Ambre, Mon Coeur

Azure

EZRA

I flinch when the shrill sound of my ring tone invades my ear. Pulling my attention from my colorful canvas. I hurriedly reach into my smock. "h-hey mom" I greeted her, my voice slightly dull. " Hey! Honey! How's France? I miss you so much!" Her voice was much more ecstatic than mine. Automatically lifting my mood. " I miss you too mom. I was able to finish the finals." I stated. " I'm so happy I convinced you to apply for that foreign exchange student program! Go out and see the world. When will you be back?" My mom questioned me.  "Well by the end of this week I will be home. I miss you and daisy."

"Aww, honey!" My mother's kind tone caressed my ears. "We miss you too!" a commotion on my mom's side draws her attention. "Honey I have to go now! Talk to you soon!" She hangs up before I can say anything else. I put my phone back into my art smock and reach for my paintbrush again. But I've lost my inspiration now. I get up and hang my art smock up I head to the kitchen for a drink when I see my journal on the counter. I instinctively reach into my breast pocket for my pen, but I come up empty. My heart plunges. "Oh no, my pen." I start to look around for it but I didn't see it. That pen was something special to me given to me by my late father. It was expensive and vintage. Important.

Now it was gone most likely "roaming" the streets of France or in a lucky bastard's pocket, waiting to be sold or traded. Where could I have dropped it? I had it with me when I was on the bus. I was sure of that. But I don't remember putting it in my pocket after. I must have left it on the bus. I rake my mind trying to remember the specific moment I might have dropped my pen. I immediately start to blush when I remember the lady. I tripped because I was looking in my journal. And then I fell on her. And all my senses were aware of was her smell. Her smell was so intoxicating. Cherries. The feeling of need immediately shot through my body. Foreign. I was too scared to look at her face, but I got a glimpse. She was beautiful.

I must have dropped my pen at that time then. When I tripped. I guess I'll never get it back. But it doesn't bother me too much now. Knowing that there's a chance that the french goddess could have her slender fingers wrapped around my pen. I calm down further. Maybe she will need it one day. I try to take my mind off of the amber-eyed goddess as I make myself something to eat. I reach into the fridge for some vegetables. grabbing the already cooked chicken as well. I'm thankful that my mom always made me stand with her and my sister whenever she cooked. She's taught me so much and if it weren't for her I might have starved to death.

Alone in France. I talk only if I have to. Talking in front of people isn't my thing. I start to stutter even more. I get anxious and stressed out. And I always blush with EVERYTHING. It draws too much attention to my face. This makes everything worse because then people look at my face I have to look back at them. And I just can't. Eye contact is difficult for me. I put the frying pan on the stove and turn on the stove. I put some oil and wait for it to get hot. As I am waiting my doorbell rings. I lower the stove and walk quickly to the door.

My neighbor a short blonde lady smiles sweetly up at me. I immediately look away quickly. Not wanting to get anxious. "Um hey, Ezra! I was wondering if you had any sugar that I could borrow?" She asked me, her beaming smile was still plastered on her face. I nodded. "Which one would you like? I have brown and I have white?" She smiled even whiter. "White please!" I scratched the back of my head as I hurried to the kitchen and poured some white sugar into a zip lock bag. My oil was hot now. I don't look at her when I pass the sugar to her. I basically slam the door in her face. I suddenly feel bad because she was only being kind. I push the bad feeling away. I go back to the stove and continue cooking.

I finish in about 20 minutes.

I plate my food and sit in front of the tv. I don't really pay much attention. I scarf down my food and wash the bowl. I head to my room and put on my workout clothes. If I m not reading, writing, or painting I'm usually exercising. It helps me to collect my thoughts. And it helps me boost my confidence. I grab a bottle of water and head out. It was a little later now. Around 4:00 People were rushing home. Tired with their day and looking forward to a meal and some rest.

I walk briskly before I begin to jog. I work up a sweat pretty quickly but I don't turn around yet. I keep running until my muscles complain. Until my heart is beating so hard it pains me. I like it that way. I turn around then and walk back home. I hear it before I see it. A small meowing sound. I stop right in my tracks when I see a tiny cat resting in front of my door. Her fur was light grey on her back but then white on her belly. And her eyes a striking blue. What? I try to push her off my mat but she only comes closer. Nudging her tiny body against my hand. Her soft meowing was so adorable.

"Hey, there little cat. Where's your home?" She looked at me with a questioning look on her face. She yawned and started to lick my palm slowly. My heart was melting I held my palm out and she climbed into it. She was slightly bigger than my hand. She meows her little meows as I held her to my chest. I have to put her down she, not mine. I tried but I couldn't, every fiber in my body made me hold onto this little blue-eyed kitten.

I opened my apartment door and headed directly to the kitchen "Have you eaten little one?" She looks at me again deep in my eyes and tilts her head slightly to the right. I almost gushed at how adorable the action was. " Well then Do you like chicken? I made some earlier and you look hungry. Come on."

I sat her on the counter and got the leftover chicken from the fridge she was pretty tiny so she didn't need to eat much. I heat up the chicken and put it on a plastic plate in front of her she looks at the food warily then sniffs it. " Come on cat it's chicken." She looks up at me and then starts eating.

She finishes eating quickly. " Wow, I guess you were hungry. Anyway, what should I name you?" She looked at me quietly and put her head on her tiny paws. I scooped her up and took her to the living room. "I have to take a shower little one. I'll be back in a little bit and then we can pick your name" I placed her on the couch and had to the shower.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"I'm back now stop meowing so loud. Okay, so I'm gonna write three names down and then you can pick whichever you like." I ripped three pieces of paper out and then I wrote don three names. Bella, Sophie, Azure. I place the papers in front of her and beckoned her to pick a name. She sniffed at the papers and then finally settled on one. Azure. which means blue. Which is the same color as her eyes. It was the only one I put thought into.

I scoped her up. She looked deep into my eyes and I realize I can talk more correctly with a cat than with a person. Pathetic. "Come here, Azure." She nuzzled her soft fur into my palm. Sweet.

Hey yall thank you so so much for checking out my book. Please don't forget to comment and vote if you can! ❤️❤️- Ruby