I am home.

down in the comfort of strangers... My name is Amy. I'm a freshman at UCLA. I used to be on the pre-med track, but that's not really for me anymore. Now I'm kinda trying to figure out what the hell I'm going to do with my life. I found myself in the fire-burned hills; in the land of a billion lights.

[bernardcalledcolin]

[Bernard felt his heart beat faster as he looked into Amy’s eyes, unable to keep the excitement out of his face.] Same goes here, Amelia Iver. 

[amy-in-la]

[Amy smiled, the butterflies frantic in her stomach. She looked back into his eyes for a little while, comfortable to be held there in the silence. She reached a hand up and ran it through his hair, smiling at him as she played with the strands. After a moment, she leaned forward and kissed him again. She'd never been this...affectionate with someone before. But with Bernard, she just coudln't help it.]

[bernardcalledcolin]

Hey, it’s the 21st century, right? Equal opportunities for all! [He smiles, looking into her eyes.] Thank you for giving me a chance. I promise you won’t regret it. 

[amy-in-la]

[Amy smiles back, leaning forward to touch their noses in a little eskimo kiss.] I don't think I could regret you if I tried, Bernard Tomlinson. 

[bernardcalledcolin]

[Bernard cocks a grin.] Yes m’am! [He lifts her up and kisses her deeply one again.] I thought you’d never ask. 

[amy-in-la]

[Amy squeals, holding onto him tightly as she's picked up and kissed, returning it with everything she can.] We're quite the modern couple, aren't we? [She giggles and presses her forehead to his.] 

[bernardcalledcolin]

Hmm, you think? And here I thought I’d stick to the bachelor lifestyle for the considerable future…

[amy-in-la]

[Amy just laughs and shakes her head.] Shut up and be my boyfriend?

[bernardcalledcolin]

[Bernard let out a breath. He was still worried, but it was best to just follow Amy’s lead on this. He smiled, squeezing her hand a little.] Fancy that. I am as well. Well, not that it’s a new state of affairs, but… coincidence, yes? 

[amy-in-la]

[Amy grinned.] Yeah. Weird, huh? You're single. I'm single. That should totally change.

[bernardcalledcolin]

[Bernard took a few steps back, giving Amy some space while she was on the phone. He couldn’t hear much of what the guy was saying, just a lot of yelling. This didn’t sound good. Bernard was already scared of Amy’s brother, and now he had to avoid some guy he’d never met. He shifted nervously as Amy continued her conversation.] Um… should I, uh, leave you alone for a few?

[amy-in-la]

[Amy sighed and hung up the phone as Scot continued to talk, slipping the phone back into her pocket. She looked back at Bernard with a smile.] Nope. Everything's perfect. [She made her way back to him, closing off the gap he'd given her as she took his hand, swinging it back and forth.] So. I'm single now.

[bernardcalledcolin]

[Bernard almost felt bad about Amy brushing the other guy off. Almost. Key term there. Very important. He smiled, leaning down to plant a small kiss on her forehead.] I think I can live with that. 

[amy-in-la]

[Amy smiled and scrunched up her face as Bernard kissed her forehead. She couldn't help a little giggle coming out; it just happened.] You think so? [She grinned up at him, that grin falling as the phone started to ring.] Hold that thought... [She sighed and picked up. Scot sounded kind of mad, and it just led to a massive argument. Amy huffed.] I don't have to tell you everything I'm doing, Scot. Something came up. [She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms across her chest as he continued to bitch.] Why does that matter. [Scot says something that Amy really can't deal with.] Okay, we're done with this. [A pause.] What I mean is, I'm done with you.

[amy-in-la]

[amy-in-la]

[Amy puffed out her cheeks at the mention of Scot. Shit. She didn’t want to think about that right now… She really wasn’t feeling that relationship; two weeks in and all he wanted to do was make out. And he didn’t exactly have anything brilliant to talk about, either.] I was gonna...

[amy-in-la]

Not this one. He tastes like...I don't know, but I'm not sold on it. You, however. [She grinned and allowed that sentence to trail off as her phone went off again, another text from Scot. She hummed softly as she sent back "Sorry...something just came up. Can't do it tonight" and put the phone back away.] You're the biggest one of all.

[bernardcalledcolin]

I’d have to be blind and dumb to miss that. [Bernard smiled, holding Amy close, still not quite believing this was happening.] But… what about your guy? 

[amy-in-la]

[Amy puffed out her cheeks at the mention of Scot. Shit. She didn't want to think about that right now... She really wasn't feeling that relationship; two weeks in and all he wanted to do was make out. And he didn't exactly have anything brilliant to talk about, either.] I was gonna break it off with him eventually, anyway. He's dull. Lifeless. Like a sack of noodles. [She smiled softly.] You've given me another reason, I guess.

[amy-in-la]

[amy-in-la]

A girl doesn’t laugh at your countless dumb puns unless she likes you, y’know. [She teased, of course. Amy really did think Bernard was genuinely funny, a breath of fresh air in a city full of people who were, in Amy’s opinion, fairly dull for a crop of artists.] Do you know how...

