Chapter 6
2385 Words
Amethyst's POV
I drove to the restaurant with Miss Katrina in my car, the soft hum of the engine accompanying the silence that hung in the air.
It was a comfortable kind of quiet, the kind that only existed between people who had known each other for a long time.
I couldn't help but feel grateful for Miss Katrina’s company. She had always been a steady presence in my life.
As I drove, my phone buzzed, pulling me out of my thoughts. I glanced at it and saw a message from Celine.
She told me they were already waiting for us at the restaurant and that they had my clothes with them.
It was a relief knowing I wouldn’t have to rush around to change once I got there.
"What was the name of your sister again, dear?" Miss Katrina asked, breaking the silence and turning her attention to me.
I smiled and glanced at her, glad she wanted to know more about my family.
"Oh. Her name is Amara, and we usually call her Ara," I said.
"Amara," she repeated with a thoughtful nod, as if rolling the name on her tongue.
"From what I recall, your sister is the complete opposite of you, correct?" she asked, her tone light, but I could hear the curiosity in her voice. I nodded.
"Yes, Miss," I said with a chuckle.
"She's always been a bit more... reserved than I am. It's funny, really, considering we grew up in the same house." I chuckled.
I could almost see Miss Katrina recalling the stories I had shared with her over the years. I often told her about Amara, her shyness, and how she was always the quieter one, the one who would sit back and observe while I was the one making noise.
"Hmm, okay," Miss Katrina said, her voice thoughtful as we continued our drive.
Finally, we arrived at the restaurant. The valet took my car, and Miss Katrina and I stepped out, making our way to the entrance.
"Amy!"
I turned to look and saw Celine, waving at me excitedly from her car. She was as lively as ever, her energy infectious.
I saw Amara in the passenger seat beside her, looking a bit more composed than usual.
Celine, with her usual confidence, instructed Amara to get out of the car, and soon both of them were walking over to us.
"Celine," Miss Katrina acknowledged my best friend warmly.
"Hi, Miss K. How are you?" Celine greeted her with a bright smile, always the picture of cheerfulness.
"I'm doing fabulous as always," Miss Katrina replied, chuckling lightly as she adjusted her blazer.
"Of course, you are" Celine said, her smile widening.
Miss Katrina then turned her attention to Amara.
"Miss Katrina, this is my sister, Amara. Ara, this is Miss Katrina, my senior," I introduced, hoping Amara wouldn’t be too nervous around someone as imposing as Miss Katrina.
Amara smiled shyly at her, clearly feeling the weight of the moment. She wasn’t used to being around people like Miss Katrina, who had such a commanding presence.
"Amara, finally. Amethyst has told me a lot of good things about you," Miss Katrina said with a warm smile, offering her hand for Ara to shake.
Ara, always a bit timid, blushed but quickly shook Miss Katrina's hand. "It's nice to finally meet you, ma'am," she said, her voice soft but respectful.
Miss Katrina smiled and patted her hand.
"The pleasure is mine, my dear." miss Katrina said.
"Oh. Amy, here," Celine said, handing me a paper bag.
"Thank you," I said with a smile, taking the bag from her. Celine winked at me, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. She knew exactly what she was doing.
"Will you join us, Celine?" Miss Katrina asked, turning to my best friend.
"No, miss. I have something scheduled for tonight, so you ladies enjoy," Celine said, her tone warm but final. Miss Katrina nodded understandingly.
"Anyways, I'm off now. I'll see you tomorrow, Ara. Bye, babe," Celine said, giving me a hug before she waved us goodbye and walked back to her car.
We waved her off before turning back to face each other.
"Shall we?" I asked, looking at Miss Katrina. She nodded.
We made our way inside the restaurant, the familiar sound of cutlery clinking against plates and soft chatter filling the air as we entered.
"Good evening, ma’am. Your reservation, please?" the attendee greeted us politely.
"Reservation for 3 under Amethyst Wright" I said with a smile, my tone confident, hoping everything was in order.
