I'm Still Standing

22

Jonathan

After having a magical time in Vancouver with the other top winter athletes in the entire world it was back to sweet home Chicago. Suddenly this city wasn't as scary anymore now that I've been around the worlds best athletes for a while. I'm not going to lie, I kinda missed this place. There's a lot to love about this city and there was a lot to see that I haven't yet seen. So Rachel and I decided to have a date night, explore the city and have some fun. Although she's not yet 21 she can still get into the bars so we decide to hit one up. Just be by ourselves for the first time in what feels like forever.

"You want a drink" I offer as I grab the one I ordered and she giggles.

"I can't drink" she reminds me.

"Just because you're not 21 doesn't mean you can't drink" I insist. People do it all the time. Hell, I was just a teen when I first started drinking.

"Legally I can't" she defends.

"It won't kill you" I argue.

"I'm sorry, but I already caused my dad enough trouble being in the news. I don't want to get to the coffee shop in the morning and see "Jeremys Lost Child Finds Herself Drinking In A Bar" on the front page of a newspaper. Being on there once is more than enough for me" she assures me.

"Alright, fine. But when you turn 21 I'm bringing you a drink and you're cutting loose" I insist.

"If that's what you want" she laughs.

So I get her a tea and I get a beer as we hang out to the side of the room. I know a bar isn't the best place to be dating but she loves music and I loved beer so it made sense to come here. We were off in our own little world as we try to get back to living the city life.

As the night wears on two things become very apparent to me. One was that I hadn't drank in a while and I was really feeling it. This beer was kicking my ass and I was letting it. And the second thing was I wasn't the only guy in this room that noticed how good Rachel was looking tonight. In fact it kinda felt like every guy here was staring at one point or another.

Suddenly I pull her into a passionate kiss before I snake my arm around so the guys would get the hint. She grabs me back but I can tell she was a little confused about what was happening right now. "Is everything okay" she wonders.

"Yeah. I just... wanted you near" I try.

"You wanted me near..." she trails off.

"You're not buying it huh" I chuckle.

"Not in the least" she admits.

"Alright" I sigh ready for the beer to spill it all. "I'm not that found of the way that literally every single guy in here is looking at you" I admit. I feel my cheeks flush as she shakes her head.

"Baby, it's you that I want. The other guys had their chance but there is none now that I'm with you" she insists.

"They other guys didn't have a chance because you were forced to hide for so long. If they would have seen you, gotten to know you, gotten to love you then I can almost assure you that you could have come here with anyone else" I sigh.

"But I didn't" she says as she cups my face. "I love you Jonathan. I love the way your hair looks even though you don't have the slightest clue what to do with it. I love your smile even though you hate smiling for whatever reason. I love the way you say my name when I make you upset but you know you can't do anything about it.

I love you Jonny. No one else" she promises.

I just smile to myself because I let the alcohol get the best of me. I pull her into a quick kiss to assure that I believe her. She suddenly grabs my hand and pulls me behind her.

"Where are we going" I ask carefully.

"If this is a date you're going to dance with me" she insists.

My eyes nearly pop out of my head as I look at her like she's crazy. Because she's crazy. "Oh hell no! I do not dance" I assure her.

"Tonight you do" she smirks. She had that twinkle in her eyes and it's hard to deny her when that happens.

So I let her pull me onto the sad excuse of a dance floor. I find myself thankful I was pretty drunk and hopefully I won't remember the embarrassment I am going to inevitably feel later on.

She turns herself around in my arms before backing up until her back side met my front. My hands automatically move to her hips as she slowly starts to move them to the beat. For the most part she was pretty sheltered and kept to herself. She didn't have a lot of exposure to this kind of scene or music at that. But sometimes the beat just speaks to us, we feel it in our bodies and our body does what it's told. And whatever this song was telling her was something I never expected from her. Not that I'm complaining.

"Where did you learn to dance like this" I ask as she turns her head so she can see me.

"I know things" she claims and I raise my eyebrow.

"Is that so" I ask.

"Less taking, more dancing" she demands.

So I do as I'm told and I shut my lips. She turns back around and continues to work her magic. I let her do whatever she pleases without another peep.

Eventually it gets late and I had morning skate tomorrow so we leave the bar. We decide to walk a little so I can sober up before going home. So I hold her hand tight in mine as I keep her next to me. She rests her head on my shoulder and I smile.

"Are you tired" I wonder.

"Very much so" she admits.

"I can take you home right now if you want" I assure her. I was the one who needed to sober up, not her.

"I'm tired, but never of you" she says softly.

I stop walking as she lifts her head up to look at me. Her eyes looked so fake, like glass marbles. And I was so drunk I didn't even know who to say at that moment. I was simply speechless, like a lot of times when my eyes meet hers.

"I love you so" I say softly as I cup her cheek.

"Why do you love me" she asks.

"For reasons I cannot explain. I feel it. I see it when I look at you. But I can't explain it, even when I am sober" I insist.

"That's okay" she assures me. "I already know."