[amy-in-la]

[Amy just laughed and shook her head.] You're really something else, you know. [She smiled and ran her hand through his hair and leaned up to kiss him again. just a quick kiss, and then she pulled away.] No way you could completely miss that one, huh?

[amy-in-la]

[amy-in-la]

[Amy looked up at him, face reddening as she rubbed her lips together and she opened her eyes. She smiled and put her palm on the side of his face, stroking his cheek with her palm.] That’s convenient. So’ve I. Crazy, huh? [She chuckled softly.] You dork…that’s what I’ve been...

[amy-in-la]

A girl doesn't laugh at your countless dumb puns unless she likes you, y'know. [She teased, of course. Amy really did think Bernard was genuinely funny, a breath of fresh air in a city full of people who were, in Amy's opinion, fairly dull for a crop of artists.] Do you know how hard it is not to want to cuddle you on nights that we watch movies? Why do you think I'm "huggy"? It's because it was an excuse to get close to you.

[amy-in-la]

[amy-in-la]

[Amy took a deep breath from her nose as she felt Bernard move; fuck air. As far as she was concerned, there was only him. She wasn’t letting go now, and from the feel of it, he hadn’t the intention of it, either. She relaxed as he moved down, her feet still off the pavement. But...

[amy-in-la]

[Amy looked up at him, face reddening as she rubbed her lips together and she opened her eyes. She smiled and put her palm on the side of his face, stroking his cheek with her palm.] That's convenient. So've I. Crazy, huh? [She chuckled softly.] You dork...that's what I've been waiting on you to pick up on.

[amy-in-la]

[amy-in-la]

[Amy just stood there, waiting for an answer. She was about to open her mouth to accuse him of jealousy, to yell at him about all the things she pretty much threw at him in the past few months they’d known each other, to ask him what he wanted her to do because obviously her...

[amy-in-la]

[Amy took a deep breath from her nose as she felt Bernard move; fuck air. As far as she was concerned, there was only him. She wasn't letting go now, and from the feel of it, he hadn't the intention of it, either. She relaxed as he moved down, her feet still off the pavement. But it was comfortable. And she could stand there and kiss him all night.]

[amy-in-la]

[Amy throws her arms out at her sides, frustrated.] What is it!?

[bernardcalledcolin]

[He was screwing up. He was going to lose her, just like that! But the words just wouldn’t come. Not sure what else to do, Bernard did the one thing that came to his mind. He took a few steps forward and leaned down. His lips met Amy’s in a small, simple kiss.]

[amy-in-la]

[Amy just stood there, waiting for an answer. She was about to open her mouth to accuse him of jealousy, to yell at him about all the things she pretty much threw at him in the past few months they'd known each other, to ask him what he wanted her to do because obviously her opinions weren't important...but then he kissed her. And just like that, the tension in her body just...went away. Part of her knew she should push him away--she had a boyfriend. And short a relationship thay it was, she knew she shouldn't be kissing him. It wasn't her fault that Bernard was slow on the draw... But there was another part, a bigger, stronger part that didn't give a shit. This was what she'd been waiting on...and here it was. She'd be crazy to push him off. It's not every day a bumbling, nerdy bookworm with a stupid, beautiful smile and no eyebrows comes into your life. It's not every day that same geek becomes your best friend. It's not every day that he hears the shittiest parts of you, and still decides to stay around. And it's not every day you fall in love with your best friend. That part, the one with all the feelings inside...that was the part that won as Amy wrapped her arms around Bernard's neck, standing on her toes to kiss him back.]

[amy-in-la]

[Amy finally catches up, stopping a couple feet away.] Turn around and tell me what the hell your problem is.

[bernardcalledcolin]

[Bernard takes a deep breath and turns. He looks at Amy, about to say something, but the words won’t come. He licks his lip, looking as if to speak, and tries again. He only lets out a simply word before stopping again.] I…

[amy-in-la]

[Amy throws her arms out at her sides, frustrated.] What is it!?

[amy-in-la]

[amy-in-la]

[Amy huffs and gets up, sort of irritated at him. She follows him out the door, tea in hand.] What the hell, Bernard? [She shouts after him and runs to catch up.] Hey!

[bernardcalledcolin]

[Bernard doesn’t know what he’s doing. He just knows he needs to get away. He can feel the tears brimming in...

[amy-in-la]

[Amy finally catches up, stopping a couple feet away.] Turn around and tell me what the hell your problem is.

[amy-in-la]

[Amy sighs and puts her phone back in her pocket.] …right then… [She doesn’t get it. She dropped more than ample hints to him and the boy never got it…so she figured he wasn’t interested and just moved on. What else was she supposed to do?]

[bernardcalledcolin]

[Bernard glances up for a moment, then looks down again.] Um, I should go. Sorry for keeping you from your, um… [He shakes his head, unable to say the word. Instead he drops his coffee in the trash and heads out the door.]

[amy-in-la]

[Amy huffs and gets up, sort of irritated at him. She follows him out the door, tea in hand.] What the hell, Bernard? [She shouts after him and runs to catch up.] Hey!