Hey, guys! So I totally forgot to say what my upload schedule was planned to be for this story, so here you go! Every other day, hopefully. I already have a pretty nice backlog of chapters that just need proofread/edited, and then they'll be up in a few days too.

I hope you guys are enjoying this one! It's been really fun to write, and I'm trying to decide how... crazy I want to make it, for lack of a better word. Not sure yet.

Anyways, hope you guys enjoy the chapter :) And thank you to those who followed and reviewed! I appreciate you guys!

Enjoy!

I did not bring my drink back to the same bartender, instead leaving it on one of the tables for the janitor to clean up. Blonde and I instead made our way to a bar in a different section of the hotel, far away from the noise of the casino. This was much quieter, much pricier, and much more pristine. The bar was lit with a backlight behind a mirror, facing us from behind the bartender, who was now a young, pretty woman. The fine liquors were displayed against the glass, giving the illusion that the bar contained much more alcohol than it really did, but impressive nonetheless. The stools were comfortable, padded leather with a small backrest. I leaned with my elbows on the smooth marble counter, sipping my third and final drink for the night, while Blonde sat across from me, enjoying his own fruity drink.

"What?" He had asked me when he ordered the drink. "I don't drink the hard shit. Tastes awful."

"So you prefer girly drinks?"

"Definitely," he had answered.

I nodded. "Me too."

I sipped it slowly as we talked, Miku and Gumi's voices in my head telling me that I needed to slow down. Getting blackout drunk in Vegas with a stranger was not advisable and I wasn't planning on it.

Even though I had made this decision, it was hard. He gave such a welcoming and chill vibe that, initially, I thought it would be great to just let go for a night.

"That's a nice bracelet," he said pointing down at the charm bracelet that I fidgeted with nearly every moment I could.

"Oh, thanks," I said, feeling a bit ashamed that he acknowledged it.

"Present from your boyfriend?" He joked.

Ex, actually, I corrected in my head. But, of course, I couldn't tell him that. "I bought it on vacation in Aspen," I half-lied.

"Looks expensive."

I took a sip from my drink, looking away. "It was."

My objective for the night aside, I found our conversations unexpectedly enjoyable, and it wasn't long until my drink was gone once again. His as well.

"Another?" He asked.

I took a deep breath, debating.

"A hesitation is a no," he concluded matter-of-factly, waving the bartender over and ordering another for himself.

"It just… doesn't seem like a good idea to blackout with a stranger in Vegas," I told him, expressing my thoughts.

"Oh, you don't have to explain. It's good to know your limits."

"Plus," I added, my flirtatious tone returning. "I have a feeling this is a night I'll want to remember."

His eyes flashed mischievously. "Well, there's plenty to do around the resort. How long you been here?"

"About a week," I answered. "We came a bit early to do some sight-seeing before the festival."

He nodded. "So you've already seen everything around here?"

"Well…" I trailed off. "I've seen the fountains from my hotel room, but never up close."

"There we go, then." He downed his drink at an impressive speed and off we went.

The Vegas fountains, more popularly known as the Fountains of Bellagio, were located right outside of the Mandalay Hotel and Resort. It was a pool of clear, sparkling water stretching hundreds of feet across with bright underwater lights illuminating the droplets as they were launched into the air, forming unique shapes and casting shadows across the marble walkway surrounding it.

There were plenty of people mingling about. Somewhere in the distance, soft music played from an unknown source. A breeze blew past, and I huddled deeper into my jacket.

"San Marcos is nice," he was saying, telling me about his college life in Oceanside, surprisingly close to my home of San Diego. "It's a party school. That's all that matters, right?"

I let out a laugh. "Yeah, except for, like graduating."

He waved me off.

"What do you guys do for fun around there?"

"The beach, mostly," he answered. "But me and my friends like to fuck around with music sometimes."

I raised my eyebrows. "What do you play?"

"Guitar. Like every other college guy," he told me.

"Ah. More of a bass player myself," I replied, glancing towards the fountains as they shot up once more.

"Oh yeah? My high school guitar teacher always told me 'There will never be enough bass players in the world.'"

I shrugged. "What can I say? I'm one of a kind."

He grinned. "You can say that again."

I turned my attention away from the fountains, giving him a sly look. "Flattery will get you nowhere," I promised.

