ABDC Ch. 02-03

Ch. 2

"Put these over the doorway." Camellia commanded as she handed me a string of white twinkle lights.

"You know you're very bossy." I complained as she turned away to hang a retro neon beer sign on the wall.

"What was that? I can't hear you." I laughed as I watch her tilt the sign from left to right.

"You can't use your hard of hearing as a scapegoat every time you want something your way." she points to her ear and uses the universal sign of I can't hear you.

"Well everything is ready, I'll put out the chips and salsa. It's almost nine so people should probably be here soon" I look around the modest apartment, not bad for a college campus, wood floors, decent size, dining goes into the kitchen. I guess I'm lucky I live in Texas where everything is bigger because there is no way you would get this space for this price anywhere else.

As I place the food on the counter I watch as Camellia sway her hips back and forth as she plays music on an old stereo with large box speakers. It was the kind of stereo my family had when I was a kid, it sat along with the tv we had to use pliers to change the channel because the obscenely large knob fell off. Everything in the living room and dining were hand me downs from Camellias parents, not that I was complaining. They offered, we accepted, I didn't spend too much time in the living area so I didn't mind what was really in there. I did however provide a shiny metallic microwave and the classy plastic aqua blue plates and cups that I'm pretty sure are in every college dorm across the country. My mom and I put plaid blue and green contact paper in the cupboards and drawers and later me and Camellia put the rest of it on her hand-me-down dining room table, we figured it would make cleanup a little easier.

I glance at my phone, 1 am, and the party is well under way. A lot of people I don't know were scattered through the apartment and onto the patio. Tamberlyn, one of my best/only friends, showed up with her new boyfriend and a neck full of hickeys. I watched as she sat on her new beau's lap looking happy and whispering in his ear. They're cute and nauseating, but young, dumb and in like. I envied them. I realize I'm too awkward to be in like, and too heavy to sit on anyone's lap without them wincing in pain. But my joy for her outweighs any jealousy, as long as she's happy and this guy isn't a douche then I'm happy for her. I pour a shot of vodka into a glass followed by cola and offer it to her "drink with me" I yell over the sound of a trendy dance song.

As me and Tamberlyn raise our drink I notice two guys walk through the door. The first I recognized as Camellias best friend Grady, standing 6'2 he reminded me of a kid who probably got called string bean a lot. His shaggy blond hair stood up straight as if to say "fuck you gravity" and his gangly arms hung down as if it was apologising for the comments of his hair, while his pale skin made me think he was nerdy and didn't get outside much. His personality was pretty docile but he tends to say what's on his mind, when I first met him Camelia explained he stayed in the more creative side of the neighborhood, to which he blurted out he "waves the fag flag and she's my hag." I liked him, even though I was pretty sure you couldn't say the f-word, but maybe he can because he is.

"Hey Grady!" I exclaimed with a welcome hug

"Hey darling, this is my cousin Tony." I looked over to the 5'9 dirty blond looking hippy guy standing next to grady. He looked as if he just woke up with bed head torn blue jeans, jesus sandals and a black shirt that read roll tide with a marijuana bud on it.

"Hi Tony, I'm Natalia" "Hey, nice place I brought some vodka." He replied handing me a tall bottle

"Everclear? Are you trying to kill us all?" He chuckled "I'll just put this in the freezer"

Tony followed me to the kitchen "I invited someone over, I hope you don't mind, she's getting off work and on her way." He explained leaning on the kitchen counter.I wasn't entirely sure because of his shaggy hair in his eyes but I could now see his eyes scanning me up and down.

"She's getting off work at one in the morning and she's coming to a party? Isn't she going to be tired?"

"Nah she's fine, should be here any minute." Tony was obviously a party guy, he didn't care what you thought or what you said as long as you said it to his face. He didn't like being tied down to anything or anyone, as far as he was concerned he was young and free.

It's officially two in the morning and I'm signing the dining room table, apparently a new tradition Tony started by drawing a well endowed penis, then everyone proceeded to add their own little trademark to the table.

As I scribbled stars along the table I notice a short brunette with a 100 watt smile walk through the door and take a seat on Tonys lap.

"Hi! I'm Nicky!" She spoke with excited voice, way too excited for two am. As I watched her talk gleefully to everyone and become part of the party I wondered how she had the energy after work until two am. Nicky was a complete sweetheart, to Tonys fuck-you attitude. They were polar opposites, Where Tony would take advantage, Nicky would help. She was a short stocky brunette with a permanent smile that reached her eyes and he was a tall medium built blond with a sardonic smile and careless attitude. They were both the life of a party, at least they had that in common, I spent the rest of the night talking with Nicky after Tamberlyn left. I found out she takes classes on campus and she and Tony actually live together, well he stayed in her apartment anyways. We exchanged numbers and made plans to hang out before the night was done. I didn't care too much for Tony on his own but Nicky was a joy to hang out with and I was happy I made a new friend.

