#1
"Moth's Wings" – Passion Pit
The #1 thing she always forgot was her jacket. She ran back inside, tripping a little, and tripping a little. He would always wait for her so there was really no rush. She stepped back out with her jean jacket half on half stuck on her thumb, hearing the door shut behind her and a car honk in front of her. There he is.
Ben. Rare Ben. Smiling, happy, hungry. So he honked again. She made a few swift steps down the porch and skipped to his car. Sliding into the passenger seat she kissed him lightly, as was their routine, and buckled in to the safety of Ben's car. "Hey babe, you ready? Got your keys, wallet, another kiss for me?" She did. All of the above actually.
Sitting with Pru, while eating was always a risk. She used the most ridiculous language. Told the most unrealistic stories, and always waited to drop the punchline when I had a mouth full of food. But Pru was the homie. Pru was homey. Today, like every Saturday, we got lunch at Baby's diner. Today, like every Saturday, I tried to eat back the calories I burned at practice earlier. Today, like every Saturday, I choked on my food because of Pru .
"Why did my first penis have to be a crooked one?"
I couldn't breath, too much laughter. "Maybe that's Jesus' punishment, penis #1 being a crooked one." This induced a classic Pru eyeroll…
"Maybe this entire conversation is Jesus giving you inspiration to go find your own crooked penis #1".
I had an eyeroll classic of my own.
Superstar - Usher
I choked again, but unlike every Saturday, it wasn't because of Pru. I looked again. I knew I shouldn't have had my second cup of coffee, my whole body was buzzing. My heart was beating uncontrollably. She looked at me and smiled. Correction. She stroked her dark long hair from the right side to the left side exposing her neck and smiled. Correction. Exposing her long damp neck and smiled. Is she sweating? Maybe just a little. She didn't need that jacket today. I looked at her brown chocolate eyes. She licked her lips. And I lost my breath….
"Yooo! we splitting this evenly right!?"
"What? Yeah, why are you asking stupid questions?"
She didn't need the jacket. The heat must be on in this diner she assumed. She didn't notice that she didn't notice the heat until seeing the pretty tomboy in just a t-shirt sitting in a booth with her friend. They're probably just friends she thinks. They're not giving off a more than friends vibe. The pretty tomboy looks annoyed. Her jawline is tense and so are her muscles. Correction. Her jawline is defined, and her t-shirt exposes her strong biceps and defined forearms. She lock eyes with the pretty tomboy for a second. Correction.
"Emily! What do you want?"
"I don't know, whatever you're getting." She looks back. They're splitting the check. So, yeah, they're probably just friends. Good, she thinks.
"Hey, can I get two #1's".
"Biking" – Frank Ocean, Jay-Z, Tyler, The Creator
The number one reason I chose English as a major was because I thought I'd enjoy it more than struggling through a Finance class. Why is it so time consuming though. Everyone is out hanging out, and I'm stuck reading. Reading "The Well of Loneliness" at that. Just some girl who is different complaining about being different. Aren't we all. I mean I never liked doing what girls were "suppose" to like doing. Exhibit A; the soccer. Shit soccer. What time is it? I'm gonna be late. I quickly throw on my practice clothes and pack my bag and head out. I run into the locker room to put my shoes on.
Why do girls insist on walking around naked? Its distracting. Not that I'm looking. Its just too much. I'm finishing my left cleat when I feel someone scrape their nails in my hair. Why is it so hot in this locker room? I look up and of course its Pru being an asshole.
"Hey Pru"
"What up #1, stop staring at Carla's ass and hurry up with those shoes before coach makes us run"
Sometimes I can't stand Pru. "I'm not staring at… whatever, I'm done. Let's go".
"On the line!" Shit.
She loved reading. Usually. She just didn't have the attention span for "Beloved" or Toni Morrison in general today. She was distracted. She just could not focus on one thing without maladaptively daydreaming. She tried to focus on another subject. Her most hated class; statistics. She needed to do homework for that anyway. She tried. She really did. She checked her phone instead. Ben shared a mildly funny meme. Cute. She saw it was 11:07am. Correction. She excitedly noticed it was around the time she went to Baby's last weekend… maybe she should go again this Saturday. But without Ben. She texted Hanna to see if she was up, and down for breakfast at Baby's. Luckily Hanna needed to feed her hangover. Now what to wear. She's just meeting a hungover Hanna, so it shouldn't matter. It doesn't. She was just headed back to Baby's. The same time she went there last weekend. But she wanted to look nice. Anyone could be there. Anyone.
She left her apartment with her jacket in her hand.
"Hey Hanna"
"Hey, so whats good there?"
"#1".
Gone – Afrojack, Ty Dolla Sign
"Hey Pru, you ready to go to Baby's?"
"Oh I forgot to tell you, I have a late"
"A what?"
"A late, a lunch date".
"Since late is a real word, wouldn't it make more sense for you to call it a dunch?"
"Umm, no, because that sounds stupid. Anyway, yeah I'm gonna have to bail on Baby's. Oh and before I forget, tonight you're going out, to an actual party, and you're going to have fun, get drunk, make out with someone, and wake up tomorrow hungover like everyone else in college."
