Page 2 of Pages of Amber

“I haven’t seen her in school for a few days. Poppy and her parents might take action against Isla for defamation but so far, no one’s heard from her.”

“She trusted her.How could Isla do something like that?”

“It turns out the worst betrayal isn’t the one you never see coming, but the one done by the person you love the most.”Beverly shook her head, as if dispelling the melancholy air.“Oh, I have something to tell you…”

Her words were broken by a loud squeal when they were spotted. With bouncy blonde curls in a high ponytail swinging behind her, Lexi beamed at them as she raced across the hall. Amber hugged her best friend when Lexi crashed into her, surprised once again by the strength of her grip. Where Amber and Beverly both stood at 5’7, Lexi was 5’5. Her small frame and petite features made up her cute personality.

“It’s so good to see you, Amber!”she exclaimed.“You look good. Your little vacation did you wonders.”

“I was only gone two weeks, Lexi. Not two years. I wouldn’t call it a vacation either,”Amber teased as she pulled back. She and Lexi could have been twins in another life. With their blonde hair and similar eye coloring, they’d regularly been mistaken for the other in their first year at Redmington. The uncanny similarities had taken a bit to get used to at first but they’d soon let it become nothing but a joke between them.

“You weren’t trapped here like the rest of us, though. That definitely counts as a break. We missed you.”Her eyes flitted over Amber’s shoulder and a smile stretched over her lips.“And it looks like Beverly and I weren’t the only ones who did.”

Amber turned and met the gaze of several students staring at them. Two boys huddled at the opposite lockers blushed furiously and turned away. The freshmen girls erupted into excited giggles and waved erratically at her. She smiled politely and returned the gesture, half scared they would jump her if she didn’t. As she turned away, Willow and Casey sidled up to Lexi’s side.

“Hi, Amber. Welcome back.”Willow smiled.

Casey drew Amber into a hug.“Congrats on the win. We loved your performance. Beverly wouldn’t shut up about the competition so we wanted to watch and support you.”They shot Beverly a pointed look, matching smiles on their faces.

Side by side, they were a comical friendship duo and total opposites. Willow was tall and well, willowy with ebony hair that shone against her tan skin. Casey was way shorter, around Lexi’s height. Her honey brown hair was in a bob that framed her face and she had cute clips on either side. Amber had known them almost as long as she had Beverly and Lexi. They shared a couple classes too.

Beverly shrugged unapologetically.“I knew you’d love it. Amber is a natural on the stage. Totally should’ve won first place.”

“Yeah. Your dance was beautiful,”Willow agreed.“Casey and I were on babysitting duty when we watched it. By the end of your performance, her cousins were prancing around the room on their tiptoes and knocking into each other. It was the cutest thing.”

“Plus it got them tired so we could get them to bed on time.”Casey laughed.

“Glad I could help out,”Amber joined in. They chatted a little more before the piercing bell rang out its first warning for the students to head to class. Willow checked the time and groaned.

“We haven’t been to our lockers yet. We have to go.”

“Sure. I should get going too,”Amber answered.“I have Mrs. Golding and she’s all the way in the left wing.”

“See you at lunch,”Lexi said, her arm hooking in Beverly’s. Their first class was together. They all said goodbye and separated. Amber moved through the crowd of students to the staircase. She tried not to notice the way they parted, staring at her as she passed. Her gaze caught instead on the school’s crest imprinted on one of the banners hanging from the vaulted ceiling of the halls. A golden‘R’surrounded by a wreath topped with a crown and two crossed swords. Right under it was the Latin motto‘obstetricante optimum et clarissimum astra’and the school’s name.

Redmington Academy had been her dad’s dream school for her. Having stood for more than thirty years with a reputation of producing stars and geniuses, Redmington was among the elite schools in New York. It was all he spoke about when she was little. He used to tell her about driving by the school’s compound on his way to work, knowing he would be dropping her off there one day. Only the best for his daughter, he’d say, especially since he didn’t have the best from the beginning. Attending Redmington hadn’t been the only thing he’d missed the last few years but Amber liked to imagine him, wherever he was, proud and smiling every time she walked down the hallways.

A tap on her shoulder startled Amber from her thoughts. She smiled when she recognized Trent. His reciprocated smile was wider than hers, stretching across his dappled face.“The sunshine of Redmigton has returned! It was getting dull here without you.”

“Getting tired of reporting about cafeteria food?”she jested.

“Never. I don’t know what magic they’re doing but everyone keeps looking forward to lunchtime.”Trent was a member of the school’s Press club. More like he was the self-dubbed director of film and press news.“Congratulations on your competition. Those turns were crazy but you nailed them. I’m excited to have you over for an interview again, if you’re up for it.”

A light blush tinged her cheeks.“Thank you. You sure you aren’t sick of me at the studio yet?”

He laughed, his eyes bright.“No way! Everyone loves your interviews. Your last one helped the Press club with more views and engagement. We loved hearing how you won the last competition too.”

“That’s sweet, Trent. I’d love to do another interview. How about I let you know the minute I’m free?”

“Yes!”he cheered.“I’ll be one call or text away. We can’t wait to have you back. I gotta go now or I’ll be late for class. See you, Amber.”

She waved him off and continued to the staircase. Her first class on Tuesdays was History and Mrs. Golding went crazy on students who were late to class. Amber didn’t want to find out if she could be an exception with the excuse that she had recently returned from her trip. A shadow fell before her halfway up the staircase. Amber slowed, expecting the person to pass by. When they didn’t, she looked up. Her feet paused on the steps as a frown instantly wrinkled her face, mirroring the one directed at her.

“You’re actually back. No wonder the air felt hostile this morning,”his voice grated her ears and sent the wheels in her head churning.

Her lip curled at his snobby tone. It was too early in the morning to be getting into a squabble with him, but Amber had never been able to resist this dance. She had built up a bit of an ego doing this too and it did not like to lose to her opponent.

Noah Rhodes took a step closer to her. There were two left between them. Her eyes narrowed on him. He’d better stay where he was. His uniform jacket hung unbuttoned. His leather satchel was slung over his shoulder, one of his hands resting on the strap. The other flicked his hair from his face then dropped into his pocket. Those dark eyes of his flashed wickedly at her. Amber refused to be cowed by the look in them.

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