Before the Summer's Out...

That evening there was going to be a party at Nicholas Brovlivski's house. Nick was sort of in between popular and had put up the wonderful public announcement of his party on Facebook. I knew Heather would be there and although Enid wasn't overly thrilled, she had nothing better to do, so she came with me.

We walked up Nicholas Brovlivski's driveway, where thumping bass could already be heard. Enid tucked a few stray hairs behind her ears. Enid has pale blond hair that goes with her pale skin. I've noticed that most people wear party attire when they go to a party. Enid was wearing the same thing she'd worn that day: khaki shorts and a light blue polo shirt and white flip flops. I had showered and changed into a short sleeved button down top with silver pin-strips, gelled my hair, and put on my Stetson after shave. I was dressed to impress.

"Jeez Benj did you put an ocean of that cologne on?" Enid asked as began to wander off crookedly into the garden. I pulled her out of the dirt.

"Oh shit," she muttered and shook her sandals clean.

"No I didn't... is it really that strong?" I asked.

Enid sniffed a few inches above my shoulder experimentally. "Yes. But if there's going to be a lot of it, at least it smells nice," she offered.

I took her offering and opened the Brovlivski's' front door.

We were greeted by maybe two people. We did a quick lap around the party area, scoped out the incredibly messy buffet. I got myself a beer and got Enid a Sprite. Then we settled in by the fireplace and I began to look around the crowd for Heather.

I saw her almost immediately. Incredible hotness is hard to miss and plus, like I said, she and I have a connection. See, Heather had it right: she was wearing a very slinky black top and white short shorts and rhinestone studded flip flops. She even had on more make up- making her eyes look devastatingly sexy.

"Wow. Doesn't she look amazing?" I muttered mostly to myself.

Enid drank her sprite. "Joseph Hamholfer thinks so too," she supplied unhelpfully.

Joseph Hamholfer is Heather's boyfriend. Right now you're probably mentally throwing your hands up in disgust and telling me that you officially think I'm a loser and are fed up with my love for Heather. I know, she has a boyfriend. But let me ask you one thing: are you telling me that you have never had a crush on someone who happened to, at the time, be in a relationship? I highly doubt you can honestly tell me that you never have.

Real and true loves transcends normal high school dating, it lives above the norm and Heather and I will be together soon and then our love will be written in the stars. And people break up in high school all the time.

"Joe looks like a douche huh? Who does he think he's kidding with that Abercrombie button down and... Jesus Christ, puka shell necklace?" I mocked. "Hi, the backstreet boys called, stop stealing their costume jewelery," I continued.

Enid giggled and spilled her Sprite a little. At least it didn't land on her clothes and just on the floor.

"Be right back," she sighed, resigned.

I stared at Heather. She was just with her friend now and utterly beautiful. She looked whimsical and dreamy while she listened to her friend, Nanci, talk. Heather shook her straightened glossy hair over her slender shoulder. I could imagine swirls of cinnamon being swept up into the air.

"... thanks for this. I'm pretty much a grade A klutz."

I looked to see who Enid was talking to. Oh my God, the traitor was walking with Joe Hamface.

Joseph was holding a sponge. "That's ok. Accidents happen," he said and then executed a perfected floppy grin.

I wanted to punch his face and probably would have if he hadn't been five times stronger than me and would have pummeled me to a pulp to return the favour with interest. watched as he quickly soaked up the pop and took some napkins from Enid.

He dried up the spot and stood up when he was finished. "... do you want another Sprite?" Joe asked Enid. What had happened to her other drink??

"Or maybe something stronger?" he asked with a purposefully sly grin. What was this guy's frickin game??

"Um, sure, a a Breezer sounds good," Enid said.

I shot her a look. Enid rarely drinks. Joe went off to fetch the beverage.

I pulled Enid by the arm to my side. "What are you doing?? He is the enemy, Enid," I hissed as her.

She yanked her arm out of my grasp and adjusted her glasses when they went askew. "He's only your enemy... and that's only in your head," she snapped back at me.

Joe returned with two coolers. I doubted the other was for me.

