Jazz, Mickey and I walked into the school passing a group of teenagers. The kids laughed obnoxiously reminding me why teenagers got on my everlasting nerves. With Jazz leading the way, we turned a couple corners and made our way into the auditorium. There on the stage was a group of Asians. Two thin, hipster white girls stood near the stage cheering the Asian kids on for the moves they did. The music blasted from a small boombox that rested on the edge of the stage. One kid spun circles on his head as another twisted and turned his body competitively against him. This was truly some movie type shit. I’ve never seen people literally break dance battling in real life. Jazz skipped her way to the stage, taking off her shirt on the way. My eyes roamed to the quick glimpse of her smooth stomach before the tank top she had underneath fell to rest on her body… Damn I wanted to be that tank top.
Jazz greeted her friends and instantly joined in the circle of breakdancers. She got down and spun around on her hands effortlessly. Mickey and I made our way to the front row seats just watching the fun. I had to admit... this stuff was interesting as hell. They were all so good at what they did that you could tell they practiced heavily. Jazz fit in perfectly. She was absolutely amazing. I sat there in the front row with my eyes glued to her. The way she was, the way she interacted, the way she moved; it was all so mesmerizing.
“Hey c’mon guys! Come join us!” Jazz called out to me and Mickey who were sitting a seat away from each other, commenting every now and then on random moves that we thought were cool.
“Na, I don’t know how to break dance…” I replied.
“Alright, I’ll try it out” Mickey replied, getting up and heading up the stairs to the stage.
Although she wasn’t as good as the others on stage, Mickey was still pretty good. She spun and twisted and flipped and jumped. She messed up here and there, but it was still better than what I could do. I sat and watched from the front row at how Jazz interacted with Mickey. She egged her on to keep dancing, she wrapped her arm around her playfully and challenged her to a dance. They were having fun, and I just watched. Minutes later, Jazz jumped down from the stage and sat right beside me.
“Why aren’t you dancing with us?” she asked, slightly out of breath.
“I don’t know how to breakdance. Yall are pretty good though.” I replied.
“Cmonnnnnn” Jazz begged me, “I’ll teach you.” She flashed her prefect smile at me and I melted on the inside.
“Umm… na, I’ll just watch for now.” I said, letting a smile creep across my face.
“Aight, you sure?” She asked once more.
“Yea I’m sure…” I said.
“Ok” Jazz said, placing her hand on my leg before getting up and hopping back on the stage.
Butterflies had full on seizures in my stomach. This girl was BEYOND cute and so loveable. I couldn’t be developing a crush though. She friendzoned me. It was just like me to have a crush on someone I couldn’t have.
As Jazz danced on stage, I watched her. Thought’s played in my mind, wondering how it would feel to touch her skin, to feel her body on mine. Jazz did a flip and missed, landing on her back with a chuckle. As she lay there, out of breath, I stared as her chest went up and down… up and down… up and down. I literally could not stop staring at her chest.
Damn. It looks like I caught a crush.
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After the practice was over, we all headed back to the car. Jazz popped the trunk and threw her things in.
“You guys have fun tonight?” She asked us both.
“Yea it was fun! I haven’t done any breakdancing in years.” Mickey replied excitedly.
“Yea I had fun though. Maybe next time you guys can teach me something. I don’t think I had the right clothes on to do that this time.” I answered.
“Yea next time come in sweats and a t-shirt and I got you.” Jazz replied with a chuckle. We all piled into her car and she cranked it up. “Hey guys, I’m hungry, you wanna get some burritos?”
“Hell yea!!” I said a little too excited for the burritos.
“Mickey? You wanna go grab some food or do you have somewhere to be tonight?” Jazz asked smoothly.
Please be busy tonight. Please be busy tonight. I repeated in my head, hoping my vibe would change the outcome of what Mickey said.
“Na, I don’t have anywhere to be... lets go!” Mickey replied.
DAMN.
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We pulled up to the Burrito Barn and we all hopped out. Jazz locked up her car and tailed behind Mickey and I as we made it to the door. Jazz jogged to the front of us both and grabbed the door before we got a chance to get to it. She so smoothly swung it open and held it for us. She stared straight at me as she gestured for us to go in first.
“Ladies….” Jazz motioned.
