These Bright Lights Have Always Blinded Me

“Hey ladies, drop it down. Just wanna see you touch the ground. Don’t be shy girl, go banaza. Shake your body like a belly dancer,” I sang along as I looked through my closet for something to wear. I don’t have crutches anymore! I have a boot though. It’s a big boot, too.

I looked through my shirts in just a lime green bra and black shorty short shorts. I had jeans picked out, but no shirt. I was going out with Tom later and I needed something to wear.

After looking through my shirts a hundred times, I sighed out of frustration and left my room, walking to Frank’s room. I knocked on the door and said, “Frank! Let me in!”

I stood there for a second when the door opened. Without saying anything, I walked in and went straight to his closet. “Chelsea! What are you doing?!” Frank asked.

“I can’t find a shirt to wear. So I’m commandeering one of yours for tonight,” I replied finding his “Homophobia is Gay” shirt, “Score!” I said jumping out of the closet to see Ray and Bob sitting in the room as well. “Hi!” I said waving to them.

They both looked away. I looked at them confused for a moment when I looked at my outfit. “Oh,” I said throwing the shirt on, “Thanks bro. I’ll see you later.” I hugged Frank and went back to my room, taking the shirt off on my way there. I need a tank top to wear underneath it.

I walked into my room, the song changing to “Love in this Club (Kiss Kiss Kiss),” and saw Tom sitting on my bed. “Oh. Hi,” I said smiling.

He smiled and walked over to me. He wrapped his arms around me and said, “Hey.”

“You’re early,” I said.

“You’re shirtless.”

“You’re tall”

“You’re short.”

“Hey! I’m not short. You’re just too freaking tall!”

“Just admit it. You’re short.”

“No. Travel sized.”

Tom looked at me slightly confused before laughing. “Nice, Chelsea.”

“I know. I’m just that good.”

Tom shook his head. “Let’s go with that.”

I rolled my eyes and went over to my dresser. I looked behind me to see Tom watching me. “Enjoying the view?” I asked.

He nodded. “I’ve never seen you in shorts that short before,” he replied.

“They’re my shorty short shorts. I only wear them around the house.”

He chuckled and kissed the top of my head. “You’re amusing, babe. You know that?”

I nodded. “One of my many talents,” I said before grabbing a red tank top. I walked over to my bed and threw my shorts off, revealing my matching underwear, before sliding my jeans on. I threw my tank top and Frank’s shirt on and said, “Ready to go.”

Tom read the shirt and chuckled. “What?” I asked.

“Nice shirt,” he said.

“Oh, it’s not mine. It’s Frank’s. I always commandeer his clothes if I can’t find anything in mine to wear. Luckily we’re built the same or else I would never be able to wear his clothes. Hell, I even wear the other guy’s clothes if I can’t find anything.”

“I see.”

“Yup. We’re just that close. He’s worn a couple shirts of mine. Not my semi-girly ones. My band shirts he wears.”

“Ah. So seeing you wear each other’s clothes is perfectly normal?” he asked.

I nodded and grabbed his hand. “Come on. Let’s head out,” I said.

He nodded and kissed me. “Hey!” I heard my brother say from behind me.

I turned around and saw an annoyed Frank. “Frank, calm the fuck down,” I said.

He sighed. “Sorry. Just not used to it, ya know? My little sister kissing someone,” he said.

“Ten minutes, Frank. Remember that,” I said.

“Still counts,” he said before walking away.

I sighed. “Sorry about that. My brother’s slightly retarded.”

Tom shrugged. “So is Bill. Anyway, shall we?”

“Yeah. Let’s go,” I said leading him out of my room.

************

We had decided to go to the drive-in. Transformers 2 was playing now and we were laying down in Tom’s Escalade. We had folded the seats down so we could be comfortable in the trunk. The box of popcorn, drinks, and assorted candy and snack-age was situated between the two of us.

I looked over at Tom every so often while the movie played. He looked like he was getting into the movie.

“So this is an American drive-in?” he asked.

“Yes. Is it different in Germany?”

“Not really. Just the movies are in German instead of English,” he replied smiling.

“Really? I had no clue,” I replied sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes and grabbed my hand. He kissed the back of it, the coldness of his lip ring contrasting with the warmth of his lips and the skin on my hand. “I’m happy we can do this.”

“Me, too.”

We continued watching the movie, our stock pile of snack-age diminishing. All that was left between us was the empty box of popcorn. I saw Tom look out of the his eye and move the empty box out of the way. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. “Much better,” he said.

I snuggled into him. “Yeah. It was getting cold over there,” I said motioning towards where I was just seconds before.

Tom took his jacket off and draped it over my shoulders. He put his arm back where he had it before and said, “There you go. Warm?” he asked.

I nodded. Not to mention his jacket smelled amazing. “Danke, Tom.”

“Bitteschön, Liebling,” he said kissing my cheek.