I’m plain. I blend in. In a way I’m invisible. There really isn’t anything spectacular about me. I’m average height, with average length light blond hair, somewhat pale, and not loud at all. Maybe that’s why I am so invisible. Although I don’t see why not wanting to be the center of attention is a problem. Apparently if you want to fit in, it is.

Honestly, fitting in is overrated. At least if it means giving up a part of who you are. I am a quiet person, I obsess over books, and I am a hopeless romantic. I wouldn’t change any of that just to have a few more friends. I already have a couple of really good friends, who know the true me. That’s all I need.

I live my life just fine being invisible. Is it ideal, no, but it works for me. The people who really matter in my life don’t see me as invisible, that’s what counts. Those are the people in my life worth knowing. So, maybe it’s good that I’m invisible to the rest of the world. That way it’s easy to tell who the good in my life really is.

Most of the time I’m fine with blending in. Sometimes, it’s hard. Sometimes being invisible is... well... hard. I get singled out, and when my best friends aren’t around I’m stuck as the girl who has no one to talk to. Of course no one notices, because it’s like I’m not there. No one sees me. Ever.

“Hey, should we start?”

“What?” I was too lost in thought to realize that everyone around me was working. We were suppose to be looking at rocks and describing them with a partner. By a cruel twist of fate my science partner was Erick, the most non-invisible guy ever.

“Ya” We were only partners because of our last names: Perken, and Persens. This was one of the rare classes I have with Issy, my BFF, and I would much rather be partners with her than Erick. Sure his is popular, and smart, and drop dead gorgeous, but why should I care? Plus he’s always too busy talking to his friends to pay attention to class, or me.

An hour later I am completely sick of rocks, and would be happy to never see another one in my life. Sadly, this is only the first day of the geology unit. Which means many more rocks, and a giant project.

“Okay class,” says Ms. Adams. “Our unit project is going to be a team effort this time. You are going to work with your lab partner, and research your favorite gemstone. Then you both have to create an interactive presentation to teach the class about it.”

I looked over at Erick and saw him fooling around with some of his friends. This project is going to be a disaster! Whats more? He is always soooo busy that he doesn’t have time to meet and do the project, so I end up getting saddled with the whole thing.

Not this time though. I am going to put my foot down. I don’t care what happens to the volleyball team, but I do care about my grade. So should he. Honestly, I think the next time he pawns off a partner project on me I will purposely flunk it. Of course I care too much about my grade to actually do that, but it’s the thought that counts.

I turned to Erick and asked “When should we work on the project?”

Erick suddenly became very interested in his pencil. “About that...”

“No! There is no way you are dumping this all on me! This is suppose to be a partner project, and your my partner. We are going to do this TOGETHER. I do have a life outside of school, yet I still have time to do the project. I don’t care about whatever sports you have, or your social life, or your family dinners, what I do care about is my grade. This is a 200 point project, I can not do this by myself. It is also YOUR grade on the line, I might remind you. So we are either doing this together, or not at all. Your choice.”

“Would you really do that to your grade?” Erick asked with an annoying half smile on his lips.

“Well, I do have quite a few extra credit points built up.” I said, hoping he believed my bluff.

All Erick did for a minute was chuckle, then he finally said “Okay fine, you win. So when should we get together?”

I quickly wrote my number on a crumpled scrap of paper. “We’ll figure out a way around your busy schedule later.” Then the bell rang. Only then did I realize that I had just given my phone number to the most popular guy in Tucson, Arizona.








~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Amber?”

“Ya,”

“What about diamonds?”

Erick and I were brainstorming ideas on what gemstone to research. “Everyone knows about diamonds, and how are we suppose to do an interactive with them?”

“Hmmm... I think they’re suppose to detect poison.”

“Let me get this right, you want to get an A by giving people poison?”

“True, do you have any ideas Amber?”

“Exactly.”

“What do you mean?”

With a sly smile I replied “Amber.” Then I walked out of my kitchen, where we were studying, and up to my room. I went to the closet, pushed out the secret panel, and opened the small wooden box. Laying there was a necklace. On a simple piece of black ribbon an amber pendent was strung. It was relatively small for a pendent, but the magnificent violet color of the stone, and the spider centered perfectly made the necklace breathtaking.

“Wow” was all Erick said when I showed him the amber. I hardly ever brought the amber out of its box, I hadn’t even shown it to Issy, but something urged me to show Erick. “Isn’t amber suppose to be yellow?”

“The most common colors are yellow, orange and brown, but it can also be other colors. Blue and green are rare, but not unheard of. The rarest color is violet, though. It’s also extremely rare for a whole bug to fossilize in a piece, let alone in the exact center. This piece has been passed down in my family for generations, and now it’s mine.”

