"It'll be good for you to come back home," she continues. She's not wrong. Going home would be perfect, but I have to do it right. I'm only off on Fridays and Saturdays, and I don't want to only stay for a couple of days. I think I've earned enough vacation time to take off for a while. I've been trying to save money for a new car, but I think I can postpone for a couple weeks. "Let me check in with work to see how much time I can take off," I tell her. The water in the pot is boiling so I throw in the noodles. She squeals in excitement. "Finally! I feel like I haven't seen you in forever. If you can, see if you can be here next weekend. I'm planning a pre-wedding get-together and I need my maid of honor by my side." The excitement in me builds and I can't wait to see everyone. It's been too long since my last visit and I don't know why I isolated myself so much. Maybe I should talk about it with Dr. Harrison at our next session. I haven't told anyone about my therapy sessions, even though I've been with Dr. Harrison for over a year now. I don't want the stigma of therapy to stick in people's minds when they look at me. There's nothing wrong with me. My mind just can't handle itself sometimes. Casey fills me in with a little more details on the get-together. It's going to be at a surprise location next Saturday and only a select few are invited, meaning me and Anthony. We hang up and while I don't usually want to go out on Saturday nights, mostly because they're technically my Sunday nights, I feel like going out and doing something. I finish boiling the pasta and warming the spaghetti sauce before sitting down to eat. After eating, I rummage in my closet until I find a top with a deep v-neck and I pair it with some dark jeans and my red heels. I put together a no-makeup makeup look before heading out the door. I try a different bar this time. It's downtown again, but it's a little more upbeat than the one Cora, Bee, and I went to. Inside is a younger crowd than the last bar. I take a seat at the bar itself and order a drink. I'm halfway into my drink when someone starts talking to me. "Either this is just a coincidence, or you're following me," Ben says as he sits next to me. Instead of the button-up look from last night, he has on a black t-shirt that fits his arms really well. He also has on a baseball cap. "Maybe you're the one following me," I say, though I don't think that's the case. He smiles. "This is an eerie coincidence then." He scratches the back of his neck and seems uncomfortable. "Sorry I left this morning without saying anything. I don't usually-I mean, I don't ever do one night stands." "It's fine. I get it," I say. He spared both of us from an awkward goodbye. "So, back at it again tonight?" "I'm here with some friends. It's my buddy's birthday," he says, turning around and scanning the crowd. "Those goons over there." I take a glance over his friend group, which includes four other guys. I can confidently say I slept with the hottest guy in their group. "Sounds fun." "What about you? No friends tonight?" he asked. I shake my head. "Nope, I'm solo. I just needed to get out of my apartment for a while," I tell him. It felt suffocating. "Do you want to join us? The guys aren't bad." "No, no, I'm fine. I'm probably leaving after my next drink," I wave it off. "I don't want to keep you from your friends." He seems hesitant, but I'm not sure over what. Then he nods. "Well, enjoy your night." He gives me a smile before taking off towards his friends. I down the rest of my drink and I face the dance floor, watching the wave of bodies dance. My eyes trail to Ben and his friends and I watch them carefully so they don't catch me. My heart swells when a memory comes to mind. Watching Dylan and his friends in high school was so intriguing to me. To see him interact with them. He was always a listener, only speaking when he felt it was right. Ben, on the other hand, seems like a talkative one in his friend group. I shake Dylan from my mind. I know I'm only thinking about him because Cora and I stalked his Instagram. These are the feelings I wanted to avoid, but it's my fault. I'm the one who wanted to see his profile. I call the bartender over and order another drink. The night continues and the bar gets busier by the minute. Ben hasn't come over again, but I catch him looking my way a couple times. I pay for my last drink and as I'm putting my card away, Ben appears at my side again. "Can I get your number?" he asks, slightly yelling over the loud music. Instead of answering, I take his hand and lead him through the crowd and out the door. I take him to the side of the building and before he can say anything, I push him against the wall and kiss him. His hand tangles in my hair as he deepens the kiss. My mind feels jumbled with thoughts. There's no obvious fireworks being set off. This thing with Ben won't go the distance, but for a moment it fills a void in my heart. He pulls away and smiles. "So, is that a yes?" "Yes," I say, feeling the breath escape my mouth. "But I'm going away for a little bit. I'm going home." "You're not leaving tonight, right?" "Right." "Let's go grab something to eat then," he says, giving me a lopsided smile. We start walking on the sidewalk when I slow down. "What about your friends?" He waves it off. "They'll understand." We continue walking down the sidewalk and I feel giddy. I don't know Ben's feelings right now, but it feels good to be wanted again. To go and just be with someone who likes you. There's an unsettling feeling that he only wants to hook up again, but I ignore it. I'm going to let tonight happen and not worry about anything else