Page 58 of One Night

She runs off. "Hope you get a boyfriend this week!"

I laugh as I gather my stuff and put it in my backpack. A boyfriend this week? Not going to happen. Despite Dylan's labeling of our status as boyfriend and girlfriend, or beau and sweetheart, I'm not considering us that yet. It's too soon.

Back at my apartment, I check my phone to make sure I didn't forget any meetings. It's easy to forget because I'm involved in a ton of campus activities and clubs, along with my volunteer jobs and my job at the restaurant. Adding the hospital job will make me even busier but it might lead to a job after graduation so I need to make it a priority.

Today's my first day and I'm feeling both nervous and excited. I've had many jobs over the years but this one actually pertains to my major so I feel like it's my first real job. Like I'm finally embarking on my career.

When I get there, Donna, my new boss, greets me as I come into her office. "Welcome to your first day," she says with a smile.

"Thanks!" I smile back. "I'm looking forward to getting started."

"Before you do anything," she says, "you'll need to get an ID badge and fill out some paperwork."

"Okay. Where do I go for that?"

"You'll go down one floor to Human Resources. I told them you're coming. They have the paperwork ready for you to sign."

"Then I guess I'll head down there."

"Wait," she says as I turn to leave. "The other intern will be here shortly. I'd like you two to go together. It'll give you a chance to get to know each other. You'll be working together a lot the next few weeks."

"I thought I was the only other intern starting early."

"You were, but then one of the other interns called and said he'd like to help out as well. He should be here any minute."

He? So I'm working with a guy? For some reason, I thought all the interns would be girls.

"There he is," Donna says, grinning at whoever's behind me.

I turn and see Dylan there. Wait—what? Dylan? Dylan's the other intern?

Donna goes around me and shakes his hand. "Welcome to your first day."

"Thanks," he says, his eyes going from her to me. He's better able to hide his surprise. I'm staring at him with what I'm sure is a shocked and confused look on my face and he's simply smiling, like seeing me here is the most normal thing in the world.

"Amber," he says, holding his hand out to me. "Good to see you again."

"Yeah." I shake his hand. The hand that fits perfectly around mine.

"You two know each other?" Donna asks.

"We do." Dylan looks back at her. "One of my good friends dates Amber's roommate."

"So you're just friends," she says, sounding relieved. "I thought you were going to say you were romantically involved, in which case this wouldn't work out. We don't allow people working in the same department to date. It's an HR rule, not mine, but I have to enforce it."

"Of course," Dylan says in a businesslike tone. "So where do we start?"

"I was just telling Amber that you need to go down to HR to fill out some paperback and get your ID badges."

"Sounds good. Ready, Amber?"

"Um, yeah. I'm ready." I follow him out the door and when we're in the hall, I whisper, "What are you doing here?"

"Working. I'm an intern."

I swat his arm. "Obviously, but why didn't you tell me?"

"I just found out. You won't let me talk to you and I didn't have time to write a letter so this is the first chance I've had to tell you." He punches the button on the elevator and we stand outside it, waiting.

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