“Oh God, I hate the cabin’s ancient electricity,” Amber groaned. They waited almost a full ten seconds for the lights to flicker on after stepping inside and hitting the light switch. “I really wish someone would come and fix it already.”

“Your dad’s going to get the rewiring done soon, isn’t he?” Jesse asked, kicking off his flip-flops and stretching. “He was talking about it this weekend.”

“He’s been talking about it every weekend for ages now,” Amber said, stepping out of her own sandals. “He called around to get it done but we can’t seem to find anyone to do it. Half the electricians don’t want to come out to the lake. I just hope we get it done before winter. I can’t stand another year of this.”

They’d visited the cabin this weekend, literally yesterday. It was just as they had left it: warm, cozy, and rustic. The blanket on the couch was still rumpled from where Peter left it after falling asleep reading, but they’d put everything else away. Or Noa and the Murphys had put everything away. Noa usually left things looking nicer than when he’d arrived.

“Well, I guess we’d better get looking,” Jesse said. “Noa said he forgot his sketchbook in his and Peter’s room, right?”

“Yeah,” Amber said, heading inside and glancing around. Her long dark hair was loose today and it swayed with the motion, glossy and smooth. Jesse was mesmerised. “I want to find it first so that we can hang out guilt-free.”

“I wouldn’t want to come all the way out here and go back empty handed,” Jesse said, admiring his girlfriend as he followed her to the bedrooms. “You’re sure Angelo won’t tell your parents that he drove me up here with you?”

“I’m sure,” Amber said, turning to flash him a smile. “He’s actually sneaking up here to visit his own girlfriend. I also helped him get Danny’s birthday present ready for tomorrow, so he owes me.”

Jesse still couldn’t help but be a little wary. It was hard sneaking around to try and steal some privacy with Amber. It was more than worth it, but he worried about what would happen if their parents found out. His parents wouldn’t be impressed with him and though he thought Amber's mom might let it slide, Jesse was sure that Charlie Murphy would kill him if he knew.

And Jesse happened to really like Amber’s dad. He was cool. The last thing Jesse wanted to do was piss him off.

As expected, the bedroom was cleaned up, the bed made and sheets folded like it was one of those fancy rental beach-front cabins. Noa had definitely slept in here.

It was hard to believe that Noa left anything behind, though. He was always so organized and neat. But he was only human, and a kid too. Still, Jesse didn’t see the sketchbook when he looked around the room.

“Did he say where he left it?” Jesse asked while Amber checked the nightstand.

“He wasn’t too sure,” Amber said.

She didn’t find what she was looking for in the drawer so she bent over, looking under the bed. Jesse was distracted by the sight, enjoying how Amber’s jean shorts hugged her body and how her legs–

“Mind checking the dresser?” Amber asked.

“Yeah!” Jesse said too quickly, spinning around. “Dresser. Right.”

He didn’t see anything on top of the dresser, so he started checking the drawers. He snuck a glance back at Amber, but she was already standing again, moving around the bed and looking around with a frown.

“Weird,” she said. “I thought it would be easy to find… Nothing in the dresser?”

“No,” Jesse said, checking the last drawer. “Nothing. Maybe he left it in another room? Like the bathroom? Or maybe the living room?”

“Might as well take a look, I guess,” Amber said with a sigh. “I was hoping to tell my parents that I took so long because the sketchbook was hard to find. I didn’t expect it to actually be hard to find. This might cut into our private time a bit…”

“We only just started looking,” Jesse said. “Start worrying once we’ve finished searching the cabin.”

“Cut me some slack,” Amber huffed, but she said it with the beginning of a sly smile.  “I want to kiss and cuddle my boyfriend, okay?”

The look made Jesse’s face grow hot. He let out an awkward laugh, voice catching as he got flustered.

“Yeah, same here,” he said.

“Oh? Really?” Amber said teasingly. “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend, Jesse. What’s he like?”

“Amber…you know what I mean,” he said. “I want to kiss and cuddle you.”