The woman looked down at her record for a moment before looking back up at us.
"Okay, Miss Wright. This way, please," she said, gesturing for us to follow.
We followed the woman to our table, where I quickly set my bag down on the chair.
"Excuse me for a moment while I change," I told Miss Katrina. She nodded in understanding.
"Okay. Take your time, darling. We'll just be here" she said sweetly, a reassuring smile on her face. I returned the smile and excused myself.
I made my way to the bathroom, the paper bag clutched in my hand. As I entered the spacious bathroom, I could already feel the anticipation rising.
I opened the bag and peeked inside. My eyes lit up when I saw the black twist front ruched long-sleeve dress, the high heels, and the little pouch filled with makeup.
Perfect. Thank God for a best friend like Celine.
I didn’t want to look like just another assistant around Miss Katrina. She had a reputation, and I didn’t want to risk tarnishing it by looking unkempt or out of place.
I’d learned my lesson after the last time I went out with her. I had looked like a complete mess in the photos that had circulated online, and Miss Katrina had been unimpressed. I got a good scolding because of it.
I took a deep breath as I looked at myself in the mirror.
My hair was in a messy bun. I had on a simple white turtleneck, black blazer, and jeans – my usual work outfit. Nothing extravagant, nothing too flashy.
I only acrually dressed up for formal meetings, gatherings, or events, but I could easily get away with looking like I didn’t care at work.
But tonight, I wanted to look presentable at the very least.
"Okay, Amethyst. Time to transform," I said to myself.
I made my way into a cubicle and changed into the dress and heels Celine had picked for me.
Afterward, I stepped out and set the pouch on the counter. I carefully pulled out my makeup essentials, preparing myself for the final touches.
First, I washed my face with a cleanser in a small bottle, drying it off with a facial tissue. I then applied some skin tint to brighten and even out my face and some concealer to hide the dark circles under my eyes that was from staying up for countless nights of working.
I applied a pressed powder and a pink blush to finish it off – no foundation or anything heavy— no need for extra layers. I kept things simple.
I didn’t bother with contouring, either. My face was small enough as it was from constantly skipping meals because of work.
I applied a coat of mascara to my lashes and chose a nude lipstick, finishing it all off with a layer of lip gloss.
For the final touch, I let my wavy hair down, the loose strands falling around my face.
"Better," I said to myself with a proud smile.
But just as I was admiring my reflection, my phone rang.
I saw it was Ady calling and immediately answered.
"Hey, what's up?" I greeted him cheerfully.
"Hey. Nothing much. I just wanted to call and ask how you guys are. Did you already have dinner?"
I chuckled softly.
"Not yet, but we're at the restaurant now with Miss Katrina. I'm just in the bathroom, getting ready. Ara's with Miss Katrina already," I explained.
I grabbed my things and left the bathroom, carefully checking myself one more time in the mirror.
"That's great. It's a pity I can't meet her tonight."
"At some point, you'll also---oof!"
I gasped as I bumped into someone while walking out of the bathroom.
My arms flailed for balance, but the person I bumped into grabbed me by the waist and steadied me.
I looked up, meeting his gaze. He had piercing baby blue eyes, long lashes, a perfectly pointed nose, and a jawline that could cut glass.
In short, he was quite a visual. The dude can easily pass as a model and he probably is.
The silence between us felt heavy, as if the world around us had slowed down for a moment.
His hands were still on my waist, and my heart began to race, the beat loud in my ears. The moment seemed to stretch on forever.
Before I could fully process the situation, I quickly composed myself, pulling away from him in a hurry.
"Sorry," I said, bowing in apology before quickly walking away.
I fumbled with my phone, realizing I had still been on the call with Ady.
"Hello? Amy? Are you okay? Hello?" Ady’s concerned voice rang through the phone.
"Sorry. I accidentally bumped into someone. Anyway, I'm heading back to the table now. I'll call you later when I get home so you can talk to Ara," I explained.
"Okay. Enjoy yourselves!"
