Others Have Excuses, but I Have My Reasons Why

I roll over and stretch before looking at my clock to see that it’s 12:30 and smile to myself over the fact that I won’t be rushed. I quickly hop out of bed and into my bathroom going through my normal shower routine before getting dressed in a bikini, since only god knows what will happen at the barbeque, with a Steelers tank top and a pair of black shorts. After doing my hair in soft curls and pinning most of it in the back of my head I go downstairs where I make a potato pancake and take it along with a glass of OJ into my living room where I pop The Shinning into my DVD player as I lean back into my couch to relax.

Three rapid thuds on my door awake me from my sleep. I look around confused before I realize that I fell back asleep after starting the movie and it’s already 4:30. “Fuck,” I mumble to myself before checking the small mirror in my living room to make sure I don’t look like a hot mess. “I’m coming!” I yell as the pounding on my door starts up again. I open my door to see a man a couple of inches taller than me with black hair and green eyes covered in tattoos with something shining in the sunlight on either side of his mouth and smile, “Hey Zacky.”

“Hey, you’ve gotten a lot more ink Chris,” Zacky says staring at my legs.

“Yep, I’m a big girl now,” I say smiling as I lean into my door frame. “Are you the minion Megan threatened me with if I wasn’t there on time?” I ask with a slight laugh.

“That would be me,” he says smiling.

“OK give me a second to go get my shit. You can come in if you want; ignore the mess,” I say stepping to the side so he can slip past me.

“Sure,” he says walking in shutting the door behind him.

“OK I’ll be back in a sec,” I say before running upstairs to grab my large black purse before stuffing my thin black HIM hoody into it along with some chap stick, my wallet, and a pack of Camel Blue before throwing my purple sunglasses on top of my head and running back downstairs. I round the corner into my living room to see Zacky poking through a box. “What do you think you’re doing?” I ask poking him in his slightly pudgy side.

“It said “Memories” on it and I was just wondering what it was,” he says grabbing my hand and standing up.

“Well, if you let me go I can grab my phone and we can head over to Megan’s,” I say looking into his eyes realizing how green they really are. A few seconds later Zack let’s go of my arm and I grab my phone and keys readjusting my bag turning to him, “All ready.”

“OK, let’s go before Megan sends someone else after us,” he says opening the door and standing to the side to let me through first.

“Are you OK? I don’t remember you ever being a gentleman,” I say looking at him funny as I fumble with my door till I get it locked.

“I can be nice if I want,” he says with a slight laugh as we walk out to his car and head over to Megan’s.

“About time you got here,” Megan says as I see a blur of blonde hair bounding my way before I’m slammed into the ground.

“Nice to see you again too love,” I say once I’ve regained my breath.

“Babe, get off of her,” I hear someone say as Megan is lifted off of me and I look up to see Brian.

“Hey,” I say jumping up and giving him a quick hug.

“Hey, I’m glad you’re back in town. I can load her off on you some nights,” Brian says whispering the last part as he points to Megan making me laugh.

“What’s so funny?” she asks.

“Nothing; hey Johnny,” I say smiling before engulfing him in a hug.

“Hey, how are you?” he asks smiling.

“I’m doing well. Where’s Matt?” I ask looking around coming up empty on the large frame.

“He and Val are on their way,” Megan explains appearing beside Johnny.

“So they can be late but not me?” I ask eyeing here.

“I haven’t missed him forever,” Megan says sticking her tongue out.

“Got ya; I’m starving please tell me you have food I can eat,” I say as my stomach growls making everyone laugh.

“Yes, I made sure we got some weird ass food for you,” Megan says before she goes to leave. “Are ya’ll coming?” she asks looking back at the group.

“I suppose,” I say overstressing each syllable before following her to her back yard which consisted of a nice large patch of grass along with a huge in ground pool and a large patio area where there was a grill and table and chairs set up. “Wow Sissy! This place is bangen,” I say making everyone laugh. “What?” I ask looking around confused.

“You picked up a hick accent while on the east coast and that mixed in with your Spanish accent is hilarious,” Zacky says laughing as Megan hands me a paper plate.

“Well, so is your lisp,” I say sticking my tongue out before grabbing some salad along with a Blue Moon and sitting down at the table to begin my compulsions before starting my meal.

“What are you doing?” Brian asks looking at me oddly.

“Have you all forgotten that I’m OCD?” I ask tapping the bottle cap for the ninth time before opening my beer.

“You have been gone forever,” Zacky says as he sits beside me as Matt and Val walk through the door leading from the house into the backyard saying hello before grabbing something to eat.

“Blah, blah, whatever,” I say rolling my eyes as I dig into my meal along with everyone else.

“So now what are we doing?” I ask lighting up followed by Zacky and Johnny.

“We could dick around in the pool,” Zacky suggest shrugging.

“So what’s everyone wanna do in the pool?” I ask playing with my tongue ring in between hit of my cig.

“Let’s play chicken!” Johnny nearly screams like a little kid.

“So where would that leave me?” I ask absent mindedly flicking ash off of my cig.

“What do you mean?” he Matt and Brian all ask at the same time.

“One: that was freaky. Two: who’s my partner since I’m in the land of couples,” I explain looking around.

“You’re not in the land of couples; Zacky’s single,” Brian points out which makes me look at Johnny oddly who simply smiles.

“You’re all freaking me out but fine by me,” I say shrugging looking over to Zacky who shrugs in return.

“This is so on! Us versus Matt and Val and you two versus Bri and Megan,” Johnny says grabbing his girlfriend’s hand as he nearly drags her to the pool.

“God he’s weird,” I say laughing as I pull my tank top and shorts off before walking over to the pool and diving in. “Shit its cold,” I gasp coming back up for air nearly shivering.

“You’ll get used to it,” Zacky says from behind me slightly scaring me.

“Sure,” I say shivering as Megan comes over.

“I’m taking you down CD,” she says smiling sweetly as she climbs onto Brian’s shoulders.

“Can we wait till I’m not convulsing due to the cold?” I ask rubbing my hands up and down my arms.

“No, so come on,” Brian says smiling.

“Stupid, boost up?” I ask Zacky as I turn around.

“Sure,” he says smiling as he bends down so I can climb onto his shoulders. Once I was situated on top of his shoulders Brian counts to three then the boys get closer to each other and in about a minute or so I’m back in the freezing water.

“So that was fun and all but I’m gonna go sit on the side and not freeze to death,” I say quickly swimming to the side of the pool and pulling myself out before grabbing a towel and wrapping it around me as I watch Matt and Val go after Megan and Brian.

“You OK?” Zacky asks as he swims over.

“Yeah, just really cold in there,” I say laughing as I watch Megan nearly get launched off of Brian.

“So since this water is cold as shit I say we move inside and have some fun,” Megan says as she scrambles out of the pool.

“I am all for that,” I say smiling as I slip on my shorts and we move inside to sit around and talk about back in the day.

“Hey Chris are you ready to go?” Zacky asks me around three.

“Yeah, you don’t mind dropping me back off at my place?” I ask yawning.

“No; you’re on my way home,” he explains handing me my purse.

“OK, bye everyone,” I somewhat wave as I make my way out to his car. “Well, see ya around,” I tell Zacky once he pulls up in my driveway before crawling out of his car.

“Bye,” I hear him yell as I fumble with my keys before shutting the door behind me once I was inside where I turn around and lock it before nearly crawling up the stairs and into my bed.