JORDI ADKINS
"Hey mom," With shallow breathing, I began speaking once my mother answered my call. This was going to be the very first time that I'm going to ask permission from her to go to a party without any sort of occasion like a Halloween party and whatnot. "Are you home already?"
"I'm still at work, sweetie. I'm doing some overtime to finish all the jobs before I get off for holiday. My boss is such a whack. he does not want me to go on a holiday without finishing everything. Why? What's the matter sweetheart? Are you in some kind of trouble? Did something horrible happen to you? Do you want me to pick you up?" The woman over the other line went on seemingly rapping everything. She might think she's some kind of Lauryn Hill.
"Mom, calm your ass down. I'm totally fine. Nothing happened." I was looking over at Nikki and Jane and the look painted on their faces was nothing worry. They're probably thinking my mom doesn't want to let me go.
"Oh, so what is it then, sweetheart?"
"I'm with Nikki and Jane right now." I said. In my head, I was already thinking of some ways to glamourize what I'm about to ask.
"Oh, that sounds nice. You're spending time with your ex-girlfriend." My mom replied which immediately irked me. I already told her everything about me and Jane and she's still playing with that ex thingy. As if I would really date Jane. I would never date her unless I go batshit crazy. She's way too clingy and two clingy people are just going to end up clinging to each other ninety-percent of the time. They'll never finish anything in life.
"Mom, I told you already. That was just an act. Me and Jane never ever dated." I replied gritting with such annoyance.
"Oh, silly. I was just playing with you, Jordi. You're way too serious."
"Okay, now quit it. It's getting old just like you."
"Na-ah. You did not just call me that."
"I'm sorry, ma."
"Okay, so why are you calling then? Are you guys hanging out at home?"
"No. We just got out of school. The school play just ended and we are actually thinking..." Someone from the other line decided to distract my mom. I could hear both of them talking about designs using some language that I could barely comprehend myself.
"Sorry, sweetie. I was just talking to one of my colleague. What was that again?"
"Uhm, the three of us, we are actually thinking if we could go out tonight?!" I had to bite my lip right after saying that. I was highly hoping that she would say yes.
"Oh, that's it? Sure thing, sweetie. That's not going to be a problem."
"What, that's it?" I was utterly surprised but most definitely glad that she basically said yes. "Aren't you going to ask where?"
"Where?"
"We are still thinking where to go though. Is it okay if we take a few drinks too?" I followed up and this time, I was a little bit braver to ask her if she's going to allow me to drink. Ninety percent, I was already more than prepared for her say no.
"Just a little." She replied and I was actually quite shocked once again. I thought she's going to start rapping like Lauryn Hill from her generation but she did not.
"Yes, just a little."
"I'm going to trust you on that, sweetie. I'm going to stay late tonight and your dad can cook his own dinner."
"That is if he can cook." I bantered cackling under my breath. I know my father does not cook at all and this is going to be a challenge for him.
"Hahaha, you really got my humor, son. Let your dad cook on his own or he can order delivery if he burns some egg or bacon."
"Hahaha." My mom and I exchanged some laughter for a brief second.
"Anyway, be sure to go home safe, sweetie. And if something comes up, just give me a call. I'm going to pick you up."
"Thanks, mom. You're the best."
"Okay, now. Take care and please, don't smoke anything."
"I will mom, bye."
I looked over at Nikki and Jane who both are giving me a very worried look and gave them a thumbs up gesture. They both went from worried into a loud giggle and rushed to give me a clingy hug.
"Aunt Zinnia said yes?!" Nikki glared over at me with a wide smile hanging on her face.
"Quite shockingly, yes." I nodded.
"Oh my god. We are so going to have fun." Jane chimed in and the three of us were just jumping out of joy and pure excitement. She's right, the three of us are going to have real fun this time around. My mom had no further questions except that she wants me to go home safe and to not smoke anything. Of course, I'm going to go home safe.
"Okay, but before we crash some party, we need to retouch our mugs first thing." Nikki suggested, she was on top of the moon. "I need to fix my eyes because that damn Zach made me cry."
We ended up going to a nearby café and just like we always do when we are only in for a Wi-Fi connection, only one of us ordered something. Thankfully, the people working around here already knows who we are and they just let us occupy a whole table with just one drink. That's part of the reason why we keep on coming back here.
