A Story to Tell Your Friends
Five.
Come on, why not? You’re not at work tomorrow and the rest of the guys wanna see you again.
I snorted into my phone, viewing my most recent text message. It was Saturday afternoon and I was laid around in my apartment watching terrible movies with Tammy, catching up on each other’s week. Jack had been texting me since Wednesday, sending me witty remarks, strange photographs of whatever he could find and whatever bad jokes he could muster. He was currently trying to convince me to come out with his friends for a drink, which I was refusing on the basis of being a good friend to Tammy and actually spending time with her. That, and I couldn’t help but remember the way everyone had kept on looking at us last time.
Because, doofus, I’m spending time with my girl.
She can come too – as long as you promise she won’t freak out. ;)
Oh, ha-de-ha. Hilarious, Barakat. I’d rather sit here in my PJs all day than spend the next 3 hours getting ready to watch you go boozing.
What if we got dinner first? I’ll buy pizza. My treat.
I told you what my kryptonite was in confidence, why do you insist on using it against me?!
Because it’s good to know what can tempt a pretty girl to go out with me.
I looked up from my texts to see Tammy staring at me.
“You know, for someone who insisted we spend girl time together, you’re spending an awful lot of time texting boys.”
“I’m spending an awful lot of time refusing to go out drinking with one boy, thank you very much,” I stated, sticking my tongue out at her.
“It’s Jack again, isn’t it? I was joking when I said you were texting boys.” I smiled at her, nervously. She’d been a lot calmer about my talking to All Time Low than she had been the first couple of days, now realising that Jack was just another boy. Although, she had threatened to sell his phone number on eBay for pizza money last night. “Why don’t you go out for drinks? I don’t mind.”
“Because we said we’d have a catch up. Besides, if I go out, you’re invited too.” Her eyes lit up a little at the thought of going out drinking with the boys. Hey, I said she was calmer, not a completely different person.
“And you’re saying ‘no’ why?!”
Come on Clara-poo, I even promise I’ll buy first round.
I sighed, looking at my phone and biting my lip. I heard Tammy groan in frustration.
“You’ve been texting this boy non-stop since Wednesday, Clara. Go out and have some fun.”
What time are you picking me up?
Call it 6? We need plenty of time to enjoy pizza and relax before the guys show up and ruin everything. P.S. I knew you’d give in. ;)
I ignored Jack’s last remark, texting him my address to pick me up and telling him to leave me alone while I went to get ready.
“What do I wear though?!” I groaned two and a half hours later. I’d showered, done my makeup and hair, and now I was stood in front of my wardrobe in my underwear with no idea what I was wearing.
“Wear something hot,” Tammy shrugged. I glared at her. The ‘hottest’ thing I owned was a pair of high-waisted shorts and the strapless top that went with them, an outfit I’d worn all of once on vacation. I tended to be quite a casual person. While I’d liked to party a little in college, I’d still always shown up in jeans and a band t-shirt. Tammy, of course, knew all of this and rolled her eyes at me. “Pick some skinny jeans, let me work on the shirt, because you are not going out with All Time Low in a band shirt. Nuh uh.” As she moved toward my drawers, I heard a knock at the door and let out an involuntary squeak, eyes wide.
“He’s early!” Tammy laughed at me, rolling her eyes again.
“1. That’s the pizza I ordered for myself while you were doing your makeup. 2. I thought you said he was just a friend?” I rolled my eyes, shoving her out of my room and attempting to locate my jeans. I heard my phone vibrate on my bed as I shuffled into my jeans.
Hey, pretty lady, are you coming out tonight?
Lisa. Jack had been right about her. She’d called me when I got home on Wednesday night to ask ‘how my day had been’ and slowly turned the conversation to Jack and I walking back to Hopeless, less than subtly asking if anything had happened and what had been said. I’d told her that nothing had happened, but that he had my number now. I received a text 10 minutes after our phone call had ended from Jack, telling me he was told to text me and see how I was doing. At least the boy was honest.