“Wow” Erick was just sitting there, staring at me with a strange expression. It was making me uncomfortable, and slightly annoyed.

“Can you say something else.” I snapped.

“Amazing” He started to chuckle, and so did I. All my annoyance from a moment ago was gone. “And how does that accessory help us with our project?” Erick said, his cocky tone back.

“For crying out loud, I’m named after that stone. I know everything there is to know about amber.”

“I guess we have our stone then.”









~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Two hundred and twenty five points” I squealed.

Erick had stopped me right in front of the double doors leading to school. He had checked his grades online, and wanted to make sure there wasn’t an error. People walking past us trying to get into the building were grumbling, but I didn’t care that we were blocking the doors.

“But how did we get the extra 25 points? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Well...”

“What did you do?”

“Well... I thought that Ms. Adams might like to see my amber necklace. So after the presentation I went up and showed her. She said that I showed extra enthusiasm, and that that deserved extra credit. I never thought that she would actually give it to me, let alone give it to both of us.”

“Well, she did.”

“Are you complaining? `Cause we can talk to her...”

“Definitely not! 225 points” he mussed “we make a pretty good team.”

“That we do.”

After our conversation, I briefly stopped by my locker, then headed to science. There he was, sitting at the lab table, like he was waiting for me. Our eyes met, and he smiled. It wasn’t even one of those fake smiles people always seem to give, it was a real, genuine smile. I smiled back as I took my seat, the tardy bell ringing.

“Okay class, settle down. I just wanted to congratulate everyone on their wonderful projects. Because of the success of the projects I decided to add an extra credit option to the unit. All you need to do is make a mineral board game. It’s worth 50 points, and if enough people do it I will designate a day to have a little party and play the games.”

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jana raising her hand. “Yes Jana?” Ms. Adams asked.

“Can we work with partners?” That was always Jana’s question. No matter what class, or assignment, if the teacher didn’t specify, Jana would ask.

“If you want, you can work with one partner.”

I inadvertently glanced at Erick. He was looking at me with his eyebrows raised. “Shall we.”

Before I even realized what I was saying the words, “We shall” slipped out of my mouth. I looked across the room and saw Issy looking at me incredulously. I mouthed the word SORRY, then turned my attention back on Ms. Adams. It was fine that I chose to work with Erick this time. Right? After all, what was the harm?

Of course, there was harm in it. Not at first, but that one project led to more. Then we started hanging out as friends, not because of school. The more time I spent with Erick, the more I got to know him, and the more I liked him. Except I started to like him too much. He started to be all I could think about.








~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You ready?” Erick asked.

“Absolutely” I said with fake cheeriness. These outings with Erick were getting harder, and harder. I almost wished that we could go back to the time I was completely invisible to him. When he ignored me, and I thought he was a spoiled jock. Almost.

It was hard being around him, but it was even harder to not be around him. I had gotten so use to his presence, I felt empty without him. I could never bring myself to look away whenever he directed that blinding smile at me.

After we were done with our chocolate shakes I reapplied my lipgloss while he went to pay. I dabbed the napkin on my lips. I never wanted to look like I was putting on makeup. So I never used colored gloss (just the shine to bring a bit more attention to them), and I always dabbed some off so it wouldn’t look like I’d just applied makeup. I had also put on a bit of blush before I left, but I couldn’t risk reapplying that.

There was once a time when I never put on makeup around him. I don’t even wear any to school. Yet, somewhere between the constant school sightings and our first horror movie, I had started buying makeup. The change was very slow and gradual, but I couldn’t risk him finding out about my true feelings.

If he noticed the makeup then he might start noticing other things. Although, part of me wanted him to notice, because if he noticed the makeup that meant he was noticing me, a lot. Or it could mean that I was trying too hard. You usually don’t get something you want unless you ask, but I didn’t dare. He was too precious to drive away.

As we were passing the mall’s fountain Erick paused “Come on.” He dragged me over to the fountain and sat on the edge, I did the same. “I have something to give you.”

My heart was pounding so loudly that I expected the whole building to start shaking. “Ya”. Then he handed me a small box with a crooked bow on it. All I could do was stare. Erick had given me a present!

“Go on, open it.”

So, I did. I was giddy with excitement as I lifted the top of the box. And there was... “Wh- Ho-” I couldn’t even form a whole word. I was staring at the most beautiful earrings ever. They were small, triangular shaped amber earrings, and the pale-lemon color was the exact shade as my hair. How long could it have taken him to find these? Maybe I wasn’t as invisible to him as I thought.

“You know, amber is suppose to bring joy, luck, and...” As he said the last word his lips brushed against mine “...Love” .