~~~Ellie~~~
"Shit, you look like a girl."
"Get out."
My sister snickers and saunters back out into the hall. Bitch much. I turn back to my mirror and try to recognize the person staring back. Her boobs are hoisted up towards her chin, her waist is cinched by some hybrid material of spandex and cloth, and her thighs have never made such an appearance. She turns and lo and behold, she has an ass. Her hair is poofed and curled every which way, but more importantly, her face has become a mask. It's this magic called contouring. So this is why Kim Kardashian isn't human.
"Ellie, Jude is here!"
"Shit," I secure a final bobby pin and take a step back. This is as good as it's gonna get.
I slip on my swing-from-a-pole heels, take a deep breath, and arrive downstairs where Jude is small-talking with my mother and dad is fiddling with the camera. They turn in unison and immediately my dad snaps a photo.
"Christ!" I cringe from the flash and cover my eyes.
"Take it outside! The lighting!" Mom slaps him on the hand.
Jude comes over, an awkward smile with shocked eyes as he scans my appearance.
"You look-"
"I can sort of breathe," I exhale.
"-stunning," Jude grins and wraps a hand around my waist.
I flush slightly, I don't really know why. We wait until my parents have satisfied their photo quota - I even took a picture in front of the hedges to satisfy them. They shoo us outside as the rest of our friends show up and the photo ritual continues until finally, we've been carted off and in one way or another, we end up on a boat. It's dank on deck but it's luxury and if you don't mind the humidity, the view of Manhattan is worth it.
I stand against the railing and watch the lights of the city gleam against the milky night sky. There's music and coconut shrimp on the lower deck, but I'm not willing to risk my digestive track. I'm beginning to see a trend in me being alone to ponder profound crap. My friends stayed below to dance with their boyfriends and Jude has disappeared. I asked him to stay with me, but somewhere between Cupid Shuffle and the french fries, he vanished.
"Shh, don't be too loud!"
"Fuck, I don't care, bruh-"
"Mrs. Doley is gonna come up here!"
"Let the fat cow catch me, pass it to me."
I edge away from the railing to the corner of the wall, peering around the side to where a group of boys stand. They're far from the staircase, all huddled in suits and ties with flushed cheeks. I squint as one of them passes a crumby, metallic flask from hand to hand, and suddenly Jude's face flashes from the bunch. I step out as he grabs hold of the flask, glances rather nervously around himself, and takes a quick swig before scrunching his nose in disgust.
"Doley never saw me come in with it!" Some asshole named Nick chuckles.
Jude laughs with the rest of them and licks his lips, his hands fidgeting at his sides. The group disperses as suddenly another teacher comes out to the top deck. Nick swipes the flask and all too quickly shoves it into the inner breast pocket of Jude's jacket. Jude smacks away the controlling hands and the boys adjust themselves as Mr. Conkling marches over.
"What are you all doing up here?"
"Enjoying the view," Nick states - even his hair is slimy.
"How long have you been up here," Mr. Conkling's gaze zeroes in on every anxious head. They have to be pissing themselves.
"Only a couple minutes, we're going back down to get some shrimp," Nick leads.
"Then go!" Mr. Conkling turns back and directs them to follow. Jude slips behind, waiting until they've all left and remains.
He waits a moment longer until the group has entered inside once more, and then draws the flask from his jacket.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I call out.
Jude whips towards me and slaps a finger to his lips, "Jesus, Ellie! Be quiet!"
I stamp towards him, my ankles quivering from my stilts of death.
"You're drinking at Junior Prom? Seriously, Jude?"
"Look, it's Nick Shapiro's, I'm just holding it for him."
"I saw you drink."
Jude shrugs, "So what?"
"So since when do you want to get wasted at school events? At least wait for the after party - you'll get-"
"Blah blah," Jude slurs and tilts his head back, gulping from the flask.
"What's even in there?" I frown at it.
"Vodka," Jude screws the cap back but then waves it my way, "Hm?"
I shake my head and lean against the railing, "Not unless its ice cold."
Jude rolls his eyes, "Princess."
I elbow him, "You're going to get caught. You sound drunk."
"I'm not even that drink, I didn't even drunk."
I laugh, "Just stay out of the way and no one will notice."
Jude swings his head, "Is that the advice you live by?"
"What do you mean?"
"It seems like you've went through high school following that motto."
