“You’re really going out tonight?” Henry asked, flipping through a magazine in Amber’s living room.

“Yes.” She studied her flannel, then switched it out for a leather jacket. She brushed her hair off her forehead and put a bit of gel to hold it in place.

“You’re not going to wait around for-“

Amber sighed. She had kind of been sitting around and waiting for Krystal to contact her even though she’d told her to give her time. But apparently Krystal was sticking to that which was irritating to Amber, but also let her know that Krystal probably still wasn’t comfortable with what she was feeling. So it was time for her to live a bit without thinking of anyone else.

“You sure you don’t want to come with me?” Amber asked. Henry had been moping around since his girlfriend broke up with him a week ago.

“Positive,” he shook his head. “Maybe it’s time for me to swear off women.”

“After dating how many? Three?”

He put on a face of extreme suffering. “You don’t know what they put me through.”

“Lies! I know every single detail of what they’ve ‘put you through.” She rolled her eyes. “Focus on your music or something. I haven’t seen you pick up your guitar in months.”

Henry didn’t want to tell her that the band was starting to drift apart, wanting to find more sensible jobs since two had gotten married and their wives were pregnant. Music was too uncertain.

“I’ve been too heartbroken,” he said instead.

“Come with me to the studio tomorrow anyway,” Amber suggested. “It’ll be good for you.”

She tucked her phone, wallet, and keys into her pockets. “This place better look this good when I come back.”  

He carelessly waved her out, and she hit the streets. Since she lived closer to the city, it was easier to walk to a few clubs and restaurants. Her life had expanded since the move though she was lonely sometimes. The people at work were nice but a lot of them remained as acquaintances because of their differing busy hours. They also mostly lived on the other side of town in more expensive apartments.

She kicked a can, then turned into a club with lights flashing out onto the street. A man at the door held out his hand for her ID, then stamped the back of her hand. She gave him a quick nod and ducked inside. It was pretty packed like of the clubs were on Friday nights when the working crowd was finally released for a bit to unwind.

Amber pressed her way through dancing bodies to get to the bar. She ordered a light beer and sipped it slowly while she let her eyes wander around the room.

The people dancing together were mostly male-female pairs and it was impossible to tell if two girls dancing together were lesbians, just friends, or lesbians who were just friends.

She didn’t even know what she would do if she did manage to find another lesbian in the club. Chat with her? Try to convince her to go back to her place? Dance, then ask for a date sometime later in the week?

Sighing heavily, she turned back to the bar and rested her elbows on the elevated surface, the loud music giving her a bit of a headache. Turns out she just wanted to be back at home resting in her bed, maybe staring up at the ceiling and wondering what Krystal was doing or just thinking about nothing at all.

“Hi.”

A light touch on Amber’s back alerted her that the person was speaking to her.

“Uhm, Hi,” Amber said, turning to find a girl in a tight, liquid-looking gold dress. It perfectly highlighted her tan skin. Amber couldn’t help starting from the top of her head, scanning down to her feet, and letting her eyes bounce back up again. “Hi.”

The girl smiled at Amber’s obvious interested. “Wanna dance?”

Amber nodded and let her lead her to the dance floor.

“You’re hot,” she whisper shouted into Amber’s ear as they swayed to the thumping music. She angled a thumb over her shoulder. “My friend has been staring at you since you came in.”

Raising her brows, Amber looked where the girl directed and saw another girl in a booth watching them. She was paler with a wide, smiling mouth and sparkling eyes.

“Oh.”

Yuri laughed. The girl in front of her was cute but seemed stunned to find people interested in her. It was adorable. She grabbed her hand and led her to their table, waving to a passing waitress to bring them drinks.

“This is my friend, Tiffany,” she said, scooching them all into the booth with Amber in the middle. “I’m Yuri.”

“Uhm, Hi,” Amber said, grinning nervously. “I’m Amber.”

“Oh?” Tiffany leaned forward. “You’re from America?”

“Originally,” Amber nodded, realizing Tiffany must’ve noticed the way she said her name. “But I mostly learned English speaking with my dad. You?”

“Yup. Born and raised.”

“Looks like I’m not needed here,” Yuri said with a laugh.

“Oh no you don’t,” Tiffany said, reaching out to grab her arm and keep her at the table. “You’ve been all tied up over your little girl friend since we got back. Tonight is my night with my best friend.”

Yuri pointed at Amber and Tiffany laughed.

“Hey, I have to listen to you talk about Jessica every single day. I should at least get to flirt a little without you wandering off.”

Yuri huffed and sank back into her seat. Amber narrowed her eyes on the name Jessica, but there couldn’t be only one Jessica in Seoul and Krystal’s sister was married anyway. She wondered when the girl would ever be off her brain.

She spent the next few hours with Yuri and Tiffany, talking and chatting and dancing. Tiffany kept leaning into her side when she laughed sending waves of perfumed hair over her shoulder.

“Uhm, it’s getting late,” Amber finally said. “Most people don’t work Saturdays, but my job is a little crazy,” she laughed. “I was wondering if maybe we could get coffee sometime?”

Tiffany smiled. “Of course. Give me your phone.” Amber passed it to her and Tiffany put in her number and sent a text to herself. “There.”

Amber left the club, feeling a bit giddy. Maybe she could finally get over-

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and thinking it was the girl she’d just been talking to the past few hours, she opened her text message without thinking.

Seeing Krystal’s name hit her like a brick, her emotions going a little haywire. She sighed and after thinking about it a few moments, finally sent a text back.