Page 8 of More To Us

"Another twenty minutes. Maybe more." I smile. "You should know this by now. You've dated her for over a month."

"I usually check my phone while I wait so I guess I don't notice."

Is he saying the time is going slower because he's talking to me? I check the clock on the wall. It's only been five minutes. Damn. Time IS going slow. Painfully slow. Matt and I have nothing to talk about.

"You want to watch TV?"

"Sure." He smiles, like he's relieved we no longer have to talk. I'm relieved too. The awkward silence was getting to me.

Thirty minutes later, Amber finally emerges, wearing a short black dress. Her blond hair hangs in big waves that look natural, but took a half hour, a pile of products, and at least two hair tools to create. I know because I've done it myself. Sometimes when I went out with my high school boyfriend, I'd curl my hair like that and it took forever. My brothers would be banging on the bathroom door, telling me to hurry up.

"You look great," Matt says, getting up from the chair.

"Thanks!" She gives him a quick peck on the lips. "Ready to go?"

Seeing her in a dress, I feel like a slob in my baggy t-shirt and old jeans. "I think I'll change my shirt."

"Okay." She smiles. "We'll wait."

Matt sighs, but in a joking way. "Is this going to be another half hour?"

"No, I'll be quick." I hurry back to my room and find a black t-shirt that isn't great, but it's a lot nicer than the shirt I'm wearing. At least it's fitted and not baggy. I change into my newest pair of jeans, a dark boot cut, then slip on some shoes. There isn't time to do much with my hair so I just run a brush through it, then put on some mascara, and I'm done.

"Okay, I'm ready," I say, hurrying back to the living room.

"See?" Matt says to Amber. "It's possible to get ready fast." He gives her a kiss.

"Maybe, but don't get your hopes up." She loops her arm around his and they head to the door.

I can't tell if Amber likes Matt. I mean, I know she likes him, but I'm not sensing any passion between them. They almost act like an old married couple, and yet they've only dated for a month. Shouldn't they still be hot for each other after a month? The flame shouldn't have fizzled out already. They should be all over each other, and yet when I snuck out of my room to get a snack the other night, I found the two of them just sitting on the couch watching TV. When I moved in with her, I thought she and Matt would be going at it in her room all night long, but that hasn't happened, at least not yet.

We take Matt's car and I sit in the back, already feeling like a third wheel. Matt has a Prius so there isn't much room back here. But at least he has a car. So does Amber. She has her mom's old Ford Focus.

I'm carless and probably will be for years. I have no money to buy one, not even a really old used one. Back in Michigan I borrowed my parents' car whenever I had to go somewhere. It was actually my car. The man who gave me money for college also gave me a car from his dealership. It was a used car but only a couple years old and in great shape. He thought I'd need it at college, which I do, but my parents need it a lot more than I do. They only had one vehicle; a minivan that was rusted out and barely worked. So when that man gave me a car, I gave it to my parents. After all they'd sacrificed for me, I didn't even consider keeping it for myself.

When we get to the bar, Matt drops Amber and me off at the door, then goes to park.

"Seriously?" I say to Amber. "Did you tell him I can't walk?"

"No." She rolls her eyes. "Geez, Kira, he was just being nice. Don't read so much into everything."

"You're right. I'm sorry." I force out a smile, trying to ignore the pain in my leg. That's why I'm crabby. When my leg aches like this, it reminds me of my injury and puts me in a bad mood. But if I'm ever going to get past this and achieve my dream, I need to stay positive, even when I'm in pain. So tonight, I'm going to smile and have a good time and be happy to be here with my best friend.

Matt meets up with us and when we get inside, he pays the cover charge for all three of us. He may be kind of boring but he's a really nice guy. That's probably why Amber likes him.

"It's freezing in here," Amber says, shivering in her sleeveless dress.

Matt puts his arm around her. "You want to go back and get a sweater or something?"

"Could we? I know it's a pain to go all the way back but—"

"It's not a big deal." He kisses her. "I'll go get the car."

"Matt, wait." She turns to me. "Kira, could you stay here and get us a table? "

"Sure. Go ahead."

She hugs me. "Thanks! We won't be long, I swear." She takes off with Matt.

"Sorry," a girl says, bumping into me.

"It's okay." I'm blocking the entrance so I turn and follow everyone into the main section of the bar. It's a big place, and the lights are dim, so it's hard to see. There's a stage up front with equipment set up. The band hasn't started playing yet but club music is pumping through the speakers.

I spot a table in the middle toward the back and make my way over there, sneaking through the crowd.

It's strange being out like this. It seems like forever since I've had an actual night out with people my age. All last year I spent every Saturday night watching TV in my room, listening to my brothers fight with each other while my parents yelled at them to be quiet.

It's good I'm no longer there. It was definitely time for a change. I needed to get out of my parents' house. Out of Michigan. Out of my comfort zone. Maybe living on my own will prove to my parents that I'm not weak and fragile, and that I actually can become the athlete I used to be. And if not, I'll at least prove that to myself. Because miracles do happen. And I'm going to be one of them.

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