OM-freaking-G.
You will not believe this.
Jami sucks through the hookah hose then breathes out, a long stream of smoke issuing from her mouth. It smells wonderful. She relaxes her elbows on the glass table and looks at both Filbert (whose real name is Steven) and I, waiting for someone to say something. Nothing comes to mind so I just smile back at here serenely. Trance music bumps in my ears and orange lights flicker around us. They seem to be having an ATB marathon at the Spot tonight. ATB is my favorite trance artist, so I sit back and sing the words quietly to myself.
Elise calls Jami and she picks up. “Hey what’s up? Are you here?” A pause while she answers. “You’re at the front? Well we’re under the tent thing. Can you see us? No?”
I can see Elise standing at the front of the Spot, the outdoor hookah place that we are currently in the middle of that weaves around the upper walkway of a shopping plaza. We happen to be under the small covered area at the end that we only manage to obtain seats in when we get there particularly early. Elise has her phone up to her ear and is looking rather lost. I decide to remedy this problem rather than sit here and listen to Jami describe where we are.
I stand up and maneuver my way around my chair and past the waiters standing at the register near our table. I make my way down the long walkway, my heels clicking all the way. My blonde hair is down, bouncing behind me as I move. I am wearing a tight red dress, and a lot of the men seated at tables along the way seem to notice this. Smiling, I approach the front and the bouncer lets me through the red velvet rope. Elise is standing there with the phone still up to her ear.
“There you are!” I exclaim, and hug her. Only then do the three people sitting in chairs to the left catch my eye. There, waiting for a table, are Amir, Gary, and Steven, in that order.
A few things happen at once. My heart sinks into my stomach, all of the adrenaline in my body streams through every muscle, and I feel as though I am going to pass out, fly away, and vomit at the same time. There he is, the boy that I have been missing for the past four months. The boy that broke my heart, told me he didn’t want to be friends, and added insult to injury by immediately starting to see someone else. The boy who said he cared so much for me but had such personal issues that he could not be with me. The boy that I cared for so much, gave so much to, and received nothing but shit from in return. The one boy that, despite all this, I want to be close to more than anyone in the world… Steven, my Steven, is sitting there within reach for the first time again.
The three of them stare at me, dumbfounded and unsmiling. None of them look like they quite know what to do or say. Seeing them just as shocked as I am gives me a strange burst of confidence. “Uh… Hey guys!” I exclaim, and go to give them each a hug. As I am hugging Amir and Gary I wonder briefly if part of the reason for their awkwardness is because of the whole myspace commenting set up that went on about a month ago. Heh, guilty as charged.
“Hey, how’s it going?” Amir says. He sounds really strange.
I hug Steven, trying not to think about how I promised myself I would punch him in the face if I ever saw him again. As I pull away I see a glint of metal from inside his mouth.
“Whoa, you have braces!” I announce, completely taken aback.
His arm shoots up in front of his face. “No I don’t!” He insists. His face is turning a deep shade of red. “What are you talking about? I don’t have braces.” His friends are laughing nervously.
“Yeah, you definitely do.” I say. I have to keep myself from laughing too. That would be rather cruel. It occurs to me how ironic this is. Here I am, in my red dress and heels, looking pretty much amazing… and there he is, looking twelve, with braces. I knew I would run into him again at some point. It was bound to happen, considering that we hang out in the same places. I didn’t, however, even in my wildest dreams think that it would turn out so perfectly. How cliché, how classic, how marvelous.
“Yeah, I had braces for seven years, you know… and apparently my jaw has grown or something stupid like that, so I had to get them again. I’m going to have to get rubber bands and stuff too.” He explains. I notice that he is wearing shorts, which is something I have never seen him in before, and he has new adidas shoes that are a big step up from his ugly old k-swiss.
“Aw man, that sucks. I’m sorry.” Elise nods in agreement with me.
“Yeah, you know… Well who are you here with?” His voice has an odd quality to it and he is speaking faster than usual. His hands are actually shaking. I have never seen him look so nervous. I feel very suddenly powerful, but still a little sick.
“I’m here with Jami… well, and Elise… and this other guy named Steven.”
“Oh, good name. I’m a fan.” He smiles awkwardly. I remember how much I enjoy his sense of humor.