"I don't know Pru, I still have a lot of reading to do"
"I didn't ask a question, I told you your plans. Plus, the #1 reason I scheduled this dunch is so you wouldn't have that excuse.
"Pru."
"See you tonight!"
"So anyway, I walk into starbucks and guess who I see all cuddled up on Sean? Shannon! Looking haggard as usual, and Sean clearly doesn't care that he is in the most popular place on campus, rubbing it in that he has moved on to a haggard, half cute broad like Shannon"
"Hanna, Shannon is not haggard. Half cute is scary accurate though"
"Right!?"
"It's like everytime you look at her, you just know there is half a cute missing. I can never find her other cute half."
"Me either. I bet she thinks that's Sean now. But it's not. Sean was my cute half"
"Your extra cute half Hanna. And by that I mean you are wholely cute. You can live without the extra baggage, I mean half"
"Anyway, Emily how is Ben? I mean I'm honored to have gotten your text this morning but I thought you two would be basking in the sun today in your morning after glow."
"Hanna!"
"What!? I mean you two have been dating for like 6 months, you're practically married in college time. Anyway I just expected you two to have been together this morning."
"We don't need to hang out all of the time Hanna, we don't need to have a date every day."
"I'm not talking date, I'm talking hooking up and cuddling, and just hanging out"
"We don't really do that. He has his life, and I have mine. Its nice."
"YOU HAVENT HAD SEX YET!?"
"First of all, lower your voice. Second, yes we have had sex, but we don't have sex all of the time though."
"Is it bad…"
"No its nice, we just don't need to do it everyday"
"Interesting. I mean I couldn't keep my hands off Sean in the first few months. I mean he was practically my third roommate. Sometimes I just wanted to be around him just because. Gosh I miss Sean. I'm totally not this girl, even though he drove me insane, he was just so damn Ugh! There is something wrong with me. Anyway is Ben meeting you here or something? (Hanna waves her hand in front of Emily's face) Emily!"
"Hmm what? Oh, no why?
"Because you keep looking towards the door. Are you expecting someone? Are you cheating on Ben!?"
"No! God No! And why do you look disappointed that I'm not cheating on Ben?"
"I'm not disappointed, it just would have been something… interesting. You're always so… stable. Its kind of annoying. Me always being the mess."
"You're not a mess Hanna. And I'm not stable, or expecting anyone. Are you ready to go? Question #1 is still bothering from statistics and I need to figure that out before we head out to Roderick's"
"Yeah I'm ready, let's go."
"For Free" – DJ Khaled, Drake
I would rather be reading. But here I am awkwardly guarding the chips and dip like I am their sole creator and protector of the bowls. Why is everyone so sweaty?
"You're tall"
"You're observant"
"You're rude"
"This is fun"
I don't have that nice gene when I'm hot and bothered. And I mean that literally. This crowded party makes it feel like this room his 1000 degrees. And the sweatiness, loud music, and the fact that I'm here alone as Pru makes out with her boo makes me hella bothered. I honestly don't think I've ever been 'hot and bothered'. I've never really been turned on in a random room by any guy. I just haven't noticed them yet, I guess.
"Get your ass over here!"
I look over and see Pru grinding with her boy motioning me to come over and join them on the dance floor. I mouth "no".
"Now!"
Before I can say 'no' again, someone bumps me into the chips. Correction. My chips. I look down and she smiles.
"I'm so sorry"
Does heat restrict your ability to breathe? Does heat make your heart rate speed up while the world spins slow? I clearly need to leave this area. I quickly head to Pru and…. Whatever his name is.
"Sorry!"
"Jeez Emily, you're here for two seconds and you're already making enemies. That girl looks like she could kill you!"
"She is tall isn't she" And fit. Her arms alone scream athlete. Emily has heard people say muscles on women don't look good. But Emily thought the way the girl carries herself, it's still beautiful. Very beautiful. Does this room have A.C. at all? Emily sees a hand wave in her face.
"Emily, I think you're fine, she didn't seem too pissed. Stop staring before you remind her that you knocked her into the chips. Let's go dance"
"You're lucky Hanna. This is my #1 favorite song, so I guess I'll join.
"Closer" – Ne-Yo
Okay dancing isn't so bad. I'm actually having a good time. Pru is definitely is enjoying her date's adventurous hands. I look over and am smacked with the sight of her. Again. Hot. Again. Heart racing. Again.
She must love this song. You can tell by the way she moves to the music. I'm sort of surprised a to see her move like that… and on beat at that. The music slows for the bridge and I can't breathe. She flips her hair to the side. See, she is hot. She's hot. She smirks. And I'm watching her. Staring even. I don't even care. Even more confusing, she doesn't seem to care. It isn't until the end of the song when I realize my body has been doing something it did not clear with me at all. I was walking towards her. There were a list of reasons I should stop walking and not speak to this aesthetically gifted human being. Number 1 reason I should stop walking and NOT talk to her is...
"Hey" I heard myself say to her.