"Look me in the eye when I am talking to you
It's easy to get nervous I've been feeling it too
Yeah it's kinda crazy
Yeah it's kinda dumb
Never let the pressure overpower the fun
Yeah I'm sure your parents might be saying it to you..."
I liked Kodaline, are you kidding? I liked Kodaline so much that I wanted to listen to them for hours. It's just a shame that I liked them so much since it was their song that ruined my night. Well, not so much them, more so the girl I talked to who liked them too. It happened at the party that Parker had forced me to go to with him. You know, the one for Becky Moore due to her being accepted into Penn State University in Harrisburg, by her girlfriend Celeste. It's a nice way of showing "congratulations", but a party shouldn't be necessary. I mean, what the hell would I know about anything, though?
I'm not that smart when it comes to surprises, especially for a girl that I have never been romantically involved with. Mostly that. I mean, I wouldn't mind throwing a party for someone like that, but I don't think I could pull it off as good as Cole would. He's the best when it comes to party.
It has nothing to do with his whole 'gay-factor', but more so because he doesn't screw things up. Parker is good too, only if he isn't pissed.
Anyway, while we were at the party, Parker had abandoned me front and center for some girl with brunette hair. He had a thing for brunette's, but it wasn't weird or anything. So, I was alone, and I watched as the fools danced around and drunk themselves until their eyes were tired. I watched as the rest of the crowd found themselves busy with pointless make-out sessions and heated moments drinking, smoking, and whatnot.
I was in no part of this whatsoever.
How the hell could I be? I mean, it's typical enough for teenagers to have sex and make-out, but this was just stereotypical in branding us.
Plus, I bet I would start getting drunk after drinking half a beer bottle. So, that's another reason why I didn't join in with the rest of the delinquents around me. So, I just sat out of almost everything that involved either drinking or kissing which was expected to lead to sex. I know it seeks quite paranoid, but I'm nothing like my brother. I mean, Rubin could care less as long as he had the time of his life. Some brother.
Anyway. I helped myself to some water that Parker filled for me in a glass. The music was barely loud against my ears than I had expected, but I didn't care. I wouldn't have wanted to be deaf damn way. Just saying.
I was already used to my dad and Rubin arguing with each other, so it didn't bother me as much. Sometimes, I would drive myself to seeking the mastery of ignoring things like high pitched screaming and swearing, but I could never seem to find the proper key. My mom was always in my ear, telling me things were going to be okay, but I could never seem to believe her. She was one of them. The yellers in the family. She came in third behind Rubin, who followed behind dad.
Hot damn: meaning 'ah shit', I thought.
I decided to sit on the steps, avoiding many make-out sessions as soon as possible. Parker was doing his own thing, talking to some strawberry red-head with brown eyes and a cute figure. She had to be older than him since she was holding a bottle of vodka. She even looked older than him. Not too old though. Maybe a year or two. Not three. Three year age difference doesn't suit Parker that much, 'cause then he finds most conversations boring.
He wasn't a boring kind of guy.
So, I'm just sitting on the steps to the upstairs and I take another sip of my drink. When I hear someone excuse themselves and I turn around to stand up, I see Monique Fort standing behind me. Her eyes looking exactly at mine as she keeps a light and warm smile on her face. Her hair is out and straightened, and she wears a nice red dress that comes down above her knees. She is holding her phone in one hand and she wipes her cheeks with the other. I can tell that by the water in her eyes, she has been crying but hides it with a smile.
"Hey Wayne", she begins, forcing her voice to sound straight as possible, "some party, huh?"
I am barely able to find the proper words to say. Her eyes are still watery, and I feel my stomach tie in knots as I wonder what could have made her upset. Monique were good friends, but we haven't talked to each other in a good while. Mostly because her boyfriend, Reed Eirs is a hothead asshole who is overprotective and is easily jealous if a boy even says "hi" to Monique. I imagine that by the way she's just standing here without someone over her shoulder, he's not here. Maybe he said something to her over the phone.
