Page 19 of One Night

Chapter Six

August

Amber

"I just got into town," Kira says, lying back on the couch. "Do we really have to go out tonight?"

Kira moved here last week. She'll be going to my college, and although we both just turned 21, she'll only be a freshman because she took time off after getting injured at a gymnastics meet. It was a really bad injury that ended her gymnastics career. Ever since it happened she's been sad and depressed and never goes out. Her parents are hoping moving here, living with me, and going to college will make her feel better but so far, it's not working.

I stand over her, my hands on my hips. "First of all, you didn't just get into town. You've been in Chicago for a week. And every night you have an excuse for why you can't go out. Now it's Saturday, and we're not sitting at home on a Saturday night."

"It's not we staying home, just me. You can still go out. I'd just rather stay here."

I sit beside her. "What's your deal with going out? We used to go out all the time."

"That was in high school. I'm not a big partier anymore."

"This isn't a party. It's a bar. With music. We'll listen to the band, have a couple drinks, then come home. It'll be good for—" I stop, realizing I sound more like her mom than her friend. "I mean, it'll be fun. You'll have fun. I know you will. Now come on. Let's go get ready."

"If I'm going, I'm wearing this. I'm not changing."

Kira doesn't like to dress up. If she could live in her workout clothes she would. Tonight she has on an old pair of jeans and a baggy t-shirt.

"Jeans and a t-shirt?" I say. "That's not going out clothes. Let's go to my room. You can wear something of mine."

"Amber, really, I don't want to get all dressed up. If I'm going, I'm going to hear the music, not find a guy, so it doesn't matter what I wear."

I smile. "You never know. You might find a guy."

She sighs. "For the last time, I don't want a guy. I need to stay focused." She pauses. "On school. I need to stay focused on school."

"School doesn't start for a week, which means you have a whole week to date someone."

"Yeah, a week-long relationship. That'll be great."

"Actually, it could be. Sometimes you connect with someone right away. You don't always need that long to—" My phone dings with a text from Matt, telling me he's here. I started dating Matt soon after I met him at the restaurant that day. We went for coffee and have been dating ever since. "Shit. Matt's downstairs. I have to finish getting ready. Can you let him in?"

"And there's another reason why I shouldn't be going out with you tonight. I'll be a third wheel on your date."

"Matt doesn't care. In fact, when I told him you were coming along, he thought it was a good idea." I head to my room. "When he gets here, tell him I'll only be a few minutes."

"More like a half hour," she yells at me.

"Ten minutes, max," I yell back.

Matt's always either right on time or early. After dating me for over a month, he should know I'm never ready on time. I'm always getting sidetracked with a million other things. Tonight I was sidetracked with Kira, trying to convince her to go out with Matt and me. She can't keep sitting in this apartment every night, feeling sorry for herself. I know she's still mourning the loss of her gymnastics career but it's been over a year since the accident and hiding out in our apartment isn't going to help her feel better.

When Matt suggested going to this concert tonight, I immediately thought of Kira. She loves live music so if I ever had a chance of getting her out of the apartment, this was it. All day I've been asking her to go, and she refused, but despite her resistance, I wasn't taking no for an answer.

Matt's totally cool with her going along. He's such a nice guy. He still works at that job he doesn't like but that mean old geezer, Allen, isn't his mentor anymore, which has made the job more tolerable. Matt also works at a men's suit shop to make extra cash to help pay off his student loans. Yesterday, the lead singer of Vandyl came in to buy a suit. While Matt was helping him find one, the guy mentioned his band had a concert tonight and told Matt he should stop by the bar and hear them play.

I don't follow local bands but I've heard of Vandyl so I assume they're halfway decent. And it's something to do that I know Kira will like.

Searching through my closet, I can't decide what to wear. Unlike Kira, I like to dress up when I go out. Tonight I feel like wearing a dress. A short sexy dress since we're going to a bar. Maybe the sleeveless black one I bought on sale a few weeks ago and haven't worn yet. Shuffling through my hangers to find it, I stop when I see the blouse. The one I was wearing that night last May. The night I met Dylan.

I take it out and hold it up, heat rising inside me as the memories from that night fill my head. I can still see his face, looking at me from across the room. I can still see his eyes after we kissed. They were filled with desire, but also something else. That connection between us that I still can't explain.

I remember that night like it just happened. I relive it all the time. I can hear his voice asking me if I really wanted to do what we were about to do. I'd had my doubts just moments before, but by the time he asked me, I was all in. I wanted him and he wanted me.

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