DISCLAIMER: I do not own Glee. All credit goes to the writers of that TV show, although I wish I owned Chord and Amber.
Amber woke up with the sun shining down brightly on her. She groaned just wanting to lie in bed all day. After Naya and Chris left for their own jobs, she jumped right back into bed.
Don't get her wrong, she knew that she had great friends and she was going to take their advice but as soon as they walked out the door, she realized that she hadn't cried, and Naya told her that it was okay.
So that's what she did, she surrounded herself by a box of tissues and all the bite sized Snicker and Twix candy bars that Naya had hidden around her house.
She knew that she needed to release tears before she would truly be able to get back on her feet. She planned on getting her job back, and maybe even going back to school. She knew it would be hard after being gone for so long, but she also knew that whatever she put her mind too, she would be able to do it.
She hadn't sung in months, she never thought anything would happen to make her stray away from her dreams. Not family, not friends, she didn't even think she could stop herself from singing. Singing was her, all she truly had when no one was there. Singing and music.
"Maybe that can help me right now." She said looking to a radio that was placed on her dresser. She bit her lip standing up, first going to her cabinet which contained a large collection of CD's.
She slowly scanned through them, wanting to find the perfect CD and artist that could relate to her emotions.
She slightly smiled once she saw a CD from one of her favorite artist. She pulled out 'In My Own Words' by Ne-Yo. She absolutely loved him and his passion for music. His songs were mostly from male perspectives, of course, but none the less she always managed to find songs by him that even she could relate too.
Amber stood to place the CD in; she knew the song that would fit her best right now. Music was her true love, and she hated that she was able to let a man come between them.
"Perfect." She sighed as So Sick began to play. She put the song on repeat before turning around to face her full sized mirror. She flinched at herself. She had defiantly seen better days.
Her eyes were puffy and red from crying so much, she could see dried tears on her cheeks. Her hair had been in a ponytail but after so many days…weeks of crying, sleepless nights, nightmares, and other things, it was a complete mess.
Amber had prided herself to always look good and presentable. She loved everything about herself. Not many men would go for full figured women, and maybe that was why this was all taking its toll on her. Maybe it was because she thought that she would never find a man to love her.
Mark had been one of the closest things she had to feeling true love. She sighed.
"I'm just like every other girl in America."
She was a grown woman but that didn't mean she didn't have insecurities at times. She truly wished that she would have been able to put them all behind her but at the worse times they seemed to creep up on her.
And now that she was single, she couldn't help but think that maybe she wasn't good enough. She ran her hands down her zebra printed pajamas. Chris hated when she wore animal print so she vowed to never wear any sort out in public. Bed attire was otherwise.
"Gotta change my answering machine now that I'm alone. Cuz' right now it says that we can't come to the phone." She sang
She began dancing around her room, singing along.
"So sick of love songs, so tired of tears, so done with wishing you were still here."
If there was any song that was her, this one was perfect. She took the ponytail holder out of her head letting her hair grace her shoulders before throwing the holder to an unknown location. But she didn't care; if this was the way to pull herself back together than she was willing to use music and everything else to get over Mark.
"Don't make me think about his smile or having his first child. I'm letting go, turning off the radio." She whispered slightly changing the words up.
She really was done as she turned the song off putting on more upbeat music. She figured sad songs wouldn't really get her anywhere before going inside of the bathroom; she turned the hot water on making sure steam would fill the room. If she was going to do this right then she needed to work on her appearance first.
She could not stand looking so damaged even if that was the way she was feeling. Amber made sure to wash her hair thoroughly and she had to sigh of relief. The shower felt so relaxing. Her muscles were tense from lack of exercise.
Once she was finished, she put on a nice pair of black hip hugging jeans and a hot pink tank top that came with a black jean jacket. She didn't want to continue staying in the house every day, so she decided to go and see if she would be able to get her job back. She only hoped that Rachel would be understanding but not ask too many questions like she usually did.
Since her and Mark shared a car, she would either have to walk or take the city bus. And personally, she hated the bus. Most people on there were rude and sometimes it became so crowded that you wouldn't even know personal space existed.
When she left him, she basically left everything behind. The car, some of her clothes, most of her jewelry and other things she would probably never get back. She wouldn't dare go back to that apartment in fear of facing him, something she didn't think she'd ever be able to do.
Yes, she could have asked Naya but since the breakup and her disappearance, Mark had also been searching for her. He'd call Naya almost every week asking if she had seen her. Amber was grateful that she only replied a simple
"When I know of her whereabouts I will let you know."