“Haha, yeah. I like it.” I say.
“Well I guess you’ve been having a pretty boring summer, huh? Haven’t been doing anything… just sitting home… not having any fun…” I recognize his sarcasm. He has seen all my myspace pictures and he knows just how much fun I have been having and all the crazy stuff I have been up to. There is a tone of curiosity and just a hint of resentment in his voice.
“Haha, yeah. Real boring. I mean, I just went wakeboarding this morning actually.”
Amir and Gary nod, making noises of approval.
A couple of moments pass without anyone speaking. I accept that the conversation has worn itself out and glance around, taking in where I actually am. Elise is still standing next to me. I feel a pang of guilt for ignoring her for so long. “So… uh… we should probably go sit down…”
“I don’t know if I can get in.” Elise says. “I don’t have my ID. It was in the purse that got stolen when I was in Rome.”
“Oh… that’s right…” I think for a moment. “I mean, do you think they wouldn’t believe you if you told them that you lost your ID?”
“You guys should go around the back.” Says Gary, speaking for the first time. “They don’t usually card you if you come in that way. You can sneak by.”
“Oh okay.” I say. I look around, trying to determine the best way to get back there.
“Just go down these stairs right here.” Says Amir. “Walk across the plaza on the bottom and come up the back stairs.”
“Ah, yeah. That makes sense. Okay, it was nice to see you guys!” I smile and wave at them all as Elise and I turn around and head down the stairs.
Once we get to the bottom and start making our way across the plaza the adrenaline passes a bit and the nausea settles in. “Oh my God Elise, I think I’m going to vomit.”
“Why?” She asks.
I feel like it should be pretty obvious. “That is the first time I’ve seen him since he broke up with me! I can’t freaking believe it! Oh, I feel sick.”
“You knew it was bound to happen eventually… and dude, at least you look hot.”
I remember what I am wearing and a smile spreads across my face. “Haha, yeah I guess. Oh man… what the hell? Seriously, what the hell?”
“I don’t know Megan... I didn’t recognize him at first actually… He looked so different, and he has braces!”
“He has braces!” I echo. “Oh my God, he has braces! What the hell?”
We head up the stairs and find our table. Filbert is there by himself. I take a seat just in time to see Jami run into Steven around the corner as he and his friends are being seated. They hug somewhat awkwardly and Jami returns to our table.
“Did you see-“ Jami begins.
“Steven? Yeah. I ran into him while picking Elise up from the front. What the hell, right?”
“Yeah, I didn’t recognize him at first.” Jami says.
“That’s because he has BRACES!” I practically yell.
“Oh my God, that is so funny.” Jami acknowledges.
“Wow, I feel like I’m going to vomit.” I sound giddy. “No no, I’m fine. Perfectly fine. Ohhhhkay… I’m good.” I fold my hands and rest them on the table.
The three of them look at me skeptically. “You sure?” Asks Elise.
“Yeah, I’m good.” I take a deep breath but still feel as though I may faint at any moment. Jami tries to pass the hookah hose to me, but I decline. It could not possibly do anything but worsen the extreme nausea I am feeling.
Steven and his friends are walking back past us again. The host must have mistakenly taken them to a table that already had people at it. They head back down the walkway, towards the front and out of sight. A few minutes pass and we settle back into normal conversation. Every so often someone asks me if I’m going to be okay and I assure them that I am just fine and there is nothing to worry about. I know exactly what is going to happen next.
My phone lights up. I have a text-message from “Steven Jacob.” I open it excitedly to see the very short little blurb: -So random… ha- on my screen. I expected this. I expected it just like this. I start typing out a response immediately. -Haha right? Good to see you! It’s funny because I was just in santa clarita yesterday at magic mountain. Lol. Oh, and the braces kinda work. :D- I send it without thinking twice.
So we text for a while. He says something about being jealous that I went to EDC, a big rave that I attended at the beginning of summer. I say that I like raves now. He asks if I'd really be down to go to another one. I say yes and that I was planning to go to one this Saturday but my friends bailed. He says he's down to go...
So... we made plans to go to a rave together when I haven't seen him in months.
He missed me.
I have the most amazing story for you about what went on the night of the rave. It's like all my dreams come true.
