Just For A Moment
I Didn't Catch Your Name
“Alex! Come over here,” Jack called, yelling as loud as he could over the music.
It was Friday night; their last Friday of freedom before senior year and the boys were in the mood for a party. So that’s where the four teens found themselves; in some strangers house, surrounded by a sea of students holding those infamous red plastic cups, grinding against each other in time with the music, just like the movies.
Alex made his way over to Jack, weaving through the crowd, occasionally interrupting the odd couple making out on the dance floor. He got a few dirty looks and had some choice words flung at him, but he ignored them and finally stood in front of his skunk haired friend in the kitchen.
“What’s up, Jack?” Alex grabbed a cup from the counter and poured himself a drink.
“There’s a group of girls over there that we can totally hit on.” Jack motioned to a small group of girls in the back yard.
“Uh, I don’t really feel like it,” Alex shrugged, taking a gulp of jack and coke.
“Dude, come on. I know you and Lisa just broke up this summer but that’s why we’re here at this party, so we can let all enjoy our last Friday of freedom!” Jack exclaimed.
Alex scowled. He really did not want to discuss the end of his two year relationship with one and only Lisa Ruocco. He took a sip from his cup, studying the group outside. There were four girls, two blondes; sisters, maybe, a brunette, and a redhead. A pretty good variety, if you asked Alex. And they were all fairly attractive from his point of view, a plus. He looked back at Jack.
“I get it, Jack. I’m being a buzz kill, but I really don’t want another relationship,” Alex sighed.
“Who says said anything about a relationship? Dude, I’m talking casual sex. What have you got to lose?” Jack shrugged. “Have some fun tonight, Lex.”
Alex downed the remnants of his cup and nodded. “Fine, let’s have some fun then.”
Alex was bored. Not that the girls were insufferable or anything, but he really just didn’t give a shit about their interests. The taller blonde, Remy or whatever was captain of the girls’ basketball team at Dulaney and was friends with Rian’s cousin or something. Alex wasn’t exactly sure; he wasn’t particularly interested in what she was saying.
On his left, the redhead, Hilary or Mallory, Alex couldn’t remember, was talking to Jack. Alex had pegged her as the ‘serious’ one of the group. She was quiet and shy, but it seemed that all she needed was a few drinks to let loose. Alex rolled his eyes every time Jack happily offered to refill her cup. Alex knew where this was going; Jack was on a mission to get laid, but he wasn’t bothered enough to warn whatsherface.
To his right, the other blonde, Melody maybe, was blonde number one’s sister as Alex had suspected. She was head cheerleader of the JV team, extremely outgoing, and bubbly. Zack was all googol-eyed over her and was staring like some crazy stalker. It was nice of her to talk to him though. Zack was incapable of speech and most girls would’ve laughed at him and left. She was actually trying to make conversation.
Other than a grunt of agreement here or a strategically placed chuckle there, Alex kept to himself. He wasn’t the only one though. The brunette, and his assigned company for the evening, was also more interested in her drink than in conversation. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, which he was grateful for, but he couldn’t help but feel like a total douche because he wasn’t really making any attempt to talk to her.
Alex studied her as she bobbed her head slightly to the beat of a song he really didn’t care to identify. She was small, probably 5’3, and very slender. Alex assumed she was an athlete of some sort, but he wasn’t sure what she would play. She didn’t seem the ‘sporty’ type. Her hair was long, past her shoulders in soft waves, and she had pretty blue eyes, something Alex was quite the sucker for (hence Lisa).
Long story short, the girl was pretty. In any other circumstance, he would’ve totally hit on her and tried to get in her pants, but like he’d told a certain skunk haired idiot earlier, he just wasn’t interested.
“Uh, so I’m going to go get another drink,” she said suddenly. Alex looked at his own cup, noting that it too was empty and he could really use a refill.
“I’ll come with you,” he said, following her. They made it past the group of kids playing beer pong in the dining room and through the group of jocks doing keg stands without any issue.
“Pick your poison,” he said as she studied the various bottles on the granite counter.
“I actually just want, like, soda or something,” she scanned the room and found cans of Coke stashed in the corner. “Bingo.” She grabbed one and looked back at Alex, remembering that she’d come in with company. “You want one?”
Alex nodded and took the can from her as they exited the house and out to the yard, away from everyone else. She sat cross-legged on the grass, popping open the can and taking a sip. Alex wasn’t really sure what to do, so he sat next to her. It was better than watching Jack’s attempts at getting laid.
“So you’re friend, the one with the blonde and black hair, he seemed very… accommodating?” her voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Uh, yeah, well Jack’s a nice guy,” Alex shrugged.
She scoffed, but a smirk was on her face. “Yeah, okay.”
