Take Your Breath Away

I groaned as I finally decided to sit up in my bed. Ignoring my phone was clearly not a good idea. The stupid thing had to have been going off for at least an hour. I could no longer count how many times the vibrating had gone off.
I checked the screen this time. The caller I.D. read ‘Jared’.

“Hello?” My voice cracked.
“Whoa, sorry man. What have you been doing?” Jared chuckled.
“I’ve been fucking sleeping,” I growled, unhappy with the thoughtlessness of my best friend and band member.
“We figured as much,” Jared laughed again, obviously he was not alone.
“What do you guys fucking want?” I was not a force to be reckoned with when awaken from my slumber.
“Chill bro,” I heard Garrett in the background.
I waited for Jared’s answer, “We were trying to tell you we were all going out to the diner and wanted to see if you would come. There’s also this party tonight…”
“Go to the diner,” I interrupted him, “I will be there in an hour or less.”
“Alright,” Jared was smiling, “We’ll see you there.”
I hung up before anyone could get another word in.

I ran a hand through my shortish brown hair, but stopped when I realized how disgustingly greasy it was. I had almost forgot that I was able to shower now that I was home.
Quickly, I picked out some gray boxers, blue basketball shorts and a RUN DMC shirt. I threw them down on my bathroom floor and undressed; tossing the clothes I had been wearing into my hamper.
After showering, I pulled the shirt over my head and the boxers and shorts up my hips. I wiped the steam-covered mirror so I could see myself. I looked a bit ridiculous to be honest. My wet hair was flat against my forehead and my clothes looked awful. I sighed, picking up the yellow toothbrush on the stand and squeezing some toothpaste onto the bristles.
Once I had finished brushing my teeth, I ran my fingers through my hair, flopping it this way and that; making sure it was not flat like it had been.

I grabbed my car keys after slipping into my flip-flops and left the house without drying my hair.
I checked the clock, Jared had called about thirty minutes ago, and with a ten-minute drive to the diner I would have made it forty minutes sharp.

“There he is!” Tim smiled as I made my way towards the table.
He stood up to let me slide into the booth with them.
We had gotten the biggest booth in the whole joint and we needed it. There were ten of us, including me, five per side.
Garret, Pat, Kennedy, and Tim sat on my side while Jared, Max, Halvo, Justin, and Aaron sat on the other.
“What’s up, O’Callaghan?” Kennedy squeezed my shoulder momentarily.
I shrugged, “I’m starving.”
Some of the guys chuckled, “Cute,” Halvo spoke.
I picked up the menu, ignoring the rest of the attempts to speak to me.

“Are y’all ready to order?” I heard a small, female voice from the end of the table.
I looked up at the tiny, redheaded waitress. She wore the diner’s uniform, a striped dress and white sneakers. Her pale legs were similar to that of a chicken’s. She wasn’t the inspiration that I was looking for, but maybe she could help me get closer to that.

I plastered on my infamous smirk, glancing back at the menu before anyone else could order, “I would like a short stack of blueberry and a side of bacon and eggs.”
I assumed that the wink I shot at the end of the order would rope her in, and I’m positive it did.
She was blushing, writing down the rest of the orders as they came at her without looking up until she turned to leave. She sent me a small smile. Score: one for O’Callaghan.

“So,” Tim began, looking around at everyone, “party tonight?”
“Where?” I always lightened up at the sound of a party.
Jared thought for a moment, “Vito’s?”
"Vito’s,” Kennedy confirmed.
“Vito better not invite all of those Jersey Shore wannabes,” I sighed, thinking about all of the fake tanned, big chested, brunettes wearing the amount of make up equivalent to a clown’s, “I hate those girls.”
Halvo shook his head; “It’s going to be a lot of ASU girls and some of John and Stephen’s friends.”
Flashes of preppy, blond sorority girls filled my mind. Better, but no inspiration.

→
I gave up on the shy, redheaded waitress. I just hoped to find someone at the party as I dressed myself properly.
I decided a pair of black jeans would work well. I slipped into a light blue button down and a gray vest over top. I found a pair of dress shoes. After slicking my hair back, I looked quite dapper, if I do say so myself.