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I owe some apologies. I know I told some people I would have a new chapter up months ago…but I lied. Timing and creativity were NOT working together. So, please forgive the wait! Enjoy! ~bloodyfangs

A choice made is a choice lived

Chapter 10

Amber cradles her hot coffee between her palms, trying to take in the heat. She takes a careful sip and watches as the sun sets as it paints the snow with tones of purples and blues.

“You’re going to be late for work,” Amber’s friend announces as she walks into the kitchen and glances at the clock on the stove.

Amber swivels in her chair and looks at her sleek, blonde haired, blue eyed friend with a raised eye brow and a question in her eyes.

“Faith, did you move in without telling me?”

“Oh yea…by the way, you no longer have a guest room. I sorta claimed it. Didn’t think you would mind,” she says in a sarcastic tone while she pours herself a cup of coffee.

“Breaking into someone’s house is against the law, you know,” Amber say in a serious tone trying not to laugh.

“You wouldn’t be so cranky if you got laid once in a while,” Faith drives the knife in.

“Grow up. Besides, I’m too busy right now for a relationship,” Amber response while turning back to the snowy scene trying to hide her blush.

“Who said anything about a relationship? Just go out and fuck the first girl you catch,” Faith leans her hip into the counter and studies her friend.

Amber stands up, dressed in her wrinkle free uniform, shakes her head and with a sad smile to match her soft tone replies, “I need flowers and candles, Faith. Not just a fling or one night with a nameless woman.”

“Beggers can’t be choosers,” Faith shouts down the hallway after Amber.

“Who’s begging?” Amber shouts over her shoulder while she steps out into the cold.

----

“Let’s go! Get up!” Shouts Faith.

Amber fights to unclench her fingers from the gun under her pillow as her heart rate starts to go down as she looks Faith in the eye.

“What the hell are you doing?” She says while narrowing her eyes and grasping the edge of the covers so she can pull them back over her head.

“Helping you get a life. So get up and take a shower already. Some friends of mine, lonely friends that is, are throwing a party and you are going.” Faith reaches and takes a handful of covers throwing them off the bed leaving Amber defenseless to the chill of the room.

“I hate you. Just in case you are wondering.”

“I wasn’t,” Faith says with a shrug and a smile before switching the light on as she leaves the room.

----

“Please don’t behave all ‘I’m a police officer so everyone should follow the law’-ish tonight, okay?” Faiths voice is one of warning.

“What!? I don’t act that way!” Her arms raptly wave in the air then stops when a sudden revolution comes to mind. “Wait…are you telling me illegal things are happening in there? Faith, I swear…” Amber starts the rant with a pointed finger.

“Point in case,” Faith leans her weight on one leg and crosses her arms under her breast.

They stare at each other intently. Waiting for the other to give in and ignoring the cold breeze biting at their exposed skin. Neither of them shows a sliver of weakness and their stubbornness anchors them.

“I speed,” Amber says in a cool, simple, matter of fact voice.

Simultaneously the women burst into a laughing fit. Whatever they where fighting about is forgotten as they walk into to house and become engulfed by the smoke, smell of liquor and the sound of people laughing over the loud music.

----

Anita

I desperately try to keep eye contact with Jack not willing to be the one to look away.

The click of the gym door opening causes Jack to look over his shoulder making me the winner.

“If your going to have a threesome you really should find some place less public,” Leom says while flashing a smile and walking closer to check things out.

Jade ducks her head and slides next to me as delicately as possible. I watch as she hides behind the curtain of her hair. I turn my head side ways for a moment getting a better look hoping to catch her eye before turning my attention back to the boys.

“Mmm I’m guessing you weren’t invited, huh?” Leom pats Jack on the shoulder laughing.

Shrugging him off Jack takes a step away and loosens his stance trying to pull himself together.

“Like I need an invitation,” he says with a light laugh and in a tone that made me growl.

“I think the girls disagree, Jack,” He looks over us quickly and right before he starts to speak again his head whips around looking past me with a look of surprise. “…Jade?”

“…Hey! Leom! Long time no see,” Jade says lifting her head; busted.

“Well, well look at the lost pup who came strolling back in. Told ya, you’d miss us,” He grins whole hearty, looking thrilled with the thought of her being back.

I look between the two. Leom looks absolutely thrilled and ready to pounce on her for a hug. Jade is stuck between glaring and smiling back. I frown and look back over to Jack who doesn’t seem to care about the current conversation.

“You wish. If you must know I didn’t come strolling back. I was invited here by Anita.”

He cast his attention to me, slowly raising an eye brow. I could tell he was studying me hard. For what? And did he just call her a pup? And ask her if she had come “strolling back?” What was I missing?

“Of course she would. She doesn’t know a damn thing about you and you look like enough of a mess to make her curious.”

“Leom. Shut. The. Hell. Up.”

Her words come out almost as a growl and I look over at her in shock. I can tell she is hiding something because her face says nothing. It’s calm and looks peaceful. Her eyes show a bit of a spark but it’s not even a shadow to what true feelings lurk inside of her.

----

Amber sits in the corner chair that allows her to over look everyone in the room and anyone who may or may not leave. She tries hard not to scan over the room repeatedly and focus on the rim of her red, plastic cup swishing the liquor inside around. The partiers reacted to her uncomfortable atmosphere by purely staying away. As if she had a bubble around her keeping them at bay.

In a wave of frustration she sets the cup down next to her and charges for the door. An arm loops around her pulling her off track. She turns to be face to face with and threatening Faith.

“Don’t even think about it,” Faith warns.

“What’s the point? I’m not having fun?”

“Really? Then maybe you should start talking to people! Now there’s a killer idea!”

Amber mumbles under her breath as she twists out of her friends grasp intending to walk away. But just as she is about to move completely away someone stops her by standing in her way with a smile and wild, silver laced eyes.

“What’s this I hear? Not having fun? Then you must be talking to all the wrong people, Officer,” the girl says tracing Ambers jaw line.

Amber takes a step back as if she was punched instead of just lightly touched. She starts to speak but realizes she can’t. She’s trapped in stormy grey eyes, lost in the intense contrast of them. Faith pushes at Amber making her take back the step she had taken moments ago.

“Look at that. You found someone to talk to who isn’t afraid of the boring police officer!” She pats Ambers shoulder and winks at the girl. “Good job,” she says before walking away.

“We could go back to the corner seat you scared everyone away from, if that will make you talk,” she says with a shrug and a wink.

“Took you long enough to talk to me,” Amber says trying to play it cool and regaining control over herself.

The girl laughs and takes another drink from her cup. “Don’t give me that. You didn’t even see me. Not a very good observer, Officer.”

“Yea? And what is it I should have been observing?” She crosses her arms.

The girl smiles and reaches out tugging on Ambers arm making her uncross them. “You don’t know who I am, do you?”

Amber looks over the girl trying to scan her memory. Tempestuous grey eyes, long, straight black hair, a thornily, rose vine tattooed on her collar bone, budding out to roses and butterflies on her pale, left shoulder. She had no clue.

“Foolish question,” Amber says while taking the cup out of the girls hand and taking a sip of the warming liquor in hopes of changing the subject.

The girl raises an eyebrow with a mischief smile painted across her lips and takes her cup back.

“What’s your name?” Amber asks lost once again in the girl’s eyes.

“Now that’s a foolish question,” the girl stats before moving in and pressing her lips to Ambers.