We Found Each Other in the Dark

I hadn’t seen or spoken to Michael in 5 days, and after realizing he wasn’t going to text me or try to see me I didn’t mind. The first two days sucked, I kept thinking about what I did wrong but then I realized how stupid I was being and promised myself not to care.

“Jackie are you ready yet?”

My best friend Nova’s voice filled my bedroom sending a tremor up my spine. I watched her in my mirror’s reflection, her eyes widened and her mouth formed a slight “oh” form. I grinned devilishly at her reaction and turned around to showcase my little get up that I was actually proud of. She slowly walked over to me and held me out at arms length to eye me up and down.

“Holy shit.” She said still looking at me, “Guys need to blow you off more often!”

My eyes widened and I snorted pushing her away from me gently. She put her hand to her mouth to hide her smile.

“I mean you look great!” She rephrased, “You look great.”

“Lets go idiot.” I stated taking her by the hand to lead her out of the apartment.

When we got to the club the line was obnoxiously long. You could hear the music bumping from out on the sidewalk, the bass vibrating the beads of sweat that dripped down my neck. People were shifting impatiently in front of us and the people behind us were starting to push and shove. After about 20 minutes we finally scooted past the bouncer and immersed ourselves into the sea of drunken, sweaty, dancing people. I hated clubs…I hated bars…and I especially hated the south side of town we were in right now. I don’t really know why I agreed to come…maybe it was because I wanted to get drunk and dance…or maybe it was because I wanted to forget about the past weeks events…whatever it was I was already regretting it. My hands were laced tightly with Nova’s as she navigated us to the bar, dodging creeps right and left. I put my waist tightly against the edge of the bar, making sure to stay close to her and called out my drink choice over the music. Two shots were ordered with our drinks along with a tall glass of remorse. The bartender placed our glasses down in front of us and we put our shot glasses together before throwing the toxic liquid down our throats ruthlessly.

“To a good night!” I toasted to Nova.

She smiled nervously already mourning the alcohol by it’s smell and tapped her glass against mine.

“To a good night.”



You’d think after countless shows the music vibrating through the room wouldn’t bother me. My brain was rattling inside of my skull and each bump from the bass shook my spine. I hadn’t wanted to go out, but I also didn’t want to sit in the house alone. Being alone was a lot worse now since the other night when I completely freaked out at Jackie’s place. I hadn’t talked to her since, and I didn’t really expect her to want to after the whole thing.

“Michael!”

My mate Ashton’s voice somehow made it’s way into my ears over the music and I lazily looked over at him at the bar.

“Beer, I don’t care what kind just any.” I ordered lacing my fingers together on the bar.

I watched my hands intently recalling the way Jackie’s fingers molded perfectly with mine. My head was buzzing from the little herbal induced pre-gaming I had done before coming out and it seemed like every time I got fucked up my thoughts always ended up being filled with her. An arm nudged mine and I looked up angrily to see a cheekily grinning Luke.

“Can I help you?” I growled raising an eyebrow.

Luke kept silent and nodded his head in the direction across from us. My eyebrows connected and I hesitantly followed his gaze, instantly wishing I hadn’t. Our eyes met and I could almost feel her heart sinking to her feet while the urge to run washed over her entire body.

“She’s been watching you for quite some time now mate.” Luke said into my ear.

Judging by her expression she was frozen with fear and didn’t know whether to look away as if she had mistaken me for someone else or continue to burn holes into my soul.

“Do you know her?” Ashton asked in my other ear.

They both exchanged gross comments about how they wanted to get to know her and I jammed my elbows in their sides rougher then they were expecting. Without taking my eyes from hers I watched as all the previous emotion drained from her face, leaving her to look sullen and empty. The fact that it was because of me made my stomach uneasy and when she finally turned around to rest her body against the bar I knew I had to go say something.

“Ay good luck with that!” Ashton called after me as I let my legs carry me her way.

When I put myself in front of her, her eyes widened as if she wasn’t expecting me to come over to her. They soon relaxed as she raised a suspicious eyebrow.

“Fuck off Michael.” She called over the music.

Completely taken aback my eyebrows drew together and my mouth twisted up in repulsion. Jackie scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Don’t give me that look.” She spat still trying to be heard over the music. “You ignore me for days then expect me to be happy to see you?!”

She was saying everything I knew she would and I could feel the alcohol I had consumed begging to come up from my stomach and spill from my mouth. I stepped towards her and she put up a menacing hand.

“Jackie can we please just talk.” I said as I masked my intoxication with seriousness.

“We have nothing to talk about!” She replied confidently.

I licked my bottom lip and rolled my eyes, this wasn’t as easy as I had hoped.

“Please Jackie.” I begged desperation seeping over my slurred words.

She looked around suddenly noticing her friend had vanished and when she looked back at me her expression had changed. Drunkenness was apparent but through the blurred waves I could see a crack of longing.

“Outside.” She said before walking past me wobbling to the side a bit.

I followed quietly making sure not to get too close and when we finally busted through the back exit she leaned against the brick wall pulling a cigarette from her wristlet. I watched silently as she lit it, took a deep drag and then began impatiently rolling the cigarette between her middle finger and thumb. She shook her head and snorted.

“Are you going to talk or what?” She spluttered raising her eyebrow again.

