A Naked Light

I dropped one of the over-sized, ketchup drenched french fries in my mouth, the tart tomato taste seeping into my tongue. I missed the feeling; I hadn't indulged in diner food in months. This was definitely well deserved.

"So, describe this hottie to me again."

I smiled at Tori and swallowed.

You know that person you can tell anything? That person who you choose to tell everything? That person who holds back your hair when you've had one too many mojitos on New Year's Eve at a nightclub? For me, that was Tori.

Tori Katelyn Everson is by far, the most obnoxiously loud person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She's a couple years older than me and treats me like her baby sister. She's a badass vegan drummer, and to be quite frank, she's never liked my sister, which is probably why we get along so well.

"I never called him a hottie."

She brushed her platinum bangs aside and peered at me from behind her oversized sunglasses. She looked like a white, estrogen-pumped Kanye West, but if anyone could pull it off, it was Tori.

"You eluded to that notion. Just spill."

I sighed. "Six feet tall, brown hair, brown eyes, callused hands. Decent voice, crooked smile." I smiled as Tori began to froth at the mouth, my ode to TAI's 'Classifieds' putting thoughts into her head. "He's Lindsey's fiancé; will you please just keep that in mind? Anyways, he's a local musician, plays in a pop punk band."

"Anybody I'd know?"

Tori subbed in for numerous drummers from pretty much every pop punk band in the state. She was renowned; the best of the best.

"I'm pretty sure he has a permanent drummer. I could be wrong. Does the name All Time Low ring any bells?"

I watched as she nearly choked on her milkshake, the puréed strawberries dribbling down the corner of her mouth. "Your sister is marrying the Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low, the hottest pop punk band since blink?!"

"Uh, yeah?"

She clutched my hands with enough force to break each finger. "If you let me meet them, I'll be your slave for life."

"You said that last month when I introduced you to Ben Jorgenson, and the month before when Paramore was in town."

"But I really mean it this time."

I took my hands from hers and sipped on my root beer. "You'll meet them regardless, you've been recruited for bridesmaid duty."

"Bridesmaid duty? Lindsey's making me one of her bridesmaids?"

"Yeah, I know. The whole world's gone upside down." I signalled for the busboy to bring us the cheque and slipped on my hoodie. "And I don't care what you say, you're doing this. I will not be left alone on this sinking ship. You're coming down with me, whether you like it or not." I slapped the cash on top of the receipt and slid on my aviators, following Tori out the door.

"Fuck me," she muttered. I unlocked the car door and she hopped in. "I suppose you're happy you're finally gonna see me in an ugly dress created by some mad bride-zilla monster."

I chuckled as I revved the engine. "Your first time as a bridesmaid and it's for someone you can't stand? Oh, you bet I'm happy."

"God, if I didn't love you so fucking much, I'd bash your face into the steering wheel."

"And risk getting catapulted out the windshield? I don't think so."

She lit up a cigarette and shrugged. "I've been used as a human trampoline by my 5-year old cousins before. I'm pretty sure that's ten times worse."

I grimaced. I knew her cousins, she was right.

"So, where exactly were you this morning?"

"Dress shopping."

She grinned. "And she didn't con you into working the midday shift, too?"

"I told her I had plans that I just couldn't break."

Tori just stared at me. "Gyno appointment?"

"Yeah."

"Amateur."

"Well, my reproductive system is a very important part of me. It'll bring life into this world some day, so I'd like to make sure it's still intact and disease free, thank you very much!"

"Which is all fine and dandy... when you actually go to the gynocologist."

I rolled my eyes. "How did we even get to talking about this?"

She took another drag of the cigarette. "You lied to your bitch of a sister."

"Oh! That reminds me of something!"

"You had that dream about beating her face in with a crowbar again?"

I scowled at her. "No, as a matter of fact I didn't. And may I remind you, that was your dream."

I parked the car and we both got out. Tori laughed. "Oh, yeah. Right."

I flipped through my keychain, looking for the right key to unlock the door. "Now, I know you're a rebellious, hardcore chick who likes to bash drums with long wooden sticks, but for today, and today only, could you please behave yourself?"

"Depends. Can I jump Dawson's bones? He's sexy."

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Just behave yourself while you're doing it."

The door swung open and she saluted me. "Aye aye, captain!"

Sighing heavily, I followed her into the house, constantly praying to God that for once in my life, things wouldn't go to absolute shit.