Neea was so sweet yesterday, taking me shopping downtown so I could get something decent to wear tonight. I've gotten a few new things since I've been living here, but only replacements for the most egregiously worn-out crap I was wearing before, and for the hoodie and backpack that Kodi destroyed.
But this time it was for all-new clothes!
I'm not supposed to care about stuff like this. I've never been the pretty things type, and for many months I've looked like absolute shit and haven't cared, but right now, dressed decently and going out with Teddy and his friends, I'm allowing myself to be pleased. Yeah. New clothes.
So I'm wearing these cool, dark grey jeans, the kind that fit snugly all the way down my skinny legs; plus a white shirt with an oversized collar and a nice, nubbly little beige cardigan. Still got the white Chucks with the doodles all over them but they work with this look, I think, and I'm secretly hoping an art collector will offer me a hundred grand for them. When we were out shopping, Neea wanted me to get a skirt but I was like, whoa, one step at a time, woman! Anyway, it might not sound like much, but I'm feeling good.
Teddy's friends are actually pretty cool. Jello, no surprise, turns out to be a real nutbar, and Byron's girlfriend Katie and Teddy's friend C. J. are really nice. We all cram into Byron's little car to get here so it's like, quick introductions and then me wedging myself in between strangers. It turned out that C. J. didn't know the others either so I wasn't the only new face in the group.
We pile out of the car and walk to the gallery and I get a moment of nervousness seeing loads of well-dressed people inside, having artsy conversations and holding glasses of wine. What's it going to be like in there? Can I really do this? Then we barely get inside the door when Jello says loudly, "There are penises! I told you there'd be penises!"
He's looking at these big nude pictures of men and women on the back wall facing the door. It's full-frontal, so yes, there are a few penises.
"You promised not to embarrass me," says Byron.
Katie's laughing at her boyfriend and I'm thinking this'll probably be OK.
• • • •
They hovered just inside the door, not sure of what to do or where to go until Shane spotted them and came over. He was wearing a shiny black dinner jacket, even shinier black shoes, a crisp white shirt and bright purple velvet pants. "Hey! You guys showed up!" he said.
"Of course!" said Jello, giving Shane a hug.
"Good, we need some young blood around here," said Shane, laughing, then added in a loud whisper, "This is Victoria high-society so everyone's, like, ninety."
"Grace wanted to come too," Byron said, "but my Dad said no way." His little sister Grace was fifteen and, as far as Mr. Lin was concerned, needed to be sheltered from everything in the world that wasn't flowers, teddy bears and ponies.
Shane laughed. "Uncle Wayne. Such a prude!"
He hugged Byron, Teddy and Katie, then went on to hug C. J. and Darwin who he hadn't even met. Shane was a hugger and when Teddy did the introductions, Shane hugged the girls again.
"What's C. J. stand for?" he asked.
"She won't tell us!" said Jello.
"Must be something really embarrassing then," said Shane, laughing. "Thanks so much for coming, you guys! Grab a drink!"
He added with a wink, "You're all legal, right?"
Shane went off to talk to some other guests who had just come in.
YOU ARE READING
What Passes For Normal
General FictionA girl, nineteen, living on the streets and addicted to meth, discovers that getting hit by a car might be the best thing to ever happen to her. A guy, eighteen, wonders what just happened to his normal life.