Jane and Nikki both displayed their make-up on the table and began slathering on something on their faces. I would know how much they are looking forward to this because they moved like the plane's going to leave them. Nikki put some powder, reapplied some eye-liner and mascara before eventually redoing her lipstick. Jane on the other hand didn't put as much. She just patted on some powder, a quick blush that really brought out her color, curled her eyebrows and finally brushed her hair.
"You guys are really excited huh." I spat out just observing from my chair. They really got a lot of stuff just for their face. Their skin must've been exhausted from all of the dusty powder and whatnot.
"Of course, girl. This is the first time that all three of us are going out to crash a party without running away from your mother." Nikki said merrily.
"Aren't you excited, Jordi?" Jane inquired.
"I am."
"Do you want some lip gloss or lipstick?" Jane then offered.
"Yeah, your lips look kinda dry." Nikki added and she and Jane exchanged an understanding look.
"Kinda dry, kinda like your vagina." They both exclaimed in unison eventually laughing out loud. They both even slapped each other's palm.
"What the fuck?" I felt confused somehow but then, I suddenly felt conscious of myself that I snatched the small mirror out of Jane's hand. "Give me that." I stared at my lips and they were right, it's kind of dry. Maybe it was because of the cold breeze. December really does this to me every year. They dry out my lips.
"Do you want some gloss?" Jane offered me her lip gloss which I gladly took.
I slathered some gloss on my lip, puckered them to spread it even and they looked so much better. They look so healthy. Actually, I looked better with it that I can't stop looking at my lip.
"Okay, so Nikki, do you know some house party we could crash?" I inquired right after getting over at staring at my own glossy lip. You know that last you guys tried entering a club, right?"
"Yeah, Henry invited me. He was hosting a house party." Nikki nodded with such confidence as if she really planned this whole thing. "I was planning on going solo, you already know the drill but then this happened. So, I guess I'm going to crash that party with my best friends."
"Who's Henry?" Jane and I asked in unison. We know we don't have any Henry at school and if there was one, they're probably younger than us.
"Henry Simone, the guy from Springfield High." Nikki answered.
"Oh, so you have some friends across the pond now, eh?" I cinched my eyebrows directly at Nikki. She's really all over the place. She knows some people from universities and now, she knows people from the other schools. She's quite international but not really international.
"I met him at the soccer tournament. He's cute and tall but you girls know I'm not into relationships this era of my life. I'm just flirting with him." Nikki replied just as she was tying her hair.
I leaned over towards Jane and whispered. "She's a hoe."
"You're right." She winked at me and we just laughed under our breaths.
"What are you guys laughing about?"
"Nothing."
The whole trip to this Henry guy's house was an entire hour and that's all because we are stuck with the rush hour traffic. The driver's like a novice because we told him to detour to a specific route so we would avoid the traffic but he said he don't know the way. Maybe he was just ripping us off or something. Eventually, after being so bored in the cab, we finally got into this big ass house. As we were walking our way, we could already hear the loud music and Nikki was already hyped up.
By the time we got inside, the party had already started though I don't see anyone who's already drunk. That just meant we just arrived at the right time. Crashing this party seemed like I'm having my first house party for the first time ever. Most of the people here are strangers and I don't recognize anyone except for a few college people that I've met from the last party that I went to.
"Nikki!" A guy probably around six foot approached us.
"Henry, hey..." Nikki chirped and that's how we know the guy was Henry. He was really tall and ripped and quite dashing.
"I'm glad you showed up."
"Yeah. I also brought some friends over, if you don't mind." Nikki replied and this time, she was acting a little bit shy with her voice and her limited movements. She was the virgin Mary at this point. Is this really how she flirts? She gets all shy and reserved? Talk about deception.
"Nah, I don't mind. You should've invited more people. We got lots of alcohol and stuff."
"This is Jane and Jordi." Nikki uttered introducing me and Jane.
"Hey..."
"Hi, I'm Henry. It's a pleasure to meet you Jane and Jordi." We all shook each other's hand and just like that, without even telling us something Nikki just grabbed Henry by the hand and left.
"Did you saw that?" I asked Jane.
"The what?"
"Nikki just left us two here. In this house full of strangers." I complained thinking this was a bad idea.
"It's fine, Jordi. That's when our social acumen steps in. You don't have to be shy around strangers. Get your chin up and let's meet some people." Jane smiled seemingly unbothered by what just happened. "Come on, let's get ourselves some drinks!"
Jane grabbed my hand and the next thing I know; she was already pouring me some alcohol.