Catch My Breath and Go For It

Sunday April 24, 2014

So I fell off the bed.

“Urghh.” I moaned as I picked myself up off the floor, nursing my bruised elbows, checked that I was fully clothed and walked into the kitchen. Noting that Shaye wasn’t up, I made myself a coffee a grabbed some Tim Tams from the cupboard. I brought them down to the couch, turned on the TV to Nickelodeon and waited for Shaye to wake up.

About 10 minutes later, Shaye walked in. Her hair was a mess and her shirt barely intact. If there’s anything I remember from last night, it was that she was way more wasted than me.
She groaned, “What time is it?” I drew a hand over my face.

“Like…uh…” I glanced at the stove clock and jumped up immediately. “SHIT!” Shaye jumped in her seat.

“What? What’s the time?”

“10:15! I’m 15 minutes late to my date with Rian!”

Her eyes widened, “Oh shit! You better get ready!” I was halfway down the hall and stripping while she talked. I pulled on some shorts, a random white singlet and some knee-high white socks. I hopped into the bathroom, pulling on my converse as I went and ran my hands through my hair. It looked like I just had sex. I shrugged, could be worse. I hastily washed my face, put on some light makeup and ran to the car. Shaye was already in there, wearing uggs and trackies. She handed me my phone and bag and we sped off. I started nervously rambling.

“Shaye! What if he isn’t there? What if he thinks I blew him off? That can’t happen! A guy hasn’t liked me in ages! I have been on a date in months! Why does he even like me? I mean I’m so socially awkward and Mia isn’t exactly the name you want to scream out! You know what? He probably isn’t, it’s probably a joke, and we should just turn back now. Shaye what if-” She cut me off.

“Chill. I’ve got this.” My face fell. Well, shit.

“I’m not even going to ask what you did.”

“Suit yourself.” I shoved my earphones in and played some Fall Out Boy to calm my nervous jitters.

In 10 minutes we reached the street and I jumped out of the care before Shaye had even finished parking. I was halfway to the shop and looking through my bag for my phone when I ran into a brick wall.

Well, almost.

I looked up to see Rian smiling down at me, and suddenly my day just got that much better.

“Hey.” He said.

“Hey.” I whispered.

“Shaye texted me that you were gonna be late.” I smiled. So that’s what she was doing with my phone! “And that you had a hangover.” I looked back at the car and saw Shaye give me a thumbs up and drive away.

“I don’t know whether to shoot her… or bestow her with multiple gifts or graciousness.”
Rian laughed, and it was beautiful. “Let’s reach that conclusion… after you’ve had some greasy chips.” I felt more awake at the mention of them.

“Yes! Let’s!”

We walked over to the table where the food was and sat in silence as I scarfed down some chips and coffee while Rian watched, occasionally commenting, and telling me about what was happening in his life. Once I’d finished my food, we talked properly.

“So, another party last night?” I squinted up to see his amused face and glared at him.

“Yes. Not my idea. But there were drinks, and Shaye has attractive friends.”

“Did any of the interest you?” I raised my eyebrow in surprise. Was he flirting with me?

“No… particularly.” He smiled. “Why do you ask?

“Just, you know… wondering.”

“Cool. I like that you wonder.” I noticed he had some sunnies hanging on his black V-neck. “Can I borrow your sunnies?” He looked down, as if just noticing they were there. He wasn’t facing the sun, so he didn’t have to wear them anyway.

“Sure!” He handed them to me, and I looked at the brand, ‘Ray bans.’ They looked real, too. Not bad for a guy who failed uni and worked at an old music store. Weird. “So, do you play anything?”

I put the sunnies on, and they were a little too big for me and kept sliding down my nose. Eventually I put my elbow on the table, leant on it and kept my finger pressed to the sunnies so they didn’t fall down. “Uh, yeah. Guitar and bass. My sister taught me guitar, I took bass lessons. You?”

“I uh… I played the drums a bit in high school. Was in a band for a bit… but with senior year and all it was hard so we broke up. Where does your sister live?”