"Were you crying?" I suddenly asked. It was a quick burst.
She stared at me, then she wiped her eyes.
Smart move, dumbo.
"Why do you ask me that?" she sounded irritated but tried to stay calm as possible. "I'm fine."
"You don't sound fine."
"Will you shut up, idiot?" she swore at me, hissing.
She sat down on the steps, head in her hands, sniffing. My throat tightened. I was looking around, seeing other people getting high or hung up on drugs and whatnot. Simpletons. I sighed. Then, I made my move to sit beside her before some other dried ass did.
I knew Monique. Seeing her get emotional and cry made me feel guilty and made me want to take part on her roller coaster of emotions. That's how much I really did care. I knew she must have gotten into an argument with Reed. What else is there?
I sighed. I wasn't good with talking to girls. Everyone knew that, so what was I to do? Just pat on her on the back, tell her that I'm all ears? Cliche bullshit.
So, I just told her, "Sometimes guys are like their balls. They act stupid when they get hard, and act worst when they are soft. Sometimes, it's because of something beautiful."
Monique just turned to look at me. She didn't seem amused by what I said at all. I couldn't blame her. It was a stupid thing to say, I know, but what else was I to do? She was too emotional right now for me to crack a joke. She's not like Parker or Cole, where they can just laugh if I'm being an ass. She's different. She's...a masterpiece and is quiet a beautiful one too.
"Bad timing?" I asked.
She snorts, smirking. "No. It's fine."
"I'm really sorry, though."
"It's fine, Wayne."
I felt my face flush and I looked away from her for a bit before I noticed the light smile on her face. The music may have been loud, but I didn't need sound to tell me that she was so damn beautiful.
She didn't say anything at all, and that made my body twitch in a way that I didn't think possible. My fingers were vying to touch her hand. My arms were seeking to hold her close. My lips...well, they were helpless. So was my brain. I let my brain sync into the motion of my body, and before I knew it, I had her lower back in my arms and her chin in the tips of my fingers. Monique was unable to move at all. Was she even thinking at all? She was so damn still, you'd think she was frozen by Medusa's snakes and made a statue.
In my head, I imagined her moving forward, kissing me. Then, I was kissing her. We kissed each other. It was basic. Simple. Yet, undeniable unreal. It was like fireworks bursting into thin air and exploding to create the existence of gravity. It was the most unbelievable feeling ever.
In reality, well. Reed found me with Monique, resulting to him yanking me up by my collar and swearing at me like a sailor. Half the words he said, I couldn't understand. Monique was tugging on him by the arm, telling him to let me go, but he didn't budge. Instead, I was on the floor after one swift swing to my face. I was holding the side of my face where he punched me. I could see shadows as Monique was being tugged out of the party with Reed holding her, swearing.
I could see him push her in the car, but I couldn't hear them. Before I knew it, I was trying to stand and the car had pulled off in a flash. I was left, feeling like the biggest putz possible. How the hell did I not see this coming?
I used the wall to help stature me up off the ground, and people were passing by me from left to right. No one was paying me any mind. Not even Parker, who was now experiencing a make-out session with the strawberry red-head on his lap, deeply kissing him. It was mutiny. All I wanted to do was be the good guy, and then, this was my return. I knew it wasn't Monique's fault, but how could she put up with such an ass like Reed Eirs? It was questionable.
Was he that hot she had to be with him?
Did he have some 'magic penis' during sex?
Was she even a virgin still?
Ah, shut up. Monique was in a relationship with Reed Eirs. So of course she gave her virginity to him. He was the most attractive guy in the school aside from Parker. It was ridiculous. I was just there for space. Obviously.
