“Thanks, Elvira. So, tell me again about this kid in your AP English class. What's his name?"
Despite the dyed-black hair that Val kept artfully arranged to hide her face, a rosy flush colored her cheeks. “Dylan. He asked me to the Midsummer Night Ball, but I'm not gonna go,” she said nonchalantly. “That dance is so lame. Everyone gets drunk and acts stupid.”
True, if Amber’s own night was any indication. Because the school was so small, Northfield hosted a ball every summer for the entire high school. It was a special night that the townwent all out for. The girls got their hair and makeup professionally done, and wore designer dresses, while the boys wore tuxedos, and rented limos. Amber would never have been able to afford to go, but her date had paid for her ticket, and she made her own dress. No one had been able to tell it wasn’t designer.
Unfortunately, it had ended up ripped and she had walked home, regretting her choices that night.
“I could buy your ticket, if you wanted to go,” she said carefully. “And you could wear one of my dresses. I’ve got more than I know what to do with.”
“He already bought the tickets. He works for his dad at some technology company. But maybe I could borrow a dress? If I decide to go, that is.” She scowled. “I don’t even know if I like him like that. He’s so nerdy.”
“Ah.” Amber said thoughtfully. “Not cool enough.”
“Ew. Rude. He’s totally nice and he’s so thoughtful...” Val tossed a pillow at Amber. “You did that on purpose.”
Amber caught it and propped it behind her back. “Duh. So, why don’t you want to go out with him?”
“It’s weird. He’s, like, so nice that I’m scared I’ll ruin it.” Val picked at her black nail polish. Despite the heat, she wore an oversized hoodie that she had pulled up to her chin like a cocoon as she sat huddled on the couch. “I can be kinda mean.” She looked up and glared at Amber. “Don’t you dare laugh.”
“I wouldn’t dare,” Amber said solemnly. Val was kind of scary, but Amber knew how much she loved Holly and Sandy. The kid had been through a lot in her seventeen years. She hoped Dylan could recognize that and be patient.
“Whatever.I don’t even care.” Ah. The refrain of every teenager. Amber hid a smile while Val got up and opened the fridge. “Don’t you have any real food here?”
“Ramen,” Amber said. She let Val escape, recognizing thatbehavior too. It was eerie watching Val sometimes. Amber saw so much of herself in Val’s stubborn independence.
“I’m still gonna talk to Killian about a job.” Val threw herself onto the couch again.
“Your only job is to graduate from high school next month and get into college. And who’s going to watch Holly at night, huh?” Amber asked. “Your mom works, and I’ll have another job soon.”Hopefully. “We’ve talked about this before, Val.”
“If I got a job, I could help you guys out.” Val’s voice dipped, all traces of snark gone. “I know you’ve been helping my mom out with money. Let me help too.”
“You let us worry about that,” Amber repeated firmly. “Did you sign up for the summer SAT test yet? What about filling out those college applications I left for you? It’s not too late. Colleges save room for late applications.”
Val picked at her sleeve. “No. I told you; I don’t even know if I want to go to college, and all those applications cost money to send in.”
“I told you I’d take care of those. See, I’m making it rain here.” She grinned and grabbed a pile of tips from the night before on the coffee table and let them drift down over them, hoping Val would let it go. Amber would get four more jobs if she had to, but she didn’t want Val worrying about money.
When the three of them had moved in last year, she’d quickly taken the girls under her wing. Holly was a sweet little angel. Her sister was more like Satan, but Amber had a soft spot for her. Val had a lot of potential, and Amber wasn’t going to let her waste it like she had.
“Fine, treat me like a child, but we’re not done talking about this,” Val said, disgust clearly on her face. “I don’t need a college degree to wait tables. It’s not like you ever got one.”
Amber didn’t even flinch. Val could be ruthless, but Amber had been around longer. It took a lot more than mentioning herfailed college experience to shake her up. “Oh, I used the rest of your milk,” Val called on her way out. “And good luck today. It’s hot as balls in your apartment.”
Teenagers were fun.
Despite Val’s best efforts, Amber knew exactly what was behind her prickly attitude because she had been in that same place plenty of times. Truthfully, she still was.
As soon as she met the three of them, she recognized her own family. Sandy was a good mom, but like Annette, she worked nights, and the girls were on their own enough to get into trouble without someone to watch out for them.
Val was a smart girl, and if she didn’t have someone to push her, she was going to end up working a steady stream of odd jobs to pay her rent instead of going to college. Soon the years would pass, and she’d be sitting in a stuffy apartment, jobless and broke at nearly thirty years old, trying to figure out why she felt like she was moving in reverse while everyone else sped by.
Well. That was too depressing to contemplate. Amber halfheartedly picked a few more stitches out before getting up to stretch her back and check the fridge. She peered at the sad-looking assortment of half-empty condiments and an unidentifiable takeout container Johnny had left in her fridge when the doorbell rang.
Expecting Johnny, Amber swung the door open wide and stepped back. “I was just wondering what you left in my fridge—” she said and then stopped short.
Theo stood in her doorway, wearing a pair of silver aviators and a crisp white button down with slacks, looking every bit as untouchable and remote as last night. She swung the door closed.
“A morning person, I see,” he said, stopping the door with a polished loafer.
