by Leila Lucas
“Vikki, I think I need to go to the emergency room!” Her hoarse voice comes from the bedroom.
“No, you don’t.” I laugh.
“Umm… you don’t sound like Vik.”
“You’re very observant.” I open her door and see her sitting up, her eyes not fully open, but she’s still trying to give me a dirty look for being in her bedroom. She looks a little worse for wear compared to last night. Her makeup is slightly smudged and her crazy hair is all over the place. Considering she always looks very polished, she won’t be happy when she looks in the mirror.
“This is how you respond to an emergency? You laugh? I think I’m going to die.” She pulls her blanket up over her chest like there’s anything to cover up. Her dress from last night is still on and it reveals absolutely nothing. Unfortunately.
“You’re hungover. Take this and stay in bed, it’ll go away eventually.” I give her aspirin and a glass of water.
“This is disgusting. Why do people even do this to themselves.” She takes the aspirin and water. “I’m going to take a shower. I sense that I look as bad as I feel.” She rolls off the bed in slow motion and as soon as she stands up she stops and holds on to her bedside table.
“I think my brain is going to fall out if I move.”
I bite my lip, trying not to laugh at her pain. “Here, I’ll help you get to the bathroom.” I stand next to her, one hand on her back and the other at the back of her knees.
“What are you doing?” She looks at me. “Fuck, so bright.” She squeezes her eyes shut.
“Just trust me.”
“Okay,” she replies quietly.
I pick her up and she leans her head on my chest and her hand rests on my shoulder.
“Close your eyes and let me carry you to the bathroom. I’ll walk slow enough for you not to get dizzy.”
I slowly put her down in the bathroom and get her to hold on to the sink. I stand close to her to make sure she doesn’t tumble over. She moves her hair away from her face and looks into the mirror in front of her.
“Oh. My. God, did I sleep for twenty years? I look like I’m in my forties.” She attempts to smooth her hair down, but it just bounces back up.
I laugh and close the small window curtains enough for her to be able to see without making her headache worse.
“I’m so sorry you have to see me looking like this.” She shakes her head.
“You still look beautiful.” No lies. She looks tired but aside from that, the messy hair and makeup look kinda sexy.
She snorts. “How are you single?” She looks at my reflection in the mirror.
Because you won’t go out with me.
“Just waiting for the girl to come to her senses and un-single me.”
“Don’t think that’s a word.”
“It won’t be when she decides to be with me.”
She rolls her eyes and smiles.
“I got it from here, thank you.”
When I get back from a coffee run, I see her sitting in her pajamas with her wet hair hanging down her right shoulder. “How are you feeling?” I try to contain my laugh as she gives me the side eye. “That bad, huh?”
“Never doing that again.”
“That’s what they all say.” I hand her the coffee and bagel. “So do you remember much from last night?”
“Unfortunately.” She puts her head down, running her finger around the rim of the coffee cup.
I’m trying hard to spare her the embarrassment and tell her it’s fine, but I really wanted to hear what she’d say.
“Oh God, I acted like a total idiot.” She puts her coffee on the table and stands in front of me. “Ughh, I don’t know what’s wrong with me… I don’t drink. Ever. They didn’t even do anything and I was so rude to them. You’re not even my boyfriend. I had no right to be so horrible to your friends just because they were flirting with you. And Ben! Poor Ben!” she covers her face.
“You don’t need to worry about Ben. He knows you just had a few too many,” I reassure her. “Plus, you boosted his ego.” Like it needed boosting.
She nods.
“Why did the Cheetos bother you?” I ask.
She laughs. “I’m so sorry for calling them names.” A long silence follows. “Jealous.” She sighs. “I got jealous. They were touching you and you almost kissed the girl next to you right in front of me.”
I must have gotten way too close to Alice when I was trying to figure out her eyelash situation.
“And I have no right to be. You can do whatever you want.”
“I thought this is what you wanted.”
“Yeah, it is.” She looks back up at me. “It was.”
Was.
“Thanks for the coffee and for getting me home. Sorry for acting like an idiot and for being a bitch in front of your friends. And sorry for making this very awkward right now. You’re free to leave now and neither of us will ever mention this again.” She pulls some imaginary lint off her pajama top while she waits for me to get up and leave. “And…” She looks up. “I’m just happy to be friends with you, like it was before… you know? I like this friend thing we have going on. With Ben too. I mean, if that’s what you want too?” She looks back down at her shirt and I can’t help but smile at how much she talks when she’s uncomfortable. I can see her chest rising fast and her hands shaking a little. I think she over-shared and wants me to just leave and ignore what happened, but I can’t. She said she was happy being my friend, meaning I was so damn close to having her. And I’d be an idiot to let her go right now.
“No.”
“No what?”
“That’s not what I want.”
“Oh.”
“I’ll wait for you. You just tell me when you’re ready.” I don’t hesitate. I want her and I already know she’s worth the wait. “I’ve been waiting for you since the day I met you.”
“Why would you do that?” There are hundreds of girls drooling over you at every show… just have fun.”