Ch. 3

"Hey Camelia, Nicky's coming to pick me up, wanna come hang out at her place?" I asked as I threw my jacket on and grabbed my black purse. Camelia was standing in the kitchen with a worried look on her face.

"You're going over there again? That's the 5th time this week. What about class?"

Taken aback I give her a quizzical look "What about my classes? I don't have class tomorrow and I've got all A's so far. Why so concerned mom?" I noticed the worried look on her face

"It's just that, well Grady told me how hanging with Tony can get a person in trouble and how it has in the past." I stood there with purse in hand, tight lipped as she continued her plea, "and you've been hanging out with them a lot this past month. I've barely seen you and I'm worried you're going to go down the wrong path"

I couldn't believe what I just heard. She was worried about me? Tony told me all about his cousin Grady and his on again-off again slight drug problem that his mother is always able to rescue him from. But I try not to judge people from past actions, especially from things I've never witnessed myself. I consider gossip to be hearsay and try not to let it affect my judgement of a person, but what grady was alluding to about me honestly pissed me off.

"Well I'm not Grady, my grades are fine and since you're my roommate and not my mom I'll be home whenever I feel like it."

I stormed out of the apartment steaming mad and walked to the parking lot to wait for Nicky. As the cool fall air blew through my hair I began to calm down and go over the things Camelia said. I guess I hadn't been home a lot, and we haven't really hung out much since the party, but my grades are great and I do actually attend class. as for the drug thing Tony smokes a little pot every now and then, okay a lot of pot, but I don't so what was the problem? What was this guilt I was feeling? Maybe Camelia is just feeling a little jealous I kind of took over her best friend's cousin. We should have another party so we can all hang out together. Start fresh, I'm sure we can all be friends, I'm not sure why we split this way in the first place.

As I sat on the curb in the parking lot planning out a together again party Nicky's car pulls up and I hop in. On the way to her apartment I tell her everything that happened with Camelia and my plan for the party.

"On one hand I think she's just worried about you and that's sweet." She glances away from the road and smiles "On the other hand who the fuck does that bitch think she is, telling you how to live your life?"

I laughed loudly at Nicky's comment, as sweet as she is she can still have the mouth of a sailor if you upset her. It gets worse when she's drunk, I recalled the night Nicky, Tony and I were at a club and Nicky came back to the dance floor to find Tony dancing with some tall bleach blond woman. She cursed Ms. Bleach blond so much I'm sure her future grandchildren will feel it. She then took Tony and grabbed him and proclaimed him as hers, that night ended with them getting into a huge fight then a great fuck, as most nights did. I had grown accustomed to these nights, back when Camelia was still hanging on I would have someone to share a taxi with when Tony and Nicky were too drunk to drive and I had to pocket their keys so they wouldn't try. Now I'm mostly a third wheel and the sober driver.

As we walked across the parking lot to Nickys apartment I noticed how crisp and clean the night air felt. The stars were bright and the moon was buried further than usual into the midnight sky. Tonight felt peaceful, it felt different, if I could have I would have laid out by the pool that resides in the middle of Nickys apartment complex, and stared at the stars all night. But instead I followed Nicky into her tiny studio apartment.

As I walked through the door I felt a resistance behind the door but I ignored it and greeted Tony who was sitting on the floor preparing his hourly dosage.

"Hey guy"

"Hey Nat, you made it to the partay!"

"Well you sent Nicky to do your dirty work, no one can say no to her endearing plea for a good time."

Tony laughed raspily as he licked his joint "That's why I keep her around."

"Ha! You wish! If anything I keep you around, and that's only because of your magical sex powers." Nicky retorted as she pounced on Tony and they preceded to play fight. I turned away from their nauseatingly cute display of affection to afford them some semblance of privacy and noticed a shadowy figure in the corner behind the door. Ah, the resistance.

"There's a boy in your corner," I said as I noticed the figure shift.

"Oh yeah," Tony breathed out "that's our new straggler D he's hanging with us."

How do you put into words a moment that was beyond memory? Can you describe a moment that holds your heart unjustly, a moment you only think about briefly as to not taint it? How do you describe such an epic moment using something as trivial as consonants and vowels? A moment that can't be described, a moment that can only be explained through an absence of words.

He waved.