Push. //Jai Courtney Fanfiction

ten

Jai

December 31st:

It's 10:30PM. I haven't the slightest clue what number drink I am on - but I feel great. This light buzz flowing through me. The happiness that I am obviously oozing, I don't know what has come over me. This is day one. I met Ayla today. I met this beautiful creature who has promised to embark on a 3 month journey of showing me everything that she can about herself and her surroundings here in Maryland.

When my mum first told me about Ayla, and that we would have this 'amazing connection', I'll be honest, I thought she was full of shit. Like, "Okay mum, I gotta meet this person, I'm sure she's wonderful!" But I had no idea how my soul would be drawn to her. Just like, she makes me want to ask her a hundred questions, because I genuinely want to know the answers to. I have a feeling that we are going to have a one-of-a-kind friendship that no one will be able to touch. I am going to enjoy this ride.

"An hour and a half! Can you believe it? This year has been pretty great to me. I've accomplished more than I could have dreamed with school, my job is amazing, I'm about to be a director of a fucking birthing center, and I've met you!" Ayla spewed.

She was a lovely drunk. Passion in her eyes, her face. Her cheeks have a slight blush to them, and even though she has had equally as many drinks as me, her words were crystal clear - only with a glossy undertone.

"Your mother is an incredible woman. She's like another mother to me, ya know? I love her. I'd be lost without her," Ayla looked away from me and took a drink of her beer. It was almost as if she had shied away with those words. Had she?

"Thank you. I know that she feels the same about you. I mean - she thinks of you as another daughter. She loves you as well."

She smiled at me, softly, sweetly.

"I feel this connection with you - like - something, I can't really explain. We've known each other for what... 6 hours? What is this? I feel like my soul is reaching for you," Ayla laughs "If that even makes sense... maybe... yeah, maybe I'm just drunk. No. Nope, I feel it. Jai, I feel this weird connection. Ugh, I'm rambling... sorry."

I laugh, "I've been thinking the same thing all night. Like on a spiritual fucking level, like really. My soul... it's crrraving yours... Yeah. I feel it," Jesus, I am drunk as hell.

"YES. CRAVED," Ayla stands up, and starts swaying to the Quantic song that comes on in a mix. I can't think of the name of it - but her body is swaying to every note. The shape of her body is absorbing the sounds coming from the speakers. It's like she is floating in front of me. I cannot look away. Fuck - am I fucking stoned? Why am I so memorized by her?

"This music makes me wish I was high right now," Ayla whispers with her eyes closed while swaying. "Sorry, if that is a problem. Do you smoke? I mean, I don't... well I do, I just do every once in a while. God, I'm sorry, just looking at you makes me feel nervous."

"Nervous? Don't be nervous. Not a problem, yes I smoke, occasionally as well. Not in a while actually. Why do you feel nervous?"

"When I was younger I would do anything to impress guys, and didn't think twice about it. Now that I am older I don't give a shit. But I feel nervous around you, and I don't know why! It's like.... oh nevermind. I don't know. I'm going to stop drinking - I can... NOT stop rambling, and I am humiliating myself."

I put my beer down, and grabbed her hands. "You are not humiliating yourself. You are just letting loose. Being carefree. Maybe you don't get to enough. I understand. Let it all free girl." I say, and with that I start dancing with her as Seven Nation Army comes through the speakers.

* * *

11:30PM

For the past hour Ayla and I basically didn't speak a word to each other. We danced. Like strangers. Like children. I spun her and dipped her, and she held tightly to me when she needed to, and loosely when something faster came on. We felt alive. Who is this girl? And what is she doing to me? What was that, 6 hours?

"Look, the timer has appeared on the TV screens now. 20 minutes!" Ayla exclaimed.

Almost instantly, our group joined us on the dance floor, from all the corners that we were each residing in for the past few hours. We were all gathered around the outside balcony doors, laughing and covered in sweat, proof of a great night.

"Just enough time to grab a cigarette really quick out here, care to join me?" Ayla asked me.

"Hell yes, I'm hot as shit," I reply.

She opens the door, and the wind hits me perfectly in the face. The cold air feels amazing against my skin. Ayla quickly lights her cigarette and passes me one, with the lighter.

"Thanks, love."

"This cool air feels great at the moment," she says her eyes closed, and arms open wide. "But I know in about 5 minutes, I'm going to freeze my ass off," she laughs.

"Well, we won't be out here that long then."

"So, it is Saturday night, and I have a busy week, but I want to spend time together. With no other people, and no alcohol influences. You know, like... I realize that sounded a little weird - but like, just you and me. I want to get to know you. Everything about you. I want to dissect you," Ayla said looking into my eyes.

That last sentence rolled across her tongue, and as much as it would have been funny coming from anyone else, coming from her, it made me want to be dissected.

"Please do. I will be free all the time. Every day. Whenever you're free, I'm free. Free to dissect and be dissected."

"Awesome. I am really looking forward to it," she smiled.

We dragged on the rest of our cigarettes, and we quickly tossed them and headed back inside. Just in time to get our glasses of champagne handed to us.

"Ah, to see what next year holds," Amanda bellows. "It should be a good one.

Laughter and chatter continued to fill the air, and the next thing we knew, it was 30 seconds to midnight. The six of us all had our eyes glued to the television that hung above us.

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..... HAPPY NEW YEAR!" The room exploded. Confetti and balloons fell from the top floor all over everyone below.

I felt a gentle squeeze on my arm. "Happy New Year Jai Courtney. I can't wait to get to know you," as she reached up and placed her lips on my cheek, so achingly close to my lips. I froze, and my heart jumped.