"You know," Amber said while tapping the fashion history book in her lap. "I thought I’d be making clothes in fashion class." Amber leaned against the foot of Hannah's bed, tilting her neck back to look at Hannah.
Hannah was sitting on the bed cross legged, a big purple pillow in her lap.
"But," Amber spoke a little louder, "instead I deal with earthquakes everyday." Amber frowned in the silence. "Hey Hannah!"
The bed creaked as Hannah flinched. "I'm sorry," Hannah twirled her earring, "what did you say?"
Her neck sore from the odd angle, Amber got to her knees and turned around, placing her book and elbows on the foot of Hannah's bed. "I said something ridiculous." Amber rested her chin in her hands. "So, what on Earth has you so deep in thought?"
"Nothing important." Hannah shrugged. "I think what you actually wanted to tell me would be much more interesting."
"That I got assigned to do a presentation on the history of the gusset?"
"Yes," Hannah's lips twitched, "much more fascinating."
"Who would have thought,"Amber rolled her head, slowly smirking, "Miss Hannah, track star and certified tomboy, would care about something as fashionable as a gusset?"
"Wait." Hannah held out her hands. "Those things are fashionable?"
"Yeah. In fact..." Amber tugged at the bottom of Hannah's yoga pants. "I bet you own dozens."
"Definitely not." Hannah grinned. "I think you owe me-"
"Do you even know what a gusset is?" Amber blurted. Hannah's eyebrows scrunched together and she started wringing the purple pillowcase again. "What do you think it is?"
"Uhhh..." Hannah gulped. "Is the bet still on?"
"Yeah."
"Some kind of old fashioned stockings, or old lady socks or something." Amber started giggling as a bit of pink blossomed across Hannah's cheekbones.
"Almost, yet still really off." Amber covered her mouth. "It’s in yoga pants, tights, even a form of it in underwear. But it goes way back to armpits in medieval tunics."
Hannah frowned. "Guess I lose."
Amber bounced onto the bed and worked her way up to sit next to Hannah. She put an arm around her shoulder. “All I want from you is the real story why you and John broke up." A mouthful of curly hair was Hannah's response as she turned her head away. "Aw come on!" Amber pushed the hair away. "It looks like whatever he did has been eating away at you for weeks!"
“He’s a liar.” Hannah pushed Amber away. She slid off the bed, standing on the plush rug. Before Amber could ask for details, Hannah pointed towards the door. “And I don’t want to talk about it.”
“But-”
“Please.” Hannah picked up the book and held it out to Amber. “I can’t talk about it.”
“Whatever.” Amber yanked the book to her chest. “You can bottle it all up.”
“Thanks for the mini lesson on gussets-” Hannah’s door slammed and she buried her face into her pillow.
Word count: 491
