Living on borrowed light...

Nameless

~ We were on the dance floor and Jen was now showing me all her best moves. Surprisingly enough, I had flowed right through them, picking them up in a flash. " Wow see! look at you go, all you need to do is to get out of your head once in awhile!" Drunken laughter escaping our lips as we were holding hands and backing up. Your typical dance move, when I felt myself back right into someone. "Oops."  Quickly I let go of Jen's hands to turn around and apologize, almost losing my balance as I did. My eyes met with a man, taller than me, who was wearing a suit. It was that man from earlier, the guy from across the bar who had been looking my way. " I'm sorry!" I blurted out with my hands raised in front of me, inches from his chest.  He held out his hands and grabbed my shoulders softly but firmly, as if trying to stabilize me. Looking up at him, I could finally see his features. He had soft wavy brown hair that was cut short, a sharp nose, thin lips, a prominent jaw, and his eyes. I froze for a moment, remembering the dream I had. They were the exact same shade of blue. Attempting to shake the thoughts from my mind, I just stared at him. His eyes had left me in a daze. " Are you alright?" I barely heard him, but I could see his eyes studying me closely. Finally I regained my composure after what felt like many minutes. Laughing off the awkward moment that just took place, I responded. " Uh, yeah! I'm alright! I just thought I knew you for a moment." Lying,  I broke eye contact, I couldn't handle it anymore. My heart though, it was racing, and my cheeks, they felt hot. Jen now beside me, was watching my face with a mix of shock and amusement. This man didn't even look at her, his eyes were dead set on me. " Well, since you're here, would you like to dance with me?" Before I could process what he just asked me, Jen blurted out. " She sure would! Be gentle though it's her first time." She winked at me as she began to walk away. I looked at her in horror hoping he didn't see,  then back to the man with a nervous smile. He smiled back, and moved in closer to me. My body reacted with static, like I could suddenly feel everything clearer around me, which is something I have never felt before. We danced for awhile, as I attempted to redo the moves Jen taught me. I nervously looked over at her and my new found friends. Oh god, they were all watching me. Jen shot me a double thumbs up when I saw her lean over and say something to George. He looked surprised, then shot me a thumbs up too. He had a not bad, good job sort of look on his face. James on the other hand, was watching Jen more than anything, it made me smile, he had been by her side since we got here. Jeannine was nursing another beer, quietly observing the man dancing with me. It gave me the sort of feeling like she was scanning him, making sure he wasn't being a creep. They made me feel safe, which loosened me up again. Looking  back at the man now, he took the chance to lean in, talking into my ear. He asked me what I do for work, he was close enough I could feel the warmth of his breath on my ear, which sent goosebumps shivering down my spine, and creeping along my skin. I quickly dismissed the feeling, and began I explain to him about having just moved here, and that I was  wanting to get back into school for nursing. He pulled away, looking at me with a smile of approval, he nodded. I felt my cheeks flush again. I didn't like it, and I hope he couldn't see it. We danced for a while longer until the music died off, the bands were switching. We had stopped dancing at this point when he asked if I wouldn't mind if he came back to sit with me. Hesitant at first, but then remembered he was here alone. I shot him a smile and a nod, then began walking back to the booth where all my friends were sitting. Jen noticing my straggler, shooed everyone. Making them move to make room for him.  " Wow, Canadians can dance, who knew." George now cracking up at his own joke, took a sip of his beer. I shook my head and stuck my tongue out. Me and my straggler squeezed into our seats now, I was awkwardly  in-between him and Jen. That's when I took the opportunity to give it to her, quietly of course so he couldn't hear. I whispered in her ear. " Really, you just leave me there with him like that? I wasn't ready! I probably just made a real fool of myself."  My cheeks still  feeling scorched, she responded right back in my ear with slurred words. " Listen princess, sometimes you gotta run before you can walk, and you did great! Besides, that guy was eyeing you all night if you didn't notice! He asked me earlier when I got those shots if you would dance with him." Pulling away I saw that mischievous look on her face. That's when it sunk in, she planned this. " JEN, did you set me up?!" Cackling now, she leaned back in. " Not exactly, I don't know the guy, but I did set you up to bump into him, and besides, if I didn't do it, you never would have, let's be honest!" I was trying  so hard to be serious, but I just couldn't. Jen was impossible to be upset with, she was just too funny. " Oh please, I saw that look on your face when you looked at him, your cheeks got so red! I've never seen you react like that before, so don't try and say you aren't thankful someone had the balls!"  