I will be! Jack asked me earlier so I’m gonna meet you guys out later.
So, you’re not busy for dinner now?
Well, kinda... Is this your subtle way of asking if it’s me Jack is going out to meet?
You caught me. He didn’t tell us, just that he was going for pizza and that we couldn’t come.
I snorted. I’d given us up a little bit, but it was fine. They’d all know when we showed up at the bar together later anyway. I ignored her text, throwing my phone back on the bed and finally deciding to find a t-shirt. Screw waiting for Tammy. I pulled a plain red vest out of my drawer and threw it over my head.
“See, you didn’t even need me,” Tammy said from the doorway, her mouth full of pizza. I rolled my eyes.
“I’m a big girl, remember? Besides, you abandoned me for pizza.”
“You’re abandoning me for pizza and boys.” I leaned over my desk, checking my makeup in the mirror and touching up what I needed to. I was determined not to look like a tramp when I inevitably ended up sat next to Lisa later. Tammy had straightened and styled my hair since I was utterly useless at it. I’d never been much of a girl and instead spent most of my early teenage years with my nose in a book so you couldn’t see my badly styled hair and lack of makeup. It was a simpler time.
I’m outside and I have no idea which apartment is yours…
I snorted at my phone, remembering I’d only told him the building. I was an absolute genius, clearly. I grabbed my purse and phone, throwing on a pair of heels as I stumbled toward the door.
“Bye lovely! I’ll text you when we’re on our way to the bar!” Tammy waved me off, mouth full with another slice of pizza. I ran down the steps outside my apartment, looking out for Jack or some sort of vehicle he could be picking me up in. I sighed when I couldn’t see him, pulling out my phone.
And now I’m outside and I can’t see you anywhere…
I squealed as I felt my feet lifting off the ground and saw the floor moving below me. I could feel the body holding on to me chuckling, his deep voice giving nothing away as he let out the sounds to go with it.
“Jack! Put me down!” I laughed myself, easing up once I’d heard his voice. “Where are you taking me?!” I asked, when he didn’t reply.
“To the back of my van to do unspeakable things to you,” he replied, refusing to put me down.
“Okay, perv, but just to let you know, my boyfriend is big and tough and he’ll kick your ass.”
“What boyfriend?”
“My main squeeze; Geralt.” Jack let out another laugh, finally putting me down.
“Fucking Geralt?” He doubled over, continuing to laugh at me while I grinned, hands on my hips.
“Bro, you’re telling me Geralt wouldn’t kick your ass? And did you not see him in that bath house? Please, any girl would be lucky.”
“Okay, you got me, Clara. Your video game boyfriend would definitely kick my ass.”
“That’s what I thought.” Jack straightened up, taking a keep breath and calming his laughter.
“You’re a little obsessed with The Witcher, aren’t you?” I shrugged, asking him again where he was taking me. “My favourite pizza place isn’t too far from here, so I figured we’d just walk it.” I looked down at my shoes, weighing up the pain I would feel if I walked any distance in them, versus how short I would feel next to Jack without them.
“Then show me the way!” Hey, no pain no gain. Plus, they’d been worn in enough that I could mitigate the pain over the next hour or two in the restaurant if it really wasn’t that far away. Jack showed me the way to ‘his favourite pizza place’, making small talk along the way and cracking jokes at each other’s expense. It really was quite close by, thankfully, and I made a note to tell Tammy about it if I agreed with how good the pizza was. Honestly, I’m surprised she and I didn’t look like a pizza already; we lived off it. “So, how much longer are you guys in town?” I asked after we’d ordered. Jack and I were sat in the corner of the restaurant, well away from windows (at my request, I hated people seeing me eat. I’m an awkward person), drinks in front of us already and I’d finally broached the topic I’d been wondering about since my night out with Jack, Alex and Lisa. It was the main topic that was holding me back from doing anything about the feeling in my gut when Jack text me. He shrugged his shoulders, looking as if he didn’t want to tell me when he was leaving. I was hoping it was because it was he was leaving soon and not because he didn’t want to be tied to me for the entire time he was here.