I nervously chewed on my bottom lip racking my brain for the words I had practiced over and over again since the last time I had seen her. I said nothing though, too engulfed in my own thoughts and worries to even remember how to speak. Jackie pushed herself away from the wall and threw the half smoked cigarette to the ground, stomping it out viciously as if she were imagining it to be my head. Without a word she pushed past me and out of instinct I grabbed her arm.

“No wait!” I cried absentmindedly tightening my grip around her small wrist.

She looked down at my hand and back up at me, anger glazing over her normally light blue speckled eyes. Quickly I recoiled my hand from her and used it to rub the back of my neck uneasily.

“Why did you decide to ignore me?” She asked out of nowhere.

My eyes met with hers again and nothing I could do would let me avert them. I inhaled heavily and then put my hands out to my sides in defeat.

“Because I’m a complete and utter moron.” I admitted, Jackie’s acceptance completely outweighing my pride.

Jackie let out a skeptical cackle and lost her balance swaying to the side. Her face instantly returned to being angry and my eyes widened.

“I’m drunk.” She said randomly, hiccupping.

My eyebrows furrowed and I watched as she mentally tried to find something to say. She looked up at me innocently the anger vanishing and opened her mouth.

“Will you take me home?” She asked.

I turned my head to the side a bit as if I hadn’t heard her correctly and the anger reappeared.

“I need to go home Michael, will you take me?” She asked again yet slower this time as if she was talking to someone mentally handicap.

“What about your friend?” I asked still in shock by her actions.

She waved her hand at me and let her eyes close, her body falling forward. I stepped towards her catching her safely in my arms and held her up. She wrapped her arms around my neck and placed her face against my skin.

“Please take me home, I feel sick.” She whined, her warm breath sending shivers over my body.

Hesitantly I wrapped my arms around her waist lifting her up into me. She wrapped her legs around me tightly, her arms still using my neck to hold on. The drive home was absolutely silent, Jackie dozing off into sleep after about 5 minutes. Every stop light I’d turn to look at her…taking in every part of her as if I was never going to see her again…truth be told I didn’t know if I ever would see her again. Tomorrow she’d wake up hung-over, and completely dismiss our interactions as her making a drunken mistake. I texted Ashton when I pulled up to her apartment assuring him that I’d be back at home soon, and then awkwardly scooped a still sleeping Jackie from my passenger seat. Carrying her carefully and bridal style up the steps I let my mind imagine doing this all the time…treating her the way she deserved to be treated as if she were my own little princess.

“Michael?”

Her groggy voice broke through my thoughts causing me to shake both of us. She didn’t say anything else, just snuggled her face into my chest dipping back into slumber. I somehow managed to get into the apartment dodging questioning glances from fellow tenants and when I got into her place I carried her to her bedroom, memorizing the direction in the dark as if I had been here every day. I placed Jackie onto the bed on her back and watched her, wondering if I should just leave her like that or at least attempt to make her comfortable. My eyes trailed up and down her body, finally noticing how her leather skirt gripped her hips perfectly while the cropped leopard print shirt accentuated her breasts. I licked my lips distractedly, letting the hunger build up in my stomach.

“Are you just going to watch me, or actually get in with me?”

Jackie’s unexpected voice interrupted my inappropriate thoughts and I jumped back. I had been so focused on her body that I hadn’t even noticed she opened her eyes. Still low with sleep she watched me through squinted eyes, a slight hint of a smirk puling at her lips. Stunned, I watched her prop herself up on her elbows, her eyes telling me to help her get her heels off. Quietly I moved towards her and helped pull them off as she kicked. My eyes grazed over her legs smoothness glinting in the moonlight that poked through her windows. She cleared her throat and when I looked up at her she was shaking her head, her smirk more apparent. I kept quiet, my insides jolting when she ordered me to help her wiggle out of her tight skirt. By the time she was finished getting out of her clothes I was completely flustered, the darkness hiding the deep shade of red that covered my cheeks. Jackie put herself under the covers and turned to face the window, her back to me. I stood there completely lost in thought until she chuckled.

“Michael get in the damn bed.” She growled playfully.

My eyes widened and I hesitantly pulled my shoes off before crawling into the bed. Not knowing what else to do I laid there awkwardly trying to keep as far from her as I could. Jackie sighed and began shifting backwards, stopping once her butt was right up against my groin. I bit down hard on my lip and slowly slid my arm around her waist. We laid there together silently, the sound of my heartbeat vibrating through the room.

“You’re forgiven.” She finally whispered with a yawn, pushing into me more.

“W-what?” I asked with a gulp.

Her hand grabbed at mine and she shook her head against the pillow.

“I forgive you Michael.” She repeated, “For kissing me and then fleeing without contact.”

Sleep pulled my eyes shut and I finally let myself relax, not realizing at first how tense all of my muscles had been. Somehow my body shifted and my face was against the back of her neck, the urge to let my lips meet her skin controlling my thoughts.

“Thank you.” I said instead.

I felt her body rumble underneath my grip indicating a giggle.

“Just promise you won’t flee tomorrow morning.” She muttered grinding against me gently.

I inhaled trying to control myself and pulled at her exposed stomach.

“I promise.” I said into her hair, “I’ll be here.”