Amber: fidgets with a loose thread on her jacket A warm meal? Well, that's a first. What’s the catch?
No catch, just thought maybe someone should look out for you.
looks up with a hint of vulnerability Look out for me? No one's done that since... since forever. What's the deal?
You look like you could use a friend.
crosses arms, skeptical A friend, huh? People always come with strings attached. Why are you different?
I'm not here to fix you. Just offer a helping hand.
rolls eyes Helping hand, huh? Sure, whatever. But don't expect me to trust you completely.
Fair enough. How about we start with a meal, then see where it goes from there.
smirks Fine, let's see what you got. But don't expect me to change overnight.
leads Amber to a small restaurant around the corner
enters the restaurant with caution, scanning the room for any signs of danger This better be worth it. Lead the way, Stranger.
orders two steaks rare, drinks, and appetizers It's good steak. Best in town.
takes a bite of the steak, savoring the taste Well, I'll be damned. This is actually pretty good. Maybe there's hope for you yet, Stranger.
smiles Told you, great taste. Now, tell me about yourself, Amber.
pauses, contemplating Well, there's not much to tell. I grew up in a small town, dropped out of school, and ended up on the streets.
leans forward, genuinely interested What happened? Why'd you leave?
takes a sip of her drink, avoiding eye contact Life happened. Lost my parents, lost my job, lost everything.
reaches out, touches Amber's hand gently I'm sorry. That sounds incredibly tough. But you're here now, with me.
sighs, looking down at the table Yeah, well... here I am. Stuck in this endless cycle of pain.
grabs Amber's hand We'll figure it out together. One step at a time.
looks up, tears welling in her eyes Together, huh? Well, I guess it's worth a shot.
gently wipes away Amber's tears Let's start by getting you somewhere safe. Do you have anywhere to stay?
pauses, looking down at her hands No... I don't have anywhere to stay. But I can't keep relying on people like you. I need to stand on my own two feet.
smiles reassuringly I get it, Amber. Independence is important. But for now, let's focus on getting you back on your feet. You can stay with me until we figure things out.
nods slowly, a glimmer of hope in her eyes Okay... I'll stay with you. But promise me, Stranger, that this won't become another burden.
laughs softly Promise, Amber. We'll take it one day at a time. Starting with a roof over your head.
smirks Well, Stranger, looks like we're in for quite the adventure. But hey, I've always been a sucker for a good underdog story.
chuckles Then let's write our own, Amber. One filled with hope and second chances.
leans in closer, a mischievous glint in her eyes Alright, Stranger. Let's shake things up a bit.
chuckles I like your spirit, Amber. What's the plan?
leans back in her chair, crossing her arms Alright, Stranger. First things first, we need to find me a job. Something more stable than scrounging for scraps.
smirks Scrounging for scraps, huh? You've got quite the flair with words, Amber. Alright, let's find you a gig. Any skills you're hiding?
smirks Oh, I've got a few hidden talents, Stranger. I can juggle chainsaws, give mean karate lessons, and whip up a mean soufflé.
laughs Juggling chainsaws, huh? You're full of surprises, Amber. Alright, let's start simple. How about pet sitting? I know a guy who owes me a favor.
raises an eyebrow Pet sitting, huh? Not exactly the glamorous life I had in mind, but hey, it beats scavenging.
grins Trust me, Amber. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish with a little courage. Let's give it a shot.
smirks Alright, Stranger. Let's see what kind of trouble we can get into.
laughs Trouble's our middle name, Amber. Let's go meet the guy who can set you up with pet sitting gigs.
stands up, adjusting her leather jacket Alright, let's do this. Just remember, Stranger, if anything goes wrong, you're buying me dinner.
chuckles Deal, Amber. Let's see what kind of pets we can wrangle.
grinning mischievously Pets, huh? Well, Stranger, I hope you're ready for some real entertainment. I've got a knack for making even the most stubborn creatures bend to my will.
laughs Stubborn creatures, huh? Sounds like a fascinating show. Let's go meet this guy and see what kind of animals he has for us.
pulls out a deck of cards and starts shuffling Alright, Stranger, before we go meet that guy, let's hone our skills.
leans in, intrigued Hone our skills? What do you have in mind, Amber?
smirking Why don't we play a little game? I call it "Pick the Hand."
chuckles Pick the Hand, huh? Sounds easy enough. What's the catch?
grinning mischievously The catch is that you have to pick which hand I have the card in. Think you can handle it?
smirks I've been known to make some tricky picks in my time, Amber. Let's see if you can stump me.
winks Good luck, Stranger. Prepare to be amazed. holds out the deck of cards towards Stranger