Big parties were never really my favorite places to be. The constant buzz, questionable food, that dense, stuffy air, and a maze of people who'd already drunk more alcohol in half an hour than some do in a lifetime. Not exactly my idea of a good time.
Big parties were never really my favorite places to be, but occasionally, amidst the chaos, I could find an odd pleasure in observing the dynamics of people in such a large group. Because at times, if you blinked just right, you could catch a glimpse of their unguarded moments, those hidden facets of their personalities that otherwise remained concealed in the more restrained settings of everyday life. That, I must admit, had always been the most interesting part of any party I had been to.
Work parties were exactly the same. Wrap up a big project, or actually just confirm it, and voilà! A party, full of important and slightly less important people, kind of organized itself. Attendance was definitely not obligatory, but if you were a contributor to the success, it felt somewhat weird to be a no-show. Besides, after a few weeks of really hard work that seemed to have somewhat paid off, the desire to have some fun finally kicked in.
So, after my necessary round of conversations with people I simply had to talk to, I figured it was high time to unwind. Somehow.
The clock had just struck midnight, and there I was, navigating through a sea of inebriated souls. Almost like Cinderella, it crossed my mind, idiotic scenes of a non-existent musical started to flash through my mind.
Glass in hand, I meandered through the crowd, on the lookout for someone worth engaging in a conversation that didn't feel like small talk on repeat. It was then that our collision occurred, an accidental, somehow casual, yet it felt like it was inevitable.
Right in the middle of my silly Cinderella renditions - Sillyrella, if you will - I bumped straight into Maddox, or rather, he bumped into me, with a laugh. The impact was quite strong, yet it only caused my glass and his to meet with a delicate clinking sound that sent him into fits of laughter almost immediately. Amidst his infectious mirth, he hastily rearranged his tousled blond hair and gave my glass another playful tap.
"Oh! All apologies!" he muttered, his eyes sparkling with amusement and just a little hint of intoxication.
In response, I just smiled back and offered a nonchalant, "No biggie."
I noticed his dark shirt seemed to be buttoned up slightly wrong, as if he had done so in haste or without the full precision of sobriety. It also looked like he somehow fought with the urge to say something to me, his mouth poised to form words that never quite found their way out. Instead, he bore his eyes into mine, let out another bout of laughter, and made a rather futile attempt to neaten his shirt, probably unaware of its pesky buttons in incorrect places.
He didn't utter another word though, so I was about to leave him be, as usual. But then he caught me off guard, asking suddenly, unsure somehow, 'Hey you. Do you remember me?'
Leaning in slightly, I shielded our conversation from the raucous procession of giggling girls that swept past us and replied, 'I think I do. Maddie, right? Sophie's intern?' Glancing around, I added, 'Having fun?'
He nodded eagerly, his grin oddly timed as he exclaimed, "I'm coming out of my cage, and I've been doing just fine!"
"That's... good to hear," I replied, my words stumbling out awkwardly.
Hadn't I heard that phrase somewhere before?
Well. He didn't say anything else, and, in addition, looked at me with some kind of unexpected impatience. It was clear that he had very little desire to engage in further conversation with me, his gaze restlessly shifting from me to the people surrounding us, to his own black boots, and occasionally to my half-empty glass - which definitely wasn't a magical shoe, by the way, yet it fit my hand perfectly.
Okay, enough of this Cinderella nonsense.
But then suddenly, as if a light bulb had switched on in his mind, Maddox slapped his forehead and exclaimed "Oh! How are you? How is your life? How is it going? Are you still dreaming and making big plans?"
Perplexed, I replied, "Am I drea-- Are you alright?"
I couldn't have been that drunk, could I? Or was he high or on something else? It felt off, but I couldn't quite place it.
"Uh... Um," he shut his eyes close for a second, as if concentrating very hard, then uttered, "I'm doing good, I'm on some new shit..."
He sighed deeply, teetering dangerously close to spilling his drink on himself, because somebody had accidentally bumped into him.