"It's gotten me this far." He walked with his hands in his pockets, meandering with me along the walkway and pausing every so often to remind me of that smirk that made my head spin.

I rolled my eyes, wandering a bit closer to him as we walked side-by-side along the fountains.

A moment passed where the only sounds around us were the gentle lapping of the pool, the rise and fall of the fountains, and the upbeat chatter around us. It was a comfortable silence, as if we had known each other long enough to keep each other entertained just by being present.

It was an oddly intimate silence.

"You said you were here with your friends," he said, stopping along the railing and leaning against it.

I narrowed my eyes. "You need to go make sure you got the hottest one?" I jeered.

"I'm, ah, pretty sure I already did." He looked towards the falling water as he said this, avoiding my eyes.

I was caught off guard for only a moment. "Yeah," I answered. "I'm here with them. They're… somewhere. Probably."

"Do I need to have you home by eight or something?"

"They're my friends, not my parents," I corrected him.

His eyes flashed with the lights. And his smile. "Still scary," he informed me.

Probably, I thought to myself. The thought of Miku and Gumi catching me with him was enough to make me do a quick scan of our surroundings. No green or blue hair in sight. "I'm a big girl. I can't stay out as late as I want." I leaned against the railing with him, our arms nearly touching.

The fountains were absolutely breathtaking. Their timing was purposefully offset, creating a wave-like jet beginning on the outer edges of the pool and peaking in the middle. These patterns continued in increasingly complex ways, and I found myself thinking that I could stand here for hours just watching the fluorescent lights and jet streamed waters.

It took me a few moments to remember that I wasn't alone. I had nearly forgotten, due to his silence, that he was still standing beside me. I turned to him to find him already staring at me.

Once again, my confidence was beginning to waver as I sobered up. I turned away immediately, an involuntary, shy smile creeping to my lips. My eyes found the water just before us.

He just let out a short, low laugh, turning back to the waters. My face was probably flushing deep red and I was suddenly extremely grateful for the low lighting.

"I'm not usually like this," I heard myself say, fingering the bracelet once again.

He turned back to me, his brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"This…" I trailed off. "Self-assured." I could think of no better word.

He thought for a moment. "Yeah. Me neither."

I wasn't sure how I expected him to respond, but it definitely wasn't like that.

"Vegas High, I guess," I lied, feeling more and more guilt piling with each falsehood emerging from me. I had already told him I was a college student living in San Diego, working at a coffee shop to get by.

The show seemed like a distant memory, yet it still didn't even occur to me to mention it to him. What I was proud of just a few hours ago now seemed like somewhat of a shame, like I wasn't worthy of being treated like a normal person.

So I said nothing.

"I don't think it's a big deal," he told me with another heart-warming smile. The lights from the fountains outlined his sharp features more clearly. I had the strangest feeling of my knees going weak. "Nothing wrong with being a little reckless once in a while. Get out of your own skin."

I laughed. "Sounds… morbid."

He smiled. "You know what I mean."

At some point during this conversation, one of us, I wasn't sure who, had slid closer to the other. I looked up at the fountains, forcing my hands away from my bracelet, and slowly leaned my head on his shoulder.

This is… weird. For a one-night stand, I admitted to myself. It almost felt like we were on a date. And yet it felt… right.

But I didn't even know his name.

"What are your plans for the rest of the night?" He spoke quietly, low. I shivered.

"I think that depends on you," I answered. "You said you have a room, right?"

He turned to look at me and I lifted my head, instead linking one of my arms into his. Our noses were nearly touching.

He thought for a moment, his eyes gleaming with the reflected lights and mischief. "We'd probably want to get a different one," he admitted.

I shrugged. "Fine with me."

He slowly leaned in even closer. He smelled of woodsy cologne and peppermint. His kiss tasted faintly of alcohol.

And that is how, not even fifteen minutes later, the two of us found our way outside of a newly-rented hotel room, barely able to keep our hands off of each other. The hallway was deserted at this time of the night, and I was thankful for that, or else people would have seen the two of us, lips locked, my hands in his hair, his on my waist, rushing to find the correct room.

"This one," he gasped as he pushed me against one of the doors, sliding the keycard into it to unlock it. An audible click sounded as he turned the handle.