“I can’t help teasing you! You’re so cute when you blush,” she said, grinning and nudging him before slipping away and heading out of the room. Jesse hurried to follow her. “The sooner we find Noa’s sketchbook, the sooner we can have some time together.”

Jesse fought to keep his mind on task. It was really hard to keep it from wandering with Amber teasing him like that. He had to think of Noa…think of the sketchbook…

“It’s, um…hardcover, right?” Jesse said. “All black?”

“That’s the one,” Amber said. “Let’s try my parents’ room, then mine, and the bathroom. We can check the living room after that, and then…I guess double check everything?”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Jesse said.

They searched any place the sketchbook might have been left behind. They went through the master bedroom pretty quick, since they were sure Noa wouldn’t linger there. Noa had spent some time with Danny, Rion, and Amber in her room, so they were a little more thorough there.

“How do you feel about ‘Garnet’?” Amber asked as she looked through her dresser.

“Garnet?” Jesse repeated, wondering what that was supposed to mean. “Like the gemstone?”

“Yeah. Like, for a baby name. How does Garnet sound?”

Jesse turned to her sharply, sputtering in shock. “Y-you…! What?! Are you…?!”

“Oh! No, no!” Amber said quickly. “I’m not pregnant or anything! I just had my, um…‘monthlies’ last week.”

Amber let out an embarrassed giggle and Jesse relaxed a bit, though his heart was still pounding in his chest. He let out a small, relieved breath.

“Warn a guy next time,” Jesse said. “I almost had a heart attack thinking I was going to be a teenage dad.”

“Sorry,” she said. “I was just thinking about it. I mean…there’s always a chance… But I’m hoping to have kids after we’re done school, at least. Preferably after we’re married. I’d rather not scare my parents.”

“Same here,” Jesse wholeheartedly agreed.

He knew that sneaking around and getting intimate was risky. Even though they tried to be careful, there was a chance that Amber could get pregnant. They’d already talked about it several times and agreed that if it did happen, they would be responsible about it. They were committed. They loved each other. They were more than willing to figure out parenting together, even if they were kind of young for it.

But the thought was still terrifying. Jesse didn’t want to imagine what kind of conversation he’d have to have with their parents. He’d rather be out of school and working before they started having kids together.

“I was just thinking…it might not be a bad idea to think up some names,” Amber said. “We’ve already talked about the wedding a bunch. We both want kids so why not, right? So…”

“Garnet?” Jesse said.

“Yeah! Garnet,” Amber said. “Opinions?”

“It’s…not my first choice?” Jesse said, wincing. “I mean, it’s not a bad name, but with you and Peter… Do you really want to give our kid a gemstone name?”

“I was starting low on the list so that I could build up to the cool names. Like Diamond!” Amber said with a grin.

“What if we had a boy?”

“Diamond can be a boy’s name.”

“Maybe if you want our kid to get bullied…”

“Okay, okay. No rock names,” Amber said. “What about seasons? Like Autumn?”

“Do we have to name our kid after a thing?” Jesse said. “Like, why not Andy or Tyler or something.”

“Robin?” Amber said, looking hopefully.

“Robin…as in Batman’s sidekick?” Jesse asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No! Like the bird, silly.”

“I…don’t think I’m into it,” Jesse said. “What is up with the names you’re into?”

“I don’t know. I like what I like,” Amber laughed. “Actually…I do have a name in mind…but I was just warming up.”

“Now I’m a little scared,” Jesse said. “Okay. What is it?”

Amber looked at him shyly. She hesitated to answer but eventually gave in.

“Riley.”

“…Well, that’s better than the other names,” Jesse said.

“You like it?” Amber asked, perking up.

“Not…really,” Jesse said. “But it’s better! I’d pick it over Garnet or Autumn for sure.”

Amber rolled her eyes. “Well, that’s a relief. No, but really, I think it’s a cute name. It could really work!”

