Sunsets Never Were So Bright

I was all ready in my dress and had just finished my makeup when Zack walked into my room. He looked handsome this afternoon in his all black tux with a hot pink bow tie. I'd never seen that man wear a regular tie, come to think of it.
"You look amazing, Amber," he murmured. I turned and smiled my best "socialite" smile at him.
"Thank you, Zack. You do, too."
"You looked better last night," he whispered and walked out of the room.
No, it can't be him...
"Chop chop, Amber. We must be going now." I rolled my eyes. Fucking bitch.
The entire ball was incredibly stupid. Zack wound up leaving in the middle because his little brother wanted to go home. So I stood in the corner like an idiot and watched all the unhappy couples dance.
At around nine, my mother decided it was time to head home. And at ten, I decided it was time to call good ole mystery man.
I pulled the slip of paper from last night out of my end table drawer and grabbed my phone. I dialed the number carefully and waited for the ringing to stop.
"Hey," the man said gruffly.
"Uhm, hi."
"I'm glad you called, Amber."
Oh my god, it was Zack!
"Is it really you, Zack?"
"Yeah, I guess it is."
I sighed. I needed a cigarette now.
"Look, do you want to meet up somewhere? Even if it's just at Central Park," he asked.
"Uh, sure. I'll be there in ten?"
"Sounds good. See you there, Amber."
I shut my phone and slipped on my favorite In This Moment shirt with skinny jeans and a beanie, pulling on some motorcycle boots quickly and climbing down the lattice in record time. I made it to Central Park in a light jog, before realizing that I had no clue where in the park he wanted to meet. I looked at my phone to see that I had gotten a text.



I did as the text said. Sure enough, Zack sat there with a smug look on his face.
"You look better now than you did at that stupid ball," he said as he got up and gave me a hug.
"You do, too," I said, taking in his Minor Threat shirt and dark jeans that hung loosely on his hips. He pulled out a Marlboro and lit it, taking a long inhale.
"Hey, can I have a hit?"
He looked at me funny. "Uh, I guess. Three hit pass."
I took my three hits and sighed, feeling relieved from the cancerous fumes.
"I always knew you were different," he murmured. He took my hand and pulled me through the bushes behind the bench. There was a blanket on the ground with a basket on the edge.
"What's all this?"
"Well, I figured we could, er, get to know each other a little bit better. You know, the real us."
I smiled. "Okay, but what's in the basket?"
He opened it to reveal several different varieties of alcohol.
"My type of guy," I commented, grabbing a bottle of Jack, popping it open, and swallowing a large gulp of the burning whiskey.
"My type of girl!" he said with a laugh, doing the same.
We talked for, well, I don't even know how I long.
Zack leaned in close as we sat.
"Zack, what'reyoudoing?" I slurred. He laughed. He wasn't anywhere near as wasted as I was, and he found my drunken state quite hilarious.
"Something I've wanted to do for a long time."
He leaned in even closer until our lips met. He didn't bother waiting for me to kiss back, but instead shoved his tongue into my mouth as if he owned it. I didn't complain, because he tasted great. Cigarettes, Jack Daniels, and something that was uniquely him.
He pulled away and smiled. "Wow," he breathed. He pulled me back into his arms and down onto the blanket. We laid there, looking at the stars, until I fell asleep.