"Penny for your thoughts."

Amber was absent-mindedly drinking her beer in a corner somewhere at the party, they are forced to go. It was organized by their company. And it had been on stressful week. And just thinking about the upcoming weeks, made her head hurt. 

Henry arrived late at the party. And found someone he recognizes in a heartbeat. Something was on her mind, just by looking at her furrowed eyebrows and a beer on her hand. 

When they saw each other, smiles followed instantly.

So Henry went to her side, wanted to talk to her in private, and asked (and actually gave her a coin and in Amber’s amusement, said “Well, thank you.”)

And Amber laughed and looked at it, and then looked at him, smiling, drinking the last sip of her beer. She tried her best for her smile to be as natural as possible. She showed a sign that everything was fine. (It wasn’t and Henry is stupid at times, but not that dumb especially if it involves Amber.)

"I have a lot of pennies that would last a lifetime. That you will nag me about because I spend a lot on you."

"So let us not talk about it then. Because I already nag you too much."

"You saying that makes me want to know more about it. So what is bothering you?"

Music was too loud, that they needed to whisper so they could understand each other so he sat closer to her. Henry still looking at her, waiting for her reply with a grin across his face as if hoping for her to feel comfortable on talking about it. 

Amber was still hesitant. What was concerning her was silly. She was just thinking too much about this. She kept saying that to herself. But why was it bothering her then? 

"I just realized that I'm scared."

Amber was scared of heights. "It is because I pulled to close to the sides to talk." They were at a company organized shindig on the rooftop of his brother's penthouse. Their Boss. "Then we will talk somewhere else then. We could go inside." Already slowly and gently dragging her somewhere else. To a more private spot. 

He really wanted to solve her problem. Making ways to ease her worries.

"No, it is not about that." Well, saw how tall the building was, and stepped aside, well, it scared her a bit.

"Scared of what?" Walking through the living room, which led to the stairs. Few Excuse Me's were needed to be said.

"About everything else, work, actually,... it is more like, who am I scared of?"

"Is someone stalking you? Harassing you? Let me talk to..." His brother, the owner of the company, built from the ground up, was a strict boss. Safety of his employees is a priority. 

"No need to do that. No, it is not that." She paused, embarrassed. "Scared that you are too perfect."

"You were left all alone, not talking to anyone, and this warm beer you are holding and keeping you company," grossed out because warm beer are the worst, "and you are thinking about that." Henry was so close to laughing when Amber stared at him (and he knows that look so his faced turned serious).

"You need to lay down for a bit. How many did you already consume?" She has a low tolerance for alcohol but she really wanted to drink tonight and unwind even only for tonight. Another one hell of a week continues on Monday. 

He guided her inside to one of his brother's guest rooms. But got lost. And Amber made fun of him. 

"Why the hell this house has a lot of bedrooms? Now let us find an open one." He twisted the knobs. 
 
And finally found one. 

Amber immediately flopped down to the bed. And then lied on her back. 

He cleared his throat. "So..Too perfect?" Lying beside her. 

"You heard me. Do not let me repeat myself." When she gets snarky than the usual on her replies, when she is drunk.

"O..k. Why do you think so?"

"Look at you."

"Fine. I am looking. I am looking. What should I need to see?" He looked at the mirror to do what he was told.

"I am serious."

Henry scratched the back of his neck, thinking of a reply as he looked at her. 

"Well, . I do not know what to say to you. Guess I do not have all the answers. See, is that a characteristic of person who is perfect, too perfect?" He corrected himself.

He just stared at her some more, trying his best to find a solution. 

"Believe me you are." Her eyes closed. It was really a great idea Henry, surprisingly, thought of - to let lay down for a while due to the fact she was buzzed. Or maybe drunk by now. 

"I am stupid. Yes. An idiot. But I am not perfect. By all means, I am not."

"You are, Henry. You are." She insisted again. And a took a swig of her another beer. 

"What the hell? Where did you get that?" He got the beer from her hand which was spilled all over her shirt and the bed and placed it somewhere away from her reach. Hoping she is too drank by now, to notice where he placed it. , the bed, his brother would kill him. 

And Amber all of sudden, started to remove her shirt. "I am still drinking that beer, Henry," lifting the front end of her wifebeater, wiping . 

Henry saw her stomach, "", he thought, but could not turn his eyes away. His throat suddenly became dry. 

"Why is it so hot in here? Your brother is so rich but cannot afford decent air conditioning." 