“If you make me decide now, the answer will be a firm no,” Jesse said. “Come on, Amber. We have lots of time to decide that stuff.”

“I know, but I really like the name,” Amber said. “You know what? Think about it. Let it grow on you. Like moss on a tree.”

“That’s a weird mental image,” Jesse huffed. “Aren’t we supposed to be looking for that sketchbook?”

“We can talk and look at the same time, Jesse! Don’t ruin my fun.”

“Fine, fine…”

They searched the rest of the cabin, not finding anything. The only books they came across were some dusty, worn paperbacks and some National Geographics, if the magazines in the bathroom counted for anything.

“I don’t know where it could have gone,” Amber said while she checked between the couch cushions in the living room. “Mom’s going to be really upset it I don’t find it for Noa. I’m pretty sure it’s one of his therapy sketchbooks.”

“Therapy sketchbooks?” Jesse asked while he looked around the simple kitchen and dining area. “It’s something that he goes over with his therapist?”

“I think so? I’m not really sure since his sessions are, you know, private,” Amber said. “He draws all the time, but I know he takes some of his sketchbooks with him to his appointments. Mom mentioned something about it once… I think it was something about Noa expressing his thoughts and feelings through his art…? Or something like that.”

“Basically, we have to find it because it’s really important to Noa,” Jesse said. “Okay. I guess we’ll just have to take a second look through the cabin then. It’s got to be somewhere in here.”

“Yeah,” Amber sighed. “Urgh. I wanted to have a moment where it was just the two of us together. Instead, we’re crawling around looking for this sketchbook… I’m going to be so mad if he just lost it at home or something.”

“You’d never get mad at Noa,” Jesse said.

“No! Of course not! It’s not his fault or anything. I’ll just be mad. In general.”

“Well…if I have to crawl around and look for a sketchbook, I’d rather do it with you.”

“Jesse, I love you and you’re sweet. But please butter me up after we find this sketchbook.”

“Okay.”

They returned to Noa’s room to double check everything. This time, Jesse took a closer look at the bed.

“How does he fold the sheets like that?” Jesse commented.

“I don’t know,” Amber said. “He must have learned from Aunt Wendy. Mom folds them just like that. Must be a family thing.”

“Did your mom show you how to do it?”

“No. Maybe I should ask…”

Jesse hadn’t really noticed how Mrs. Murphy folded the sheets, but he took Amber’s word for it. It looked professionally done. He felt a little bad pulling the sheets back.

“What are you doing?” Amber asked. “You’re not getting into bed, are you?”

“No. No way,” Jesse said. “We didn’t check in the bed, so I thought that maybe…”

Not seeing anything under the sheets, he lifted the pillow. And there it was.

“Tah-dah!” Jesse said, picking up the sketchbook.

“You’re my hero, Jesse!” Amber said. “Oh, thank God! Now we can finally do what we want!”

Jesse offered it to her and Amber reached out for it. He thought she had it when he passed it to her and let go too soon. The sketchbook slipped through Amber’s fingers, flipping through the air, falling open, pages down.

“Oh, whoops. Sorry!” Jesse began.

“It’s fine,” Amber said, scooping the book up, and flipping it over to take a look. “As long as the pages aren’t…”

Something in the sketchbook caught her eye. She hesitated, frowning. Jesse leaned forward, wondering what it was she saw but she quickly closed the book.

“We shouldn’t look,” she said quickly. Amber was still frowning though. “It’s private.”

“Did he draw something weird?” Jesse asked, wondering what she saw.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said and then flashed him a smile. It wasn’t quite as bright as before. “I’m just going to set this near the front door so that we don’t forget it.”

“Then we can cuddle?” Jesse asked hopefully.

“Then we can cuddle,” Amber said, her smile finally reaching her eyes. “Come on. We only have so long before Angelo comes knocking to pick us up.”

“If he’s really here to spend time with his own girlfriend, I think we’ll have plenty of time,” Jesse said, grinning back at her.