You Give Me Problems (Van McCann)

Hand on His Jacket

I don't know why I was still hanging out with Katherine. We'd known each other since middle school and she was that person you grew up with so you automatically became friends.

The thing was that she was an overall shitty friend, she teased me about things that I really did feel insecure about and later got offended because I was being "such a piss about shit". She changed to fit the crowd, and she just overall didn't care about anybody that wasn't of any use to her.

And she also hung around a bad crowd. I'm not talking about the cool rebels that listen to punk music and cut class. I'm talking about actual lowlifes who stole cars and dealt things and weren't afraid to get their hands dirty because they just didn't give a shit if they actually hurt someone.

So yeah, I don't know how Katherine still called herself my friend after high school and even through University, but she did and I let her because she was a familiar face.

When she dragged me to a party going on at some stranger's house I was weary. I'm an avid watcher of crime dramas and all that, so I was mentally preparing myself to not accept any drinks from shady guys or follow some guy into a room alone.

I cursed myself when we actually stepped foot inside the house, because Katherine did what she'd always done. She saw some cute guy, or her version of cute that is, and then left me with the promise to bring back some drinks that she never fulfilled.

Oh god I hated being forced to socialize with a group of strangers this big. I was definitely not antisocial, but I also wasn't someone who could easily keep a conversation flowing.

I wandered over to the first lone person I saw that I figured would be harmless. It was a tall brunette girl standing against the wall, looking at the people crowded on the two couches and just mingling in the middle of the living room. Some remixed song by Britney Spears was playing and there were people grinding like there was no tomorrow.

She had beautiful eyes. They were the lightest brown and the way she leaned against the wall and tucked her hair behind her ear made it seem like she was just as weary of these people as I was.

I hadn't intended to really get a conversation going with her, but as I stood next to her and looked over at the people, I couldn't help but voice my thoughts. "God, I wanna get out of here."

"You read my mind. What brings you to this place?"

"A friend."

"Where is she?"

"She went off with some guy a couple of minutes ago."

"And left you alone? Sounds shitty. I'm Talia by the way."

"Carmen."

She nodded, growing quiet again.

"What about you? What brings you here?"

She shrugged, looking at the people. "A friend of a friend told me to come. I guess that's what happens when you can't say no."

I smiled, agreeing silently.

We were quiet and she spoke again. "You wanna get out of here?"

"And go where?"

"Some friends of a friend are playing at a bar. Downtown on Fairfax. I couldn't say no. But they're starting in ten so I guess I should get going soon. I don't know you seem cool. I don't usually invite some stranger though, so don't try anything on me."

I looked at the people again. They were still dancing and Katherine was still gone. I looked at Talia again. She was checking her phone and straightening up. "Coming?"