"I got you Tropical," he said proudly. He raised his eyebrows as if asking if this was ok.

"Thanks," Enid said brightly. I only let her try to twist off the snap off cap for half a second before taking it from her and snapping off the lid myself with the bottle opener on my key chain. I handed it back to her and then looked pointedly away. I knew she was glaring at me.

"Uh, thanks," Enid said darkly to me.

"So, you're Enid right? We have Law together right?" Joe asked. What a memory on this guy.

"Yes to both," Enid replied.

"Oh man, I am dying in that class right now. Mr. Gordon is killing me," Joe emphasized with a grin and then took a swig of his own cooler.

"Yeah he's tough," Enid sympathized.

"I'm getting a C minus," Joe challenged.

"... I'm getting an A. But I had to work hard for it," Enid defended. Joe and Enid laughed.

"Wow. You are, like, so smart," he complimented and took another swig.

Enid waved her hand modestly and muttered 'meh'. She bumped her drink but didn't spill it. She must have remembered then that she had a bottle in her hand because she took a sip.

"My parents are both lawyers. They are going to cry when they see my report card," Joe said easily.

"Well, if you need any help, just let me know. If you don't want your parents to weep that is," Enid said. Enid the poet: weep.

"No. No, I'd really rather they um didn't do that," Joe said and grinned. He took another swig.

"Joe?" sang out that perfect raspy soprano.

"Oops. Gotta go. I'll talk to you later Enid," Joe said and went off to my Heather.

"See ya," Enid said after him with a wave and then took a drink from her cooler.

There was a long pause.

"He's cute," Enid finally said.

I blew up a little. My arms had been crossed tightly against my chest and now I dropped them sharply to my sides.

"Oh sure, Enid. Whatever," I said and stomped off.

I stuffed some chips in my face and turned to see if Enid had followed me. She hadn't. She was sitting on a couch next to the host of the party and shooting daggers out of her eyes at me. I seethed and crossed my arms again.

"Why so glum, Benj? This is a party," said the wood Nymph. Or, pardon me, Greek Goddess- I'm mad at Enid.

"Oh, hey," I said to Heather, my bad mood disappearing as I smiled at her. I took a drink from my beer.

"Did you and Enid get into a fight?" Heather wrinkled her cute little nose at me.

"... yeah kind of," I said.

Heather picked up a Cheeto and popped it in her mouth. "That's sad. These things take work. I'm sure if you just apologize for whatever you did, she'll forgive you," she said wisely.

I grinned at her. "I don't even know what I did."... it was a half lie, I'll admit.

"Of course you do. Boys always know what they did," Heather said and rolled her beautiful blue eyes at me. And leaving me with those pearls of wisdom, she walked off.

I watched her leave and, yeah, I looked at her ass. God she was so fuckin hott I just wanted to jump on her right there. But I didn't. Heather had poise and grace, but I doubted that she would take that gracefully. She was, after all, a woman of class.

I sighed woefully and looked over at Enid. She was laughing at something Nick had said and halfway through that she shot me an absolutely poisonous look. I grimaced and looked down at my empty beer can. I dug into my pocket and pull out my cell phone.

A minute later Enid came over.

"What?" she asked, her cell in her hand. I'd sent her text message that said come over here. I need to talk to you.

Enid crossed her arms. "I'm really NOT in the mood to hear about the Oedipal tendencies that Heather has for you right now," she continued.

I didn't know what Oedipal tendencies were, so I just went on like she hadn't said that.

"I'm sorry Enid," I said.

"For what, specifically?"

"For being mean about Joseph. I know you can be friends with whomever you want... even if they are my sworn enemy." I said.

Enid raised an eyebrow at me.

"In my head," I quickly added.

Enid paused, scrutinizing me, and then smiled. "Forgiven," she said officially. "... do you want to blow this lame party? We could get Slurpee's," Enid suggested hopefully.

I glanced at Heather. She was dancing with Joe and didn't seem to be too drunk. Tonight I would get no drunken hook ups with sober love confessions.

"Yeah. Ok," I agreed.

Enid and I left and went to 7 11.