19.
Glancing at my laptop clock, it’s 8:15 P.M., I’m running slower than I intended.
It’s not so much a special occasion, my birthday’s around the corner, but that’s not the big concern.
The big concern is my friends and I are all going out to a club for my birthday tonight, and it’s not a casual affair. It never is, and no matter how many times I go out to a club, I can never seem to time it right. However, I can usually predict the right amount of time it takes in order for me to drive home from a friend’s as to not be even a minute over my curfew.
I guess it has to do with being a girl. All in a rush to apply makeup to match my shirt while I get three phone calls within five minutes, the doorbell rings and I hear my sister yell, “ELISABETTA!” up the stairs. I continue applying my makeup and hear the steps of someone on the rickety stairs up to my room as one of my best friends, since elementary school, walks in and say, “Happy Birthday!”
I thank her and continue, asking her if she thinks the eyeshadow is too much. Within five minutes, I’m done and rush to throw a few things in my bag, including my heels, as I’ve learned I can’t last long in them, especially in Manhattan. Walking down together, I almost forget my camera.
Some of my closest friends are here, Chris, who I met randomly, Joe, from college and through my prom date, and Kim, my best friend from high school. I put on the tiara I bought as a joke since I told my cousin I’d wear it out as a dare and we snap a picture together. We’re all looking pretty good and I smile. We pile into our 98 Plymouth white minivan and head off to the ferry to catch the 9:00 boat.
Once we’re there, I’m surprised by my other elementary school best friend, Mary and Chris’ girlfriend, Sneha. We’re both happily surprised and I’m glad I have such a good group of friends that are willing to come out. Leigh Ann also meets us at the ferry terminal, another high school best friend.
On the ferry, we talk about meaningless things, how we’re enjoying our winter break and more. We make it to Manhattan, the winter crisp air hits my face briefly and we head down to the subway. The R/W line, the staunch smell of the subway is an old familiarity.
A water bottle of vodka, Sunny D, and Sprite is passed around. Pre-gaming, I always used to think it was so lame. Despite the bubbly rubbing alcohol taste, it goes pretty fast between everyone. Not enough to really have us lose any function or fall to any harm. Plus there are at least two of us who don’t drink, to be the watchers, the careful eyes.
When we reach Webster Hall, we get on the line, and I’m wished a Happy Birthday by a few random strangers. We call my old prom date, Shahbaz, to see where he is and get off the line to meet him and deposit our coats in his car, especially considering coat check prices.
We approach the fogged up car they’re in, obviously pre-gaming, as he steps out and says hello to everyone. A good friend of mine, an odd connection at that. We head to his car, and when everyone’s done, we head back to the line which has, not surprisingly, become much longer.
So much for the guest list. It’s promptly 12:00 AM and officially my birthday. I get lots of shouts of Happy Birthday and a hug or two. I don’t pay too much mind to it; I need to go to the bathroom. Luckily enough, Leigh Ann doesn’t want to wait till we get in either. We run to the nearest McDonalds shouting how much we have to go and that we’ll pay for something we don’t want to eat, just to use the bathroom.
We take turns, each anxiously waiting the other to finish and return to the line, satisfied. Eventually we’re in, the cost 10 more dollars than I wanted it to be. I spot three of my friends, Happy Birthday, so they can get in.
It’s dark and hard to distinguish people. Flashing neon lights and a techno beat deafen you as you enter the main floor. Unsure of where some of the others have gone, we try to have as much fun as possible jumping around like fools to the techno beat. Guys you can’t really hear or tell what they look like come over to dance with us, and we pull one another away or shake our heads. We just want to dance, alone, or together, as friends. So much for the guys help, but girls have to watch each other’s back.
We find the location of the party we signed the list for and head on up to the room. This room is also really dark but has the deafening beats of hip hop and reggaeton and is packed out. It’s hard to find a spot. Eventually, we just wind up dropping our bags on the floor in a corner, believing in the good nature of people and head out to dance together.
I agree to dance with someone and later find out he was terrible by my friend’s standards.
Jasmine tries to make it less of a bruise on my self esteem, “He was like a two out of ten.”
I just shake my head as I’m continuously teased. After dancing our night away, my hair a mess, and sweaty, we make our way out and back onto the subway back home.
On the ferry, I tease Shahbaz about how much he misses us as he makes fun of what losers Joe and Mary are trying to mock us. He misses it, I know it.
We’re off the ferry, and we head for the S44 and then walk up my block back to my house, tired and worn out.
Once inside, we climb the dog gate and try to be as quiet as possible as I supply drinks and whatever snacks I can to Chris, Shahbaz, Joe, Leigh Ann and Kim, a few more people than I had expected. Leigh Ann, however, has the luck of her pants ripping straight up the middle as she climbs over the gate and we burst out in laughter.
I head up to my closet and pull out all the blankets possible to make my guests as comfortable as possible, as they go their separate ways to pass out.
I change into my pajamas, wash my face, and collapse onto my bed. I check the clock; 5:30 AM. I check my phone and see a voicemail, dial, to hear Marc wishing me a Happy Birthday at midnight, and that he hoped I was having fun. This is the second year he's done that. I smile, and lay down. Happy Birthday, someone whispers as I close my eyes.
