Summer Loving

“Remind me again why we’re going to a club instead of having takeout and watching When Harry Met Sally,” Amy said, rummaging through her suitcase.

“Because Brian has a date,” Ally answered, “and I need a distraction.”

After Ally’s confrontation with Brian, she called Amy and convinced her to come spend the weekend with her at her parents’ house. Her parents were going out of town to see her aunt, so it worked out.

“Is this too much, do you think?” Ally asked, showing Amy a simple black dress that reached her knees.

“Are you going to a funeral? That’s not a distraction-dress,” Amy said, out of breath, and continued to go through her clothes. “This,” she paused, holding up another dress, “This is a distraction-dress.” Amy smiled coyly.

Ally tried on the dress, feeling exposed and awkward. She pulled down the hem of her dress. Amy slapped her hands away, “Stop it. The dress looks great on you. It shows off your model legs. Now, you just need some heels and we’ve got to do something about this hair,” she said, grabbing at the ends of Ally’s long, straight hair.

When Amy had deemed Ally’s attire appropriate, they left to Johnny’s Bar, the well-known local bar where the band had played several times. Upon arrival, the girls made a beeline for the bar, where they ordered random fruity pink drinks.

A guy reached over the bar on Ally’s right, “Four shots of jack, please.”

Recognizing the voice, Ally turned, “Zack?”

God fucking damn it, I should have known, Ally thought to herself. The guys had been coming they had fake IDs at 17. Of course she’d run into Zack and Brian here.

“Hey! What are the odds?” Zack remarked.

Ally smiled halfheartedly, “This is Amy.” She gestured to her gorgeous friend.

“Nice to meet you, Amy,” he smiled at her, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a date to get back to.”

Not even two minutes after Zack left, Amy was swept away to dance with some random guy after a reluctant nod of approval from Ally. She didn’t want to keep Amy from having a good time just because she was upset.

Ally’s eye caught Zack on the outskirts of the dance floor at a table, with Brian and two blonds, as promised. They had just finished downing their shots and Ally had realized she recognized one of the girls.

Son of a bitch… Why was Missy on a date with Brian? Why would Brian break up with Missy just to date Missy again behind my back? ... Unless he didn’t break up with her. Ally’s stomach sunk at the thought, and she took generous sips of her drink.

“Well, fuck. Hey!” someone called to her.

Ross.

She smiled when she saw him, as handsome as ever. “You know, you keep doing this thing where you show up whenever I really need someone.”

“Ally. You’re buzzed. Stop trying to analyze shit. This is life, baby. Right here, right now. So let’s fucking enjoy it. Let’s dance.”

Ally sipped the last of her drink before shyly shaking her head no. She drank her drink pretty quickly, she thought, and she didn’t know how coordinated she was going to be.

“Did I ask you if you wanted to? No. Now come on,” he said, gesturing towards the dance floor.

As she looked to the dance floor, her eyes subconsciously scanned the crowd and found Brian and Missy dancing like a couple who had a pretty avid sex life.

Fuck it. And with that, she made her way onto the dance floor, trying to ignore how Missy was grinding her ass into Brian’s crotch.

But soon, the song changed, the lights started changing in a new pattern in tempo with the song, and not long after that, she forget about Brian completely.

Ally followed Ross’ lead and soon they were dancing as sensually as the people around them. She turned to face him, still dancing. His hands traveled to her hips and she reciprocated by wrapping her arms around his neck.

Without thinking, she closed the space that separated them, kissing him firmly on the lips. Catching him off guard, his hands briefly left her hips in surprise, but returned with a tender grip. She cupped his face as she parted his lips and caressed tongues with his. Her hands moved down to his chest and she softly bit her lower lip.

As suddenly and impulsively as she had initiated it, she stopped it, but Ross didn’t look like he seemed to mind. He had a silly grin on his face and he couldn’t stop staring at her.

“I’m sorry,” Ally apologized, stepping backward.

“For what? That was awesome,” he said, trying to step forward to meet her, when she interrupted him.

“Look,” she sighed, “You’re a wonderful guy.”

“I fail to see the problem here.”

Again he tried to step toward her. She let him, but looked away, only to see Brian and Missy, dryhumping not ten feet away from her, while Brian kissed and sucked on Missy’s neck.

Her eyes involuntarily teared up and Ally turned her gaze back to Ross, “You deserve better, Ross.”

“If you’re suggesting I deserve better thanthat, then-“

“I’m serious, Ross. You deserve so much better than being a substitute person… a rebound. “

“Ally-“

“I need to go. I’m sorry,” she managed to say before walking away briskly toward the exit. Once outside, she called Amy, who picked up on the last ring.

“Jesus Ally, I was making progress with a cute boy and I had to rush to the bathroom to get this call thinking someone could be fucking dying or something so this had better be good.”

“Amy, have you had anything to drink tonight?”

“No, why? Are you sniffling? “

“Can you just drive me home, please?”

“Ally, what’s-“

“Please, Amy. Just take me home.”