“Couple of weeks. We start our tour with Blink on the 12th of August and we need to do a couple of things back in Baltimore and New York before we leave, so I think around the 3rd? I’m not sure, I haven’t even booked my tickets back yet,” he laughed, seeming very unsure of himself. I didn’t know whether to feel happy or sad. It was currently the 16th of July, meaning I had less than three weeks with him. I suppose it gave me enough time to have a little fun, but no time to get crazy attached. That’s not to say I would, for all I knew, he and I wouldn’t hit it off as anything other than friends, despite the fluttering in my chest when he smiled at me.
“So, what are your plans? Basically hang around Hopeless trying to stop Lisa and Alex from stalking me, or something more interesting?”
“I’ve got a bar opening at the end of the month, so I’m floating about doing shit for that, but mostly just stopping Lisa stalking you, yeah.”
“You’re opening a bar?!” Jack grinned as my jaw dropped, looking at him astonished. As far as I knew, he was just a guy in a band. The things you learn.
“Well, I already have one back in Baltimore with a friend, so I thought, why not set one up out here? I’m here as much as I’m in Baltimore.”
“I need to know everything about this,” I gushed. Opening a bar was the one thing every guy in my life had told me they wanted to do at some point, so I knew how much of a dream come true it was. At the same time, me and my friends back home had told each other we’d open a bar one day and play nothing but what was on our iTunes at the time. We were fifteen, so there was a lot of My Chemical Romance and Green Day on there, plus the occasional 70s punk song. Needless to say, it had never happened, but I appreciated the sentiment. I still thought about it occasionally, though generally at 3am when the bars on campus had stopped serving and I had no place to go.
Jack grinned wider as he explained his ideas to me, about how he’d always wanted to do this and play music he loved all day, every day. I watched his eyes grow wide the more he explained to me, his hands flailing about as his excitement and passion grew. I felt my stomach erupt into butterflies and my heart flutter as I watched him. It was adorable the way he got so excited over what he was involved in, something I hadn’t seen in a guy in a long time. I’d never known someone show their passions so openly and spill everything there was to know about it.
“What are you thinking about?” He asked me, cocking his head to a side. I realised I’d been smiling at him for the last couple of minutes and hadn’t said anything.
“Nothing. It’s just nice to see a guy so open about what he enjoys.”
“It’s always been the way I am. What’s the point in hiding something that makes you happy? Or how much that thing makes you happy? I don’t like playing games that can’t be played on an Xbox.” I snorted. He knew how to put an amusing spin on everything.
“It’s just new. Like I said, all the guys I’ve ever been out with have had issues on top of issues and barely said anything that meant anything.”
“It’s a fucking bar, Clara,” Jack laughed.
“Way to ruin my emotional moment. I was trying to be deep.”
“Well you failed.”
“You know what I mean, you douche. Like, every other guy I’ve been out with has been so… guarded. Like, telling me something real about them is going to ruin their macho reputation. You’re the first guy who’s opened up about anything.” Jack smirked a little. “Are you channelling your inner Alex right now?”
“What do you mean every other guy you’ve been out with? Have you got a little crush on me, Clara?” My hand flew to my mouth and I felt my cheeks starting to burn.
“That’s not what I meant!”
“You’ve got a crush on me, haven’t you, Clara-poo? What was it that made you love me? Was it my devilishly good looks? My insurmountable wit? My incredible sense of humour?”
“You are such a dick!”
“How did my dick attract you? I’ve not put it on the internet in, like, weeks or something.” I laughed at him, beginning to forget my embarrassment. “Don’t worry, cutie, I’ve got a little crush on you too. I mean, it’s not every day I bribe a girl with pizza to go out with me.”
