Want her so...

I want her so...

 The party was great. People were drinking and chatting, and some were dancing to the music the DJ was spinning in her booth. I've always preferred private parties instead of going to clubs. Being in someone's home instead of a club full of people was more intimate and made me feel at ease. Today, especially, the heat wave that hit the city in the past few days made a pool party very convenient, to say the least.

I didn't know most of the guests, and I could see only a few familiar faces. After a dive in the pool, I sat under the sun to have a beer. I relaxed by sitting at the edge of the chair and stretching my legs, grabbed my phone to check on my social media when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, Liz! Long time no see," a masculine voice announced, as a strange hand gently rubbed my upper back, startling me.
I stood on my feet and was happy to see a familiar face.

"Shannon! My goodness, how've you been?" 

I threw my arms around his neck. We weren't that close of friends, and we met randomly at a party I had crashed a few years back. We had only one friend in common, and she was always busy, so that made our encounters very rare. As strange as it may sound, when we met somewhere we'd sit and talk for hours. He was a sweetheart.

"You're looking good," he said. "Why are you here all alone?"

"Thank you, you're not looking too bad yourself," I joked.

Even though there had never been anything between us, he was always so charming, and his compliments always made my heart skip a beat. 

"I don't know all that many people in here, so I was just pretending to be busy and not a complete loser for being alone at a party," I continued. "Is your brother here? And Tomo?" 

"Tomo is out there somewhere, and Jared couldn't make it," he responded sitting by me. "Oh, there's Tomo."

He pointed at my favorite guitarist who had his arms raised, waving at us. I waved back sipping from my beer bottle. 

"Tell me, what have you been up to?" He asked, shifting his body towards me as he spoke.

"Same old boring life. I go from home to the office, 9 to 5. Spreadsheets, numbers, sales target. I love it," I admitted. Strange as it may sound, I was telling the truth.  

"Shit, that sounds boring as hell," he said, laughing a throaty, sexy laugh.

I widened my eyes in disbelief but chuckled at the same time. If he weren't so damn sexy, I'd be angry at him. 

"Nah," he continued. "I could never do what you do. I need the change, adrenaline. The road, the noise. I live for that. I'd starve if I had to go to an office every day." 

As little as I knew him, I knew that was true. Shannon couldn't stay still in life.

"I guess I'm a boring then because I love routine. I don't know. It makes me feel safe."

"Well, I think you're wrong. Your job is boring, you, however," he paused and tutted. "Are not. I wouldn't be here talking to you," he said in a soft voice, being his sweet self.

 "C'mon, Liz. You are not what you do. You are who you are. And you are one of my favorite people in the world that I know just a little."

I giggled at his attempt at describing our relationship. We weren't close friends, and yet we weren't mere acquaintances. It was weird. I could tell we were fond of each other, but I've always wanted more. 

Every time we'd meet, I'd promise myself I'd pick up the phone to call him and ask him out, but I never did. I was getting used to hanging out with him the spending several weeks daydreaming. It had been like that for years.