Dispatches from a Teenage Girl

Chapter 7

The plan has been set. I am going over to Claire's to study for the upcoming chemistry test. Which currently doesn't exist but obviously there will be a chemistry test at some point in the somewhat near future.

I arrive at Claire's house at 6 for pre-date dinner, but mostly for date prep. I am not sure I have ever been on an actual date. I don't know if this is really a date. I've hung out with a boy that I like that likes me back, but we are always in a big group and I am not sure I even liked them. Not like I like Sam. But let's be honest, I am not sure if this is an actual date with Sam either. He just asked me to come to bar that he's going to be at either way. But for now, I will call it a date because it just sounds so much more exciting!

"Ok, first things first," says Claire as she opens the door and hands me a passport. I look at it. It's Claire's older sister Rebecca's passport, listing her age at exactly 22 years old. We both have brown hair but that's about all we have in common. "Just don't let them confiscate it. If it doesn't work, grab it AND RUN!"

I have never been to a bar. I have never used fake ID. I don't even know what face to make while the bouncer looks at the ID. Annoyed? Excited? Indifferent? Anxious? Most likely I will try so hard to look cool that I'll end up looking constipated or something.

Claire grabs my hands, pulls me upstairs into her room and closes the door.

"So I'm thinking sexy but in a way that it looks like you're trying not to look sexy, like you're so sexy that you can't help it." I look at Claire with complete confusion. Me and sexy do not go together. I am as plain as they come.

"These black skinny jeans, your chucks and this giant sweatshirt," Claire says as she throws clothes at me. I obviously don't understand fashion because this feels like the outfit Sam would wear. But I listen to my friend and put it on.

"See," Claire says as she pulls the sweatshirt down on one side, exposing my shoulder and bra strap. "Sexy but not on purpose... but totally on purpose!"

I look in the mirror and I actually see it. I look good. But more than that, I look cool. What is happening? A smile grows across my face.

"Now let's eat some pizza!"

***

At exactly 7:20 p.m. Claire basically shoves me out of her house, cool outfit and all. Stuffed with pizza and ready to party.

I walk to the bar, and then around the block exactly two times to make sure that I am casually but not rudely late. I am also working up my nerve to use Rebecca's passport. And thinking of what I will say to Sam when I see him. Ok, here it goes.

I walk up to the entrance. The bouncer is just standing there. He is enormous, dressed all in black. He sees me approaching, opens the door for me, nods and says, "Have a good night."

What? I didn't even get carded. Does this mean I could have been going to bars all this time? Well at least this bar in particular. I walk in slowly, it's pretty empty. Am I early? Does Sam's friends' band suck? I head to the bar. Oh shit, what do I order? I have never ordered a beer before. Do I just say the name of the beer? What's a name of a beer? I start running beer commercials through my head, trying to remember names.

"Lucy?" I snap out of it. Sam is standing in front of me, holding two pints of beer. "Really caught you deep in thought there. Must be thinking about something pretty important." I decide it's not really necessary to tell Sam that I was singing beer jingles in my head. He hands me a beer. Raintree Mountain IPA. Well, I definitely would not have ever come up with this choice.

"Thanks," I say and take a big sip. Ugh, I do not like this. I try to not let it show on my face.

"A little hoppy for your taste?" Sam asks. I guess I didn't hide that look too well. Also, what does hoppy mean?