I blink, "Is that supposed to be funny?"
Jude shakes his head, a bit too wildly, and then raises two defensive palms.
"Hey, hey, It was a compliment."
"How the hell was that a compliment?" I start to turn but Jude catches my wrist and tugs me back.
"I'm sorry, really," He makes sappy eyes and I slump, annoyed with his behavior at the moment.
"You can't hold your liquor."
"Psht, sure I can" He scoffs.
"I'm going to to go back, I'm cold," I lie.
"No stay," Jude sloppily strips his jacket and somehow gentlemanly, drapes it across my shoulders.
He takes a step back, his gaze washing over me and he grins, his frame a bit sluggish from all the booze, "You look good in my jacket."
My cheeks flush again but I decide to stick my arms through it and adjust the jacket accordingly. We stay quiet for a couple of seconds, but I smack my lips in thought.
"How was that a compliment?"
"What compliment?"
"Going through high school being unnoticed - stay out of the way?"
"Don't think about it," Jude shoos away the question.
"No tell me, I can take it."
"No, you can't" He laughs and draws the flask again.
"Tell me."
"Fine. Well, you take everything so seriously and that's good sometimes, you know? You uh, consider every option and you make educated decisions. You know what you want to do and you don't mess with people who don't have the same....views," Jude nods his head through every word, as if reassuring himself.
I stare back him for a moment, a little stunned, maybe even a little disappointed, "I sound so..."
"Sophisticated," Jude tries,
"Bitchy, is more of what I was going for," I lower my head.
"Hey, it's what I like about you."
"No other guy seems to feel the same way. I've never had a boyfriend. I over-think everything, it just puts people off," I hug the jacket tighter to myself and drink in the skyline in all it's glory.
"Not true."
"Is to."
Jude grabs my shoulders and shakes me towards him, "Ellie, you're a great person. Deal with it."
"I don't just want to be a great person. I want to be the person that everyone needs!" I flail my hands.
"You're beautiful, you're funny, you can't throw a football if your life depended on it, and you care about people more than you should. You are Ellie, be proud of that."
I seal my lips, my brain suddenly wrapped up in every syllable that's just escaped Jude's mouth. His eyes are still slightly clouded from the booze, but his palms rest easy on my shoulders. His features have softened and an inviting, comforting smile meets me with an alien sensation. He called me beautiful.
"Why do you try so hard?"
"To do what?" Jude drops his hands, but stays close.
"Always find the good in everyone."
"I like to be hopeful rather than cynical."
"Sounds more like gullible."
He doesn't say anything but he turns to the view, pointing out the Chrysler Building when we pass. Jude grips the railing harder and I lift a brow, "How's that vodka kicking in?"
He shakes his head without a word and I laugh. I ruffle his hair with one hand and Jude doesn't argue as he usually does, letting me muss his 'do without a care. He looks to me, cheeks slightly pink and eyes bright, so I smile back. We maintain a steady gaze but I turn when the contact become a bit too long for my liking. Jude quickly takes my hand, "No, don't do that."
"Are we having a staring contest."
"No, I...just like to look at you."
I squint, "Like to look at me?"
Jude nods like a little boy, "Yea - easy on the eyes."
My brows knit together and I become hyper-aware of his hand on mine, or the fact that I never really noticed how a slight amber hue singed his baby blues. He inches slowly and for a second, the sound of the boats near Chelsea and Kanye West booming from the lower deck mute only slightly. I notice how the paint is peeling at the corners of the deck, how damp and uncomfortable the humidity has gotten, and how my hair has frizzed as a result. I noticed the bitter and powerful stench of vodka coming off Jude's breath, and the way his eyes become hooded - sultry. And then there's that alien feeling once more and for a split second, I classify exactly what it is. It stupefies me and my eyes widen as I realize what he's doing, what my body is doing, and I curse my hormones as I realize I want this. He reaches out, his fingertips grazing softly against my cheek as my eyes slip closed.
"Eyelash."
I stop, popping one eye open as I study his fingertip with confusion. He has a sloppy grin and holds his fingertip up higher for me to see, where yes an eyelash of mine sits daintily. I hadn't realized I was holding my breath, and I exhale grossly to remain calm. I know what to do, so I blow it away and we watch the invisible lash flutter away.
"Did you make a wish?"
"...Yes."