Friends. In the past month we’d taken our friendship from cordial to matching bracelet territory. This was a totally normal reaction to a friendship this awesome.

Amber grabbed my hand as we funneled into the crowd of people storming all the trucks. She weaved us in and out until she set her sights on a French-themed truck that served crepes.

“Nutella-stuffed crepes?” I asked after she ordered one for herself.

“If you tell me you don’t like Nutella, Dean, we’re no longer friends.” She stepped to the side so I could order.

“Make that two, please,” I said to the cashier, smirking at Amber.

“Oh thank God,” she said, true relief shaping her face. “I was worried.”

I took the paper cone-wrapped concoctions and ushered us to a table in the center of the market-like place and sat. “Wow,” I said, smiling as I handed her the food. “You were really worried about losing my friendship.”

Her eyes widened. “I was not.”

“Oh, you can’t deny it. I saw it all over your face.”

She laughed. “You can’t read me that well.”

I nodded enthusiastically. “Can,” I said before taking a massive bite of the crepe.

She mimicked me, her eyes rolling back in her head as she chewed. “Best. Night. Ever,” she said after swallowing.

The center of my chest pulsed and puffed and warmed at the happiness in her eyes.

I did that. I put that there.

I mentally high-fived myself as we continued to eat in a more-than-comfortable silence. For the briefest of moments, I had been worried that without our gear and our challenges and our hacks that we wouldn’t know what to talk about. With the way we’d been chatting nonstop tonight, it was stupid of me to worry. Amber and I were connected beyond our passion for computers, and I felt ridiculous for how relieved that fact made me.

“Thank you,” she said after we’d tossed our empty wrappers in the garbage, electing to take a short walk around the place. “I didn’t realize how much I needed this until you gave it to me.” She stopped short, halting her steps near the corner of the arcade building. “God, that sounded so pathetic.”

“No, it didn’t,” I said, turning to face where she’d taken up a lean against the brick building, the pink strands of hair illuminated by the neon sign far above her. The way she seemed content to stay there was like she didn’t want the night to end.

I don’t, either.

“It’s just…” She sighed, tucking her hands behind her back. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had fun like this.”

I eyed her. “You mean with a guy.”

She parted her lips to deny it but stopped herself. “You really do see more than anyone else, huh?”