Alex chuckled a bit. “Hey, it’s her fault if she enables him.”
She nodded, taking another drink before she stretched legs out. “I see you have a Blink-182 shirt on, very nice choice in music.”
“You like Blink?” Alex asked, his interest suddenly piqued.
“Yeah, I do. I think Take Off Your Pants and Jacket was their best album,” she shrugged.
“What? No, Enema of the State was badass,” Alex laughed, tipping his beer bottle back.
“It was badass, but I still like Take Off Your Pants and Jacket better,” she said, absentmindedly playing with a lock of hair. “It’s just my opinion.”
Alex grinned. “I guess.”
“What are you into?” she asked, putting her drink aside.
“I’m into music. I’m in a band with the other guys you met earlier. I play guitar and sing,” Alex replied. “I really love it.”
“That’s really cool. I always wanted to learn an instrument but I’m so tone deaf it’s ridiculous to think I could do it,” she laughed.
“Nah, you can learn. You should try it. We have a pretty good music class. You’re a junior at Dulaney, right?” Alex asked.
“No actually, I attend BSA.”
That made sense, he hadn’t seen her before. “BSA? What is that?”
“Baltimore School for the Arts,” she explained.
“Oh, then how do you know… everyone else?”
“I’m actually Riley and Melanie’s neighbor. Been friends since we were ten,” she shrugged. “Mallory and I go to school together.”
Alex nodded. “So BSA, huh? What are you studying?”
“I’m majoring in dance,” she answered. Alex nodded, that would also explain why she was in such great shape, dancer’s body and all.
“It’s the first step in my master plan,” she added, crossing her legs, leaning back onto the grass.
“And what would that plan be?” Alex asked mimicking her actions.
“Honestly?” She turned her head to look at him. “You really want to know?”
Alex nodded and looked up at the sky.
“I’ve always wanted to be a dancer. I’ve done ballet, interpretive dance, and jazz, all of it since I was three, and I fell in love. I want to make a career out of this. So, I’m going to get into Julliard and I’m going to become a professional dancer.”
“That’s… ambitious. I think that’s really awesome. You can totally do it.” Alex looked at her.
“Yeah, I know,” she grinned, showing off a set of perfect, white teeth. “And I will.”
Alex chuckled. “I didn’t quite catch your name.”
“Ah, well that’s because you never did ask,” she laughed, returning her gaze to the starry night sky. “Adrienne, my name’s Adrienne.”
It was Friday night; their last Friday of freedom before senior year and the boys were in the mood for a party. So that’s where the four teens found themselves; in some strangers house, surrounded by a sea of students holding those infamous red plastic cups, grinding against each other in time with the music, just like the movies.
Alex made his way over to Jack, weaving through the crowd, occasionally interrupting the odd couple making out on the dance floor. He got a few dirty looks and had some choice words flung at him, but he ignored them and finally stood in front of his skunk haired friend in the kitchen.
“What’s up, Jack?” Alex grabbed a cup from the counter and poured himself a drink.
“There’s a group of girls over there that we can totally hit on.” Jack motioned to a small group of girls in the back yard.
“Uh, I don’t really feel like it,” Alex shrugged, taking a gulp of jack and coke.
“Dude, come on. I know you and Lisa just broke up this summer but that’s why we’re here at this party, so we can let all enjoy our last Friday of freedom!” Jack exclaimed.
Alex scowled. He really did not want to discuss the end of his two year relationship with one and only Lisa Ruocco. He took a sip from his cup, studying the group outside. There were four girls, two blondes; sisters, maybe, a brunette, and a redhead. A pretty good variety, if you asked Alex. And they were all fairly attractive from his point of view, a plus. He looked back at Jack.
“I get it, Jack. I’m being a buzz kill, but I really don’t want another relationship,” Alex sighed.
“Who says said anything about a relationship? Dude, I’m talking casual sex. What have you got to lose?” Jack shrugged. “Have some fun tonight, Lex.”
Alex downed the remnants of his cup and nodded. “Fine, let’s have some fun then.”
Alex was bored. Not that the girls were insufferable or anything, but he really just didn’t give a shit about their interests. The taller blonde, Remy or whatever was captain of the girls’ basketball team at Dulaney and was friends with Rian’s cousin or something. Alex wasn’t exactly sure; he wasn’t particularly interested in what she was saying.
On his left, the redhead, Hilary or Mallory, Alex couldn’t remember, was talking to Jack. Alex had pegged her as the ‘serious’ one of the group. She was quiet and shy, but it seemed that all she needed was a few drinks to let loose. Alex rolled his eyes every time Jack happily offered to refill her cup. Alex knew where this was going; Jack was on a mission to get laid, but he wasn’t bothered enough to warn whatsherface.
