It Started in a Coffee Shop

I had to go buy clubbing attire. I was lucky I found a sale at the mall. The dress was leopard print and had one sleeve, and I thought I was going to die in the black high heels, so I knew they were right.

Melanie arrived about five minutes after ten with her girl friend, who I learned was Karly, and another girl who I learned was Becca. They were all excited and were chattering and laughing and contributing to the conversation on the ride to the club and I was just kind of there, laughing along.

We parked and got out and had to wait in line, and by the time we finally made it in, my feet were fucking killing me, so I was already slightly miserable.

And then there were intoxicated, sweaty people just grinding on each other to such an obnoxiously loud beat and I swore to myself "never again." I was content to just find somewhere to sit, but Mel pulled me onto the dance floor and she started to dance around me. I didn’t want to look like an ass, so I decided to dance, too, even if it was bad, and I was slowly beginning to enjoy myself. Becca came over with some drinks. “Here ya go, bitches, drink up! And y’all are gonna pay me back for whatever drinks I buy you tonight.” I took a sip. Some fruity alcoholic drink. Becca must’ve been the only one at least 21 in the group. It was good and I drank it and I danced and she bought us another round and I drank and I danced. I was actually starting to enjoy myself, starting to laugh more and dance more, no matter how ridiculous I may have looked.

I went to the ladies room and as I made my way back, I felt a hand on my shoulder and heard a loud “Hey!”

I turned quickly, and I shit you not, it was Evan. Maybe the poem had me confused, thinking that he was some kind of sensitive writer who didn’t like loud places. I just didn’t expect to see him at all. I gawked at him for a moment. Like literally, my mouth kind of fell open and my eyes got wide.

“It’s me! The Pretty Guy from the coffee shop!” he said laughing. He was making those hand motions people do when they’re saying something like, “Yeah, remember? Remember me?”

“Uh… Yeah, totally!” Yes, I said “totally” as in “you totally are the guy from the coffee shop,” and “I totally am a jackass.”

“Who are you here with?”

“Oh, this girl I work with.”

“Nice, nice.” He was nodding and smiling and oh my God, he has these dimples and… Oh, his smile was suddenly the greatest thing I had ever seen. So I had to tell him.

“Wow. Your smile!” It was basically all I could manage. I was smiling like a dork and so was he and I bet people who saw us thought we were old friends really excited to see other because it’s been so long, when in reality this is the first time we’ve ever had a real conversation. And it was sucking, on my part.

“Can I get you a drink, or something?” he offered. I could tell he had a few himself.

“Oh, no, no, I’m good. I’ve had like, two already.”

“Just two?! Pfffft. Well, anyway, what are you doing after this?”

This was it. He was going to invite me somewhere, surely his place of residence. And he’s drunk. Surely he’ll try to seduce me. Was I ready for that? Surely not. Baelie Jennings didn’t put out on the first date, let alone the first conversation. Plus I had heard that he had an unsavory behavior when intoxicated. But he was just so damn attractive and I wanted nothing more than to go anywhere with him, and I myself had had some alcohol, so I was a little looser than normal (still not drunk, mind you). And besides, the girl who said he was a bad drunk was an ex, so she could have possibly just been saying that. He looked fine to me.

So I said to him, “Probably nothing. I don’t know.”

He put one hand on my shoulder and the other, holding a beer bottle, pointed at me. “Well. You should come to my place and play some drunk Scrabble.”

“Yeah. Yeah, sounds great.” I was smiling even more this time, and nodding like an idiot.

“Sweet, I’m gonna call a cab, cause ya know, I can’t drive. And I don’t want you to drive. You should probably go tell your lady friend.”

I turned and made my way through the crowd until I saw Mel and the group. They had some more to drink while I was gone, which I didn’t think was that long.

“Aw, Bae, you shouldn’t go out with people you dunno!” Mel was slurring her words. Was she a light weight or was she really downing drinks while I was gone? Not to mention her argument was slightly hypocritical since she invited me out, but I didn’t know her that well either.

“It’s ok, Mel, I’ll be fine. And if not, it’s my own fault.”

She put her arm on my shoulder, very much like Evan did. Is this a drunk person thing? “Well, whatever, I warned you. Jus’ be careful n use protection!”

“Of course, of course!” I had to laugh at her orders, mainly because of how ridiculous her slurred speech sounded.

I found Evan and we waited outside away from the people for the cab, and then it came and then we made our way to his place.