Amber sat with the three letters on her desk, debating even opening them, especially thinking about the hurt Krystal had caused her. 

But she’d obviously sent them for a reason. 

She rubbed the back of her neck and thought about calling up a friend, for advice, but she didn’t really want to rehash her emotions out loud at the moment. 

Thinking about what her mother would do in this situation, not wanting to waste a single good moment, Amber ripped the top of one of the envelopes. 

She was surprised when only photos fell out. She peeped inside just to make sure, but there was nothing besides photos. Curious, she opened the other two and found the same. 

She now had a desk full of pictures and three empty envelopes. 

She tapped her fingers on her desk and studied looked through them one by one.

Architecture, landscapes, food, hotel rooms, three selfies.

She studied Krystal’s face in the photos. 

One of them, she was just lying in bed, on her side, part of her face hidden by a pillow. 

Amber’s breath caught in and she quickly put that one to the side. 

She picked up another one, Krystal in front of a tree leaking sap, her nose wrinkled in disgust. It brought an involuntary smile to Amber’s face. Her heart aching, she put that one to the side as well. The last selfie was Krystal taking a bite out of a bagel, her eyes scrunched. 

Her breath unsteady, Amber lined the photos up together, then took the one of Krystal lying on the bed and propped it in front of her face, laying her head on her desk. 

“What do you want?” She asked. 

“That’s completely unfair,” Henry said, angry on Amber’s behalf. 

He paced around her room. 

“She breaks your heart then she just sends you photos out of the blue like nothing changed without an explanation?!” 

Amber held up her hands. “I’m okay. I promise.” 

He took her face in his palms. “Are you sure? Did you cry?” 

“No,” she laughed, taking his hands away. “I didn’t cry.” She had cried, a little, but she wasn’t going to admit that to him and have him bouncing off the walls again. “Just..what do you think it means.” 

He folded his arms over his chest and wagged his finger at her, “You are not getting back together with that girl.”

“I don’t want to,” she insisted. That’s was a lie, but he didn’t have to know that. “I just wanted to ask you what you think it means.” 

“That she’s a heartless, selfish , obviously.” He shook his head. “If she were a guy, I’d go punch her in the face.” 

Amber tossed her head back, laughing heartily. “The last time you punched someone you ended up hurting your own hand.” 

He tilted his head. “The way you’re laughing…you’re happy she sent you those pictures.”

“No I’m not. Shut up.” 

“Amber…” he warned. “What if you get your heart broken again?” 

She shrugged. “I’ll survive. Besides, she didn’t say anything. It’s just pictures. Maybe she’s just being nice. Maybe it’s a peace offering or something. Closure.” 

“You don’t want it to be closure.” 

“You don’t know anything,” she scoffed.

He put his hands on her shoulders. “I know you. And I know how soft your heart is. And I know how loyal you are.” He cupped her face and tilted it up to his. “I didn’t treat you right, but you forgave me instantly. Amber…you have to promise me you’ll be careful. Your little heart box deserves to be protected.” 

“But doesn’t it also deserve to have the one person locked in it?” 

“Amber?”

“I can’t help it. She crawled in and won’t get out.” 

He rubbed her head sadly. “Well, at least try to make room in there for someone else at some point. What if she doesn’t want what you think she wants?” 

“Then I won’t have any expectations, Henry. I’ll just go about my life as usual, and if she comes to me? We’ll talk. If she still feels the same as she did then, we’ll just go our separate ways. Maybe a little less hurt than last time. If she never comes to me…then…well, maybe I’ll have moved on. Maybe I’ll find someone who’ll make me forget all about her. I’ll just let it be.” 

“I hated seeing you like you were when you two first broke up. As long as you’re keeping your options open, I guess I won’t worry too much.” 

“Good,” Amber said.

He chucked her on the chin. “You might have a soft heart, but at least you don’t have a soft head.” 

“It’s so sad that you do, though.” 

“Hey!” 

“Why do you keep taking all these pictures?” Sulli asked when Krystal snapped yet another photo of a cathedral from a different angle.

Krystal ticked one shoulder. “It’s personal. It’s great that we get to stay an extra day.” 

Sulli nodded. “Yeah. My crew is awesome. I’m telling you, you should totally join.”

She shook her head. Modeling a few times out of the year was fun and she managed to get some money to put aside for herself, but if her dad ever found out, she would quickly be put out of business school. Modeling was still considered scandalous in his generation and circle. She would look like she was selling herself for money when he was completely capable of taking care of all of her spending needs while she was unmarried. 

She sighed, feeling like one of the heroines from one of her romance novels. Why did she sometimes feel like she was living in the 1600’s?

“You sigh any heavier and you’re going to pass out. I hate seeing you sad,” Sulli pouted. 

Krystal leaned against the railing of the bridge arching over a partially frozen stream of water and Sulli leaned next to her. 

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not.” 

Krystal laid her head on her shoulder. “I’m scared.” 

“Of what?” Sulli asked.

She scrolled through her photos, ignoring the question for a while as she deleted a few that were just downright bad. 

“Krystal?” 

“Of myself.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“It’s stupid.” 

“Tell me.” 

She looked up into the concerned eyes of her friend. “I think I like girls.” 

Sulli smirked. “I knew it!” But her smile fell seeing Krystal’s face. “You don’t want to…” 

“My hands shake and my heart race thinking about it. I panic and-” she shook her head describing the feeling. 

Sulli pulled her into a hug. “Aw, it’s okay. We- wait!” She pushed Krystal out to Arm’s length. “That Embo dude is a girl!!!!! I knew he was too cute to be a guy!!!” She leaned on her elbow on the bridge railing. "Is that why you broke up with him?" 

Krystal hesitated, then nodded and described their breakup.

"Huh...so you really like him-" she squeezed her eyes and popped them back open, "her." 

Krystal nodded again. "But I feel like I'm having a panic attack." 

"I have a therapist you can talk to if you need to," Sulli suggested. She talked with her therapist about her father issues. It hadn't really helped much, but maybe it would be better for Krystal.

"Uhm, I don't know if I can even talk about it." 

"You're talking about it with me." She took Krystal's hand. "What about Embo? You could talk to her about it."

"I thought you said we shouldn't date or fall for poor people." 

Sulli shrugged. "You can't help who you like." 

"She probably hates me..." 

"Yeah...you were pretty cruel to her." 

"Sulli!" 

Sulli raised an eyebrow and Krystal blushed. She had been unecessarily cruel all because of her own panic. It hadn't been right. 

"Alright. I'll talk to her. Even if it's just to let her know the truth."