Banner By solerdani

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Chapter 5   

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I rushed through the doors of the restaurant. I hadn't realized I was thirty minutes late. My friends were going to kill me. I stopped a second to catch my breath. I should have just walked instead of hailing a taxi, New York traffic was horrendous this time of year, much worse than it normally was. I took a quick trip to the bathroom to check my hair and makeup. I was already late I might as well make sure I was fashionably late.

I leaned forward to check the nude lipstick I had caked on my lips. My mascara was a little clumped from a hard days work at the office and my hair was a little matted from sitting in the back seat of the taxi for so long. I let out a sigh, I didn't feel my best. Before I could even turn a girl came rushing into the bathroom her eyes filled with tears. She nearly ran into me as she flailed through the small room to one of the stalls. I stood there awkwardly listening to her wails for a few moments. Should I walk over there and ask her what is wrong? I shook my head taking a few more steps towards the door. The cold brass door knob tightly held between my fingers. I just couldn't' do it.

"Are you okay?" I mustered enough strength to turn around and face the heartbroken girl. I wanted to smack myself in the face. Of course she isn't okay Amber, she is balling in the bathroom at a nice restaurant. She sniffed a couple of times before grabbing a paper towel from the automatic dispenser.

"My boyfriend... stood me up... for the... third time this month." She whined sniffling into the paper towel. Her body was shaking as she tried to get the words out.

"Dump him then, honey he obviously doesn't deserve you." I shook my head glancing once more in the mirror. Why would she stay with him if he was such a jerk to her? She burst into tears like a faucet that had reached its maximum pressure, finally letting everything out.

"I can't..." She tried to say between the muffled sobs she hid behind. Her bright blue eyes shinier than ever as the tears flowed like a river. I shook my head, I was confused. "... I... I just found out..." She began talking again.

"Well why not?" I wasn't good at handling people in such a traumatic situation. Obviously she was pretty heart broken about this and I knew I would be too. My phone began to buzz in my purse.

"I'm pregnant!" She shouted before bursting into another fit of sobs. My heart sank. I didn't know what else to do so I took a step forward pulling her in for a hug as I let her cry on my shoulder. She wept for a few moments before pulling away to grab another paper towel. "I'm sorry, I'm just emotional. You shouldn't have to worry about this." She turned to look in the mirror trying to fix her makeup. I reached into my purse to grab a baby wipe before handing it to her. My phone buzzed again.

I snatched it out of my purse to see I had three missed calls from Miranda. I cussed to myself before searching for an escape plan.

I will be there in a second. Might have a friend...

I quickly sent the message hoping she wouldn't ask to many questions.

"Hey, what is your name? I'm Amber." I stuck my hand out to shake the blonde girls hand. She looked at it like it was a Venus fly trap before deciding it was safe.

"I'm Kristina." She mumbled between hiccups and gasps of breath. I shook my head looking around the room.

"This is going to sound weird but why don't you come have dinner with my friends and I. I was meeting them here." I tried to offer an olive branch. It was Christmas time anyways and no girl deserved to sit in a bathroom sobbing over some guy. She nodded her head a small smile peeking from her puffy lips.

"Okay good, let's get out of here then." I smiled back to her. She nodded her head and we left the bathroom heading into the lobby in search of my friends. I led Kristina through the crowd of couples who actually showed up to meet their dates. I had never felt so awkward in my life. Once I found the table where the girls were seated I rushed over grabbing a chair from the next table over placing it next to mine for Kristina. She was clearly embarrassed. I quickly introduced her before shooting a thousand apologies to everyone else.

"It's alright it's Christmas, the table is always open." Miranda held her glass up in the air for everyone to cheer. I nodded my head glad that my friends were alright with me bringing a stranger with me.

I pulled the second menu off the table, opening it up so Kristina and I could share. I was skimming through the entrees not really paying attention to everyone's mindless babble when I felt an all to familiar vibration in my pocket. It was a text message. My heart stopped. I hadn't gotten a note today...

Day 3

Your eyes are as blue as the sea

And Amber that's an ocean I would love to drown in.

Your smile warms me to the core

Like the embers of a fire burning all night long.

I could stare at it for the rest of my life

And I really hope you will give me the chance to stare at it for at least a night.

A smile covered my face as I read the words of the beautiful note. My heart racing in my chest. Kristina leaned forward to search for something on the other side of the menu causing me to enter a panic. I didn't want her to see the words on my phone. Not when her boyfriend had just ditched her. I accidentally dropped my phone in a frenzy to put it away gracefully. Mentally smacking myself as I tried not to act weird.

"Um, sorry." Kristina mumbled before leaning away from the menu. I shook my head.

"Nope, that is fine, just a dirty joke I'm not quite willing to share tonight." I bit my lips realizing that was the worst thing I could have said. My face turns red as I force myself to forget about the text message, even if it was just for a dinner.