"We will. Don't forget to eat dinner," I reminded him with a smile.
"Okay. Talk to you later. Bye."
"Bye," I said, and we hung up.
I returned to our table and sat down.
"I already ordered the usual for you, dear," Miss Katrina said, smiling at me.
"Thank you, Miss," I said, smiling gratefully.
We settled into conversation as we waited for the food to arrive. It was nice, being able to share a peaceful dinner with Miss Katrina and Ara.
"Amethyst was never a handful when I was still teaching her. She was a fast learner. A very resourceful and talented young woman. But she sure was a very opinionated young lady," Miss Katrina said with a laugh.
I blushed slightly in embarrassment, knowing full well I had been quite stubborn in my younger years.
"Not to mention she absolutely hates losing in an argument," Miss Katrina added, chuckling.
Ara laughed softly. "Yes, indeed. My sister really is like that. She and our brother always argued when we were younger. She never once let him win," she said, backing up Miss Katrina's words.
I chuckled awkwardly, realizing how much I hadn't changed.
"Amethyst, no wonder you've never been in a relationship," Miss Katrina teased, her eyes twinkling.
I blushed deeply, making both Miss Katrina and Ara giggle.
It was true, though. My personality,
loud and headstrong, probably made me seem like a lot to handle for any guy.
But who needed a relationship when I had a fulfilling life of my own?
"How about you, Amara? Do you have a boyfriend?" Miss Katrina asked, turning to my sister.
Ara’s smile faltered.
"I don’t. I’ve never had one," she admitted softly.
"And why is that? I’m sure a lot of guys have tried to approach you, with such a friendly and pretty face like yours, unlike your sister’s, which screams 'don’t even dare talk to me,' or 'i can eat you whole' face" Miss Katrina added, her tone light and teasing.
I pouted, but deep down, I knew I probably did give off that impression.
Ara laughed at that.
"Well, I... I was supposed to get married to someone. Our parents had arranged it for me when I turned 18," she said quietly, her voice tinged with sadness.
My heart clenched at the mention of our parents, and the mood at the table shifted. I had my own complicated feelings about them, but hearing about Ara's situation brought them to the forefront.
The conversation became quieter, the awkward silence broken only by the arrival of our food.
We dove into the meal, savoring the dishes as we tried to ease the tension.
"So, Pierre wanted to say hi to you," Miss Katrina broke the silence as she tried to shift the subject.
"He also said you should give him a call when you have time." miss Katrina added
I smiled, grateful for the change of topic.
"Of course. I’ll give Pierre a call when I can." I said
Pierre, Miss Katrina’s son, was always a source of joy when we were younger. He had a way of making everything lighthearted and fun.
"He says he misses you. He’s always asking about you, Amethyst. That boy is just too fond of you" Miss Katrina said with a fond smile.
"He's working hard in London, but he still remembers his roots." she continued.
I nodded, feeling a warmth in my chest. Pierre was one of the few people who truly understood me even before.
He was one of the very few people that I felt comfortable and safe to be with.
The dinner continued with easy conversation, and as the night drew to a close, we prepared to leave.
I paid for our bill and we got out of the restaurant.
We went in my car and made our way to miss Katrina's place to drop her off.
"I had a lovely evening with you ladies" miss Katrina said as we reached her home.
"We enjoyed tonight as well, miss" I said with a smile.
"Thank you for tonight, maam" Amara politely said.
Miss Katrina.
"Thank you to the both of you. Let's do this again soon" miss Katrina said and both Amara and I nodded in agreement.
"I'll see you in the party, dear. Bye, girls" miss Katrina said and waved us goodbye.
I watched as she got inside her home before I drove away to go back home.
"I like miss Katrina" Ara giggled. I smiled.
"She looks intimidating but she's a complete sweetheart" I said with a smile.
Ara nodded in agreement.
"And she sure looks at you lovingly. You guys have a very good relationship" she pointed out.
I nodded.
"We do" I said.
She was the closest to a mother figure that I considered, after all.
- Writer