I snorted into my phone, viewing my most recent text message. It was Saturday afternoon and I was laid around in my apartment watching terrible movies with Tammy, catching up on each other’s week. Jack had been texting me since Wednesday, sending me witty remarks, strange photographs of whatever he could find and whatever bad jokes he could muster. He was currently trying to convince me to come out with his friends for a drink, which I was refusing on the basis of being a good friend to Tammy and actually spending time with her. That, and I couldn’t help but remember the way everyone had kept on looking at us last time.
Because, doofus, I’m spending time with my girl.
She can come too – as long as you promise she won’t freak out. ;)
Oh, ha-de-ha. Hilarious, Barakat. I’d rather sit here in my PJs all day than spend the next 3 hours getting ready to watch you go boozing.
What if we got dinner first? I’ll buy pizza. My treat.
I told you what my kryptonite was in confidence, why do you insist on using it against me?!
Because it’s good to know what can tempt a pretty girl to go out with me.
I looked up from my texts to see Tammy staring at me.
“You know, for someone who insisted we spend girl time together, you’re spending an awful lot of time texting boys.”
“I’m spending an awful lot of time refusing to go out drinking with one boy, thank you very much,” I stated, sticking my tongue out at her.
“It’s Jack again, isn’t it? I was joking when I said you were texting boys.” I smiled at her, nervously. She’d been a lot calmer about my talking to All Time Low than she had been the first couple of days, now realising that Jack was just another boy. Although, she had threatened to sell his phone number on eBay for pizza money last night. “Why don’t you go out for drinks? I don’t mind.”
“Because we said we’d have a catch up. Besides, if I go out, you’re invited too.” Her eyes lit up a little at the thought of going out drinking with the boys. Hey, I said she was calmer, not a completely different person.
“And you’re saying ‘no’ why?!”
Come on Clara-poo, I even promise I’ll buy first round.
I sighed, looking at my phone and biting my lip. I heard Tammy groan in frustration.
“You’ve been texting this boy non-stop since Wednesday, Clara. Go out and have some fun.”
What time are you picking me up?
Call it 6? We need plenty of time to enjoy pizza and relax before the guys show up and ruin everything. P.S. I knew you’d give in. ;)
I ignored Jack’s last remark, texting him my address to pick me up and telling him to leave me alone while I went to get ready.
“What do I wear though?!” I groaned two and a half hours later. I’d showered, done my makeup and hair, and now I was stood in front of my wardrobe in my underwear with no idea what I was wearing.
“Wear something hot,” Tammy shrugged. I glared at her. The ‘hottest’ thing I owned was a pair of high-waisted shorts and the strapless top that went with them, an outfit I’d worn all of once on vacation. I tended to be quite a casual person. While I’d liked to party a little in college, I’d still always shown up in jeans and a band t-shirt. Tammy, of course, knew all of this and rolled her eyes at me. “Pick some skinny jeans, let me work on the shirt, because you are not going out with All Time Low in a band shirt. Nuh uh.” As she moved toward my drawers, I heard a knock at the door and let out an involuntary squeak, eyes wide.
“He’s early!” Tammy laughed at me, rolling her eyes again.
“1. That’s the pizza I ordered for myself while you were doing your makeup. 2. I thought you said he was just a friend?” I rolled my eyes, shoving her out of my room and attempting to locate my jeans. I heard my phone vibrate on my bed as I shuffled into my jeans.
Hey, pretty lady, are you coming out tonight?
Lisa. Jack had been right about her. She’d called me when I got home on Wednesday night to ask ‘how my day had been’ and slowly turned the conversation to Jack and I walking back to Hopeless, less than subtly asking if anything had happened and what had been said. I’d told her that nothing had happened, but that he had my number now. I received a text 10 minutes after our phone call had ended from Jack, telling me he was told to text me and see how I was doing. At least the boy was honest.
