Amber felt herself being tugged back — why didn’t he stop him from doing so? She met his eyes before looking away again, blinking to get the stinging feeling out of her eyes again.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she murmured.
William furrowed his eyebrows, finally fitting the puzzle together.
“Was it Jace?” He asked, softly despite himself. What had the dumb one done this time?
Amber froze. He’d guessed it. Of course he’d guessed…
She blinked rapidly, feeling the tears pricking at her eyes again. She couldn’t break down, not in front of William.
He sighed when she froze. He was right. It was Jace. Before he knew what he was doing, William pulled her into a hug, resting his chin on the top of her head. What was he doing? Was he seriously hugging the girl who straight up told him he wasn’t trying to work on his issues? Why, because she was crying over something her boyfriend did?
“Don’t get the wrong idea…” he mumbled, though he didn’t loosen his hold. Was it right for him to do this when she was in a relationship, even when there had something gone wrong with her boyfriend?
Amber stiffened as soon as she felt his arms around her. He was hugging her? Why was he hugging her? He didn’t like her, so why was he comforting her?
Despite her questions, she sighed shakily and rested her head against his chest. Even if he didn’t like her, she needed a hug, and he was giving her one, so she was taking it. That was the only reason…
She was relaxing in his hold, William noted, and even rested her head against him. Whatever happened, it must have been tough for her to relax in his hold of all people.
“What happened?” He murmured, even though she said she didn’t want to talk about it.
(Skdjsjfjdj)
"I don't— I don't want to talk about it," Amber choked out between silent sobs. She couldn't talk about this. Not now. And not with him. He didn't even care… Right?
“Okay,” William murmured. What do people do to comfort others? What should he do to comfort a female? He remembered his father hugging his mother, running his fingers through her hair gently, and he did just that. Hesitantly, he patted her on the head, his awkwardness transparent. Slowly, he ran a hand through Amber’s hair, silently cursing himself as he did so. He could pretend it was Caroline. He could pretend the hairs he was running his fingers through weren’t of the girl he couldn’t get along with it.
But the fact that this was not Caroline burned in his mind. He knew, painfully so, that this was Amber, and no amount of pretending proved otherwise.
Amber stiffened again at the feeling of his fingers in her hair. This time, though, she didn't relax from it. This was too weird. It wasn't right to have him comforting her like this.
William stopped, sighing heavily before he let go, stepping away. He didn’t meet her eyes—he just looked to the side.
“My bad,” he muttered. “I don’t comfort girls very often. As you can see, I’m terrible at it.”
What was he even doing?
Amber shook her head and didn't meet his eye. She wrapped her arms around her waist, looking down at the ground.
"It… It was fine. I just— I should go to my room," she mumbled after a moment. "But… Thank you…"
William cocked his head to the side. The awkwardness in the air made it harder for him to breathe. He nodded.
“Okay,” he said after a few seconds of silence. “Go.”
Perhaps it was the fact that the woman was his dormmate that he felt like consoling her, or the fact that there were many times he had needed someone and he had no one, but whatever it was, he didn’t like it. He didn’t like the girl in front of him—but maybe that was because he was too stubborn to admit that he was the reason they didn’t get along.
Amber took a short breath before nodding. She turned around slowly, finally daring to take a quick look at William, then made her way to her bedroom.
Whatever was going on with her, down she needed to figure it out. Now, though, she just wanted to curl up and gorge herself on ice cream… And forget about what she'd seen…
William stood there staring at her room’s door for a while, and only the smell of his noodles broke him out of it. He shook his head and made his way to the kitchen, turned off the stove and poured the noodles into a bowl. He didn’t feel very hungry anymore.
He set it on the table and hoisted his guitar on his lap, and after contemplating what to play, he strummed the strings. He could have chosen to play in his room, like he’s always done, but he didn’t. Still, he began to play To You, My Heart I Surrender by I Prevail. Whatever that was bothering Amber, he hoped she’d feel better soon. The air felt too gloomy to breathe, and it irked him.
Amber dropped her things on the floor as soon as she stepped into her room. She made her way over to her bed, laid down, then curled up into a ball, burying her face in her knees.
Why was Jace, her boyfriend, kissing Savannah, her best friend? It was obviously not a misunderstanding, not with the way they were going at it… Gosh, why did this have to hurt so much?
Five hours. It had been five hours since Amber had been coped up in her room, from lunch till the end of classes. William didn’t know what to do. Finally, he was getting tired of hearing quiet sniffles from her room.
He knocked.
"Go 'way," Amber called from her ball in bed.
She didn't want to talk to William. She didn't want to talk to anyone. Not now, not ever. She just couldn't believe what she'd seen…
“Stop moping, Blue,” William sighed, annoyance creeping into his voice before he tried to grab a hold of it. “Come out of the damned room.”
(Will, honey, no…)
Amber's eyes flew open at his tone, and she glared at the door. Was he seriously annoyed with her? For being sad and in pain?
She stood and walked over to the door, glaring at him when she yanked it open. Her eyes were still red and puffy, her cheeks were tear-stained, and her hair was a mess. Over all, she just looked plain miserable.
"What do you want?" she demanded, her voice shaking.
William tried not to wince when he saw her appearance. He also tried hard not to wipe away the stray tears on her face.
“Wash yourself up,” William folded his arms. “I’m taking you out.”
Amber raised her eyebrows at him. Really? He was taking her out? Right now? Why in the world was he being like this with her? Didn't he hate her?
"Where?" she questioned, her tone of voice demanding an answer.
(Wrong character. XD)
“I don’t want to do this, but I’m getting tired of hearing you cry,” William sighed, running a hand through his hair. “So I’m taking you out for whatever until you stop.”
That wasn’t what he wanted to say. It really wasn’t, but with Amber, his words jumbled up. She already knew his issue, though, so he didn’t have to hold back. He could be as bitter as he wanted. It really didn’t matter.
Amber narrowed her eyes at him. What game was he playing? Because whatever it was, she was definitely beginning to not want to be in it…
"Then why don't you just leave? Go somewhere on your own so you can't hear me cry. I don't know about you, but witnessing your boyfriend cheating on you is painful—"
Oh, no… She didn't… Oh, shoot shoot shoot!
William’s eyes widened a fraction at her statement. Her boyfriend cheated on her. That stupid goofball had the gall to do that? No wonder she was a crying mess. It wasn’t a fight, nor was it a breakup. It was much more than that.
William sighed.
“Well, fantastic,” he muttered to himself before returning his attention towards Amber. “All the more reasons for me to do so, no? I’ll buy you ice cream—you eat that when you feel upset, don’t you?”
Amber sighed and brought her hands up to cover her face. "Why? Why are you doing this?" she wondered quietly, beginning to cave in.
“I don’t know,” William answered honestly, leaning against the doorframe, trying to shut himself up but failing. “I guess I know what it feels like not having anyone around when you need them, I suppose.”
Amber slowly pulled her hands from her face, rubbing at her eyes before wrapping her arms around herself.
"Okay… Fine, then," she gave in, her voice quiet and slightly hoarse. "But you're paying since it's your idea."
William snorted, shaking his head.
“I already said I would,” he rolled his eyes. “Now do get yourself cleaned up. You look miserable.”
Amber glared at him before stepped back and closing the door in his face. He was such a jerk sometimes… But at least he was paying for ice cream. What person in their right mind would turn down free ice cream?
A few minutes later, she had scrubbed her face clean of all evidence of tears. The mascara trails were gone, her eyes were back to their normal size and color, and the only thing that might give away her pain and anger were her slightly pink cheeks. She’d even put on new mascara to finish the illusion.