Page 11 of One Night

The name of our band is Vandyl, a combination of our names. Austin wasn't included because we didn't know him back when we named the band.

"And you don't know her last name?" Van asks.

She never mentioned it and I didn't tell her mine.

"Then I guess you won't be seeing her again."

But I have to see her again. I have to know if we can recreate what we did last night. And even if we can't, I still want to see her again. You don't feel that kind of pull, that kind of bond, with a person every day. This was one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments. And after experiencing something that powerful, that amazing, I'm not just going to give up trying to find the person I shared it with.

I have to find her. She's moving to New York, but even if I have to search for every Amber in that entire city, I'll do it. Because I have to see that girl again.

Chapter Four

Amber

"Whatcha lookin' at?" Holly asks as she plops down beside me at the small table in the back of the restaurant. We're both on break after a long and really busy lunch shift.

"Nothing," I say, hiding my phone screen from her.

"Doesn't look like nothing," she says, smiling, as she leans around me in an attempt to try to see my phone. "Is it a text from a guy?"

"No. I was just looking something up."

She sighs and sits back in her chair. "You never have any good guy stories. After all the ones I've told you, you'd think you could at least return the favor now and then."

I don't respond, although I'm dying to tell her my guy story. The one I've been reliving every day since that night. It's been a month since it happened and I still haven't told anyone, not even Kira, because I know whoever I tell will say I'm crazy for running off like I did, and I don't want to hear it.

I've already yelled at myself enough about it. I keep thinking I should've stayed there that night, talked to Dylan, and at least explained why I didn't want to see him again. But that's not what I did and now it's too late. I'm sure he's moved on with someone else. And thinking about that makes me feel even worse. Even though I barely knew him, imagining him with someone else makes my stomach twist, my chest ache.

"God, I'm tired," Holly says, resting her head on the table. "Did everyone in Chicago decide to eat here for lunch today?"

"I know," I say, still looking at my phone. "It was the busiest I've ever seen it. Is something going on downtown?"

"Who knows?" she mumbles, her eyes now closed. "All I know is that I need sleep or I'm not going to be able to make it through the dinner shift."

"Why don't you go lie down in the break room?"

"Because The Asshole's in there." She opens one eye to me. "With Tara."

Holly used to date The Asshole, also known as Ian, the bartender. Everyone warned her he slept around but she fell for his charms and ended up sleeping with him, then got dumped the next day.

I glance up from my phone. "They're not, um..."

"No." She sits up. "They know they'd be fired if they did it in there. Rumor has it someone got fired for just kissing in the break room."

"Really?" I shrug. "Guess it makes sense. Kissing tends to lead to other things."

She sits up, suddenly full of energy, her eyes wide. "When's the last time you kissed someone?"

"I don't know. I can't remember." It's a total lie. I remember it perfectly. Every second. Every detail.

"It's been that long?" she asks. "I don't believe you. Come on. Tell me."

"So you can go tell everyone here? No way."

"You know I can keep a secret. Now come on. Tell me."

Actually, I don't know if she can keep a secret. We've only worked together a few weeks. It's just a summer job. I also take two classes. It gives me an excuse not to go home to Michigan. Every summer I stay here and take classes to avoid going home. Of course, that's not what I tell my family. They think I'm just in a hurry to graduate.

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