I will be! Jack asked me earlier so I’m gonna meet you guys out later.
So, you’re not busy for dinner now?
Well, kinda... Is this your subtle way of asking if it’s me Jack is going out to meet?
You caught me. He didn’t tell us, just that he was going for pizza and that we couldn’t come.
I snorted. I’d given us up a little bit, but it was fine. They’d all know when we showed up at the bar together later anyway. I ignored her text, throwing my phone back on the bed and finally deciding to find a t-shirt. Screw waiting for Tammy. I pulled a plain red vest out of my drawer and threw it over my head.
“See, you didn’t even need me,” Tammy said from the doorway, her mouth full of pizza. I rolled my eyes.
“I’m a big girl, remember? Besides, you abandoned me for pizza.”
“You’re abandoning me for pizza and boys.” I leaned over my desk, checking my makeup in the mirror and touching up what I needed to. I was determined not to look like a tramp when I inevitably ended up sat next to Lisa later. Tammy had straightened and styled my hair since I was utterly useless at it. I’d never been much of a girl and instead spent most of my early teenage years with my nose in a book so you couldn’t see my badly styled hair and lack of makeup. It was a simpler time.
I’m outside and I have no idea which apartment is yours…
I snorted at my phone, remembering I’d only told him the building. I was an absolute genius, clearly. I grabbed my purse and phone, throwing on a pair of heels as I stumbled toward the door.
“Bye lovely! I’ll text you when we’re on our way to the bar!” Tammy waved me off, mouth full with another slice of pizza. I ran down the steps outside my apartment, looking out for Jack or some sort of vehicle he could be picking me up in. I sighed when I couldn’t see him, pulling out my phone.
And now I’m outside and I can’t see you anywhere…
I squealed as I felt my feet lifting off the ground and saw the floor moving below me. I could feel the body holding on to me chuckling, his deep voice giving nothing away as he let out the sounds to go with it.
“Jack! Put me down!” I laughed myself, easing up once I’d heard his voice. “Where are you taking me?!” I asked, when he didn’t reply.
“To the back of my van to do unspeakable things to you,” he replied, refusing to put me down.
“Okay, perv, but just to let you know, my boyfriend is big and tough and he’ll kick your ass.”
“What boyfriend?”
“My main squeeze; Geralt.” Jack let out another laugh, finally putting me down.
“Fucking Geralt?” He doubled over, continuing to laugh at me while I grinned, hands on my hips.
“Bro, you’re telling me Geralt wouldn’t kick your ass? And did you not see him in that bath house? Please, any girl would be lucky.”
“Okay, you got me, Clara. Your video game boyfriend would definitely kick my ass.”
“That’s what I thought.” Jack straightened up, taking a keep breath and calming his laughter.
“You’re a little obsessed with The Witcher, aren’t you?” I shrugged, asking him again where he was taking me. “My favourite pizza place isn’t too far from here, so I figured we’d just walk it.” I looked down at my shoes, weighing up the pain I would feel if I walked any distance in them, versus how short I would feel next to Jack without them.
“Then show me the way!” Hey, no pain no gain. Plus, they’d been worn in enough that I could mitigate the pain over the next hour or two in the restaurant if it really wasn’t that far away. Jack showed me the way to ‘his favourite pizza place’, making small talk along the way and cracking jokes at each other’s expense. It really was quite close by, thankfully, and I made a note to tell Tammy about it if I agreed with how good the pizza was. Honestly, I’m surprised she and I didn’t look like a pizza already; we lived off it. “So, how much longer are you guys in town?” I asked after we’d ordered. Jack and I were sat in the corner of the restaurant, well away from windows (at my request, I hated people seeing me eat. I’m an awkward person), drinks in front of us already and I’d finally broached the topic I’d been wondering about since my night out with Jack, Alex and Lisa. It was the main topic that was holding me back from doing anything about the feeling in my gut when Jack text me. He shrugged his shoulders, looking as if he didn’t want to tell me when he was leaving. I was hoping it was because it was he was leaving soon and not because he didn’t want to be tied to me for the entire time he was here.
