Julia was out of the hospital and back to school in a couple of weeks. She was out of the bandages in a month and fully herself by Halloween. This was her favorite holiday and finally being old enough that year to experience it in the city made the day more of event than any of her family wanted to deal with. So she stayed with a friend in the city for the entire week preceding the holiday. The problem was she didn't tell anybody who the friend was. This led to the assumption that it was Derrick and after his grandparents confirmed that he was renting an apartment there it became fact. Julia and Derrick were officially a couple.

"For the rest of September and most of October Amber heard very little from her sister. She received selective news from Charlie but other than that she had been purposefully kept out of the loop. That is until Julia had the brand new information about Julia.

"We're not mad anymore," she prefaced, "You can tell us where you live."

"Amber was annoyed she was having the conversation but more relieved that Charlie and Julia hadn't spilled the beans about her apartment.

"I haven't heard from you in over a month."

"Well, of course, we were mad. You were being a bit selfish, but we understand you need your space."

"Whatever. What do you want?"

"To gossip," Mary said gleefully, "I already told Whitney but I just had to tell someone else."

"I'm waiting."

"Julia and Derrick are together!"

Amber wasn't surprised. That didn't stop it from hurting.

"When she didn't reply," Mary asked, "You remember Derrick."

"Yes," Amber said, "Why do I care about this?"

"Geez, you could pretend to be excited."

"Julia has had a billion boyfriends since junior high."

"But not one as hot and successful as him. How lucky are we that his grandparents bought our house."

"So lucky," Amber said sarcastically. "Is that all?"

"Dad is having trouble with the rent. Charlie and I helped him out this month, but I think it would be best if…"

"He's not moving in with me. He can get a full time job and stop dating Whitney and stop going to bars. Then I'm sure he would have more than enough money. Goodbye, Mary."

Amber hung up before she could hear any protest.

Halloween was a great time in her school. The day before the kids and teachers were all in a good mood. It was the one time of year Amber actually enjoyed going to parties. Some of the teachers were Halloween enthusiasts who through trick or treating parties for their colleagues. Three to five teachers would have parties and the other teachers and administrators would go from house to house "trick or treating". It was an excuse to run around neighborhoods in your costume and get drunk with your work friends.

People brought their spouses or partners to these parties and for that reason Amber never went. Because it was his first year Mr. Williams requested that all of his colleagues participate. So begrudgingly Amber went costume shopping after she begged Helen to be her plus one.

"This is stupid," Amber said knocking on the geometry teacher's door.

"I told you to pick a different costume," Helen said straightening her wig. She was, as she had been for the past five years, the bride of Frankenstein.

"There wasn't anything else. Is it that bad?" Amber tugged at her skirt to smooth it out. "I hate parties." Amber was Uhura from Star Trek. When she bought she thought it would be simple and easy to deal with, but it ended up being too short. She was afraid of what her coworkers might say.

"It's fine if you stop fidgeting." Helen took Ambers hands and pinned them you her sides. "Stay still."

The door opened. "I knew it!" Ms. Smith, the English teacher, shouted, "She's a lesbian!"

Everyone near the door laughed uproariously which made Amber turn and start to descend the porch steps.

Helen pulled her through. "We're here now," she said smiling at everybody.

People continued to laugh for about a minute after Amber and Helen were in the house. Ms. Smith, who was clearly drunk, hugged Amber and apologized. "I was joking. It's a joke we make. You know because…"

"Because I don't have a boyfriend," Amber finished.

"Because you've never had a boyfriend," Ms. Smith corrected. "That's my song," she shouted. She began to rock back and forth to the music, very careful not to spill her drink.

The house was small which made the space very cramped. It was almost impossible to navigate around everyone and even if they could, happy drunks, who would otherwise ignore Amber's existence, stopped her to hug and talk about how much fun they were having. They left that house after fifteen minutes.

At Helen's insistence they went to the next home. The art teacher lived on the third floor of a three-flat apartment building just south of the city, close to where Amber lived, which was the reason they chose that party. People in costumes crowded the front door and the stairwell indicating that Amber and Helen were at the right place.

The apartment was just as crowded as the house, but the people were less obnoxious and the music was better so Amber decided she could handle staying. They went straight to the kitchen where they had two shots each and a cup of mysterious punch.

Helen loosened up immediately and left Amber to talk to some guys that were hitting on her. Amber made herself comfortable on the kitchen counter. She regretted drinking so much around colleagues, but everyone seemed to be doing the same and she needed the buzz if she was going to enjoy herself at all.

Occasionally, someone would stop to exchange pleasantries, but for the most part Amber was on her own. That is until she caught Mr. Williams's eye. He had been hoping to run into her. He wasn't entirely sure she would bother showing up. His request for all of the teachers to join was really to get Amber out since he'd heard around that she never really socialized outside of work.

He took her presence there as a good sign and when Mr. Parker was done talking to her he seated himself next to her on the counter.
"Think it's a good idea to be up here?" he said into her ear. The music wasn't too loud. She probably would've heard him but he didn't want her to move away when he sat down.

To his relief she smiled and replied, "No one's complained yet. Having fun?"

"I am now," Mr. Williams replied. Thinking that was to forward he quickly added, "I love this song."

Amber nodded. "Me too." She sang a few lyrics of the chorus and then said, "It was my ringtone in high school."
"Who are you here with?" asked Mr. Williams.

"My sister," Amber said, "I mean my best friend. She is my sister-in-law, but she was like my sister before my actual sister got married to her brother. Not to her brother, of course. That would be gross. And we don't have a brother. To my sister-in-law's brother who is also one of my best friends." Amber stopped and looked at him. "Sorry. The alcohol is kicking in."

"It's fine." Mr. Williams laughed. "Are you going to stop by another house tonight?"

Amber shook her head. "I've seen everyone already. I'm going home after this."

"The night's still young!"

"Well, I'm not leaving right now." Amber said taking a sip of her punch.

"Good," Mr. Williams said. He took her cup and set it where he was sitting and pulled her off of the counter. "Dance with me."

Amber protested at first but her will to fight was weak.

What they were doing wasn't necessarily dancing. Amber would've described it as random movement that had nothing to do with the music, but she followed Mr. Williams's lead anyway. She liked watching him. He was hilariously uncoordinated.

They "danced" for two more songs. Then Amber started feeling dizzy and wanted to sit down, which she did right in the middle of the floor. Mr. Williams's laughed and shook his head.

"No," he said pulling her to her feet, "Let's get some air."

He guided her by the shoulders to the balcony. Two other people, obviously irritated that their privacy was interrupted, went back into the apartment. Mr. Williams slid the door shut behind them causing a silence that made Amber more aware of the throbbing in her head.

"Crap," she muttered leaning over the rail.

Mr. Williams patted her on the back. "Too much, too fast, huh?"

"Yeah," Amber replied, "Pretty irresponsible, I know."

Mr. Williams shook his head. "You're just having fun."

"Too much, too fast," Amber repeated laughing, "I'm okay. You don't have to stay out here with me."

Mr. Williams leaned over the rail. "I want to."
Amber rested her head on her hands and looked at him. "Thanks."

"No problem." He moved his head close to hers. "Would it be crossing a line if I kissed you right now?"

"Absolutely, you're my boss," Amber replied. "But I don't care if you don't."

He kissed her softly on the lips. She smiled when they parted. He laughed.

"What?" Amber said frowning.

"Please call me, Elliott," he said before leaning in to kiss her again.