Jami sucks through the hookah hose then breathes out, a long stream of smoke issuing from her mouth. It smells wonderful. She relaxes her elbows on the glass table and looks at both Filbert (whose real name is Steven) and I, waiting for someone to say something. Nothing comes to mind so I just smile back at here serenely. Trance music bumps in my ears and orange lights flicker around us. They seem to be having an ATB marathon at the Spot tonight. ATB is my favorite trance artist, so I sit back and sing the words quietly to myself.
Elise calls Jami and she picks up. “Hey what’s up? Are you here?” A pause while she answers. “You’re at the front? Well we’re under the tent thing. Can you see us? No?”
I can see Elise standing at the front of the Spot, the outdoor hookah place that we are currently in the middle of that weaves around the upper walkway of a shopping plaza. We happen to be under the small covered area at the end that we only manage to obtain seats in when we get there particularly early. Elise has her phone up to her ear and is looking rather lost. I decide to remedy this problem rather than sit here and listen to Jami describe where we are.
I stand up and maneuver my way around my chair and past the waiters standing at the register near our table. I make my way down the long walkway, my heels clicking all the way. My blonde hair is down, bouncing behind me as I move. I am wearing a tight red dress, and a lot of the men seated at tables along the way seem to notice this. Smiling, I approach the front and the bouncer lets me through the red velvet rope. Elise is standing there with the phone still up to her ear.
“There you are!” I exclaim, and hug her. Only then do the three people sitting in chairs to the left catch my eye. There, waiting for a table, are Amir, Gary, and Steven, in that order.
A few things happen at once. My heart sinks into my stomach, all of the adrenaline in my body streams through every muscle, and I feel as though I am going to pass out, fly away, and vomit at the same time. There he is, the boy that I have been missing for the past four months. The boy that broke my heart, told me he didn’t want to be friends, and added insult to injury by immediately starting to see someone else. The boy who said he cared so much for me but had such personal issues that he could not be with me. The boy that I cared for so much, gave so much to, and received nothing but shit from in return. The one boy that, despite all this, I want to be close to more than anyone in the world… Steven, my Steven, is sitting there within reach for the first time again.
The three of them stare at me, dumbfounded and unsmiling. None of them look like they quite know what to do or say. Seeing them just as shocked as I am gives me a strange burst of confidence. “Uh… Hey guys!” I exclaim, and go to give them each a hug. As I am hugging Amir and Gary I wonder briefly if part of the reason for their awkwardness is because of the whole myspace commenting set up that went on about a month ago. Heh, guilty as charged.
“Hey, how’s it going?” Amir says. He sounds really strange.
I hug Steven, trying not to think about how I promised myself I would punch him in the face if I ever saw him again. As I pull away I see a glint of metal from inside his mouth.
“Whoa, you have braces!” I announce, completely taken aback.
His arm shoots up in front of his face. “No I don’t!” He insists. His face is turning a deep shade of red. “What are you talking about? I don’t have braces.” His friends are laughing nervously.
“Yeah, you definitely do.” I say. I have to keep myself from laughing too. That would be rather cruel. It occurs to me how ironic this is. Here I am, in my red dress and heels, looking pretty much amazing… and there he is, looking twelve, with braces. I knew I would run into him again at some point. It was bound to happen, considering that we hang out in the same places. I didn’t, however, even in my wildest dreams think that it would turn out so perfectly. How cliché, how classic, how marvelous.
“Yeah, I had braces for seven years, you know… and apparently my jaw has grown or something stupid like that, so I had to get them again. I’m going to have to get rubber bands and stuff too.” He explains. I notice that he is wearing shorts, which is something I have never seen him in before, and he has new adidas shoes that are a big step up from his ugly old k-swiss.
“Aw man, that sucks. I’m sorry.” Elise nods in agreement with me.
“Yeah, you know… Well who are you here with?” His voice has an odd quality to it and he is speaking faster than usual. His hands are actually shaking. I have never seen him look so nervous. I feel very suddenly powerful, but still a little sick.
“I’m here with Jami… well, and Elise… and this other guy named Steven.”
“Oh, good name. I’m a fan.” He smiles awkwardly. I remember how much I enjoy his sense of humor.