I smiled as I boldly walked in before Mickey. That door was held for me and I didn’t care what anyone had to say about it.
After we got our food, we headed toward a booth made for four. Mickey sat on one side. Me, trying to see how this would play out, sat across from her. I wanted to see where Jazz would sit…..
Seconds passed, moments lapsed, and what felt like forever of Jazz walking toward the table ended with her sitting… directly across from me, next to Mickey.
DAMN
“Man, I LOVE the burritos here!” Mickey said excitedly.
“Hell yea, me too!” Jazz agreed gleefully taking a bite outta her damn burrito.
Why the fuck would she sit ACROSS from me? Oh yea… because she friend zoned me. I reminded myself.
“I mean, they’re known for ‘em though. It’s kinda in the name.” I chuckled, being a smart ass. “Oh shit look, they have Margarita’s now!”
“Oh word??” Jazz asked grabbing the tiny table tent I was looking at that promoted the new drink.
“Yea, let’s get some Margaritas!” I suggested, looking at both Jazz and Mickey.
Mickey looked down at her burrito. “I’m not 21 yet…. I can’t get one until May.” she laughed.
“Aww you a babyyyy” I mocked, chuckling at my half insult.
“Aww that’s alright,” Jazz replied to Mickey with a smile, “I’ll sneak you some of mine.” And with that, she winked… right in Mickey’s direction.
I watched as the blatant flirting happened to unravel in front of my eyes…
DAMN. Welp, at the very least, I’ll get a burrito, some margaritas and a night out of the house out of it. I thought to myself, trying to find something positive in watching my new crush flirt in front of me. I guess this Mickey chick was her type of stud.
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3 Margaritas and full bellys later, we headed back to Jazz’s car. After riding along and having casual convo, we finally arrived at Mickey’s house.
“Alright guys, it was fun! Hey, hit me up sometimes. We need to hang again.” Mickey said as she stepped out of the car.
“Yea most def.” Jazz replied with a smile. “See you soon.”
“Bye.” I said plainly.
“See ya guys!” Mickey said once more before closing the door.
As Jazz and I drove off toward where my car was parked in the mall, she started chatting again. “Yea, so what do you think of Mickey?”
“I mean, she’s cool, I guess.” I replied, while staring out the window avoiding eye contact. I couldn’t help but think to myself that she was asking so she’d know if she should pursue her or not.
“Yea, I met her online and she said she breakdances so I just told her to come along. She’s kind of quiet though. Not anything like you. You have to force a conversation out of her. I like it better when it just flows, you know. Kind of like how when we talk. Like, we can talk about anything. Our subjects just jump all over the place.” Jazz told me with that charming smile again.
I smiled, “Yea well you know… not EVERYONE can be me.” I said while dusting off my shoulder like a cocky ass fuck. I was just being over the top, but, hey, that was me. That was how I was when I got alcohol in my system.
We had a full conversation that didn’t stop. There were no awkward pauses, there was constant laughter and nothing but smiles. I couldn’t help but feel genuine joy in this conversation. As we pulled up to where my car, I looked out the window and pointed. “Well, damn… we’re here already huh?” I asked.
“Yup, I guess we are.” Jazz replied as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
“Aight, well, I guess I’ll see you around then.” I told her as I began to open the door.
“Wait, I don’t get a hug?” Jazz asked as she opened her door.
“Yea, I guess you do.” I said with a smile.
My heart raced as I rounded her car and met her in front of it. I opened my arms and she wrapped her arms around me perfectly. Just out of habit, I pulled her close to me by her lower back. She held on to me as I held on to her. What felt like forever passed and we finally let go….
“Alright, I’ll see you soon. When’s the next time you work?” Jazz asked me before getting back in her car.
“Tomorrow.” I laughed.
“Oh yea, me too. Wanna hang out after work tomorrow? Maybe happy hour?” She asked as she held on to her car door, engine still running.
“Yea, that’d be cool.” I said, trying not to sound as excited as I really was.
“Cool. See you then.” She said with a smile.
And with that, she got in her car and sped off. I unlocked my door, hopped in and sat in the driver’s seat for a moment.
Damn, this girl is something else….. I think I might have a serious crush… SHIT. As realization set in, I put my car in drive, and headed home.