Dancing In The Dark

Feels

We'd been friends for about 5 years. I was with a group of friends in freshman biology, and the teacher gave an assignment that made us students go around the class, talking to other students. I thought he, Damon, was just another kid I wouldn't end up being friends with, let alone contrive a stupid crush on him. All he did was make me laugh, and I fell.

Damn, that was easy.

Why didn't I grow a set of balls and pursue him, you say? I'll do that as soon as someone else confronts their crush and doesn't get rejected like the rootbeer lollipop at the bottom of the assorted candy bag... No one wants the heartache, so we stick with the comfortable.

Cut to sophomore year of college, and we were still in the friendzone. Don't get me wrong, he's the best friend I've ever had, but even that made me want him. Alas, no hints or suggestions said he had mutual feelings. Every time I thought I saw a signal, it was actually part of his personality being showcased. So unbelievably confusing. This kid is so freaking friendly, half the girls he's friends with know that's just the way he is. The other half were confused and blindly tried to pursue him. Long dark brown hair, tanned, muscular body that could pin you against a wall, and manners of a gentleman.

Not attractive at all.

Summer break was almost here, and finals were practically over and done with. Me and my roommate, Nellie, are in our room, staring at the plain white ceiling, dying of complete boredom. Her phone vibrated with a text message.

"Craig invited us to that dance club downtown with Tim and Salvatore. Let's gooo! I can't stay in this room any longer. Plus it's about time we let our hair down and have some fun before we go home. Finals are ooo-vaaa!"

"You're such a loser. Those guys are nothing but trouble. They're fun, but trouble." I groaned. "Why do you even talk to them?"

"Because they're beautiful." she reasoned. I agreed. "It's not like we have to hang around them when we get there. We'll just drive there with them, get our party on, and get home with enough time for you to get your beauty sleep, which you don't need at all."

Now she was trying to sweet talk, which meant she was absolutely determined to go.

"Fine, but I'm going to see if Damon will come along," I say, reaching for my phone and dialing him. "I don't think me being the only person with a brain there is that safe." She threw her pillow at me for that comment.

"Oooooo, gonna invite lover-boy?! Gonna shake various body parts around his body parts, are we?!!"

"I will kill you." I whisper while the phone rang.

"What up, dawg?" he yells for no reason. There was that wonderful bitter taste of BFF being shoved into my mouth. Again.

"Holla back!" I say with actual enthusiasm. It's a thing we always do. "Listen, Craig, and them are going to that dance club, and Nellie's going, which means I'm going, which means you're going. See how that works?"

"I see how it works, I'm just not going to go. Not if Craig and those idiots are going."

"Are you saying you hate me? That our friendship is over? That you want me to die a potential tragic death tonight?"

Nellie uses sweet talking- I use dramatization.

"Oh come on!" He complains, realizing what I was doing.

"Oh no no, it's fine," I continue, pinching myself for a more emotional performance. "Just know that I would like peach-colored flowers at my funeral. They'll go well with my ashen skin tone. In the casket. Moments before they lower me to the grou-"

"All right, all right! I'll go!" He stops me before my whole speech turned into a monologue. I've actually gone that far. It was one of my greatest moments.

"Thaaaank youuuuu. I'll text you the time. Byyeeeeee!"

"Yeah, yeah, bye." I could tell he was smiling, making me smile.

Nellie's teasing started to get to me, and I couldn't help but wonder if body parts would accidently touch. Or intentionally. You never know, things happen.

"Oy..." I groan, plopping on my bed face down, barely containing the emotions of a typical hormonal college student.

Nellie notices and sits next to me.

"Da feels?"

"Da feels."