Another City Of Lights.

Chapter 19.

Sam's POV:-

It was already October, and the weather in New York was the one I wasn't used to. I didn't know how to dress for it when I went out, and it always took me by surprise.

It used to be warm all year round in Karachi, and we never even kept any sweaters or winter-y things around, because we never even needed them. And so, I didn't even own anything warm when I came here. But when I realised that I might freeze to death in the upcoming winter here, I asked Jade; my coworker and only other friend other than Remy; to take me shopping.
I asked her mainly because I had no idea where to go, and since she knew how much I actually earned waiting tables at the diner, she would guide me in the right direction.

Jade was a little more than excited when I asked her, probably because I always declined whenever she invited me out. We planned a day when both of us weren't working, and I gave her the address of Remy's place since she insisted on picking me up, saying that I would get lost on my own. I didn't argue with that, because I knew that I definitely would.

So, on a Saturday, I got up earlier than usual, made breakfast, straightened up the house a little bit, and got dressed. Remy had just barely begun to wake up, and was shocked to see me getting ready.
"You going out?", He asked, stumbling into the kitchen.
"Yeah, I'm going shopping with a friend", I replied, looking around for my shoes.
"Friend? That's...good?", He said, and he sounded to surprised that it made me laugh.
"We're still going out tomorrow though, right? You should invite your friend along too", He suggested, uncapping the carton of milk he held in his hand.
"Uh, we don't have to, it's really not my thing..", I had been trying to convince him that he really didn't need to take me out for my birthday, that he didn't need to invite his friends, that I really didn't want to go. But no such luck so far.

I wasabout to try and hold a strong argument on this, but I got cut off by the doorbell ringing.

Jade was on the other side of the door when I opened it, looking all bright and sharp as ever.
She didn't wait by the door like I asked her to, she barged right in and took a seat on the couch while I put on my sneakers.
She was so preoccupied with looking around and talking, that she didn't even notice Remy sitting behind her on one of the kitchen stools. And when she did, she let out a little of yelp of surprise, dropping her phone on the rug in the process.
"Oh, Jade, this is Remy", I gesture towards him, and Jade gives him an awkward wave.
"Friend and roommate", Remy clarifies, smiling back at her.
"Okay, we'll be going now. See you", I say, literally dragging Jade out behind me.

Shopping took us the whole day. We travelled from mall to mall, shop to shop, and somewhere between trying on different sweaters and jeans, we drank a lot of coffee, and ate a lot of different desserts. That was probably because I couldn't hold in my excitement as soon as I saw a Starbucks, and always ended up running towards it shrieking like a mad woman. Jade believed I would eventually spend all my money on coffee, and end up going home with nothing but that.
Also in between that, Jade started asking questions. Which was normal, I suppose, but the problem was that it threw me off and I didn't know what to say to her.
"Haven't you ever had Starbucks before? Wait, where are you from anyway?", She asked, sipping on her drink.
"Oh, I'm uh from, around here. I just really like it though", I stammered through my sentences, trying not to make eye contact.
"And who's the guy? You live together?", Ofcourse she would ask that, why wouldn't she.
"Just until I can get my own place", I shrugged.
"What's it like? Awkward?", She laughs.
"Well, not all the time", I try to brush away the topic, and ask her about tomorrow instead; "are you free tomorrow night? Remy wants this party thing because it's my party so..".
"Oh, sure. I guess I can come for a while", She tells me, and I feel a huge sense of relief. Atleast I wouldn't be totally alone there afterall.

~

To say that I was freaking out would be an understatement.
I was beyond the point of freaking out now, and was beginning to accept my fate.
Never would I have imagined myself sitting here, in this place, with all of Remy's friends laughing and dancing like it was their birthday, and Jade staring at me.
Remy wasn't hanging out with his friends either. He had obviously caught on my mood, and had tried to apologise several times on behalf of his friends who had dragged us here, to this bar, or club, whatever it was.
Ofcourse I had always imagined doing this once in my life. But I just never imagined it being so sudden, and never with anyone else other than my friends. My friends who I had left back in Karachi. My friends who probably hated my guts. Right.

"Sam. Here. Drink", Jade placed a tall glass of something infront of me, and stared at me, waiting for my response.
"I don't drink", I replied, my voice small.
"Everyone drinks on their birthday", She said, rolling her eyes at me.
"You should try it once", Remy joined in too. Great, two against one.
"You drink?", I looked at him, partly in shock.
"Sometimes", He shrugged, at handed me the glass, "don't worry, we'll take care of you if something happens".

I stared at them, and back at the drink, and then at my surroundings. I saw people laughing, and dancing, and I realised I was ruining my own birthday. This was New York. This was all that I had wanted in my life. Was I really going to act like a wimp and sulk all night? This was my life now, right? There wasn't any reason to dwell on the past and the people in it. Why was I trying to run away from this?

By the time everyone was ready to head out back home, I couldn't properly stand up. I wasn't that drunk, it was just my first time and my brain was foggy. Everyone else was pretty much the same as me. Jade had already abandoned us after she threw up on my floor, and Remy was least concerned about locating his friends now.

I don't know how he did it in his drunken state, but Remy managed to get us home by the end of the night. I fell asleep in the cab, and climbed the stairs up to the apartment in a very slow manner.
It took both of us fifteen minutes to actually locate the key to the door, although Remy was the one actually looking for it, and I was sitting on my floor besides the door.

I don't exactly remember how that night actually progressed. I remember all the different bits and pieces of it, the ones I caught when I wasn't partly asleep.

I remember crashing on my couch as soon as I got inside.
I remember struggling to take off my shoes.
I remember Remy eventually taking them off for me.
I remember waking up later in the night to find Remy on the couch with me.
I remember the uncertainty and hesitation in his eyes when he looked at me.
I remember the feeling of Remy's mouth on mine.
I remember his hands and my hands, and the layers of clothing.

I remember my 19th birthday was filled with warmth, and deep brown eyes.