Page 71 of Pages of Amber

Beverly nodded hastily. “And I owe you an apology too. I shouldn’t have said any of that stuff I did. You’re right. I was blinded by anger and jealous, but you have to know I would never betray you like that to your mother. I have always been on your side, Amber. That was never going to change, even if you made new best friends.”

Amber almost choked on the sob that left her. The mug was forgotten as she dumped in on the bedside table and leaned forward, arms outstretched to her best friend. Beverly came to her immediately, her knees sinking into the mattress beside Amber as they clasped hands.

“I knew you wouldn’t, but I was blinded by my own anger. I shouldn’t have kept you at a distance when I started hanging out with Evelyn and Emmett. I’m sorry for making you think you weren’t my best friend in the whole world. I’ve missed you so much, and it hurts to think that you hate me.”

“Nothing could ever make me hate my bestie.” Beverly cried. Her arms reached around Amber in a tight hug, exactly what she needed.

A sniffle across the room turned both their heads. Evelyn stood at the foot of the bed, wiping stray tears from her cheeks. “I wanna join the group hug,” she whined.

Amber couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. Throwing their arms wider in invitation, Evelyn jumped onto the other side of Amber, her arms wrapping around hers and Beverly’s waist. Sniffles passed between them. Tears flowed freely. More apologies were mumbled and forgiveness was readily given. Amber squeezed her friends tightly, embracing their warmth and sinking into their comfort. Only an hour ago, she had laid hopelessly on the ballet studio floor but now she was starting to see the light at the end of the darkness.

“Feel better?” Evelyn asked, patting her knee.

“Much.” Amber smiled. “Especially after that delicious meal. I’ve never had so much Chinese food at once.”

“Don’t remind me. I’m barely satisfied. I want ten more of those egg dumplings. And that stew? Mouthwatering.” Evelyn snapped her head accusingly to Beverly as she entered the room carrying a tray laden with tall glasses of orange juice. “You didn’t tell me your cousin was a magician in the kitchen, Bev. I would have eaten out his entire store by now.”

“Then thank God I didn’t.” Beverly laughed as she passed the glasses to them. Setting the tray aside, she jumped back in the bed. “Okay, I’m ready. Unpause.”

Evelyn clicked on the remote, resuming the movie on the TV that Amber rarely used. The scene continued, the volume raising as Bella yelled at Jacob for marking her daughter. Amber watched her veins pop beneath her skin, anger clear in her eyes as she berated the werewolf.

Beverly nudged her. “That’s like me and you in the hallway.”

A sick feeling roiled in her, only slightly eased when she noticed her friend’s joking tone. Amber responded in kind, “I didn’t throw you into a tree though.”

Evelyn giggled into her glass.

“You would have if there was one around.” Beverly laughed. Her hand landed on Amber’s. “I should probably tell you how proud I was of you. Well, not the accusation part, but the fact that you stood up for yourself. And while it didn’t feel great to be on the other end of your anger, I was also happy you didn’t keep it bottled in.”

Amber perfectly recalled everything about that horrible fight. The way she saw red, the biting anger in her chest, the pain in her palms of how hard she clenched her nails. But the more she thought about it, she realized something.

“It felt good, you know.” Her eyes lifted to the ceiling, tracing the chandelier light. “To let it out. I still felt so angry that day, then later I felt guilty. But there was some relief mixed in there.” Like she had lifted a massive burden from her shoulders. Her gaze lowered to Beverly and Evelyn. “Does that make me a bad person? That I felt relief after being so nasty to my friend?”

“Not at all. Emotions can get ugly sometimes,” Beverly added. “They fill up in your chest and cancel out rational thoughts. But keeping them in does more bad than good sometimes.”

Evelyn clutched at her arm. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve yelled at Emmett for doing something I told him not to or when my older sister pisses me off. It doesn’t matter that you yell and shout. What matters is that you make amends for it.”

Making amends? Hadn’t she successfully burned that bridge with Noah? Tears brimmed in her eyes at the memory of what she’d said to him. There was no relief then. There was only loss and despair.

Amber held onto their hands as she whispered, “Noah and I fought in the nurse's office. It wasn’t banter or an argument like before. I said some really awful things.”

Beverly gaped, “Is that why he’s been such a grump at school? Everyone’s been staying clear of him since you left.”

Amber’s eyes bugged. Had she single-handedly ruined everything they had worked for? Was Noah at risk of losing his position as school president because of her?

Evelyn sighed. “I had a feeling that was what happened. He’s being holing up either at the school library or Mr. Arthur’s bookstore. We’ve tried asking him what’s wrong but he won’t say anything.”

Oh no. Her knuckles ached from how hard her fists were clenched. “It’s my fault. I was so angry and I wasn’t even mad at him. I was mad about everything else that happened. He didn’t deserve that.” She pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes as she sniffled. “He’s never going to forgive me, is he?”

“You haven’t asked for his forgiveness,” Evelyn said with a squeeze to her arm. “But if I know Noah as well as I do, when it comes to you, he’ll forgive you.”

“You think so?”

“I know so. In fact, let’s call him. We’ll find out where he is. If you’re feeling up to it, go to him.”

Her lips pursed, the organ in her chest pounding anxiously at the thought of having to face him. “I don’t know,” she murmured.

“Hey,” Beverly interjected. “I might not know much about Noah but something about him always made you happy. You called him your nemesis but there was this twinkle you got in your eye every time you argued with him. Remember the day we met out front at the fountain? You walked out the door with him and you had the goofiest smile I’ve ever seen on you. You were happy.”

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