Make Your Move...before it's too late

Part Four

Sitting in Cals car I picked up the first cd that I saw and the waited for the song to start. From the first few seconds I knew it, it was Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls, "this is one of my all time favourite songs Cal!" The look on his face was like watching someones dream come alive, he was so much happier than he promise needed to be. "I'm sorry I'm acting stupidly happy, but music is my whole life you know, so for me, if I like someone, I really want them to like some of the things I like...and you do." My heart fluttered, begging to break out of my chest and into his arms. He likes me, and I like him. Its almost midnight, and we are going to a halloween party together to meet his friends. The mystery of how everything can change in a night has always puzzled me, but I no longer care. I'm happy that it happened, I'm happy here, with him, I don't want to think about tomorrow, so I won't, I'll live tonight, I'll love tonight. The party was only a few blocks away from the store and this time it took less time to get there because we knew which turns to take. We parked out front and sat their for a while, Cal watched me as I wiped the condensation off of the glass in a circle to see the decoration lights reflect and twinkle on the water on the ground. I looked over at him, holding in my breath, he interlocked his fingers in mine and drew rt on the front window in between the both of us. "It's just you and me tonight Lena. No one knows me, no one knows you. We arrive together, we leave together, dont worry about my friends, they'll love you, because well, they love me, and I love you..." I reach my other hand over to hold his. "Lets do this".
Cal gets out of the car and around to my side, opening the door for me, holding my hand as I step out in the gloriously sparkly red shoes, trying not to fall, I overthink it and of course, fall, right into Cals arms, almost as if he expected it. "Careful there, dont go breaking my arms and my heart all in one night" , I smile in spite of myself and let him lift me up off the high step of the car and down onto the ground. He takes my hand and leads me inside, smiling at some people along the way who seem to get that he doesn't want to be noticed right now. He asks me what time it is and I go to check my phone and realise its dead, "shit my phone is flat... also I dont have any pockets..." reading my mind he takes my phone and slides it into his pocket "no problem, just dont run off without it or it might be a case of Cinderella and the glass slipper" he says while cocking his head towards a group of grown men wearing Cinderella dresses, I burst out a laugh and quickly throw my hand over my mouth to stop myself in embarrassment. My face grows red and I freeze as everyone near us turns to look at us. A guy with pink hair walks towards us laughing with the biggest smile I've ever seen. On his arm is a girl with matching hair, she looks beautiful, and instantly I retreat closer to Cals side. He whispers softly in my ear, "did I tell you how beautiful you are?" I can't manage to speak, "well I should've, because you wipe the floor with those eyes, and that's no costume". As embarrassingly childish as it sounds, I giggle, and he pulls me closer by his side, holding his arm around my waist as he smiles up at the couple approaching us. "CAL!" He shouts before he gets hit in the arm and told to keep it down, "oh I see, this is a lay low and make out in the back of the hummer kind of night" Cal laughs in unison with the guy before turning to me and seeing the look on my face. The girl chimes in "boys don't be such idiots, the poor girl doesn't know you are talking about a song. I'm sorry about these idiots, I'm Crystal and this is Michael, he is in the band with the boys, and oh yeah he is also my boyfriend" she moves to hug me and I'm thankful for the comfort she offers. Michael also come to hug me and I look to Cal to see if this is fine and he smiles and joins in so that Michael is hugging me and Cal is hugging the side of us both. I mouth help to Crystal who finds this hilarious and pulls Michael away from us. He lifts her up and twirls her around before putting her down again and leaving a kiss on her cheek. "Wheres Luke?" Cal asks looking around right as hands come towering over him covering his eyes and whispering in a pretend voice "Who is Luke?". Luke turns to look at me and whispers something to Cal who blushes as red as my dress and apologises for Luke even though I didn't hear what he said, to this Luke replies "hey I'm Luke and I'm pretty inappropriate, sorry in advance for that. You look great btw, whose idea were the masks?", I answer "mine actually, I thought it'd help us lay low" looking at Michael he continues "so they can make out in the back of the hummer", Luke looks shocked for a minute and then clearly understands the joke, "its not yellow anymore though" Cal chimes in "and its not my dads", Michael and Luke look at each other at the same time and say "sure dude" which cracks them up for far too long. Crystal announces that me and her are going to get some drinks in the kitchen and we'll meet them by the staircase in a minute. Cal gives me a look to make sure I'm okay with this, and I am, so we leave. Crystal asks me about how Cal and I met, I keep it short, preferring to let Cal tell his friends about me, she seems to understand this and doesn't ask anything more. We are almost at the kitchen when Crystal sees someone outside and rushes off apologetically to greet them, telling me to get the drinks and meet the boys by the staircase. I admit I feel a bit out of place, surrounded by a group of strangers, I take a deep breathe and turn around to face the kitchen. Instead I walk straight into a man on his phone. He has curly golden hair and I feel like I recognise him, though I know that isn't possible as I dont know any of these people. "I'm so sorry, are you okay, sorry I didn't mean to-" he cuts me off with a laugh, his dimples push into the side of his mouth, a happy smile, he lets me know its okay and not to worry at all. He steps back a bit so that we aren't pressed up against each other, he does this slowly, when he stops he looks me up and down "wow, you look gorgeous, how have I never met you?" He puts his hand out and I shake it, unknowing of what else to do. I say sorry one last time and move to step around him, he apologises, realising he is in my way and asks if he could help me get some drinks. I won't be able to carry drinks for Luke and Michael as well as me and Cal so I accept his offer, grateful of the help and company. We chat for a while, he flirts a lot, I try to nicely pretend I don't notice, he laughs when we have all the drinks and move to head out "you don't like me do you?" I'm so taken aback I dont know what to say, "no, no I do, I'm sorry, its just, well I came here with someone", he looks mad at himself "im sorry, i should've realised, a girl as beautiful as you doesn't come to parties alone". He looks at me with doe eyes, "can i ask though, is he worth it?" I stand there, holding two cups of some alcohol drink i grabbed in the hurry of the crowd moving around the kitchen and stare at this boy, who is cute and sweet, who doesn't know me at all and I've never been good at turning people down, but then again, I've never gotten a chance to. I'm so thankful when I see Cal spot me and walk towards me, "hey Lena, I thought you left me for a second there" he holds me next to him again and looks to see who I'm talking to. "Oh so you two have already met! N need to introduce you then" we both look at each other puzzled, confused of who each other is. He takes in the scene and how Cal is holding onto me and realises that this is who I came here with, sighing silently he puts out his hand to me "yeah we just met, I'm Ash, Cal's best friend, nice to meet you, I'm sorry I didn't catch your name", Cal answers for me "She is Lena". I'm thankful for the mask, for the expression it covers.