Out of Reach

Chapter Two

Everyone immediately stopped and looked in my direction. I felt my face growing warmer by the second, and I knew they were bright red.  I was never comfortable with being the center of anyone's attention. I prefer to keep to myself, sit in the back row, and follow the pack. Every time I was at the forefront of more than a few people's attention, my cheeks would run red. 

It had been a few long, agonizing moments before anyone said anything at first. I know, in reality, it was probably only a few seconds, but at the moment, it felt like an eternity. 

Thankfully, the woman who acknowledged my presence spoke.

 "You must be Amber," She extends her hand towards me. 

My eyes flicker from person to person as I hesitantly reach out my hand. 

"Mom, don't scare her." A young girl, my age said. Her black Dr. Martens tiptoed over the sea of boxes scattered across the floor as she made her way over to us. 

"Hi, Amber. I'm Jacq. Well, technically, it's Jacqueline, but everyone calls me Jacq." She waved her hand. 

She had long fingers, each decked out with a different rose gold ring on them. Her hair was a pastel pink, almost the same color as her rings, and loosely up in a messy bun, a few pieces that escaped now framed her face. Exposing her collection of gold studded and hoop earrings that ran up her entire ear. 

"I'm Amber. Just, Amber."

Jacq nodded, but before she could say anything, another voice called out from Jacq's bed.

"J-A-C-Q." The girl looked around our age but a little bit older. She continued, getting up off the bed and throwing her long strawberry blonde hair in a ponytail. 

"She's very particular on how you spell it." 

Jacq rolled her eyes and shook her head. 

"Don't listen to her."

The girl pressed on, ignoring Jacq's comment.

"I'm Lily, Jacq's amazing older sister."

"Amazing, huh?" Jacq's eyebrows playfully furrowed as she shifted her attention towards Lily, "I thought out front when you were talking to the attractive orientation leader you were just Lily, a sophomore on campus, and didn't acknowledge my presence at all." 

Lily lightly shoved Jacq, "Whatever."

"Lily actually goes here too, but she's a year older." 

"Oh, cool," I said, watching Lily and Jacq continue to annoy each other. 

I remember when Tyler and I used to tease one another. At the time, it always seemed like the most annoying thing in the world. Until the opportunity is gone and you wish for the days when you could make each other annoyed to no end.

"If you ladies need anything at all, or need someone to show you all of the cool places to hang out, let me know." Lily playfully winked in my direction. 

Whom I assumed was their dad chimed in, "You mean you'll show them where the library is, right?"

Jacq chuckled, "Definitely, dad." She nodded her head and looked around at the mess she created. 

"Alright then, just Amber," she smiled, "I promise I'm not this messy. I need to find out where to put all of my shit." 

Everyone chuckled, and I remember there were a few sarcastic remarks from her family about her messiness. After declining my offer to help them unpack, I sat on my bed and watched them work. I was mesmerized by their banter and how well they all got along. I envied their interactions. I envied how they joked with one another and worked as a team.