I reach out and take her hand, gently pulling her to sit next to me on the couch. Just the touch of her hand sends a weird feeling up my arm and down my chest. Okay, apparently I turned into a thirteen-year-old girl in love, but fuck it. I want Chloe.
“I don’t care about the other girls. I like you. And I have more fun with you than any of them. So I’ll wait for as long as I have to.” I look down and notice that I’m still holding her hand. Hopefully the fact she hasn’t pulled away is a good sign.
“Okay. But this is a no-strings attached arrangement. If you change your mind tell me and I’ll be okay with it. You guys have become my friends and I really don’t want to lose that.”
“I won’t change my mind and you won’t lose anyone.”
I just made an arrangement to wait for six months. Half a year of no dating, no sex, no kissing, no sex, no girlfriend. Did I mention no sex? But all that gets shoved into the back of my brain when I look at her.
CHLOE
I stupidly just let a cute guy walk out of my apartment. A guy who is willing to give up any sort of romantic relationship for half a year for the chance to date me. He didn’t hesitate for a second to let me do what I need to do in order to be with him.
I don’t know if I still have any alcohol in my system or if I’m just on a happy-high right now, but I run out of the apartment in my pajamas and no shoes on. With my head still throbbing I run down the stairs, trying hard not to trip over my own feet. I was so concentrated on making sure I didn’t trip over my feet that I didn’t see Dylan right in front of me until it was too late.
“Whooaaaa.” He grabs me by the shoulders. I’m now on the step right above his. We’re eye-to eye. “You okay?” He furrows his eyebrows. Before I have the chance to think twice I go right in and press my lips against his. He kisses back right away and my knees go weak, but his strong grip keeps me upright. I pull away and see the shocked expression on his face.
“Did I walk down the stairs so slowly that six months have passed
?” He smiles.
“Sorry.” Now I’m embarrassed. I didn’t think this whole thing through. I didn’t really think about anything other than wanting to kiss Dylan. “That was… I shouldn’t have…”
“Oh, you definitely should have. But apology accepted.”
“I don’t want to wait.”
“You don’t?” He raises an eyebrow. “Are you positive about this? I don’t want to be the person who ruins this for you.” So so so so sweet.
“I don’t need you. I want you.” This is the first time I didn’t need a boyfriend. My life didn’t feel empty or dependent on another person. But I wanted Dylan. I wanted him to kiss me and touch me and hold my hand. “And after knowing what this feels like. I really don’t want to wait six months to do it again.” I want to lunge at Dylan again, but I manage to have some sort of self-control.
“So I can ask you out now?” He confirms.
“Yes.”
“Okay, great. Well, I’ll talk to you soon.” He lets go of me and turns around to continue walking downstairs. Is he serious right now? I stay frozen on the step, crossing my arms.
“Hey, Chloe?” Dylan yells out. He’s already on the second flight of stairs.
“Yeah?” I grab onto the rail and look down at him.
“Will you go out with me?” He has a shit eating grin on his face.
“You’re such an ass.” I poke my tongue out at him. “But yes, I will.”
* * *
C: I kissed Dylan
D: OMG! You’re soooo lucky, he’s sooooooo dreamy <3 <3
Oh no, no no no no.
C: Well that’s awkward
D: I think it’s cute. So weird I just texted the same thing to Ben :P
* * *
“Yes! Finally!” Vikki claps really excitedly as we sit on the couch and eat pizza. “Took you two way too long to get your shit together. Do you feel guilty for breaking your man-less year rule?”
“Not exactly. I told him I wanted to complete the whole year and he still asked me out.” I shrug. “I told him he can change his mind whenever.”
“I watch enough Netflix to know that the back-to-friends scenario never works out well. I think it’ll work out between you two. Dylan really seems to like you for some weird reason, so…”
I playfully push her and she almost drops her slice.
“Hey! Watch it, this pizza is too good to drop,” she manages to say with a giant mouthful.
“Do you really think it’d be impossible for us to be friends again if it doesn’t work out?” I didn’t really think about it not working out, but now I’m worried. Dylan is an amazing guy and I’d be really crushed if I lost him as a friend.
“I don’t know. It’s possible, but once there’s chemistry it’s always going to be there. I think both of you would be really awkward if the other started dating and they started hanging out with us.” I just realized that he has never brought up another girl the entire time I’ve known him. And just picturing him with someone else makes me feel jealous. I know about Jenna, but I’ve seen them around together and there’s definitely nothing there between them. Yup. Definitely not going to work out as friends after this.
* * *
I check my phone before I get lost in my book and a text from Dylan is displayed on the screen.
D: You. Me. Dinner tomorrow.
Seriously? Guys have no idea how much preparation is required for a date. Especially a first date.
C: Tomorrow? I have nothing to wear! Where are we going?
D: You look great in anything. The Woods restaurant
I quickly Google the restaurant to figure out what I should wear. Judging by the images the place is very fancy, and I’m assuming just as expensive.
C: We don’t need to go to such fancy place Dyl
D: I’m picking you up at 7
I jump out of bed and yell for Vikki.