After a prolonged pause during which I somehow failed to respond due to his quite strange confesssion, he met my gaze once more, his eyes brimming with curiosity and some kind of anticipation.
At that moment, as if the DJ - or whoever was in charge of music that evening - was watching us from a distance, the opening chords of 'Mr. Brightside' by the Killers reached my ears, and Maddox's eyes bore into me even more. It was then that I recognized a familiar line he had uttered just moments before, and suddenly everything clicked.
"Wait, wait, wait... are you– are you speaking in song lyrics? You do, don't you?" I couldn't help but chuckle. "Damn Mr. Brightside! I swear, I've heard that song like, what, five times today? I can't believe I didn't catch it right away!"
Maddox threw his hands out dramatically, gasping in mock astonishment, before tapping me on the shoulder with exaggerated enthusiasm as his face lit up, "Yes! Hallelujah! Thank you!"
"Wait, what else did you say... let me think... that one with dreaming, the Kinks? And just now... oh shit, I know this one..."
"It was Taylor freaking Swift, who else!" he laughed loudly, "And would you believe that no one figured it out for a solid three hours?! I'm absolutely drained and out of lyrics... Ordering drinks was a nightmare, too! Although, I must admit, the 'One bourbon, one scotch, one beer' line came in handy... Same as 'I'll take my whiskey neat.' The only problem is I'm not a fan of whiskey."
I chuckled once more, a little surprised by his sudden flow of words, "Yeah?"
"Uh-huh! To be perfectly honest, the bartender figured me out... because he asked if I also take my coffee black and my bed at three. And I do believe I caught his eye! Shame I didn't come here alone..."
I really couldn't help but laugh even more, a sense of relief washing over me as I finally understood the mystery behind his odd behavior (and that he probably wasn't high at all).
Yet, I still regarded him skeptically. "Wait, you mean to tell me you've been speaking only in song lyrics for three damn hours? No way..."
He nodded enthusiastically, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he could now speak freely once more.
I scoffed playfully, feigning disbelief, "But why?"
"I haven't the faintest idea. Why not, I suppose? Well, it was quite fun..." He admitted before leaning in closer, subtly nodding towards a petite, scantily clad brunette at the opposite end of the room, "See her?" he muttered. "That's the girl I came with. Violet. She didn't notice a thing. Even when I blurted out some real nonsense..."
"Like what?"
"Let me think... Oh! 'Starships are meant to fly?' he grinned with a hint of awkwardness, "It was a close call, I almost blew it! But hey, I couldn't come up with anything better on the spot! You know, it was like those times when you have this earworm and can't think of anything but that one song..."
I couldn't contain my laughter, picturing the absurdity of a conversation where such lines were said with a straight face. My amusement might have dragged on a bit too long, though, as he emitted a slight, irritated snort.
"Sorry, sorry. That's... impressive, I gotta admit. Quite the challenge you've set for yourself there."
He responded with a nonchalant shrug, taking a hearty sip from his glass.
"Thanks. Means a lot, hearing it from someone you..." he trailed off with a grin.
I raised an eyebrow, uncertain if his compliment was sincere or just another facet of his constant performance. And regarding the fact that he truly was a showman and a true performer, I already had no doubts. Yet, somehow, my attention swiftly shifted back to the brunette he had mentioned earlier.
"Hey... I think I know her. Don't I? The girl. Violet, you said? Doesn't she work in that bakery near the studio?"
"She does!" he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, "But that may not have been my smartest decision, to take her with me. After tonight, I'll probably have to switch to another bakery... shame, I really liked their sandwiches."
I quirked an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued, "It can't be that bad... Can it?"
With a click of a tongue, he answered, "Well... She probably thinks I'm a bit dim now. You should never quote Nickelback, no matter the situation. Truth is, I don't really mind that, but, you know... those sandwiches were really something."
