Starry Eyed

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty

It only took a day for one of the strangest things in my life to occur. Another moment to add to the list, I suppose, and that list seemed to be growing more and more with every week I spent here. I stumbled back to the dormitory, honestly a little nervous that I would walk in on something I shouldn't. But the door was unlocked, so I trusted things wouldn't be all that terrible. 

Thankfully, the scene that greeted me was reasonably innocent. I hadn't really been expecting to find Star and James dancing like savage animals to Guns And Roses, but then again, what was expected these days? Star's hair was slightly dishevelled and James' shirt crumpled. I tried very hard to pretend I hadn't noticed.

"What the hell's gotten into you two?" I asked, watching as they flopped and threw their restless limbs about. Perhaps they were possessed?

"Everything's coming up, Jones!" Squealed Star as James wheeled her around like a spinning top. The style of their dancing really didn't match the booming metallic rock, but neither of them seemed to care.

"What does that mean?" I exclaimed, confused. James knocked into my shoulder, and then shouted, "just dance! Jesus Christ!", so I danced. 

You know how that feels? To find your friends jamming out to some random heavy metal song, and just to join in and tip your head back and dance with them? I swung my arms about and kicked and thrashed and head-banged out of time to the beat, and it felt really fucking good, and I forgave them for what they had done and forgave myself for all the shit I had done too. It felt really fucking good.

Then Star flopped out on the bed, and shouted, "hallelujah!" and waved her cellphone around in the air. I smiled and asked again, "care to tell me what the hell is going on?"

James cried, "I'm back in the game, Luca! I'm going to another fucking party!"

I laughed in spite of myself, watching Star leap up and throw her arms around James. I didn't even care in the moment. It felt so good to just not let myself feel it; just to be happy for James, to remember we were friends and he'd just gotten what he'd wanted ever since Bridgit left him. 

"Congratulations," I grinned. Star kissed James. It had only been a couple of hours and they were already on to making out (although I suspected that wasn't all). It felt strange to watch her kiss him, but if I pretended not to care, it was all okay. I let go and I thought about other things and I felt fine for the seconds it lasted.

"All three of us are going to sit inside Kale's dorm and drink and play shitty middle school party games," James hollered, breaking away from Star and punching the air like that kid from 'The Breakfast Club'. I practically did a double take.

"Wait, all three of us?"

"New sensation, huh?" Star grinned, gesturing with her hands. I just stared at her.

"How the hell was I invited?"

"It's a matter of relation," she continued, casual as ever. "James knows me. You know James and me. It was bound to happen sometime."

"Seriously? When is it? What do you people even do at parties here?" 

"Eachother," winked James, but Star slapped a hand over his mouth before he could say anything else. I doubted that was my kind of party. 

"It's tonight, anyway," Star shrugged. "My first party with my boyfriend and my best friend. I have so much to do!"

She had just referred to James as her boyfriend, and that made me feel a little weird, like maybe this was some kind of alternate universe. Was that all it took? One afternoon and you had a real girlfriend? Would that happen to me tonight?