"You know," he said, still holding me close to him. "I never even asked your name."

I dug my face into his neck, the stray strands of soft blonde hair tickling my cheeks. "Does it matter?" I asked, planting more kisses on his neck.

For a moment, I could have sworn he hesitated, standing outside of the empty room with hands traveling up and down, showing my obvious impatience.

Before long, he snapped back into action, pulling me into the room and closing the door behind us.

The sunlight filtered in through the window, directly onto my face.

I blinked groggily, rolling over under the thick comforter. I pushed myself into a sitting position, glancing out the window. The sun had barely risen over the horizon. For a moment, I couldn't remember where I was.

Next to me, under the covers, was his sleeping figure.

Oh, I thought to myself. Right.

I looked around the room, the memories from last night slowly coming back to me. My head hurt like hell, and the sun was not helping.

At least I woke up before he did, I thought, crawling out of bed in search of my clothes. I didn't even want to think about how awkward it would be if he woke up. There was zero chance I could keep up my smug facade from the night before. Not only did I not have the performance high to fuel me, but I was sleep-deprived and hungover. I probably looked like a trainwreck. I definitely felt like one.

It didn't take long for me to find my clothes. At least I was smart enough the night before to throw them all in the same pile. I dressed quickly, mentally reminding myself where my room with Miku and Gumi was. I grabbed my wallet and phone, slid them into the pockets of my shorts, and started towards the door.

There was shuffling behind me. I froze, waiting until it stopped before finally turning around. He had not awoken, just shifted under the covers. He was now facing me. His expression was soft in his sleep, and I was reminded once again why I was attracted to him in the first place.

I don't even know his name.

This was a one-time thing, there was no point in talking about things as pointless as a name. That was what I wanted, right? Just a body for the night? Because that was what I got.

Still, I had the urge to search through the pocket of his jeans. I could just peek into his wallet if I wanted to.

I dismissed the thought as soon as it came to my mind. Imagine if he woke up while I was snooping through his things. There was no way I could explain that away.

Maybe… I could leave him my number?

Once again, I dismissed the idea.

Just a one-night thing. No biggie. Besides, I had the girls to worry about. Especially after last night, I didn't have time for boys.

No matter how much I like him.

I couldn't leave him my number, or my name. After a moment of pondering, I glanced down at the bracelet around my wrist.

It made sense, after all. Might as well turn the shitty memories I carried along with this bracelet into good ones with my new mystery man. I quietly pulled the bracelet off of my wrist, setting it gently on the bedside table. It felt good, and it felt right. Like a weight had been lifted off my shoulder.

Without allowing myself to hesitate, I crept out of the room and into the hall.

It was a shame, really. If I had been a bit more responsible, maybe I could have met him back home. Maybe he would have come to one of my concerts or something, and I could have got to know him without lying to him about… everything, basically.

I was too sentimental for one-night stands, I determined as I stepped into the elevator. Back to the top floor, where I belonged. With my girls. Who were probably freaking out right now, wondering where I was.

Deep breath. I breathed in, thinking for the final time the fun of the night before, even allowing myself to linger on the memories in the hotel room for a moment longer, and then breathed out, releasing it all into the air around me. It was over. Done.

Back to the girls.

I pulled the keycard out of my wallet, sliding it into the door.

Just like he did the night before, with his strong hands…

Stop it.

"Hello?" I called, entering the living room. The suite had been a shock when we arrived the week before, seeing that we were basically living in a luxury apartment for the next week. The living room was furnished with sleek, modern furniture colored in blacks, reds, and whites. There was a bedroom to the left and to the right, but neither of them seemed to be occupied since Gumi and Miku were both passed out on the floor of the living room. They were surrounded by empty wine bottles, both still in their stage outfits, with the TV still on and blasting House Hunters. I was almost jealous of their night. Especially since they got to sleep in. The curtains were drawn over the glass wall opposite the front door, leaving the room in almost complete darkness.

I glanced at the clock on the stove, confirming that I indeed had plenty of time to catch up on my sleep before our meeting with Luka. And then we would be packing everything up to head home.

Home, I thought with longing. Gumi, Miku and I's apartment in downtown San Diego was calling to me.

I stumbled into one of the bedrooms, still thankful for the blackout curtains, and collapsed onto the bed.