Growing Up

“Let’s go, come on,” Joel whined, tugging on my arm. “Your hair is fine, no one cares, dude.”

“I care,” I said before I let him pull me away from the mirror and down the stairs, where his mother was sitting on the couch.

“Will you be back before the day is over?” she smirked.

“You know we won’t,” he laughed, grabbing the keys and pulling me out the door.

His mother called out her goodbye’s and warnings behind us as we clambered into the truck. We would have taken the car but as code goes, we needed to pick up our list of people. Joel drove off into town and turned into a small neighbourhood, stopping at a house and honking. Two boys ran out the door and hopped into the truck with us, forcing me to move over.

I was smushed into Joel’s side and he laughed, moving his body to give me more room.

“John Ohh!” Joel called, clapping the boy next to me on the shoulder.

“Joel!” he called back.

We drove off to five more houses before pulling up at the party where we all scrambled out (the four of us practically falling out of the front and more people hopping out from the truck bed). Joel pulled me along with him and into the already packed full house. Music was blasting and people were pressed together, drinks in hand, smiles all around.

We headed into the kitchen where a drink was immediately pushed into my hands. I laughed and greeted the familiar faces around me. I would never say I was popular but I could befriend anyone. I was the one who was always the mutual friend with people. Joel and David may not be friends, but I was friends with Joel and David. Mutual friend, you see?

Not that I really minded, I loved being with everyone. The social life was where Joel and I made our home. We were our best around others. As long as we were together.

I headed out back where I had seen Joel and John disappear to earlier as I was talking to a girl, Cassidy. They were sitting on some beach chairs near the pool so I headed in that direction. Joel noticed me when Iw as halfway there and he immediately perked up.

“Alek, over here!” he called.

“I see you, you numb nut!” I teased him.

He pulled me down onto the chair with him when I finally made my way to them, causing me to nearly spill my drink all over myself.

“Alek, this party is awesomeeee,” he grinned.

“I knowwww,” I said, mocking his tone.

“John, Aleksandrya. Alek, John, though I’m sure you two already know each other,” he introduced us.

“Hey Alex,” John waved. “And we have met, sort of, before. Just never met,” he explained to Joel.

“No, no, no. It’s Alek, with a ‘k’ not an ‘x’,” Joel corrected him.

“Sorry, Alek,” John corrected himself, tugging at his long hair.

“It’s fine. Ignore him. He’s the only one who fusses over my name,” I said, waving off his apology.

“Because it’s unique! You know how she spells it, John?” he asked. John shook his head ‘no’ and gave a glance in my direction, obviously a bit uncomfortable.

“She spells it A-l-e-k-s-a-n-d-r-y-a. Freakin’ weird, right?”

Joel was obviously already hitting the drinks. I hid my face from embarrassment caused by my drunken friend and tried to get him to shut up by kicking his foot. He glared at me and eventually got up and went inside, leaving John and I alone.

“I really don’t mind what you call me. Sorry about him,” I apologised for my friend.

“Eh, you’re fine. He’s honestly, not as bad as some people I know.”

“He can be if he doesn’t have me around. I’m like his babysitter.”

“Are you his girlfriend or..?” he asked, curiosity on his features.

“Oh god no. Just close friends. We’ve been neighbours our entire lives.”

He nodded in understanding and we continued to make small talk. We got up to get another drink sometime later and the inside was jam packed with people. John told me to wait outside while he got them so I didn’t have to get bumped around, so I stood and talked with some people I knew.

“Alekkkk!” I heard my name yelled.

I turned to see but by then it was too late, I couldn’t stop him. I was tackled and pushed back into the cold pool water by Joel. The force of our fall caused me to hit the very bottom floor of the pool before I came back up, sputtering water out of my mouth and nose. Joel swam next to me, grinning from ear to ear.

“You’re kidding me, you dickbag!” I scolded him, slapping his arm.

Fabulous, I had no clothes to change into and I was soaking wet, all thanks to Joel. John emerged from the house as I was pulling myself out of the water. A surprised look washed over his features and he came over to help me out, setting the drinks down on the ground. Other people followed Joel’s example and started jumping into the pool, splashing me even more.

“Thanks,” I muttered to John, ringing out my hair.

“Welcome. Um… do you want my shirt… you can kind of um…” he motioned to my shirt.

I looked down to see the black bra clearly visible through my soaked white t-shirt. I groaned and hurriedly covered my chest as best I could.

“If you don’t mind,” I said, my cheeks warming up.

He quickly unbuttoned his flannel shirt, revealing a tank top underneath so I didn’t feel too bad about stealing his shirt from him. He draped it across my shoulders and I ducked my head in attempt to hide the blush covering my cheeks. I heard John laugh and pulled me towards the side of the house and through a side gate, out to where we parked.

“Wait here, I’mma get Joel and Rex and then I’ll get you home.”

He ran off back into the house and emerged moments later with Joel and his friend in tow. Joel had a ridiculously big grin plastered on his face as he stumbled towards me, soaking wet. He drug around in his pockets searching for the keys. He finally pulled them out and held them triumphantly in the air. John snatched them and pushed us all into the truck.

“Are you going to Joel’s or do you want me to take you somewhere else?” John asked, glancing at me.

“Umm, yeah, my house is right next to his, remember?” I laughed softly.

“Oh yeah, sorry,” he chuckled nervously.

I glanced at the clock on the dashboard and it read 4.34 in bright blue numbers. I hadn’t realised how late we were out. Time flew by much faster than I realised tonight. Soon John was pulling into Joel’s drive way and we all scrambled out. Joel was nearly asleep as I guided him to his door. John helped me drag him up the stairs and onto his bed where he laid mumbling nonsense in his half-consciousness.

I locked Joel’s house door as we made our way out then walked to my house as John and his friend started making their way down the sidewalk.

“Hey, John, you can borrow the truck if you want, they won’t mind,” I offered as they strode past me.

“Nah, we’re good. It’s not far,” he smiled.

I nodded and gave a small wave as they continued on. I pulled the shirt tighter around me and almost jumped at the realisation that I still had John’s shirt on.

“John!” I yelled down the street, my voice echoing in the quiet night. He turned and continued walking backwards.

“Yeah?!”

“Your shirt!”

He waved me off, “Keep it! I’ll get it another time.”

He turned back around and I watched as they disappeared down the street. By the time I settled myself into my bed, the sky was starting to lighten through my window. Exhaustion took over me just as the birds started to chirp and soon I was out like a light.