Yael | Ongoing

Chapter 10: Who's Up?

Charlie
10:00 PM

"Okay, let's get this party started right!" I yelled with enough enthusiasm to bring the entire house down. The night hadn't been perfect so far and it had somehow seemed like it wouldn't even be good at all but things had started looking up again.

Relient K's "Bummin'" filled the room through the speakers as people continued to gather around the kitchen island to watch the games with anticipation like two baseball teams were about to face off.

People chatted with each other in the colossal huddle they'd created. Some had already stalked the fridge for food. I foresaw that and drove out hours before to the restaurant that was roughly 20 minutes from the university to get Chinese takeouts and buckets of chicken. Another cheer erupted within the house as hungry delinquents, in a surprisingly orderly fashion, took out the packs and wraps of food and chicken and began sticking them in the microwave one by one.

"I've got to hand it to you," Tinu said as she walked up from behind me, "this party is pretty cool."

"You're just saying that cause there's free food this time," I said, looking and definitely feeling smug.

"I'm guessing you guys party like this every weekend."

"Well, not every weekend though but every once in a while, yeah."

"I'm sorry about before. When, you know..." She said.

"It's fine," I said reassuringly. "It sucks being stood up. I can't relate to it exactly-"

"Of course you can't," she uttered, folding her arms.

"Hey," I said with a nervous chuckle, "I didn't mean it like that. I've just never been stood up before. But I know it hurts. So, you don't have to apologize."

"Thank you," she muttered, looking away.

"Hell, I'll be your date if he decides not to show," I said without really thinking. I wasn't sure if I meant it or if I just said it so she would feel better. And I was not feeling eager to find out either.

"Really?" She said looking at me a bit more seriously than I could manage.

"Well," I started. "Yeah."

"Uh, okay," she replied, arms still folded but this time not in playful contempt.

"Yeah," I counter-replied, arms in my pocket.

"So, who's going up against Sam?"

"Well, we're going to have to wait to find out. Everyone was initially pumped about the beer pong but it seems the food has gotten them hooked instead. It may be a while." I responded.

"Want to sit down?" She inquired.

"Nah, I'll stand. It's a lovely sight watching these guys go crazy for a couple of hours without end."

"I'll be over at the couch," she said finally as she walked away, placing her hand on my shoulder and letting it slide across my shirt as she went. Her touch was light and gentle, like the soft graze of fingers from a loved one across one's face. I turned around and watched her walk away, her body covered in the orange haze that filled the rooms.

Just then, I heard the front door swing open and checked the time. It was ten minutes past ten and if someone was late, that was on him or her. I looked over to where Sam was and saw him talking to Sharon. Somehow, he looked pretty confident for a guy who was weak at the knees a few hours ago.

But, then again, looking at Sharon made you see why virtually any dude would be nervous and giddy to go on a date with her.

I casually walked over to the door.

"Hey, man!" someone called out. "Sick party!"

It was Leonard, a friend of mine from school majoring in Nutrition and Dietetics which I sometimes used to think sounded like Nutrition and Diabetics but you can't blame me because those two words sounded very alike.

"Thanks, man," I said, shaking his hand, "What can I do to please?"

"We're almos' outta chick'n wings," he said with slurred speech, sauntering vaguely sideways like he was drunk but didn't want to seem drunk because a police officer was looking at him. "Was thinkin' maybe I go down to the restaurant to get sum more. They're open 24 hours."

"Yeah, I know," I said, digging my hands into my jacket. "Here, take my card. Just get everything you need and be back here ASAP."

"You got it, boss," he uttered finally and made his way to the door ahead of me. The corridor leading to the front door through the anteroom was dark as the lights coming from the rooms barely filtered into it. Leo, so visibly drunk that him standing was a miracle, bumped into something on the way to the door but I couldn't see what.

A couple more steps and I was standing before someone I'd never seen before. Okay, so, yeah the party was by invitations alone which allowed people I invited to bring only one more person to sort of spike the attendance curve a little bit but this face was just... Odd.

Not a face you'd see at a party.

He was dark-skinned. Not too dark but dark that I couldn't mistake him to be light-skinned, even as he stood before me. He was a smidge taller than I was and as big as me. If he wasn't so dark, I would have assumed he was my doppelganger. Which I'd always wanted to have, by the way.

He wore a peach-colored beach shirt with red peonies all over it with thick shorts and slippers. He looked like he jumped out of Hawaii Five-O.

"Hey," I said, still trying to make out his face without it being obvious. "Here for the party?"

"Yeah, I am," he responded. He sounded calm and at ease. His voice wasn't hoarse or scratchy but it was deep and subtle. Like if James Earl Jones and Liam Neeson had a baby.

"Cool," I continued. "So, what's your name?"

He put his thick, muscled arm out with his hand extended for a handshake. The lights in the living room dimmed to a dull red and brightened again to a bright blue haze and I could see his face in that instant.

"I'm Maxwell."