Trying to pretend like I didn't know what she was talking about, I  looked back at the stranger beside me and smiled, now shifting my position so I was facing him now instead of Jen. He asked me how old I was, if I liked living here so far, the usual, when finally he asked my name. I went to respond, but the music suddenly started up again, this time, blaring louder than the previous band. He shook his head, signaling that he didn't catch what I had said. I tried again, he still couldn't hear me, instead he held out his hand. " My name is Theo-" When suddenly, I heard Jen yell, cutting the man off. Between the music and her yelling, it was hopeless. I had paused mid hand shake to look at Jen, she was slipping out the other way to get more drinks, or so I assumed knowing her, and James following close behind. I looked over at George and Jeannine, they both just shrugged, and went back to talking with one another.  I don't know how much more I could drink though,  my head had already begun to spin slightly after we stopped dancing. Realizing now, that I was just sort of holding his hand I jumped and pulled away, looking at him sheepishly. He didn't seem to skip a beat, he just held a polite smile on his face. I had heard him say three names earlier, which I could only presume was his first, middle, and last name. However I had only caught the first part,  I was too embarrassed to ask again, so when he kept talking, It was a relief. He was now leaning in real close so I could hear him. " I moved here in August to begin studying law at the University of Utah." I was impressed, and it must of shown because I saw him chuckle. " Yeah, It's a real great school, and was damn hard to get into." That's when It registered, that's why he dressed so nice. He sure did have the law student look to him, nice clothes and clean cut. His polite smile was now slightly laced with a quizzical look. I had been staring at his clothes, shit... I have a real bad habit showing all my emotions and thoughts on my face when daydreaming.  Looking at him I could see his smile had grown now. My cheeks felt like they were on fire, looking away from him, I quickly looked up at George, he had been watching our interaction, and was laughing behind the rim of his glass. In the act of deliberately trying to avoid eye contact for the moment with "Theo". I looked for anything to fiddle with. So I grabbed the shot glass from earlier, and showed it to him. " Have you ever had a liquid cocaine?" Aaaand I sound stupid, that diversion was too obvious. He looked down, seemingly to be genuinely interested in what I had to say. He slightly pushed out his bottom lip and shook his head, now looking back at me. I pointed to the gold flakes in the glass, showing him how the light reflected off them. " It has real gold flakes in it, would you like to try one?" Putting the glass down I finally made eye contact with him again, feeling the heat in my face settling. " I would love to, but let me cover it." Before I could detest, he stood up and began walking to the bar at the same time Jen had returned with drinks for everyone. I quickly looked at the clock near the bar door, it was already 1 am, I couldn't believe we had been here this long. That's when I realized George and Jeannine were beginning to look tired. James himself had only came back with Jen to say goodnight, and that he was glad to meet me. Leaving for the door, George waved him off. " Yeah, last round  for us too carrot top, then were heading home alright?" George said in a less booming voice this time.  Jen pouted for a moment then responded. " Fine, be a buncha wimps, we don't need you anyway." She laughed and squeezed in beside me.  "So, enjoying yourself yet?" Jen wore quite the accomplished look on her face now. Giving her a woozy smile, and thinking for a moment, I hug her. " You know what? Nerves aside, this has actually been one of the best nights I've ever had, thank you!" She patted my back, now pushing me away in faked discomfort.  " Yeah yeah yeah, keep your cooties to yourself.'' She smiled. " What about prince charming over there, what's his memo? " She motioned to him, still standing at the bar. " Well, I don't know about prince charming, and I'm not sure of his name because SOMEONE, started yelling about drinks,  but he seems nice. He's a law student, just moved here in August." I saw the same look come over her face that I made when it finally made sense. " Ah, the clothes."  Smiling, she nodded in understanding, having totally missed the playful jab I had taken at her. Jen, being her usual unfiltered self, now asked me the burning question. " Sooo... Are you gunna  like... Get his digits or what?"  Her glazed over brown eyes looking at me full of mischief. " Jen, he's just some dude who I danced with for a few minutes and had a minor conversation with, does that really seem safe to you?"  She just laughed, shrugging slightly. " Live a little, whats the worst that could happen?"   I just rolled my eyes, and looked up at the man who was now heading back our way.