Dark and Dirty Like You've Never Seen

Party

We pulled up to the familiar yellow house with brown shutters. I stepped out of the car and Frank was quickly at my side, his hand casually hanging onto my waist as we made our way to the front door. Frank knocked and waited for a minute. We could hear the music blaring from the inside. After another moment, Frank assumed no one heard the knock and just let ourselves inside. Upon first walking into the house, I didn’t recognize anyone. After scouring the room, I saw Ray leaning on a counter in the other room. Frank grabbed my hand and led me through the crowd of people to the kitchen. Ray saw us and waved at us to come over to him. When we reached him, Frank shook Ray’s hand, pulling him into a bro hug and shouted over the music.

“Where’s Gerard?”

“Out in the garage. Nice to see you again Angela.”

I didn’t attempt to respond. I just smiled and nodded at him. Frank held tight to my hand as we made our way through the house to the back door. We stepped outside and I recognized the garage where I had meet Ray and Gerard for the first time. It was much quieter out here. There was only a few people in the garage, smoking and discussing various things. Gerard saw Frank and jumped up off the couch, almost losing the cigarette out of his mouth.

“You made it!” Gerard yelled, practically tackling him in a bear hug. I stepped back and laughed watching Frank trying to push him off. Gerard then saw me standing behind them and finally climbed off of Frank. “You brought her back… erm …. Amber?”

“Angela.” I corrected.

“I’m sorry. I’m super drunk right now.

“What’s the occasion?” Frank asked, keeping a hand on Gerard’s shoulder to hold him steady.

“Why do I need an occasion? It’s Friday night, the parents aren’t home, and you kids don’t have school tomorrow. That’s why I don’t understand why you’re not drunk yet!”

“We just got here.” Frank replied with a chuckle.

“Well you better catch up.” Gerard replied happily. He reached in his pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and shoved one in Frank’s mouth. “Have a smoke with me. Amy?” He pulled out another one and offered it to me.

“It’s Angela, and I don’t smoke.”

“I hope to God you drink.”

“Yeah … a little.”

“A little? Well tonight we’re drinking a lot.”

I smiled and managed a nervous laugh. I had wine one time with Lacy. Her dad is a big wine-o and we snuck into his liquor cabinet once and split a bottle. I went home with a stomach ache and had to give my parents a lame ass excuse and tell them I was throwing up “grape juice”.

Frank started to light the cigarette but gave me a quick glance. He pulled the stick out of his mouth and leaned over to me. “Do you mind if I smoke? I’ve never done it in front of you and I’d feel bad …”

“No, I don’t mind.” I thought about the way he smells with the mixture of cologne and stale cigarettes and it made me smile. He returned my smile with his goofy grin and leaned over and kissed me gently just below my ear lobe, causing me to shiver.

“Hold the motha fuckin’ phone. You said you guys weren’t boning?”

“Gerard!” Frank rolled his eyes. I bit my lip and felt my face heat up as I thought back to the first time Gerard met me and the conversation him and Frank had before we went to the coffee shop. “Look, I asked her out today. She’s my girlfriend.”

“Well congradu-fucking-lations. All the more reason to celebrate!” Gerard wrapped his arms around both of our shoulders and led us outside.

We sat on a bench outside of the garage. Frank and Gerard blazed up their cigarettes and made casual conversation. I watched as Frank put the cig in between his lips, inhaling deeply and holding it in before letting the smoke escape into the night sky. Some of the smoke lingered, creating ribbons around us. I continued to gaze at him as he repeated this mantra. I didn’t realize I was licking my lips while I watched him do this until Gerard leaned over and spoke directly to me.