Chapter 4- The Weight of Words

Instinctively, Shawn jumped up from the bench, but before he could reach her, Amber managed to catch herself just in time. She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head as she straightened up.

"Are you okay?" Shawn asked, stepping closer, his voice concerned but laced with the usual seriousness he wore like a second skin.

Amber smiled, brushing off her jacket. "Oh. You look familiar. Ahh, from the concert. Well yeah, I'm okay, just a little clumsy. No harm done," she said, the playful tone in her voice making Shawn relax, just a little.

Shawn took a step back, giving her space. "Good. Glad to see you didn't go down, And yeah, I'm Shawn, from the concert" he said, his hands shoved in his pockets. His usual guardedness was creeping in again, and he struggled to keep it at bay.

There was a moment of silence between them, the kind that felt like an awkward gap neither knew how to fill. Shawn's mind raced, unsure whether he should just walk away or try to continue the conversation. Amber, on the other hand, seemed completely at ease, but Shawn couldn't help but feel self-conscious. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to her—far from it. But there was something about her that made him unsure of himself.

"That was a good debate," Shawn finally said, trying to break the silence. "You were really... impressive. You made all your points clear. I mean, you were just really good."

Amber's eyes lit up at the compliment, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. "Thanks," she said, her voice softening. "That means a lot coming from you. You know, I was a little nervous at first, but once I got into it, it felt... right. I guess that's the thing about debating, isn't it? Once you start, it's hard to stop."

Shawn nodded, a small smile forming. "Yeah, I can imagine," he replied, his gaze briefly dropping to the pavement. He wasn't sure where the conversation was headed, but he felt the pull to stay in it. Small talk wasn't his thing. Opening up didn't come easy. But Amber made it feel less like work.

"You seem to really love what you do," he added after a pause, his voice quieter, more thoughtful. He hadn't meant to dig deeper, but the words came out anyway. 

Amber tilted her head slightly, her expression softening as she considered his question. "I do," she said after a moment. "It's one of the few things I feel like I'm truly good at, you know? It's not like music or anything… but it gives me a voice. A place to be heard. Sometimes, that's all I need."

Shawn looked at her then—really looked. He understood that feeling. Music had always been his language when words failed him. Maybe that's why her words, her clarity and calm, intrigued him so much. She had found her voice in a way he still struggled to.

He nodded slowly. "I get that," he said. "For me, it's music. It makes things... make sense."

Amber's smile widened, her gaze meeting his. "I figured. The way you were watching the band that night? You weren't just listening. You were studying."

Shawn chuckled lightly, caught off guard by her perception. "You noticed?"

"Kind of hard not to," she teased. "You looked like you were hearing something the rest of us couldn't."

It felt as if they were old friends, speaking with an ease and warmth that usually takes years to build—remarkable, considering it was only their second time meeting.

They stood there for a few beats more, something unspoken stretching between them—not quite a spark, but a slow-burning warmth, like the start of something that hadn't quite named itself yet.

"Well," Amber said after a while, glancing at her phone, "I should probably head out. My ride's waiting."

Shawn nodded, the spell of the moment breaking just slightly. "Yeah, I should get going too."

Amber took a step backward, but not before offering a warm smile. "Thanks again for the compliment, Shawn. I really appreciate it."

"Anytime," he replied, a genuine smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

As she turned and walked away, Shawn stayed where he was, watching her figure grow smaller in the distance. The conversation had been brief, nothing dramatic. And yet… it mattered. It felt like a beginning. Something was shifting—subtle, but real.

Maybe it was the way she listened. Or the way she spoke without needing to be loud. Maybe it was how easy it felt to talk to her, even in silence.

Or maybe, just maybe, it was the way she made him want to be seen.

And for the first time in a long while, Shawn found himself hoping for a next time.