To his right, the other blonde, Melody maybe, was blonde number one’s sister as Alex had suspected. She was head cheerleader of the JV team, extremely outgoing, and bubbly. Zack was all googol-eyed over her and was staring like some crazy stalker. It was nice of her to talk to him though. Zack was incapable of speech and most girls would’ve laughed at him and left. She was actually trying to make conversation.
Other than a grunt of agreement here or a strategically placed chuckle there, Alex kept to himself. He wasn’t the only one though. The brunette, and his assigned company for the evening, was also more interested in her drink than in conversation. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, which he was grateful for, but he couldn’t help but feel like a total douche because he wasn’t really making any attempt to talk to her.
Alex studied her as she bobbed her head slightly to the beat of a song he really didn’t care to identify. She was small, probably 5’3, and very slender. Alex assumed she was an athlete of some sort, but he wasn’t sure what she would play. She didn’t seem the ‘sporty’ type. Her hair was long, past her shoulders in soft waves, and she had pretty blue eyes, something Alex was quite the sucker for (hence Lisa).
Long story short, the girl was pretty. In any other circumstance, he would’ve totally hit on her and tried to get in her pants, but like he’d told a certain skunk haired idiot earlier, he just wasn’t interested.
“Uh, so I’m going to go get another drink,” she said suddenly. Alex looked at his own cup, noting that it too was empty and he could really use a refill.
“I’ll come with you,” he said, following her. They made it past the group of kids playing beer pong in the dining room and through the group of jocks doing keg stands without any issue.
“Pick your poison,” he said as she studied the various bottles on the granite counter.
“I actually just want, like, soda or something,” she scanned the room and found cans of Coke stashed in the corner. “Bingo.” She grabbed one and looked back at Alex, remembering that she’d come in with company. “You want one?”
Alex nodded and took the can from her as they exited the house and out to the yard, away from everyone else. She sat cross-legged on the grass, popping open the can and taking a sip. Alex wasn’t really sure what to do, so he sat next to her. It was better than watching Jack’s attempts at getting laid.
“So you’re friend, the one with the blonde and black hair, he seemed very… accommodating?” her voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Uh, yeah, well Jack’s a nice guy,” Alex shrugged.
She scoffed, but a smirk was on her face. “Yeah, okay.”
Alex chuckled a bit. “Hey, it’s her fault if she enables him.”
She nodded, taking another drink before she stretched legs out. “I see you have a Blink-182 shirt on, very nice choice in music.”
“You like Blink?” Alex asked, his interest suddenly piqued.
“Yeah, I do. I think Take Off Your Pants and Jacket was their best album,” she shrugged.
“What? No, Enema of the State was badass,” Alex laughed, tipping his beer bottle back.
“It was badass, but I still like Take Off Your Pants and Jacket better,” she said, absentmindedly playing with a lock of hair. “It’s just my opinion.”
Alex grinned. “I guess.”
“What are you into?” she asked, putting her drink aside.
“I’m into music. I’m in a band with the other guys you met earlier. I play guitar and sing,” Alex replied. “I really love it.”
“That’s really cool. I always wanted to learn an instrument but I’m so tone deaf it’s ridiculous to think I could do it,” she laughed.
“Nah, you can learn. You should try it. We have a pretty good music class. You’re a junior at Dulaney, right?” Alex asked.
“No actually, I attend BSA.”
That made sense, he hadn’t seen her before. “BSA? What is that?”
“Baltimore School for the Arts,” she explained.
“Oh, then how do you know… everyone else?”
“I’m actually Riley and Melanie’s neighbor. Been friends since we were ten,” she shrugged. “Mallory and I go to school together.”
Alex nodded. “So BSA, huh? What are you studying?”
“I’m majoring in dance,” she answered. Alex nodded, that would also explain why she was in such great shape, dancer’s body and all.
“It’s the first step in my master plan,” she added, crossing her legs, leaning back onto the grass.
“And what would that plan be?” Alex asked mimicking her actions.
“Honestly?” She turned her head to look at him. “You really want to know?”
Alex nodded and looked up at the sky.
“I’ve always wanted to be a dancer. I’ve done ballet, interpretive dance, and jazz, all of it since I was three, and I fell in love. I want to make a career out of this. So, I’m going to get into Julliard and I’m going to become a professional dancer.”
“That’s… ambitious. I think that’s really awesome. You can totally do it.” Alex looked at her.
“Yeah, I know,” she grinned, showing off a set of perfect, white teeth. “And I will.”
Alex chuckled. “I didn’t quite catch your name.”
“Ah, well that’s because you never did ask,” she laughed, returning her gaze to the starry night sky. “Adrienne, my name’s Adrienne.”
3/17/13