She didn't want to see him, although she was scared and embarrassed, she was still pissed as well. She didn't know if she would have broken down in front of him or if she would have simply punched his lights out. She did know that she didn't want to take the risk if the first one would be the answer though.
She decided to walk to the Bridal Store. She liked walking anyways, which is why she'd sometimes go out at night just to walk under the stars. San Francisco was truly a beautiful place and she couldn't imagine leaving anywhere else but that didn't mean she wouldn't be up for it. She loved to travel and one day hoped she'd be able to see the world.
When she reached the store, her eyes immediately went to the 'Help Wanted' sign hanging in the window. She quickly took the sign down once she opened the door. She heard that familiar bell. It would ring indicating that someone was either entering or leaving the store.
Amber bit her lip looking around at all the different dresses; her former boss ordered nothing but simply the most beautiful gowns around. All different colors and sizes, there was a 99.9 percent chance that a bride would be able to find the perfect one.
She loved the job dearly.
"Amber?" she heard a voice say before turning around. Rachel quickly walked towards her from the back room.
"Hi." She said shyly
Rachel and her both blinked a few times before one of them finally spoke.
"Well, what can I do for you?"
"I know this is short notice and I'll completely understand if you say no. I mean, after all I was the one who walked out but—"
She was cut off by the look on Rachel's face, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"You can have your job back." She spoke as if it wasn't a big deal.
"Wait, what? Are you serious?"
"Amber, I can tell that you're a great person. And I don't know what you've been through but judging from the bags under your eyes, it must of have been something really deep."
"You have no idea." She whispered.
"Yes, well remember everyone deserves a second chance, even you."
Amber arched an eyebrow, "Well first of all thank you Rachel, this really does mean a lot to me. And…I believe in second chances, but I don't believe everyone deserves them."
Amber saw Rachel raise her own eyebrow, thinking for a moment before nodding her head.
"I believe you're right. But I hope you know that if you need to talk, I'm here."
She gave the girl a small smile, "Yes, I know and thank you."
"Bright and early tomorrow then, we have a client coming in."
"I'll be here! Thanks again!" Amber smiled walking out of the door.
When she got back home, she saw Naya and Chris there. She looked on confused as she saw a suitcase.
"Hey Naya, Chris. Someone going somewhere?"
Naya sighed, "Yeah, me. Got a business trip."
Amber quietly said "Oh." She knew that sometimes Naya would have to travel with being a lawyer.
"Amber," Chris said slowly, "Naya has something to tell you."
She looked on, waiting but when Naya said nothing she spoke up, "Well?"
"Uh, well, uh. Don't freak out. Please."
"Okay, now I'm worried."
"Nothing to be worried about…unless you take it that way, but uh I sort of rented my place out."
Amber looked alarmed, "To who exactly?"
"My cousin." Naya whispered
Now Amber wanted to faint, she couldn't have been talking about Mark, she knew Naya was crazy but she didn't think she was that crazy.
Chris knew what she was thinking and smiled, "Not that cousin."
She sighed in relief but then tossed her hands up in the air, Naya only had two cousins, and if it wasn't Mark that meant it was…
"CHORD!" she yelled not happy one bit.
"Not that bad." Naya spoke innocently.
"Naya! How am I supposed to get over Mark with his brother staying here?"
Chris didn't know much about Chord since he had never met him, he had only known little from what Naya and Amber chose to tell but by the way Amber was reacting, he thought that it might have been something deeper than with him being Mark's brother.
"Amber, Chord and Mark are two different people. Plus they haven't seen each other in years along with you and I. Don't you remember that he was our best friend too? Plus this was all arranged way before you got here."
Oh yes, Amber remembered Chord. She remembered a lot of things about him. Things that not even Naya or Mark knew, things that she wanted to forget but would never be able too.
She huffed, "Naya, Chord can't stay here! I'll pay your half of the rent just tell him he can't stay!"
She folded her arms as Chris watched amused by her pleading.
"Amber! You don't have a job." She sang
"I do! I do!" she quickly spoke, "I went back and got it this morning!"
With a roll of the eyes, Naya pulled out a sticky note, "He said he'd be here in two days. I have his new cell phone number, here." She said writing it down, "You do the dirty deed."
Amber smiled satisfied. She knew that with having Chord here, the few steps that she had taken forward today would only get her knocked back twice as much. Chord couldn't stay, he just couldn't.
I'd love to see what you all have to say! Thanks for reading! See you later! :P
