Photogenic

I looked at Matt, hoping that if I did dance with him, he would be put off. He nodded, probably knowing that Tom wasn't going to like him. I felt slightly sad that Matt couldn't enjoy the party much.

Matt leaned into my ear, saying, "Go ahead! Have some fun. Besides, there was this guy...." That's all he had to say. I smiled at him, nodding before looking at Tom with a smile. He stood up the same time I did. Because we were so close, it looked like he was towering over me. It was slightly intimidating with how tall he was.

I looked back at Matt with a smile and grabbed my drink. Sure, I was dancing, but I wasn't going to just stop drinking, either. I took a drink as Tom lead me out of the kitchen toward the living room where the music was loudest. The song suddenly went from fast, to slow. The couples moved closer together, dancing slowly together. Tom turned to me and held his hand out.

"May I have this dance?" His accent was thick and he bowed ever so slightly. I snorted at how cliche he was being and accepted his hand. He lightly touched his lips to the skin, before standing up fully. I set my drink down on a side table, telling myself to remember where it was for later. I wrapped my arms around his neck, which I was slightly surprised that I could because of how tall he was. Maybe I wasn't as short as I made myself out to be, sometimes. His own hands just barely rest on my hips as we started to move together.

"What's up with your accent?" I asked, feeling like I should at least say something to get to know him better. He moved closer, bending his head toward me. His scent was all that filled my senses.

"I'm German," he responded in my ear as we moved together.

"So..." I paused, trying to get what he was telling me. "You live in Germany?" I raised an eye brow at him.

He nodded and adjusted his grip on my hips.

"What are you doing in America, then?" I was blunt, yes, but also confused as to why he would come here.

"Looking around," he chuckled slightly.

"Have you found what you're looking for yet?" I asked, genuinely curious. What could possibly be here that's not in Germany?

He processed my sentence for a bit before answering. For a split second, I thought that he didn't understand what I was say, but once he answered, I figured I was wrong.

"Not really," he paused, looking over my head. He looked back down at me a second later. "It's somewhere though..."

"Oh," I responded with. What else was there to say? Clearly, the discussion was over with and I couldn't think of anything to say. So, we danced to the music, smiling at each other. I was waiting for him to say something as the song changed from slow to fast paced. He smiled at me, but continued to dance. It felt weird, dancing to the tempo of a slow song during a deffinate grinding song. But I didn't particularly fancy the whole dancing like you want sex thing, anyway.

He pulled away from me suddenly, digging into his low pocket. He pulled out his cell phone and looked at the screen. I stood there awkwardly. Would it be rude to walk away to find my drink? Probably. He looked at me with an apology falling from his lips in a foreign tongue.

He stepped closer to me, bending slightly to speak in my ear. "Vant to get a drink?" His eyebrow raised as he stood back up. I nodded, knowing that if I said no, he'd have wanted me to dance again. He lightly took my hand and lead me back to the kitchen. The hall was almost empty and when we entered the kitchen I realized why. Apparently, everyone that was once clogging the hall, ran out of alcohol at the same time.

"You stay," he suggested. "I'll get us drinks."

I smiled in response and nodded before he made he way through the people. Looking around as I stood by the door nervously, I couldn't help but notice many people leaning against the counters kissing. Did they have to do that here? Apparently so, as two others joined in on the trend.

Tom was suddenly by my side, two drinks in hand. I smiled in thanks and took the colored plastic cup from his offered hand. I took a drink, looking over the top as Tom exited, me trailing behind. I didn't know what we were going to do now. I figured Tom was leading me outside as he passed the living room and wasn't turning right into this other hall. I guessed right. He opened the door and held it for me as I walked out. He was soon behind we.

"Vant to sit?" He gestured to the porch swing.

I smiled at how cliche it was and shrugged, heading for the white wood. We both sat and he began to gently rock the wring with his feet planted firmly on the green wood beneath us. I felt short because me feet didn't quite touch fully. I guess this swing was pretty high off the ground. I took another drink, looking over at Tom. He was playing with his lip ring, looking down at his own cup.

I wanted to say something. But what? Then I recalled what he told me. "So, what part of Germany are you from?" Surely he could make conversation from that.

"Magdeburg," he responded, looking at me. "East Germany," he added at the confused look on my face. "Vhat about you?"

"I'm from great ol' Michigan," I smiled. "Silver Lake, West Michigan."

He looked just as confused as I must have. "Why are you here?" Pure curiosity. His English seemed to be getting clearer as we talked, also.

"School. Chicago holds more opportunity to start my career than small Silver Lake does. We don't even have stop lights. It's that small."

"Sounds like Magdeburg," he smiled. "What job are you going to be?"

He sentence was slightly jumbled, but I got the gist of it. "Oh, I'm going into Photography."

"Cool," he nodded. "I don't know what I'm doing."

I smiled, knowing what he meant. "Eh, lots of people don't. I'm sure it'll come to you."

He went to respond, but his hand dug into his pocket again. His phone came out, lighting up and vibrating in his hand. He apologized in the same manner as before and answered the call, looking away from me as if to keep his conversation private. It's not like I could understand it anyway, but I heard what was said.

"Was?" A very short pause was taken before he began again. "Was bedeutest du dich kannst es nicht finden?"

I heard someone speaking just as fast as Tom was through the phone. They seemed frustrated with whatever was going on. Tom sighed and raised his hand up before letting it hit his thigh dramatically.

"Oh, gehen an! Nach links drehen und gerade gehen, bis du alle Autos siehst. Stoppen und parken." Tom was slightly sarcastic at the end. "Mich nicht anrufen ein Arschloch, Bill."

Another barely there pause. "Nein, bist du die Person, die eine sehr große Partei nicht sogar fiden kann."

I heard the person, that I now identified as male, mutter quickly. Tom was quick to respond. "Dasist mein Spezialgebiet, aber du solltest die selben haben. Du bist mein Zwilling, Bill."

Not even three seconds later a "Gut Tschüss." and he hung up. He turned to me, smiling and a quick mutter of "Brother," as an explanation. I smiled and nodded in return.

"Do you have any brothers?" he asked, turning his body to face mine more.

"Yeah," I responded, smiling at the thought of him. "He's ten. I have a sister, too. She's graduating this year."

"You're the oldest?"

"Yeah," I didn't know what else to say. "Are you?"

He nodded, bringing his drink to his lips again. I followed suit, taking a bigger swig than I intended and ended up having some difficulties swallowing. Tom was looking at me as if he was about to ask if I was okay, but I reassured him with another smile before he could ask. Gee, I was smiling way too much with him.

After sitting on the swing with Tom in silence for a couple minutes longer, both of us draining our drinks in that time, we headed back inside to dance. By now, I was slightly inebriated and I ended up actually dancing with Tom in such a way I never knew that I could. I knew that tomorrow I would be ashamed and embarrassed when I remembered this moment, but for now, I didn't give a damn about anything except dancing with Tom. And he actually danced, too.