“Haha, yeah. I like it.” I say.
“Well I guess you’ve been having a pretty boring summer, huh? Haven’t been doing anything… just sitting home… not having any fun…” I recognize his sarcasm. He has seen all my myspace pictures and he knows just how much fun I have been having and all the crazy stuff I have been up to. There is a tone of curiosity and just a hint of resentment in his voice.
“Haha, yeah. Real boring. I mean, I just went wakeboarding this morning actually.”
Amir and Gary nod, making noises of approval.
A couple of moments pass without anyone speaking. I accept that the conversation has worn itself out and glance around, taking in where I actually am. Elise is still standing next to me. I feel a pang of guilt for ignoring her for so long. “So… uh… we should probably go sit down…”
“I don’t know if I can get in.” Elise says. “I don’t have my ID. It was in the purse that got stolen when I was in Rome.”
“Oh… that’s right…” I think for a moment. “I mean, do you think they wouldn’t believe you if you told them that you lost your ID?”
“You guys should go around the back.” Says Gary, speaking for the first time. “They don’t usually card you if you come in that way. You can sneak by.”
“Oh okay.” I say. I look around, trying to determine the best way to get back there.
“Just go down these stairs right here.” Says Amir. “Walk across the plaza on the bottom and come up the back stairs.”
“Ah, yeah. That makes sense. Okay, it was nice to see you guys!” I smile and wave at them all as Elise and I turn around and head down the stairs.
Once we get to the bottom and start making our way across the plaza the adrenaline passes a bit and the nausea settles in. “Oh my God Elise, I think I’m going to vomit.”
“Why?” She asks.
I feel like it should be pretty obvious. “That is the first time I’ve seen him since he broke up with me! I can’t freaking believe it! Oh, I feel sick.”
“You knew it was bound to happen eventually… and dude, at least you look hot.”
I remember what I am wearing and a smile spreads across my face. “Haha, yeah I guess. Oh man… what the hell? Seriously, what the hell?”
“I don’t know Megan... I didn’t recognize him at first actually… He looked so different, and he has braces!”
“He has braces!” I echo. “Oh my God, he has braces! What the hell?”
We head up the stairs and find our table. Filbert is there by himself. I take a seat just in time to see Jami run into Steven around the corner as he and his friends are being seated. They hug somewhat awkwardly and Jami returns to our table.
“Did you see-“ Jami begins.
“Steven? Yeah. I ran into him while picking Elise up from the front. What the hell, right?”
“Yeah, I didn’t recognize him at first.” Jami says.
“That’s because he has BRACES!” I practically yell.
“Oh my God, that is so funny.” Jami acknowledges.
“Wow, I feel like I’m going to vomit.” I sound giddy. “No no, I’m fine. Perfectly fine. Ohhhhkay… I’m good.” I fold my hands and rest them on the table.
The three of them look at me skeptically. “You sure?” Asks Elise.
“Yeah, I’m good.” I take a deep breath but still feel as though I may faint at any moment. Jami tries to pass the hookah hose to me, but I decline. It could not possibly do anything but worsen the extreme nausea I am feeling.
Steven and his friends are walking back past us again. The host must have mistakenly taken them to a table that already had people at it. They head back down the walkway, towards the front and out of sight. A few minutes pass and we settle back into normal conversation. Every so often someone asks me if I’m going to be okay and I assure them that I am just fine and there is nothing to worry about. I know exactly what is going to happen next.
My phone lights up. I have a text-message from “Steven Jacob.” I open it excitedly to see the very short little blurb: -So random… ha- on my screen. I expected this. I expected it just like this. I start typing out a response immediately. -Haha right? Good to see you! It’s funny because I was just in santa clarita yesterday at magic mountain. Lol. Oh, and the braces kinda work. :D- I send it without thinking twice.
So we text for a while. He says something about being jealous that I went to EDC, a big rave that I attended at the beginning of summer. I say that I like raves now. He asks if I'd really be down to go to another one. I say yes and that I was planning to go to one this Saturday but my friends bailed. He says he's down to go...
So... we made plans to go to a rave together when I haven't seen him in months.
He missed me.
I have the most amazing story for you about what went on the night of the rave. It's like all my dreams come true.