I swallowed hard and looked away. I was used to these questions by now; I’m 26 for crying out loud. But they usually weren’t asked on the topic of music, the only thing that was closer to her than I was. “She uh... she took her life when I was 15.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay, I know it was 10 years ago and everything, it’s just that we were really close, and it shattered me when she…yeah.” Rian reached over and covered m hand with his. I looked into his eyes. “I guess music got me through that.” He smiled.

“Yeah, it tends to do that. So,” His voice became more cheerful. “On a lighter note, what did you study in UNI?”

“Um, Photography and Journalism.”

“Did you do any concert photography?”

“Yeah, mostly unsigned bands though. Is this you interrogating me again?”

He winked. “Maybe. Why did you fail? If I may ask.” I laughed.

“No, no it’s fine! Someone of my photos got published on a magazine’s website. I took those photos for an assignment, and got a really low mark. When I told the person they got published they called me a liar and refused to raise my mark. I flipped them off, called them some colourful words and walked out.” Rian laughed at that, and my spirits lifted.

“Good on you! They sounded like jerks anyway.”

I laughed with him. “Yup! You have that right, but I still take concert photos occasionally, if I can get a photo pass. But apart from that, I work in a bakery, and my life is pretty damn boring.”

We talked some more, and when my hangover had faded mostly Rian suggested we get an ice cream.


“What flavour would you like, dear?” The old lady behind the counter at Baskin Robbins asked me.

“Um, vanilla, thanks.” She handed me the ice cream and I turned to Rian. “So, what to do now?” Rian clutched my hand – the one that wasn’t holding the ice cream –and winked at me.

“Want to just walk around?” I raised my eyebrows at him, let go of his hand and linked arms instead.

“I'm okay with that.”

We wandered around Southbank for a bit, I bought the latest Kerrang!, Rian got a crunchie, and somehow we found ourselves outside the cinema, staring at yet another stupid vampire film, starring Dakota Fanning.

“I hate Dakota Fanning!” We said simultaneously. My eyes grew wide and I pointed at him.

“Jinx!” I shrieked at him. “Jinx Jinx Jinx!”

Rian’s brow furrowed and he scratched the back of his neck. “I’m sorry, what?”

I slapped his arm. “I said Jinx you dumbass. You know the rules of Jinx.”

Rian raised an eyebrow and pointed at himself. “A-MER-I-CAN.” I face palmed. I can’t believe it.

“You seriously don’t know the rule?” He shrugged.

“Nope.”

“Stop talking! When you say something at the same time as someone else, you shout Jinx, and they can’t say anything until you say they can.” I folded my arms, feeling pretty pleased with myself.

“But wh-” I shoved my finger to his lips, laughing as he went cross-eyed.

“Shhh! Didn’t you listen to what I just sad?” He leant back out of my reach.

“Well, I’m sure there are other was to stop me talking.”

I rolled my eyes. “27 and still immature. You don’t give up, do you?” Oh god please don’t give up.

“Not easily.” I took a sharp breath, ready to lecture him on ‘Jinx’ and gave up.

“Whatever, you can talk. Silence is too boring anyway.”

“I win.”

“No, you cheated. I won.”

“If you say so.” He shrugged, a cheeky grin now, on his face. I punched him in the arm. “So, want to see the movie with me?” I contemplated it. By now, I know I like him. He was cute. He was funny. He made me feel special and warm and fuzzy on the inside. But I’ve been hurt before… I don’t want to just be a game to him. So I flirted. Kinda.

“You’ll have to bribe me with more than greasy chips and coffee for that, mate.” He shrugged.

“I can do that.” My heart leaped, and I spontaneously hugged him. He tensed, obviously not expecting it, and then relaxed, hugging me back with my head on his chest. We stayed like that for a while, just comfortably, not awkward. Sometimes you really just need a hug, you know? A few minutes later we walked back to the station, his arm around my shoulders, and mine around his waist.

And it felt pretty damn close to perfect.