that she liked this version of Noah that didn’t use his intelligence and wit to spite her, instead to entrance everyone listening to him. With this version, it wouldn’t be an entirely terrible experience of working together.

All she had to do was get this part of him out more. It was a challenge Amber found herself eager to accept.

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