More Than This

10 - Amber

Song of the chapter - Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve

The weekend had been a roller coaster of emotions. Seeing Garrett after his release at the police station was an enormous relief. After April's story, telling me how Brett had stalked and killed Lisa, and knowing that Garrett and his mom had been in hiding from Brett for the last four years, I was worried about his emotional state.

How could someone ever deal with that?

No wonder he was so withdrawn from life. Who wouldn't be after something like that? I knew there was more to the story than April told me, probably not knowing herself, but I hadn't touched on it at all with Garrett. I had a feeling he would talk about it with me eventually. Especially after that hug.

I had reached up to comfort him, putting my arms around his neck to convey how much I cared about him. And to tell him how sorry I was, how terrible I knew it must have been, and still was, for him. Honestly, I didn't expect him to react much. What I expected was a quick pat on the back from him, if anything at all, and then for Garrett to pull away.

But he didn't.

He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around my waist. The warmth from his arms radiated right through my jacket. My heartbeat sped up and I wondered if he could tell. Then his head leaned down, slowly, and his cheek touched my shoulder. I pressed in closer to him, holding him in such a way to tell him I cared, that I needed him too. I closed my eyes, savoring each moment in his arms. There was a sense of safety that I never felt with Matt.

Sooner than I would have liked, he let go, although I had just been in Garrett's arms longer than I thought possible. He looked at me, right in my eyes. That look was new, it was full of possibilities. And I felt it, things between he and I would change.

He didn't hold my hand, or smile at me more. He didn't walk closer than he had before. But something had changed. It felt like he wasn't running from me anymore. Like he was finally ready to explore this energy between us.

And I was more than ready to let him.

***

Monday's lunch was different. Garrett was gone. He had taken the day off to attend a pre-trial hearing for Brett, requested by the lawyer. I was sad at the thought of not sitting with him. But I also realized that my sadness was nothing compared to what he was being subjected to.

Having to be in the same room as the monster that killed his sister must have been torture.

My plan was to join April again in the Lot. It felt strange to go back there after my experience on Friday night. That was shocking, to say the least; hedonism and debauchery gone wild.

Gotta love AP vocabulary.

I stopped at the quad restrooms before heading to our own grassy knoll of the Lot. And proceeded to get the shock of my life while in the stall. The Lot hadn't shaken me as badly as what I heard.

When I walked in, I was alone. I made my way to a stall, locking the door and hanging my bag on the hook. The clicking of heels and the stereotypical girl chatter alerted me to the entrance of some populars. I didn't recognize the voices, though I immediately knew they were talking about me.

"What did Matt ever see in her?" One girl said.

"No clue. She's a nerd! She's not even that hot! Courtney is a better fit for him than Amber ever was." The other girl replied.