When I Put My Hands On Your Body

“Amazing.” Noelle says through the phone. “I call you two hours ago, telling you to come, you tell me you’re leaving. And yet you’re still at your house?”  I smile to myself at her dramatic attitude while finishing my Captain Crunch.

“Noelle, I’m leaving right now,” I speak into the phone. “ I swear to god I was about to leave a while ago, but an episode My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding was on and I mean…I couldn’t leave could I?” I smirk, knowing she’ll kill me for this- I have a secret infatuation with the show, but could she blame me? That show is brilliant.

 

“Oh my god are you joking?!” she exclaims.

Before she can give me shit about watching it I yell, “OKAY I LOVE YOU, SEE YOU THERE!”

and hang up. I set the bowl into the sink, switch the TV off and look for the text Noelle sent:

Hawthorne st. 832 92114. Plugging the address into my gps, I head outside to retrieve my beloved car: a Mustang 67, powder blue and fully restored but without the glossy exterior.

Pulling out of the lot I head towards the unknown house filled with unfamiliar faces where my crazy best friend Noelle will be impatiently waiting for me. Passing the lights of Downtown San Diego, I turn up the music while fumbling with directions. God I hate using my GPS, the stupid lady always waits until the last minute to tell me where to go, causing me to swerve and make sharp turns. I swear she has it out for me. After taking a few unprepared turns and almost hitting a couple of cars I finally make it to the huge house covered in twinkling lights, liqueur bottles and stumbling drunk kids great. I laugh as a drunk girl falls flat on her face, causing her dress to ride up and show her hot pink underwear, poor girl.  I park a block away, grabbing my jacket and bag. The sound of the band playing gets progressively louder and louder as I head towards the house. It sounds like they're covering The Strokes. I walk up to the drunk girl and slyly pull her dress down-she’s probably endured enough embarrassment for tonight. I get to the door and debate whether or not to knock. Why am I so awkward? Before I reach a decision a group of kids walk past me and barge through the door. I’ve seen most of them around before, but one in particular catches my eye. He’s tall with deep green eyes and some really nice curly hair. Damn he’s fine.

 

“Hello” he says to me in an English accent. Shit, even better. A smirk plays on his face, noticing my obvious gaping. As if it wasn’t awkward enough, he winks at me while all I can do is spit out:

“Uhh..Ye-hi.” Ye hi? What the hell? I sound like scared cowboy. The group walks inside, leaving the door wide open for me to finally walk in. I stand in the doorway and seriously consider leaving. Christ! Get over yourself Simone it hasn't been that long since you went a party. I need to stop being so negative. I push myself further into the house, in search of Noelle.

In a few seconds I spot my friend dancing like a freshman at prom. Oh man this is good. I don’t even know if you can consider it dancing- she’s sort of bouncing up and down with her fists pumping in the air and her butt attacking the guys around her. I smile at her terrible moves until she catches sight of me, then I pretend like I wasn't laughing at her. Hopping over she grabs my hands, pulling me towards the band. Me, Noelle, and about five other people are the only ones dancing. Oh my god. She spins me around, moving like a mad woman. Shaking my hands back and forth I shout over the band, “are you even drunk yet?” I laugh, she always gets plastered by the first half-hour of the party.

“What? Is that what you think of me? Some kind of d.a.b. who only invites you to parties to drive me home?” she asked obviously joking, “because you are absolutely right!” She laughs pulling me towards the kitchen.

“Well hello, fellow associates,” Noelle says to the people standing around the kitchen, some work with her, some she’s probably never seen in her life. I get a few “hey Simones” and nods.

“Hey guys,” I say, waving.

“Yo, here’s a drink.” This guy, named Nate, passes me.

“Oh…yeah, thanks,” I said looking down at the tan liquid. I lean into the cup and smell it, Blue Ribbon, what I used to drink. I wait for him to walk away before I set down the drink. I don't drink anything, unless I make them myself. Now if only Noelle followed that rule. She grabs it, rolling her eyes, she always says I’m too cautious even though I have good reason to be. I figure she’ll be alright. Nate’s a nice guy and I’m pretty much here to watch her, she’s been one of my my best friends for about 5 years now and practically knows everything about me.

“Who's that guy?” She asks into her cup. I follow her eyes to the guy I saw at the doorway. His hair still perfectly curled, we lock eyes and he smiles before looking away.

“Oh god.” I say turning my body towards her.

“What?” she questions “Do you know him?” she slurs, wide-eyed. “He’s so hot, I think he’s from France or some shit.” I laugh at how wasted she is.

“Nah, he’s from England,” I tell her and proceed to stare at him, praying he won’t notice.

“Wait. How do you know? Did you talk to him? Oh my god, tell me everything!”  She throws question after question at me.

“Dude!” I say, shaking her shoulders. “ I literally saw him once at the doorway. He said hi and I weirdly said ‘ye hi.”

“Ye hi?” she asks setting down her drink.

“Yeah... I was going to say ‘yeah’ but then I realized he said ‘hello’ so I stopped saying yeah, and said hi, which produced ye-hi” she smiles at my stupidity.

“That’s why you’re single Simone,” she said giggling into her cup. Yeah, THAT’S why i'm single. I think to myself glumly. No, lets not go there.

“Anyways... I’m gonna go find the loo,” I say in an english accent.

 

“Don’t fall in!” Noelle laughs, slapping my butt. Gosh she’s so embarrassing, but you have to love her.

As I head towards the bathroom I sneak another look at that guy, only to find him watching me. I quickly look away and continue to walk down the hall.