Swept Away (6 page)

Brittany stared back for a moment, still confused, and then the light dawned on her face. She averted her eyes and adjusted her gloves. When she turned back, she graciously let Amber back out of her fumble. “Well, you can quit studying if you want to. But I wouldn’t suggest it.” She winked.

Relieved, Amber said, “Okay, then. Game on.”

They arrived at the top of the mountain. Amber adjusted her goggles, then they skied off the lift. The snow had picked up, and the run down the mountain felt much more frigid than the one before. Lunch would be a welcome reprieve.

They skied silently. Amber decided to stick with Brittany on this run rather than tear off ahead and wait at the bottom. When they reached the bottom of the mountain, they clicked off their skis and set them against the ski rack. On their way into the lodge, they unzipped their jackets and tucked their hats into the pockets. Right away, the warm damp air of the lodge became too much for them, and they started peeling off layers. They clomped over to a wooden table and staked their spot with a pile of coats, sweaters, goggles, and face masks, then headed over to the cafeteria line.

All without a word.

Clo-clomp, clo-clomp, clo-clomp
. Their ski boots pounded an unsteady rhythm on the painted concrete floor. Stepping in line, they scanned the menu board and hungrily waited to order. Cheeseburgers and fries for both of them—two burgers for Brittany. “Seriously?”

Amber laughed, breaking the awkward tension. “You’re going to eat two cheeseburgers?”

“Sure! I’m famished!” Brittany forced her flat stomach into an imaginary potbelly and rubbed it.

Phew
. Everything had returned to normal. For the moment.

“Come here.” An unseen assailant pulled Amber into an empty classroom on Friday afternoon.

She stumbled through the doorway and struggled to regain her footing. “Hey!” She spun around to face her attacker. “Oh. Kyle. It’s only you.”

Kyle opened his mouth wide in feigned horror, exposing his shiny new braces—replaced as a second attempt after he wouldn’t wear a retainer the first time. “Wait a minute. You looked like you were going to kill someone when you turned around. Now you look disappointed. What do you mean
only
me?”

“Oh, I didn’t mean anything by it.” She brushed him off with a wave of her hand. “I just meant … oh, never mind. What’s up, anyway? Is there a reason for this attack?”

“I need to talk to you.” Kyle poked his head out of the classroom and peered in both directions down the hallway like a spy in a movie. “Before I say anything, though, I need to make sure you’re cool. I mean, I know you’re cool—you are my cousin after all.” He nervously ran his fingers through his chestnut, shoulder-length waves, then stuck his hands in the front pockets of his khaki cargo pants. “But, you know …”

“No. Not really. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Amber lifted her wrist and spun her silver watch around so she could read the time. “My bus leaves in ten minutes. You better make it quick.”

“Okay. Fact is, I want you to win that car—I think I can help.”

“How can you help? I’m already studying more than humanly possible.” She sighed. “But so is Britt.”

“That’s the thing. You need an edge.” Kyle looked expectant, waiting for agreement, perhaps. When none came, he shrugged then continued. “You need something your
competition”
—he wiggled two quotation-mark fingers on each side of his head—”doesn’t have.”

Why did she feel grateful he kept it impersonal by not using Brittany’s name? Something didn’t feel right. “What did you have in mind?” Amber crossed her arms on her chest as if to ward off the possibilities.

“I’ve been working in the computer lab lately. I’m reprogramming some of the older computers in a last effort to salvage the old systems before the school has to replace them.”

“Right, in exchange for some extra credit. I know all that. What does it have it do with me?” She pulled her arms tighter.

“You pretty much know I’m a computer genius. Right?” Kyle’s blue eyes twinkled from behind the stringy hair hanging in his face.

“Yeah, everyone knows that. You’re seriously going to have to move this along. I’ve got to go.” She held her watch up to Kyle’s face. “I’m about to miss my bus.”

“Okay.” Kyle shot a quick glance toward the door, then lowered his voice to a whisper. “Deal is, I can get you copies of your midterms. You can study right off the tests themselves, and—”

“Whoa. Whoa. Stop right there.” Amber held up a hand and started to back out the door. “I want no part of anything like that. Brittany’s my friend, and cheating is wrong. That’s not how I want to win.” Amber turned to hurry away. “I’m going to pretend we didn’t have this conversation.”

Kyle grabbed her arm as she stepped through the door. “Just remember my offer. She can’t be too much of a friend if she’s willing to fight so hard to take something you clearly need way more than she does. Think about it.”

Hmm. Could he be right?

“Well, well. Don’t you look lovely?” Mom sipped from her coffee cup, leaning forward carefully so she wouldn’t spill on her church clothes—JC Penney knit separates in coordinating mauve and olive green.

Why doesn’t she get new clothes?
Amber wondered, shaking her head at her mom’s dated and over-worn outfit. Visions of an eggplant ski bunny swooshed in her head.
She could have had three outfits for the price of my new ski clothes
.

Dad came into the kitchen as Amber spread butter onto her almost-burnt toast. He winked at Amber. “What’s the occasion?”

“I’m going to church.” She held up her hand to ward off the onslaught of questions and squeals of excitement. “Brittany’s church.”

Mom deflated a bit, but almost immediately perked up. “That’s great, honey. What brought this on?”

“I just decided to go. No big deal.”

“Sounds good, sweetie. Have a good time.” Mom put her cup in the sink and grabbed her out-of-season-and-style white purse.

“Have fun.” Dad tucked his Bible under his arm and held the door to the garage for his wife.

That’s it?
Shocked they let it go, Amber hurried to the dining-room window where she could see into the open garage. Her mom and dad stood beside the car giving each other big grins and a huge high-five. Dad made two fists and clenched tightly. Amber could read the
Yes!
on his lips.

