Telegraph Ave

Chapter 6: Block Party

Surprisingly, it didn't take much to persuade my mother, on allowing me to go to the party.

Yesterday evening, when I eventually came back home after spending almost a whole day at Jordan's house. I ratianed enough information about my new fellow friends, to share with my mother. She was delighted and could tell by the expressions upon my face that they were genuine. Let along knowing the party is just a few houses down, made her agree even more.

It's Friday now, and I can already hear the reverberating bass bursting from speakers.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. Been lucky I didn't fold on just getting to know 9 people in my neighborhood, but it's about to be a whole new cast at Claudia's. Anxiety coiled within my chest, staring at my royal blue button-down shirt that complimented my jeans. My hand made Jesus cross necklace matched the color of my Timbs, and my wrists were tatted with cultural bracelets—sleeves rolled up.

Diamond studs glistened in my ears, and the fragrance from my cologne swarmed the oxygen of my bathroom. I look good, feel good, but also feel as if I'm waiting in line to skydive on a moving plane. Besides having a fear of heights and big spiders, I've always been terrified of embarrassing myself. That's why I've always been to myself, but I have to continue to break that habit as I've been doing these past two days.

I'll never know what I'm good at until I try it.

Vrrrp Vrrrp!!!

My phone begins to ring and breaks me out of my train of thought, leaning onto the pearly white sink. The contact read Markus, as I now check the time—6:15 pm.

I swiped to answer. "Hello?"

"Hey, we're outside whenever you ready. Don't take too long though, Aight? The party's already jumping." Markus explained over the phone.

"I know. I can hear it from in here, I'm heading y'all way now."

"Bet." Markus responded and the call disconnects.

I looked at myself in the mirror one last time, before exiting the bathroom, now unplugging my phone from the wall that sat by the dresser. Turning off my light, I strolled my way up the hallway to kiss my mother on the forehead, as she laid on the living room couch with her head in a book. She compliments the way I'm dressed, and tells me to have fun before I stepped foot outside the door.

Other than that, Markus and Jordan kept they're word. I asked them prior if the three of us could go at the same time, cause to be honest I probably would've panicked arriving at the party by myself—even though they'd be there. It's just another part of me that I need to have confidence about. The girls are already there from what I've heard, so we're making our way now.

As the three of us journeyed down to Claudia's house, Markus explained tonight's agenda. The game plan is for all of us to celebrate the coming of summer, and for me to meet more of they're people. Majority I'll meet are they're friends, and the rest of the people that's going to be there won't really matter, unless they're interested in knowing who I am.

Which I doubt will happen...

* * *

The sun began fall behind the neighborhood, turning the sky orange and pink with a smudge of blue overcasting the twilight. The air was calm, the atmosphere was warm, and concrete beneath our feet on the patio vibrated from the backyard. Cars crowded the front of the house, and teenagers could be heard from the distance. My heart throbs, as Markus rung the doorbell of Claudia's house.

Not even 5 seconds had passed by, she opened the door as if she already knew we were here. She wore a black spaghetti strap, with ripped blue jeans beneath and summer flat sandals that exposed her cool pink nails. Her smile was wide and her attitude was filled with elation.