“WHAT? WHAT? WHAT?” She barges in with a lamp in her hand.
“What the heck are you doing?” I burst out laughing.
“I thought you were getting attacked.” She puts the lamp down.
“And that’s your weapon of choice?”
“Yeah, I don’t know, it was the first thing I grabbed. Lucky it was cordless.” She laughs too.
I tell Vikki about the very last-minute date and thankfully she comes to the rescue and helps me pick an outfit. We decide on a gold sequin miniskirt, a thin beige sweater, white blazer, and Vikki’s nude Louboutins.
“These are so uncomfortable.” I walk around the bedroom. I have a lot of heels thanks to my mom, but they took months of pain to break in well enough to walk around without wincing.
“They’re not slippers, grandma! They won’t hurt when you sit, I promise. You look beautiful. Just make sure you do something with this crazy mane of yours tomorrow and you’re all set.” She pulls my hair from under the blazer.
“Thank you!” I hug her. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.
“I have that effect on people.” She winks. “Good night, babe, and good luck tomorrow! I’m so excited for you.” She grabs the lamp on her way out.
Chapter Fourteen
CHLOE
The waiter brings our enormous plates that take up almost the whole table. The food, however, is tiny. It’s the same kind of unfulfilling meals my mom and all her friends have for events. It’s a small cut of meat right in the center, a dollop of some sort of white sauce with garnish on top, and two of the smallest potatoes on the side I have ever seen. Not exactly what I had in mind when I ordered filet mignon. Dylan, who ordered the same thing, looked equally as unimpressed.
“I don’t know what the fork rules are here.”
Dylan is examining the two forks next to his plate. In these fancy type situations I would grab the utensils my mom did, so I’m just winging it and using the main one.
“Is this an appetizer?” asks Dylan.
“No.” I laugh. “It’s definitely a main.”
“Did they forget to put the rest of the food on here?”
I snort and quickly cover my mouth. Very ladylike behavior.
“Maybe it’s really filling, that’s why it’s so tiny,” I whisper so the older snooty couple next to us stops staring at us.
“I don’t think this is a first date restaurant. You literally finish your meal in ten minutes and then what?” he says.
I nod in agreement. I might have not been on many dates in my lifetime, but the whole point is to get to know each other. And that’s a little hard to do when you’re ready for dessert within ten minutes.
“I think this is a married couple anniversary restaurant. You impress your wife with a fancy dinner and maybe a nice piece of jewelry. She doesn’t notice it’s only been ten minutes and he gets to go home in time for the game,” I add and he nods.
“Are you still hungry? Because I skipped lunch, so I can indulge here,” he says. “Want to order another main?” Knowing how expensive the food is here I don’t want him to order anything else.
“Do you like burgers?” I ask him.
“There’s no way they have burgers in here.” He looks around at all the fancily dressed couples.
“Not from here. There’s this food truck this guy told me about and they have the best burgers in the universe apparently.”
“Should he be trusted? Because I heard his restaurant choices are pretty shit.”
I laugh at his adorable disappointed face.
He motions for the waiter to bring the check.
“The truck is two blocks down. You going to be okay to walk?” He looks down at my shoes.
Shit.
“Yeah! It’s fine, they’re comfortable,” I lie. He takes my hand and any worry I’ve had about blisters and sore feet went away.
Dylan comes to the table with two burgers and large drinks. I take a bite of the huge greasy burger. “Mmmm. Oh. My. God. So good.” I moan. I don’t eat a lot of junk food, but greasy hamburgers are my weakness. And not that I’d admit it to a
nyone, but I was so nervous about the date I didn’t eat anything up until now.
“You can’t make those noises in front of me. Not right now, when you look like that and we’re out in public.” He frowns.
“Sorry.” I laugh.
“So why writing?” He takes a sip of his drink.
“Honestly it’s pretty embarrassing.” I put down my burger for a bit so I don’t eat it in record time. “I didn’t really have many friends aside from the ones I’ve had at school. Obviously this was before everyone had mobiles and a laptop, so any weekend or school break I’d be totally alone and, well… I wrote my friends. Then I fell in love with it and did it any spare time I had.” Wow, didn’t realize how sad that sounds when I say it out loud. “So yeah, being lame turned into my dream job. Very unexciting story.”
“There’s nothing unexciting about you.”
Butterflies.
“That’s very cute, though. Not that you were lonely, but that you did that.”
“So, why music and teaching?”
“The music because of Ben. I don’t think I would have gone down that path if it wasn’t for him. I wrote poems here and there and when he asked me to be in the band I expanded the poems into songs and that was it. And teaching happened because of our parents. They were always very supportive about the music path and bought us everything we ever needed when we started out. But on the one condition that we had backup plans for after we finish school. I still wanted something music related, so teaching felt right.” He shrugs.
“I wish we had hot teachers when I was in school.”
“You think I’m hot?” He grins.
“I didn’t say that!”
“Yes, you did.” He winks at me. I stare at him for a little too long. He doesn’t notice because he’s having a moment with his burger.
We spend the next hour sitting and talking about his family, our favorite shows, and songs he’s written for the band.