So predictable
. With a smile, Amber returned to the kitchen, shaking her head while she poured cereal into a bowl and added milk.

She hoped the service wouldn’t be too painful and would pass quickly—they planned to go shopping afterward. Brittany had originally offered to pick her up
after
church for the shopping part. Why hadn’t she agreed to do it that way? She could have slept in and avoided the whole church thing.

She must be feeling guilty for almost cheating.

No!
Why would she feel guilty? She told Kyle no, and she meant it.
But I considered it
.

Nope!
Amber shook her head to clear it of the raging inner battle.

Glancing at the clock on the microwave, she dumped her milk into the sink and rinsed out her bowl. She dried her hands on the towel next to the sink and glanced out the kitchen window just in time to see the silver Lexus pull into the driveway. The horn lightly sounded. She grabbed her purse and pulled the door shut behind her, checking to make sure she’d locked it.

She slid into the backseat next to Brittany. “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Kim. Thanks for picking me up.”

“Is our pleasure, Amber.” Mrs. Kim looked into the backseat and smiled warmly. “We go to church, then Brittany take us home so you go shopping. We take a nap.”

Mr. Kim laughed along with his wife and turned on the radio.
What nice people
.

Amber finally turned her attention to Brittany, adorable in a new black cashmere sweater with a tiny turtle pattern. She also had a hot-pink scarf draped across her shoulders—it looked long enough to reach her knees—and a matching pink, black, and green slouchy hat over her silky hair. She had on the coolestjeans—stylish and nondescript, but Amber could tell by the perfect fit and the luxurious denim they were just as pricey as the rest of her outfit. Brittany always found the cutest clothes in those specialty boutiques she went to with her mom.

“Love the scarf.” Amber reached over and picked up one end and flung it over Brittany’s other shoulder.

“Thanks. It’s new.” Brittany laughed and repositioned the drape. She opened her slouchy, bright green Balenciaga bag and turned it discreetly toward Amber, and motioned for her to look in.

Amber leaned over so she could see inside the bag. Right on top laid two credit cards. The gold one sparkled. She looked up at Brittany.
Huh?

Brittany pointed at Amber and back at herself. “Sky’s the limit,” she whispered and pointed both thumbs to the sky. “Dad got another raise.”

“Congratulations.” Amber tried to look happy for Brittany. She didn’t want Brittany to do without just because she had to—did she? And really, what did she have to do without anyway? Visions of her mom in her decade-old knit separates flashed through her mind.

“So, we have the gold card and permission touse it freely.” Brittany grinned, still whispering.

“We’ll see.” Amber didn’t like the idea of using Mr. and Mrs. Kim’s credit card for things her parents couldn’t buy her. How would Mom and Dad feel about that? But maybe they didn’t even have to know about it.

They arrived at the church for the contemporary English service even though there was a Korean service immediately following it. The Kims thought it helped them with their own English, and they enjoyed the music—they called it worship.

Amber considered her parents’ church. It didn’t have music, and the service reminded her more of a ninety-minute Bible study. What’s the word?
Stifling
. Much of it rose above her head, and she couldn’t be bothered trying to figure out all of the Greek mumbo-jumbo. At least Brittany’s church broke things up with music, soloists, instruments, and sometimes even little skits. Kept things interesting—as interesting as church could be, anyway.

As they walked into the sanctuary and found seats, Amber wondered if she could find God somewhere other than at church. There had to be other ways. She gazed around the auditorium and wondered what church looked like back when Jesus walked the earth. They probably didn’t have volleyball and basketball teams. Pretty sure there weren’t potluck dinners and Christmas plays. But what if this was the only way now?
Scary thought
.

The congregation rose to their feet as the band started to play. Some people raised their hands into the air; others clapped along to the music. Many people swayed along with the beat. They sang every song three times, at least. Why did they have to do that? Didn’t they know enough worshippy songs to do more of a variety rather than sing the same ones over and over?

Amber didn’t want to stare at Brittany, but—dying to know if she joined in on all the hoopla—she cast a subtle glance out of the left corner of her eye without turning her head at all.

Brittany sang along with the music. In fact, she knew the song well enough to sing along with her eyes closed. That must mean they did the same ones every week, too.
Sigh
.

The pastor took the microphone and invited people to come forward if they needed prayer for some reason. Amber stared openmouthed when Brittany’s mom scrambled over the feet of at least eight people to get to the other side of their seating section. She went down theaisle and stood before the pastor with the other hopefuls. Amber counted two women wearing hats, three men in ties, two kids she knew from school, one little boy with his arm in a cast, and an elderly man in a wheelchair being pushed by a bent-over woman—likely his wife. What did they all expect God to do for them? What
could
He do for them? It was different than the prayer time at the concert. This time the lights were bright, and people were just looking around like it was no big deal.

Amber checked her fingernails, then counted the lights hanging from the ceiling while the pastor prayed for the people up front and the band continued to play and sing soft repeats of the choruses they had already sung. The music finally ended, the pastor prayed again, the offering baskets passed from hand to hand, then, finally, sermon time. Half down, half to go.

Amber wished she’d mastered the art of sleeping with her eyes open. But wait. She wanted to try to take it all in, didn’t she?
I want to find God, right?
She sat up straighter and popped a piece of gum into her mouth hoping the sugar would perk her up.

“… still small voice that He uses to call out to you in your life.” Pastor Johnson paced across the stage while he spoke. “It always seems like the devil, our enemy, shouts at us with temptations, taunts, sarcasm, while the Holy Spirit of God whispers through the storm. You see, He’s one classy guy. He doesn’t need to shout, beg, or make deals with us. He just speaks truth, quietly. He knows we’ll hear it when we’re ready to listen for it.” He paused and looked around at the people.