Became even drier when she absentmindedly scratch her bare stomach. "Why is so damn hot in here? Oh... I know it now. It is because of me. I am sorry I am too hot."

He cleared his throat. "Uhm. I totally forgot what I was about to say." He paused. "Ah, I remember it now."

"Oh, bedtime story?" While removing her shoes and socks, and made herself more comfortable on the double cotton sheets. 

The list of his mistakes that caused her sadness, and tears that he could wipe off of her face when she told him to leave her alone to think, went on and on in his mind. That he could not take it anymore because his head hurts, his heart as well, and started to enumerate them. And satisfied, even though all the regret that he felt when he did all those mistakes came back, that she remembered. His plan worked. It was a crappy plan. But at least it worked. 

"I am not telling you all of these to make you feel sad and crappy all over again, but for you to realize that I am not as perfect as you think I am." 

As a reply, Amber started to enumerate all the times Henry was so good to her. How sweet he is, and how he really take good care of her. And how he loves her. See, he IS perfect. Too perfect to fell in love with her and to even like her in the first place. And she teases him every chance she got. And says negative things about him to other people - how he is a ladies man, likes to check out girls. Well, he did do that occasionally (she hates it but she does not want to let Henry know what she feels - she is really good at doing that) but he also likes to look at her lovingly, and smile, just because. She hated that too, but also love it. She has a love and hate relationship with everything that involves Henry. (Well, more on the love side, and again, she would not tell Henry.)

And finally, he, although he is stupid (as Amber claims him to be, and he does not mind to called like that, among other things Amber calls him), figured out what was really bothering her - that she loves him.

"I know you love me and I love you but I do not want to tell you. I do not know why. Please do not tell him. Okay, Henry? Shh." Amber gestured with her index finger, as rest her head on one of pillows and it feels like she is resting her head on a cloud. "Is this what rich people feel like when sleeping?" She added. "I am like Goku sitting on a cloud. Weeee!" 

"I promise, Amber." He rested his back on the metal headboard, patting her head, laughing. 

"Let us do the Fusion, real quick. Please. Oh please. Oh please. Oh please." 

Henry followed. He wanted her to be happy. "Sure, Amber." Bended and connected their fingers, laughing.

Afterwards, "Because if you tell Henry, I will kill you, Henry. Perfect being that you are. But.." Sitting, she got something from her side of the bed, on the floor. It was an open can of beer. Cold beer. Drank it in one swig, of what was left of it.

"What the hell? Stop drinking! How did you find it?" 

"Secret!" She laughed after she finished it. "You should be more," pointed her index fingers to her eyes, and pointed them to his eyes, "you know."

"Observant" 

"That one," placing her finger on his nose. "Oh, you have heart shaped nostrils. So cool! And see, you are not that stupid after all. So proud of you! Woohoo! Let us celebrate!" She opened another can. She had sneakily placed three cans of beer on her baggy pants while they were at the living room. Already finished one. Two to go. "They were everywhere. What am I supposed to do, not get free beer?"

"The , Amber. Stop drinking!" Trying to take it away from her.

"I am not. I am just tasting it for you." And gave it to him. "It is cold. Do not worry. I tasted it. I know you hated warm beer. I wonder if there are bars and parties somewhere in the world who serve warm beers." She was getting off topic which he found amusing, while opening her last can of beer, spilling a bit of it on her shirt and on the sheets (again).

"To not telling Henry, that I love him and for you for not being that stupid!" She raised her can. And Henry looked at her. "Hey! Why are you not...?" She guided his hand, and clunked the cans. "Okay, let me repeat. To not telling Henry that I love him and.." She let him finish. 

"For me for not being that stupid!"

"Woohoo!" Then she burped and threw the can to the trash bin like a basketball player. "Swish! Nothing but net" and almost fell. 

"Easy. Easy. Why not you rest for awhile, Amber?" He guided her back to the pillows to lay down and she compiled. "Let me get you some water." And eyed the mini refrigerator in his brother's guest room.

"Wait," before lying down. 

"To seal the deal." She held up her pinky. "Pinky promise? Before I threw up." 

"Pinky promise. Not on the bed, I can already feel my brother already strangling me when he sees the beer stains. I do not want to know, if there will be vomit all over the bed." 

Amber went straight to the bathroom, kneeling in front of the toilet even before Henry finished talking.

Henry followed with a bottle of water. "There, there, let it all out," patted Amber's back, and making sure nothing would spill to her hair. And taking note, she is letting her hair grow a bit longer than usual. Either way, she is still beautiful.