Page 124 of One Night

"Yes, but that's when I was letting my dreamy romantic side take over. Dylan was my prince and we were going to live happily ever after. And you know what's weird? I was talking to my mom earlier and she said when she met my dad she thought the same thing. That my dad was her prince and they'd live happily ever after. And look what happened." I throw my hands up. "After years of being married, she eventually grew apart from my dad and they started fighting all the time. It's proof that the same thing could happen to me."

"You're overreacting. Just because it happened to your mom doesn't mean it'll happen to you."

It sounds logical but I find it hard to believe, especially when I think about how similar I am to my mom. I could easily see myself repeating her mistakes.

Kira glances up at the bulletin board I have over my desk. It's covered in photos from our childhood and other stuff I've collected over the years.

"I can't believe you still have that," she says, pointing to the remnants of a red balloon.

I shrug. "Guess I should throw it out. I don't need to keep it."

The balloon was from a summer trip to Lake Michigan back when I was a kid. We were on the beach and I saw this balloon coming right at me. I caught it and could tell there was something inside it. My dad popped the balloon for me and inside was a note written in kid handwriting. It was from a boy and said that whoever found the note would be his girl, if in fact a girl happened to find the note. If a boy found it, he was instructed to throw it out. Those weren't the exact words but that was the basic idea.

"Remember the day you found it?" Kira laughs. "You called me and told me all about it. Then when you got back to town, you ran to my house and showed me. Then you made me come here to your room so you could try on dresses. You had to find the perfect one."

I laugh. "I had to be prepared in case he showed up. Which he never did. Another fairy tale destroyed."

She shakes her head. "It wasn't a fairy tale. It was just a note. Do you still have it?"

"Yeah, it's in my jewelry box back at the apartment."

"That's sweet that you kept it. You shouldn't ever throw it away." Kira's phone dings and she checks it. "Crap. I totally forgot I have to take my brother to hockey practice." She gets up. "Sorry. I'll drop him off and come right back."

"Okay."

She races off. I go over to my desk and pick up Dylan's letter and take it back to my bed. I got it yesterday but didn't open it. I was saving it for today, because yesterday my dad was here fighting with my mom and I wasn't in the mood to read a romantic letter from Dylan. I'm still not in a romantic mood but I'm dying to read his letter. I love his letters.

My Dearest Amber,

Oh, how I've missed you since you've been away. My days just aren't the same without your beautiful smile and those sparkling blue eyes. I long to hold you in my arms again and dance the night away.

'Dance the night away' is code for sex, in case anyone ever finds and reads our letters, like my mom.

The letter continues. When we're finally reunited, we shall dance for hours. Days! Weeks! Until our bodies collapse from exhaustion. And then we'll replenish with pizza from Patty's Pizza Palace, devouring it in our favorite booth, the booth where our friendship blossomed into what it is now.

But until then, I shall await your return.

Love, Dylan

I laugh because it's one of his overdramatic letters that I always find humorous. Sometimes he's more serious in his letters, but he went with humor for this one because he knows I could use a laugh.

What am I going to do with him? I love him. Want to be with him. But I'm afraid of what's to come.

Love doesn't last. My parents are proof of that. And if love doesn't last, then why keep pursuing it?

Chapter Twenty-Five

Dylan

Amber is coming back to Chicago today. She's been gone for three weeks but it feels more like three months. After all that time apart we need some couple time so I asked Austin if he and Kira could stay at his place tonight so Amber and I could have the apartment. I didn't want us staying at my house because Van has a new girl and she's over there all the time.

"Welcome home," I say as Amber gets out of her car. I'm in the parking lot of her apartment. I wanted to surprise her. Austin texted me when Amber dropped off Kira at his place so I'd know when Amber would be here.

"Dylan!" Her face lights up and she runs to me.

I hug her, lifting her off the ground and kissing her. "You miss me?" I smile as I set her down.

She answers by hugging me, her face pressed against my chest.

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