You Trained These Lips When They Were Champs

"Hey Tom, guys," I say, greeting them at the door after they buzz up. Tom passes my threshold and makes his way to my living room.

"Uh, come in, Tom," I say facetiously, still holing my door open. "Come on in guys. Make yourselves comfortable, just stay out of the easy chair." I shurg and let go of the door, and it clicks shut. I head towards my living room, where Tom is in my freaking easy chair.

"Schleiter. OUT of my easy chair. Now."

"Jeez, I forgot how protective you are of that thing," he says, getting up reluctantly. I smile and reclaim my spot.

"So, um... what now?" I say, drumming my fingers on the armrest.

"We leave, and you-" he points at Alec and me- "stay here," Tom says.

"So much for subtlety," I say. I cross my legs and look up at the ceiling.

"Well, later then," Tom says nonchalantly, and Tom, Max, and Kevin step out.

"Have I mentioned that I severely dislike when they plot against me?" Alec quips.

"I don't believe so," I respond.

"Hmm. Well, now I have."

We sit in an awkward silence for a while (gay babies!!), then he tells me, "Tom used to talk about you all the time. He still does; not as much, but he does."

"All good things, I hope."

"Nope. All bad things," he jokes.

"Well, then, they were probably true." I smile. He chuckles, and we go dead silent again.

"You're lucky you're cute. Otherwise I'd have kicked you out by now..." I mumble.

"What's that you said?"

"Nothing. Wanna go somewhere?"

"Sure...? Where to?"

Around town. Gimme fifteen minutes to get ready. Any longer, and I'll buy you an ice cream. Double scoop."

"Bet you say that to all the boys. But it is an irresistible offer."

"I do." I turn and head to my room, where I exchange my purple jammie pants (yes, jammies, not pajamas) for a pair of jeans, and throw a green Beatles tee over my camisole. I look at myself briefly in my full-length mirror. "Something's missing..." I mutter. I grab my desert camo jacket woth about 20 to 30 buttons on it and throw it on. I slide my camera into one of the pockets- I can't go anywhere without it- and move on to the bathroom. I do the whole hygiene thing (teeth, hair, pitstick.. you know) and straighten my bangs, and put on makeup. Oh yeah! I nearly forgot my lipring. I slide that in. I also put in my earrings I made out of heart-shaped keys, and put a small heart-shaped barrette in my bangs. A once-over in the mirror says I look complete. I pop one of my anti-anxiety meds and I'm good to go.

"All right," I say, showing thumbs-up. I go back out into the living room, and Alec presses a button on his iPod. Stopwatch...?

"Thirteen minutes, twenty-seven seconds. Dang. I wanted free ice cream."

"Yes! I win again."

"You know, most girls I know take hours to get ready for dates."

"I do. But who said this was a date?" I smile mischeviously.