Bailey
I hate stairs, not because I am unfit or anything like that but because leg day was brutal on the other day. I should have just stayed home, smoke one and watch my favorite sitcom for the Nth time but no! Here I was, this Friday night heading to a party. “It’ll be fun”, he said convincingly, “Plus you’ll get to meet new guys and maybe get laid”.
It had been months since my breakup. As much as I hadn’t been in my feelings about it and pulled out the gangsta in me, I hadn’t jumped back into the saddle let alone take a ride. It’s not because I didn’t have prospects, I did, but because no one tickled my fancy.
So here we were, my social battery below fifty percent, at the door ready to enter into the wild. I quickly found a spot to sit as I read the room while Ken, my crazy friend, went to get us drinks. “I know no one here,” I thought to myself as I scanned through the room. There were groups of people doing different things. Gamers, stoners, poker players and others, all tipsy and enjoying themselves and then there is me, alone on the couch going through my Twitter feed.
Two drinks later I could socialize. Scanning the room my eyes stopped at the stoners corner, there is when I saw him smoking one. I don’t know if it was the drinks in me or the cloud of smoke around him but he looked damn good blowing out that smoke. He had cute lips and the naughty side of my brain kept wondering what other things those lips could do.
As I zoned out into my fantasy of his lips staring through him, our eyes locked. Oh shit! If I look away immediately he’ll think I was eyeing him and if I hold the gaze it’ll seem like I had the hots for him. I was in a dilemma in that microsecond the worst case happened, my brain froze! I kept the eye lock for long until it became awkward. Smiling awkwardly, I released the gaze and took a gulp of my drink.
Ray
“Who is she?”
Kevin! Kevin! It’s like he’s always with a different girl every time I pick him up as we head to the gym. You know, as a guy we never ask questions, we just laugh is out and keep it moving. Today was no different as I had parked at the building that housed his favorite restaurant, his favorite first date spot.
He emerged out of the building with yet another lady. I wasn’t surprised, it would have been surprised if he wasn’t with a lady. They hugged goodbye and parted ways, him heading towards where I had packed. The lady kept to the path walking freely with her earphones on, all smiles.
“Do I even have to ask?” I said as he got into the car.
“It’s not like that, this one is different,” he said laughing as he settled in. If I didn’t know him I’d swear he was blushing.
“You always say that Kevin but we know how they all end”
“Just shut up and drive Ray!”
These past few months have been the worst for me. I’ve been in a rut and can’t seem to dig myself out of it. My mood and energy has been low and as much as I wanted to pin point what was the cause I couldn’t figure out why.
I could not take her out of my mind. Seeing her all bubbly and jumpy ignited something in me. I don’t know if it was her free-spirited nature or her smile, but that something that I’d want in my life. A ray of sunshine.
I was surprised to see her here, in my house, and she wasn’t with Kevin. There she was, all smiles as usual seated on the couch all by herself. I wondered who she was here with. “Should I go say hi?” “Will that be breaking any sorts of bro-codes?”
Just as I was lost in my thoughts smoking I looked her way and there she was also looking at me. My heart beat so fast for those few seconds our eyes locked and lingered. I gave her a side smile and turned away before I could embarrass myself.
Oh shit! I’m in trouble!