I wanted to go home so badly. I wanted to snatch the keys from Parker's back pocket, allow him to finish his make out session in peace, but what the hell? No way was he gonna let me take the keys to his car and leave him. If anything, he'd drop the girl in a second. Unless he really liked her. Judging by the way he held her lower back in his hands as she grinds against him, he didn't like her all that much.
I smacked myself in the side of the head, muttering swear words at myself like a putz. Everyone was drunk and busy doing stupid things. No one noticed. Except...
"You stumped on something?" asked a girl with crisped black hair the fell pass her shoulders. Her lips were coated in red lipstick that reminded me of a rose and her make-up was very light on her face. "Or are you just schizophrenic?" I opened my mouth to speak, but she rolled her eyes. "Save it. I get it. Came to a party. Not a talker. Got you."
I shook my head, telling her that it was nothing against her, but I was just trying to find my way out of here. She sighed, smirking in mockery. She reminded me of the kind of girl you'd want to hate in a book because of her rotten attitude. Yet, you loved her anyway due to her snarky attitude. Cruel but hilarious.
She suggested that I'd just leave, but I told her that my ride was busy in a make-out session. That's when she noticed Parker and the red-head holding each other, giggling, sharing vodka. Dammit. He was hooked on her little hook. Like a worm to a fish.
"He's happy" she snorted, crossing her arms over her chest.
I groaned. It's official. I'm stuck here until his damn hangover gets over him.
I leaned back against the closet door. I noticed the girl's face straightened before she let out a breath. Then she told her name, "My name is Marty. I'm assuming your hopeless?" She had a light grin on her face when she spoke, but I snorted.
"Actually", I started off as I approached the steps she stood on, "I'm doing fine with my life. I'm Wayne."
She didn't say anything, but chuckled. Then she asked me why I wanted to go home so badly and that I needed to learn how to let lose a bit. It was funny because the last time I was told that, I ended up getting punched by Reed Eirs. Parker's advice is now her advice to me.
Like a record player. A sad one at that.
I remind her that she didn't have to enforce herself to speak to me at all. Although, I didn't mind talking to her. Though she was very sarcastic and a bit of a bitch, I assume, she was a good listener. She---I mean, Marty---just rolled her eyes. Then, she reached her hand out to me.
I stood, puzzled. Then she told me, "You need to prove something, don't you? Stop being a wallflower. Let's go."
"Uh...I..uh.." I broke off my words. Her face seemed frustrated. I was just questionable. I didn't know this girl whatsoever. She was pretty, yes, but first impressions show that she's a mysterious girl with a hell of an attitude.
"Wayne", she forced out, "either you get up here or I'll drag you." Her eyes were just as serious as her tone. I flinched. She noticed. "Oh. I get it." Chuckle. "You can come a little closer. I don't bite. Unless you're scared of girls." Chuckle. Chuckle.
She was having the time of her life with this. My fists tightened and my cheeks burned. I was so sick and tired of this happening. The whole 'Wayne Hernandez Downfall' saga ends here. I mean it too.
"Bullshit" I swear. "I am not."
"Prove it" was all Marty said to me before she reached her hand out for me to grab. A faint smirk held on her lips as I took her hand.
I could feel my legs grow heavy as I walked behind her up the steps. Music playing loudly in the background, people clearing the way but still didn't notice us at all. It was like an endless maze and everything was confusing. So, I just kept holding her hand. She looked back at me only once, muttering for me to get a grip on myself to 'chill'.
Then, we found our escape of the maze. A closed bedroom door. She opened it and invited me inside first. I stepped inside, then closed the door behind me. A dark room full of nothing. Well, there were things in the room, but metaphorically speaking, since it was so dark I couldn't see anything. It seemed empty, but I couldn't see a damn thing.
Yet, I could feel. I could feel the walls against my back. I could feel Marty against my hands. I could feel her hair against my fingertips. I could feel the fabric of her shirt. I could feel her hands against my bare chest. I could feel the coldness from the open window that was poorly covered by curtains. Then, I felt nothing.