“Couple of weeks. We start our tour with Blink on the 12th of August and we need to do a couple of things back in Baltimore and New York before we leave, so I think around the 3rd? I’m not sure, I haven’t even booked my tickets back yet,” he laughed, seeming very unsure of himself. I didn’t know whether to feel happy or sad. It was currently the 16th of July, meaning I had less than three weeks with him. I suppose it gave me enough time to have a little fun, but no time to get crazy attached. That’s not to say I would, for all I knew, he and I wouldn’t hit it off as anything other than friends, despite the fluttering in my chest when he smiled at me.
“So, what are your plans? Basically hang around Hopeless trying to stop Lisa and Alex from stalking me, or something more interesting?”
“I’ve got a bar opening at the end of the month, so I’m floating about doing shit for that, but mostly just stopping Lisa stalking you, yeah.”
“You’re opening a bar?!” Jack grinned as my jaw dropped, looking at him astonished. As far as I knew, he was just a guy in a band. The things you learn.
“Well, I already have one back in Baltimore with a friend, so I thought, why not set one up out here? I’m here as much as I’m in Baltimore.”
“I need to know everything about this,” I gushed. Opening a bar was the one thing every guy in my life had told me they wanted to do at some point, so I knew how much of a dream come true it was. At the same time, me and my friends back home had told each other we’d open a bar one day and play nothing but what was on our iTunes at the time. We were fifteen, so there was a lot of My Chemical Romance and Green Day on there, plus the occasional 70s punk song. Needless to say, it had never happened, but I appreciated the sentiment. I still thought about it occasionally, though generally at 3am when the bars on campus had stopped serving and I had no place to go.
Jack grinned wider as he explained his ideas to me, about how he’d always wanted to do this and play music he loved all day, every day. I watched his eyes grow wide the more he explained to me, his hands flailing about as his excitement and passion grew. I felt my stomach erupt into butterflies and my heart flutter as I watched him. It was adorable the way he got so excited over what he was involved in, something I hadn’t seen in a guy in a long time. I’d never known someone show their passions so openly and spill everything there was to know about it.
“What are you thinking about?” He asked me, cocking his head to a side. I realised I’d been smiling at him for the last couple of minutes and hadn’t said anything.
“Nothing. It’s just nice to see a guy so open about what he enjoys.”
“It’s always been the way I am. What’s the point in hiding something that makes you happy? Or how much that thing makes you happy? I don’t like playing games that can’t be played on an Xbox.” I snorted. He knew how to put an amusing spin on everything.
“It’s just new. Like I said, all the guys I’ve ever been out with have had issues on top of issues and barely said anything that meant anything.”
“It’s a fucking bar, Clara,” Jack laughed.
“Way to ruin my emotional moment. I was trying to be deep.”
“Well you failed.”
“You know what I mean, you douche. Like, every other guy I’ve been out with has been so… guarded. Like, telling me something real about them is going to ruin their macho reputation. You’re the first guy who’s opened up about anything.” Jack smirked a little. “Are you channelling your inner Alex right now?”
“What do you mean every other guy you’ve been out with? Have you got a little crush on me, Clara?” My hand flew to my mouth and I felt my cheeks starting to burn.
“That’s not what I meant!”
“You’ve got a crush on me, haven’t you, Clara-poo? What was it that made you love me? Was it my devilishly good looks? My insurmountable wit? My incredible sense of humour?”
“You are such a dick!”
“How did my dick attract you? I’ve not put it on the internet in, like, weeks or something.” I laughed at him, beginning to forget my embarrassment. “Don’t worry, cutie, I’ve got a little crush on you too. I mean, it’s not every day I bribe a girl with pizza to go out with me.”
I’m back and yes I love it and hope you write more!!
8/3/21