I burst out laughing once again, "Well. Sorry, but that's on you, then..." I teased, stealing another glance in Violet's direction. "Looks like she's the one who's bored now, though. You might wanna go check on her."
Suddenly, I felt a strong desire to run away and hide from everything and everyone, even though I wasn't really sure why. Just a Cinderella thing, I figured. But as I nodded at him and was about to turn and leave him be, he grabbed my arm, stopping me in my tracks.
"No, wait, hold on..." he released me as soon as I turned back to him, confusion written all over my face. "Now that I don't have to speak in lyrics anymore... I didn't have a chance to tell you this before, but... but I loved it. I mean, your dem–"
I never got to hear the rest of that sentence, although I had a hunch about what he was going to say, and it took me by surprise. Big time. Unfortunately, the conclusion of his confession was drowned out by Sophie's deafening scream of my name, a sound so ear-piercing that it felt as though my eardrums might burst.
"There you are!" Sophie exclaimed, shaking my shoulder with a tad too much enthusiasm. "The star of the party! And with my favorite intern, no less? What a great duo to be around."
"Soooph, come on..." Maddie drawled, feigning embarrassment as he waved his hand dismissively, though it didn't quite sell the act, "If you keep calling me your favorite intern, the others may want to kill me in my sleep!"
"Don't be so dramatic, nobody will kill you, they all love you too much." the producer rolled her eyes, "And thankfully I'm your boss, so I don't have to fight with them for your attention!"
Maddox chuckled, a hesitant smile playing on his lips, clearly relishing the innocent praise. I wasn't entirely certain why Sophie liked him so much, but seeing the gleam in his eyes after her remark, I realized she was simply playing his game. I wasn't worried about her. No. Because I quickly deduced it was just that - a game. Sophie, often considered too gentle for this male-dominated industry, was nevertheless a seasoned professional who knew how to play her cards well.
"Shouldn't you focus on your VIP, Soph?" Maddox's voice cut through my thoughts, "I think our Demo Genius needs a refill, don't you?"
I sighed, "Quit with those nicknames, yeah? I'm definitely not all that. And I still have my drin–"
"Oh, please, not again..." the producer nudged my shoulder, "You do remember why we're celebrating tonight, right? Wasn't it your demo that clinched the studio's contract for the job? Well, your contract, actually? Modesty's cute and all, but come on..."
I laughed sheepishly, but somehow the tension I had felt was gone. Sophie was delighted with the contract, so I was happy too. Although it felt like she sensed my fazing, because she suddenly took me by the arm and pulled me a little closer.
"Okay, Listen! You need to unwind and I need to take a break from all those people who demand things from me... I know you're not a fan of dancing, but you absolutely love engaging in light-hearted discussions about very serious topics, and I'm the perfect partner for philosophical, tipsy conversations. Am I not?"
Bright, intelligent, tipsy-or-not Sophie has always been the perfect conversation partner.
I laughed again, somehow weaker than I would have liked and let her pull me after her. But before I could do or say anything, she took charge once more.
"Maddie, what's the matter with you? Are you coming with us or not?"
He gave us one of his hundred-watt smiles that could power an entire studio for at least a few hours. Or days.
"Damn, I thought you'd never ask..."
I couldn't resist a playful jab, to make things fair between us. So, turning to him with a teasing grin, I gestured towards the still-bored Violet, "Aren't you forgetting somebody?"
"Oh..." Maddox stopped in his tracks, his expression momentarily conflicted. After a brief, very brief contemplation, he shrugged and threw a quick glance in Violet's direction. "Eh, she seems just fine without me!"
The sandwiches were a lost cause, then. I burst out laughing, even though I felt a little sorry for the brunette.
But then, I suddenly realized something had changed. Just like that. With a clink of our glasses as we bumped into each other. The spark - ignited. The ice - shattered. That peculiar silence, that weird inability to carry on a true conversation between us, that was there for over a month – gone. As if it was never there.
. . ............................. . .
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