These simple times, these friends, these are the people that make my life and teach me love.
It’s not so much a special occasion, my birthday’s around the corner, but that’s not the big concern.
The big concern is my friends and I are all going out to a club for my birthday tonight, and it’s not a casual affair. It never is, and no matter how many times I go out to a club, I can never seem to time it right. However, I can usually predict the right amount of time it takes in order for me to drive home from a friend’s as to not be even a minute over my curfew.
I guess it has to do with being a girl. All in a rush to apply makeup to match my shirt while I get three phone calls within five minutes, the doorbell rings and I hear my sister yell, “ELISABETTA!” up the stairs. I continue applying my makeup and hear the steps of someone on the rickety stairs up to my room as one of my best friends, since elementary school, walks in and say, “Happy Birthday!”
I thank her and continue, asking her if she thinks the eyeshadow is too much. Within five minutes, I’m done and rush to throw a few things in my bag, including my heels, as I’ve learned I can’t last long in them, especially in Manhattan. Walking down together, I almost forget my camera.
Some of my closest friends are here, Chris, who I met randomly, Joe, from college and through my prom date, and Kim, my best friend from high school. I put on the tiara I bought as a joke since I told my cousin I’d wear it out as a dare and we snap a picture together. We’re all looking pretty good and I smile. We pile into our 98 Plymouth white minivan and head off to the ferry to catch the 9:00 boat.
Once we’re there, I’m surprised by my other elementary school best friend, Mary and Chris’ girlfriend, Sneha. We’re both happily surprised and I’m glad I have such a good group of friends that are willing to come out. Leigh Ann also meets us at the ferry terminal, another high school best friend.
On the ferry, we talk about meaningless things, how we’re enjoying our winter break and more. We make it to Manhattan, the winter crisp air hits my face briefly and we head down to the subway. The R/W line, the staunch smell of the subway is an old familiarity.
A water bottle of vodka, Sunny D, and Sprite is passed around. Pre-gaming, I always used to think it was so lame. Despite the bubbly rubbing alcohol taste, it goes pretty fast between everyone. Not enough to really have us lose any function or fall to any harm. Plus there are at least two of us who don’t drink, to be the watchers, the careful eyes.
When we reach Webster Hall, we get on the line, and I’m wished a Happy Birthday by a few random strangers. We call my old prom date, Shahbaz, to see where he is and get off the line to meet him and deposit our coats in his car, especially considering coat check prices.
We approach the fogged up car they’re in, obviously pre-gaming, as he steps out and says hello to everyone. A good friend of mine, an odd connection at that. We head to his car, and when everyone’s done, we head back to the line which has, not surprisingly, become much longer.
So much for the guest list. It’s promptly 12:00 AM and officially my birthday. I get lots of shouts of Happy Birthday and a hug or two. I don’t pay too much mind to it; I need to go to the bathroom. Luckily enough, Leigh Ann doesn’t want to wait till we get in either. We run to the nearest McDonalds shouting how much we have to go and that we’ll pay for something we don’t want to eat, just to use the bathroom.
We take turns, each anxiously waiting the other to finish and return to the line, satisfied. Eventually we’re in, the cost 10 more dollars than I wanted it to be. I spot three of my friends, Happy Birthday, so they can get in.
It’s dark and hard to distinguish people. Flashing neon lights and a techno beat deafen you as you enter the main floor. Unsure of where some of the others have gone, we try to have as much fun as possible jumping around like fools to the techno beat. Guys you can’t really hear or tell what they look like come over to dance with us, and we pull one another away or shake our heads. We just want to dance, alone, or together, as friends. So much for the guys help, but girls have to watch each other’s back.
We find the location of the party we signed the list for and head on up to the room. This room is also really dark but has the deafening beats of hip hop and reggaeton and is packed out. It’s hard to find a spot. Eventually, we just wind up dropping our bags on the floor in a corner, believing in the good nature of people and head out to dance together.
I agree to dance with someone and later find out he was terrible by my friend’s standards.
Jasmine tries to make it less of a bruise on my self esteem, “He was like a two out of ten.”
I just shake my head as I’m continuously teased. After dancing our night away, my hair a mess, and sweaty, we make our way out and back onto the subway back home.
On the ferry, I tease Shahbaz about how much he misses us as he makes fun of what losers Joe and Mary are trying to mock us. He misses it, I know it.
We’re off the ferry, and we head for the S44 and then walk up my block back to my house, tired and worn out.
Once inside, we climb the dog gate and try to be as quiet as possible as I supply drinks and whatever snacks I can to Chris, Shahbaz, Joe, Leigh Ann and Kim, a few more people than I had expected. Leigh Ann, however, has the luck of her pants ripping straight up the middle as she climbs over the gate and we burst out in laughter.
I head up to my closet and pull out all the blankets possible to make my guests as comfortable as possible, as they go their separate ways to pass out.
I change into my pajamas, wash my face, and collapse onto my bed. I check the clock; 5:30 AM. I check my phone and see a voicemail, dial, to hear Marc wishing me a Happy Birthday at midnight, and that he hoped I was having fun. This is the second year he's done that. I smile, and lay down. Happy Birthday, someone whispers as I close my eyes.
These simple times, these friends, these are the people that make my life and teach me love.