Amber and Jarred July 3, 2009

Amber and Jarred

July 3, 2009

Amber rushed towards Jarred and flung her arms around him. He caught her before they stumbled over, and laughed. His smile was enchanting, to anyone, including Amber, although she'd never admit it. He was the classic prince charming, tall, dark and handsome, with gorgeous caramel-brown eyes.

The two pulled apart, and Amber faced him, at an angle with a soft smile as she bit down lightly on her lower lip, carefully averting her eyes so they rested on a spot just above his forehead.

“Are you okay?” he asked. There was something about Ambers body language that gave her away. She shrugged her shoulders and sat down on the hood of Jarred's car, folding her arms across her chest.

“I'm alright, I guess. I just, never wanted to have to have this conversation with you, to be honest.”

“What conversation?” Jarred asked, stepping forward and tilting his head to one side.

“About...” she hesitated. “Elizabeth.”

Jarred kept his smooth facial expression and stance, but inside he burned to hear what Amber would have to say about Elizabeth. She wasn't on her list of favorite people, at least, not anymore. So why would anything having to do with Elizabeth concern Amber, or him?

“Nathan called me last night. It scared the hell out of me, because God knows we don't get along anymore. I was sure someone had died.”

Jarred's stomach clenched together, and his throat tightened as he waited. Dread washed over him as he waited for her to say she was wrong, but she never did.

“Elizabeth finally broke, didn't she?” he asked, numbness filling his voice.

Amber pressed her lips together, then nodded. “Nathan found her out at the docks. She'd been dead for about two hours before he got there. He asked me to let you know, and to tell you that the funeral is on the eleventh, in case you were still in town, and wanted to go. She left a letter for you.”

Jarred swallowed hard, “What did the letter say?” he asked.

“I'm not sure,” Amber admitted. “Nathans always been all about doing what he feels is right. Elizabeth's parents wanted all the letters, and Nathan wont hand them over. He wants to make sure that only the people who the letters were written to get to read them. She left her journal though. In the letter that she had at the beginning of the journal she said that she wanted the people in her life to read it, to understand. Nathan said something about making a copy for everyone who had a letter.”

Jarred nodded, and sat down on the pavement, pulling his knees into his chest. He put his head down and breathed in deep.

“It shouldn't hurt...should it?” he asked Amber, who sat down next to him, flipping her reddish blond hair to one side. “I mean, It's been two years since we've broken up. We hardly talked after that. I never called...”

“You loved her,” Amber said. “Its okay. You should be upset.”

“I didn't talk to her because I never stopped loving her. It would have been too hard to move on if I would have kept her in my life. But...if I would have still stayed friends with her...talked to her more...she might still be alive.”

“Jarred, it's not your fault. Rob made her who she was. You couldn't change her. No one could.”

“But at least when I was with her, I could always talk her down. If I was in her life...maybe I could have talked her down this time. I just...I thought she was better. I thought Matt, or whatever his name is, helped her. The few times I did talk to her, she seemed fine. I didn't see this coming...”

“No one did, except maybe Nathan. But even with him, I don't think he really did.” Amber sighed and looked up at the sky. “I wasn't planning on going to the funeral. Our friendship ended a long time ago. But if you go, and want me to come with you, I will.”

Jarred sighed, his breath shaking. “I don't know right now. I need to think.”

“Take your time, okay?” Amber said. “I'm here if you need me.”

“I need to go for a drive,” Jarred said, suddenly. “I'll be back. Take my cell phone. If anyone calls, just pick up and tell them I'll call back later, okay?”

Amber nodded her head and reached out for the phone. He dropped it in her hands and was out of the driveway before she even had time to realize he had begun to cry.

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