Singles Club

the one where she knows

Christmas came and went, and the days got busier with the upcoming college acceptances. 

It was late February. Senioritis had hit me like a truck. I stared blankly at the assignment in front of me. It wasn't hard, but I didn't want to do it. 

Our morning table was busier than usual. People were stressing because our final ranks came out this morning. I checked and realized I was 7th in my class, and to be honest, I was pretty happy. I hadn't been a super competitive person throughout my time here, but I knew I worked hard and deserved to be in the top ten. 

However, now, with this empty paper, I questioned if I even deserved to graduate. I hold out the paper in front of me and ask if anyone else has completed the assignment.

"Shut up- no one wants to help you, Number Seven" a Turkish boy named Berat rolls his eyes. He's mad because he's a couple of ranks away from being auto-accepted into Texas schools. I roll my eyes, but he continues to berate me. "Seriously, that paper is so easy. You don't deserve my spot."

I'm about to remind him that my spot is about 30 ranks ahead of his, but I'm stopped by another voice.

"Shut the fuck up, Berat" I turn to see Sunny who has dropped his calculator to join the conversation. "Honestly, bro. Shut up. Jaanu works so fucking hard and sits here every day. You can't just show up here randomly and start insulting people who've been here since day one." 

 I look down to hide the blush and small smile that's forming from Sunny's kind words. My heart warms as he glares at Berat until he leaves our table.

I look up and smile, "Thanks, you didn't have to do that."

His eyes soften as he looks at me, "Of course I did! No one talks about my friends like that."

Then I realize what I like the most about Sunny: his loyalty, He cares about his friends more than anything else, and as crazy as he is, I can't help but respect him for that. The realization that I could like Sunny more than just as a friend dawns, and I want nothing more than to get out of here. 

I grab my assignment to shove it into my backpack and start getting up when Sunny asks me if he can show me something. Hesitantly, I nod and sit back down. He pulls up his clothing line. It's called Peng-win. The logo is a cartoon penguin. Any doubt I had before of liking him is gone. I like Sunny- the loyal, goofy guy that named his first company after my favorite bird.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We're in the park around 10PM. It's Saturday, so I'm allowed to be out a little later. 

Alex, Sunny and I are having a Singles Club Meeting. In reality, we're all just drinking soda mixers and vodka on a bench in an empty park at night. Alex is completely drunk and passed out from exhaustion between the two of us.

Sunny and I are talking about our futures. We push Alex to the end of the bench, so we can sit together. The streetlight and moon illuminate our dark brown eyes and bring out the gold. The soft melody of Zayn's Mind of Mine album played in the background.

For a moment, it was silent.

He turns to look at me and leans his head on the bench without breaking eye contact. "You know, Jaan, you shouldn't worry."

I raise my eyebrows questioningly.

"Someone's going to fall in love with that judgy sarcasm and career-orientated attitude. You're just too special and smart. So fucking smart. And your eyes-" he pauses, "they're not all brown. There are little specs there that I can see. It's like a whole universe."

My heart swells from the drunk boy with darker but even more intoxicating eyes calling my dull brown eyes the universe.

I almost want to laugh at the irony of the boy I want telling me there's someone out there for me. It takes everything in me to not confess that I want him because as much as I want him romantically, I love how we are now. I rest my head next to his, facing him, inches apart.

Maybe it was the lighting or the Zayn playing, but for a minute we just stare. I fight a grin, and I watch as he just lets it happen. 

He's smiling and looking at me in a way I've never been looked at. In a way, I've always wanted to be looked at- I just didn't think he'd be the guy.

His eyes drop to my lips.

I can't help but bite the bottom one.

"Can I kiss you?" he whispers so softly that I almost never hear it.

I shake my head. I'm scared. I know this will mean much more to me than it will to him.

He doesn't move. He just whispers, "Come closer."

It's like my body is at his command. I move closer.

"Closer."

My lips hovered over his. I could feel the stubble of his beard on the softness of my skin. Still, he didn't move to connect us.

"Closer" his breath is minty and smells slightly of the alcohol we had been drinking.

I brush my lips against his, and finally, he leans in.

I thought I was in love when Avan asked me out, but the way I'm feeling in this moment is nothing like I've ever felt before. I like the way his beard scratches me and how his warm hands cup my face. I gasp when he lightly lips my lip, and he takes the opportunity to slide his tongue in my mouth. I never want the moment to end, but when I can no longer breathe I pull away.

My eyes are wide, but when I notice the way his are still glazed over, I can't help but know this was a mistake. Sunny is still very drunk, and I, I am not.

He's not saying anything, and I can't either. It's not awkward, but the tension is high.

Finally, we hear a cough beside us and notice Alex is waking up. I check my watch, curse, and realize I need to go. As I'm smacking Alex to get him up so I can get him home, Sunny sits in silence on the bench. His eyes are closed, but I know he's awake. I pull Alex to my side and basically carry him down the street leaving Sunny alone in the park.