Staccato Bursts

Part Ten: His Side

I woke up this morning with a strange feeling. Like a hangover. Like that feeling when you were really, really drunk the night before and did something stupid or amazing and you wake up the next day and question yourself whether everything that happened was real or not? That’s how I felt after what happened last night. Unlike a hangover, I wasn’t left with a throbbing headache or liquor breath, I was left with a fluttery feeling in my stomach. More than butterflies. I had a swarm of stinging bees in my gut.

I stared at the ceiling, not wanting to move. The alarm clock on my bedside table started making its usual shrill, disturbing sound, making my cat jump on the bed. You just know it’s a good day when you wake up before your alarm does. I turned the clock off without looking at it. I heard someone turning my door knob. My bedroom door door opened and it was Eric.

"Hey Dave, I’m heading out. There’s breakfast in the microwave. See you later.", he said.

I groaned to acknowledge him.

I pushed myself to get up.

"Good morning, Sebastian!", I massaged my cat’s neck. My cat is grey, of the Persian breed, and weighs 6.5 kilograms. I rustled around my messy floor, in search for my green fuzzy monster slippers. When I found them, I walked out of my room and went to the kitchen.

I am now alone in my house if you don’t count my cat- a situation I’m used to. My brother is a busy college guy and my Mom isn’t present. I poured myself some coffee in my favorite Star Wars mug and sat on the couch in the living room. I sat on the very spot that where we slept together on the night of the storm. The blanket was still there, unfolded and unfixed.

I remembered the first time we talked. It wasn’t the first time I recognized her. I’ve seen her a few times in school laughing with her friends but I’ve never thought of being close to her. It was at the first-day-of-school party at Brian Zane’s house. My demanding girlfriend (now an ex), Nicki asked me to grab her a drink and so I did. That’s when I saw her- a girl standing idly by, separate from the party. She was wearing a cropped top and denim shorts but I couldn’t see her face. Her long, wavy, brown hair was on the way and she wasn’t exactly facing me. I caught her attention by ranting about the very unconventional bottle-opener. That’s when I saw her smile. She had little freckles on her cheeks and dimple on her left cheek. My girlfriend never liked the beer so I drank it myself and kept the bottle cap she opened for me in my pocket.

I remember her as the only girl in Shop Class (although, sure, there was man-hands Rhonda). I remember her lame jokes. I remember her always coming in late and having a grumpy mood during the mornings. I remember her impressive doodling on her desk whenever she was bored. I chose her as my partner. Why not? I didn’t have an opinion for her then, but I was interested. I wanted to know her and make her laugh. I took her outside of the school. I wanted to break rules with her. I showed her the secret exit from the auditorium, walked with her around the empty downtown, and bought her a fruit juice. I remember the street performer mistaking us as a couple and I went along with it. That was the same day I introduced her to my girlfriend.

I liked Nicki. She wasn’t the type of girl I’d imagine to call my girlfriend but I still liked her. She was a blonde and popular cheerleader and I was the inappropriately happy cat-loving human equivalent of a cartoon sit-com. But I knew from the moment that we started dating that it wasn’t gonna last. She didn’t like my friends, my hobbies, and she constantly talked about herself. I started liking Kim when I was still with Nicki. It sounds wrong, I know, but I couldn’t help it.

I remember the first phone call I had with Kim. I had to make Shop Class as an excuse to hang out with her and call her. It seemed reasonable, anyway. I liked who I was when I’m with her. I can be myself and act goofy and have someone appreciate it or do the same thing.