Do You Wanna Touch Me

Bright lights pulsed throughout the entire room, loud cheers and meshed conversations being thrown all over the place, the clinking of glasses adding on to even more screams. It was warm - too warm for my taste - and the small feeling of claustrophobia was beginning to creep over me as I made my way through the dancing crowd, fearing someone would spill alcohol on me or gag on my shoes. It was a normal thing to feel inside of a stuffy night club, especially if you've had a big dinner that consisted of steak and mash potatoes.

I wasn't the type of guy that went out to party every single night and get shit-drunk with my friends, waking up with the familiar feeling of a hangover and the taste of vomit every morning. That was the definition of fun my friends seemed to portray for me to join since they thought I didn't get out much. I was more of an indoor type of guy, a simple movie and a carton of ice cream satisfying my entire night. So every time they would ask if I wanted to "party it up" as they would say, I would politely decline the offer, curl on the couch with a blanket and switch on Role Models.

But sadly, tonight wasn't one of those nights.

Jerid for some reason was celebrating his newly pre-owned motorcycle that he had gotten just a few days ago. He said something about living freely and taking on life's challenges without caring how people viewed him as he did so. And how I came into the picture, I have no idea. Jerid had somehow convinced me into coming out tonight and having a couple of drinks with our friends. Come to think of it, I think it had to do with his enormous puppy dog eyes and constant begging on his knees. Ah, what a wonderful sight that was.

But what a shitty sight this is.

Luckily, Jerid found a table that wasn't covered in beer bottles, spare guacamole-covered tortilla chips and couples tongue-wrestling on the red leather seats. It was a decent booth located by that bar, giving us a perfect view of the colorful, dancing crowd.

"Waitress, three shots of tequila, please!" Jerid called out to the blond woman who stood in front of us. Smiling, she nodded and whipped out her note pad and pen, scribbling the order down. "Want one, Shane?"

"Oh, no, none for me, thanks. I'll just have a beer." The guys groaned in disapproval as the waitress left and I leaned back, confused. "What?"

"Come on, man!" Aaron cried. "Why not have a shot?"

"Yeah, why be a pussy?" Jesse chimed in.

"You guys know I don't like to drink," I reminded them, frowning.

"Yeah, but you're at a club! You're supposed to drink. It's basically a freaking law!" I chuckled, rolling my eyes at Aaron.

"No thanks, I'll pass." Jerid scoffed.

"Watch, we're going to drug your beer and watch you have the time of your life - no shots needed."

"Go ahead and try," I pushed, smirking at his unachievable threat.

The waitress came back with the drinks and set them neatly on the table, small droplets of water curling around the shape of the glasses, making their way down onto the wooden table. We all clinked our glasses together and I watched, taking a sip of my beer as the three of them kept their arms raised.

"Bottoms up!" Jerid cheered, and each downed their hard liquor without even a blink of their eyes. Slamming their glasses down, I jumped slightly as Aaron cheered.

"Shit, that hit the spot!" I snickered as Jesse violently shook his head and the other two blinked dramatically.

"Another round?" Aaron asked.

"Hell yes!"

I rolled my eyes, grinning, watching my two friends and naive brother begin to drink the night away. It was amusing to see them goof off in a different state of mind: buzzed and working their way up to drunk. And then after that, it's like a spoof of the freaking Hangover. It was as if I were in an unscripted movie that featured myself and three other morons that I was familiar with. I was actually looking forward to this night, impatient to see what stupid things my friends would do.

*****************************♠

"Excuse me." I looked up, realizing that the music had seized and everyone was facing the stage where the spotlight was shone on. A curvy girl stood there, smiling slightly as she looked out into the crowd of curious faces. Having good eyesight, I gaped because of her good looks.

She had long brown hair that was a bit messy and it reached just above her elbows, curling lightly at the tips. She had skin that was a shade lighter than russet, and her lips were full and pink. Dark eyes because of the bad lighting, it looked as if she had a devious twinkle in them, even as she was one hundred feet away. As cliche as it was, she had the body of a Goddess - an hour glass figure that made men want to drop at their knees and grab those large hips. She was stunningly gorgeous.

"My name is Kitxia, this is Jesse, Mark and Dean. We are happy to be here tonight and perform one of our favorite cover songs. If you're cool, then you'll recognize this in no time. If you don't, well," she cut off, grinning. "Dude - enough said."

The audience laughed and surprisingly, so did I.

She picked up a guitar and nodded at the drums, both seeming to count the rhythm in their heads. Until she turned, did I realize I mistook the guitar for an actual bass instead. My eyebrows quirked as I saw that the bass guitar really did suit her.

The drums began pounding away in smooth rhythm, and until probably the second eighth count, did the guitars and bass begin, and immediately I smiled at the familiarity of the smooth rock song from Joan Jett and The Blackhearts.

"Midnight, gettin' up tight, where are you?
You said you'd meet me now it's a quarter to two,
I know I'm hanging but I'm still wanting you,
Hey, Jack, it's a fact they're talking in town,
I turn my back and you're messing around,
I'm not really jealous, don't like lookin' like a clown.

"I think of you every night and day
You took my heart, then you took my pride away,
I hate myself for loving you,
Can't break free from the things that you do,
I want to walk but I run back to you,
That's why I hate myself for loving you."

I was in shock - stunned. This girl had talent. She had beauty and talent. Not only could she multitask with singing and playing the bass, but amazingly she almost sounded like a version of Joan Jett. Don't get me wrong, no one could compare to Joan - The Queen of Rock and Roll. But damn it, this chick was damn close. She also even dressed like Joan in a way - rebellious, yet sexy. A cropped British top and leather jeans with combat boots. Usually, that wouldn't be sexy on a girl, but wow could she pull it off.

"I love this song!" Jerid shouted over the music, and I nodded in agreement, lifting my glass.

"I do too. It's one of my favorite songs from this band!" Jerid grinned and laughed, then began bobbing his head to the music, Aaron and Jesse following his lead, downing more shots at the same time. Cringing, I eyed my beer bottle warily, knowing I hadn't drank half of the gross liquid and luckily wasn't even buzzed.

The waitress kept coming back with more and more shots of tequila, one round even including "The worm." I wanted to gag as I watched the liquid slide in and down the side of their mouths, wiping the liquid with their sleeves.

"This is unhealthy," I mumbled, watching the glasses clear of tequila in a flash. It would be a shock that these guys didn't gain fifty year-old livers by the end of the night.

"Okay, you guys, I think it's time we blew this joint." I almost cracked up as I realized what I had just said.

"Oh, come on!" They all whined simultaneously, and I shook my head. "Let's stay a little longer!"

"Nope, you guys are plastered as shit. It's one in the morning, now let's go." I stood up and beckoned them with my hand, listening to them moan and groan as they stood along with me, already the smell of booze clinging on them like a bull dog on rope.

I cringed.

"Let's go," I huffed, pulling Jerid's arm around me as I supported him since he was having trouble to even stand.

And somehow at that right moment, I looked back to lock eyes with the beauty. She was pointing at me and smiling brightly.

"I hate myself for loving you." Her smile expanded and she winked. I swallowed hard and let out a shaky breath, feeling my face heat up.