Commit This to Memory

I was wearing three shirts, two sweaters, three pairs of pants, two hats, a pair of gloves, and five pairs of socks, not to mention I was wrapped in about three blankets, and I was still fucking freezing. I blew my nose for the 50 billionth time and threw the tissue at the overflowing trashcan.

"I know what will help!" Matt yelled as he burst into the room. I squinted at him as he ran to the stereo. "This always helps me when I'm sick." Suddenly the room was filled with a bizarre noise that I couldn't stand.

"Matthew Taylor what is this crap?" I asked covering my ears.

"Motown," he replied seeming slightly upset that I didn't like his music.

"Well turn it off. If you really want me to feel better you'll put on Tom Waits or something like that."

"It's your own fault you're sick you know," he muttered as he put Small Change on.

"Not a word for you!" I threw a dirty tissue at him. It missed by three feet. "It was worth it."

"If you say so." He sat down in an armchair looking highly amused.

"Shut up. And hand me another box of Kleenex."

Matt tossed me a box as Justin came in. "Sicky!" He yelled planting a kiss on my forehead. "How are we feeling?"

"Like shit."

"Aww, I'm sorry." He kissed my forehead again, and then turned his attention to Matt. "You, go help Josh with the groceries. Someone needs to help him and someone needs to cuddle with Bee. And since there's no way I'm letting you touch her-"

"Fine," Matt interrupted as he got up and left.

Justin crawled onto the couch and wrapped his arms around me. "How did you manage not to get sick?" I asked.

"I don't know, I'm just magical and don't get sick."

"Lucky bastard."

"I know."

"Okay seriously Justin," Josh panted as he came in, hands filled with grocery bags. "Top floor and no working elevator? What the hell were you thinking when you got this place?"

"I thought," Justin started. "It has fairly cheap rent, two bedrooms, private roof access, and it's a spacious, clean apartment with a decent view. Never mind that the water pressure kind of sucks and the radiator doesn't work half the time, this place is awesome and you know it."

"Okay you have me there," Josh said putting the bags in the kitchen. "Oh and Matt had to leave, something about Laura freaking out or something and he'll see us at the party in a few days."

"Party?" Justin asked. "What party?"

"Anna's birthday is on the 8th," I said.

"Oh really? How old is she going to be?"

"23, she's afraid she's getting old." Both Justin and Josh scoffed; we were all around 26. "I told her to shut up."

"Man I would love to be 23 again," Josh said. "Just so I'm not as close to 30."

"Me too, " Justin agreed.

"But we'll stay old, old, old 'cause we were born in '76," I sang to the tune of "Fun, Fun, Fun" by the Beach Boys. "Old, old, old 'cause we were born in '76," I got quieter and quieter because the two of them were now looking at me as if I was totally insane. "I'll shut up now."

"Moving on," Justin said. "Where is this great aging party going to happen?"

"Triple Rock."

"Oh really? Sweetness, I love that place."

"Justin, can I talk to you?" Josh said suddenly. It was more of a statement than a question.

"Sure," Justin said as he got up and followed Josh into the other room. I got the feeling that this wasn't the first time the two had had this discussion.

But anyway, now that Justin was gone the warmth from his body was wearing off and I was starting to get cold again. So I gathered up my blankets and hopped over to the bedroom to get another blanket. In doing so I couldn't help but to overhear tiny snippet of their conversation.
"...anything you'll regret."

"Don't worry Josh, I'll be fine. I promise."
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"Hey Justin and Betty are here!" Tony yelled hugging the both of us as we walked in.

"Jelly-butter?" Anna asked. "What?"

"Where the hell did jelly-butter come from?" Justin asked. "Did you guys get drunk without me?"

"Jus' a little bit," she said holding her thumb and forefinger a very short distance apart.

"Hey Betty are you feeling better?" A stunning black girl with short purple hair asked me.

"Uh yeah," I replied slowly, wondering how she knew my name and the fact I was sick.

"Oh," Matt said rushing over. "I forgot you haven't met. Betty this is Laura, the best girlfriend in the world."

"You only say that because you haven't dated Betty," Justin said.

"Lies! Everyone knows I have the best girlfriend," Tony interjected.

It wasn't long before the three of them were arguing about whose girlfriend was better. "Was anyone else aware this was a competition?" Laura asked slightly amused. Anna and I shook our heads laughing.

"Hey idiots," I shouted, the three guys stopped talking and looked at me. "Wow I wasn't actually expecting you to respond to that. Anyway, since it is Anna's birthday I think she should automatically be the best girlfriend here. However after tonight you can all resume your bickering. That being said I'm going to get a drink now." I spun around and headed towards the bar.

"You know," Justin said a few minutes later, as he wrapped his arms around my waist. "I don't care what you say; you are the best girlfriend here tonight." He sounded almost but not quite drunk, which I found rather strange since we hadn't been here that long.

"Don't let anyone else hear you say that," I said kissing him. "Or the whole 'My girlfriend's better than your girlfriend' will start up again."

"Bah, I would have argued until they agreed with me."

"But then they'd dump their girlfriends and wish they were my boyfriend. That wouldn't be a good thing for you would it?"

"Are you saying you'd leave me for one of them?" Justin looked slightly hurt and worried.

I laughed and put my arms around his neck. "No I'm saying you'd have to fight them off seeing as I'm so gosh darn perfect they wouldn't be able to keep their hands off me no matter how much I rejected them."

"You are so strange and weird and I love it." He kissed my nose.

"Hey are you two going to join us down here or not?" Laura yelled from the dance floor.

"You go on ahead," Justin said. "I'll be down in a few minutes okay?"

I realize now that I never should have agreed with him.