by Paloma Meir
“No.” She pulled me close to her, she initiated the kiss this time, her hands ran across my back. I could never in my dreams have imagined this. That’s not true I had imagined it.
I pulled away to tell her she was beautiful because she was beautiful. She responded, “Yes” and pulled me back, kissing me more, hard kisses.
Coming up for air, I told her I loved her. All my curiosity over the years, all my appreciation for her beauty I had never put it together before. I loved her. I always had. I knew my mind, so this was a surprise.
She told not to say that. She looked confused again. My girl was not good at hiding her feelings. She said she had to go find her friends and ran out of the garage. I followed her out into the living room. I came up behind her and kissed her neck. She leaned back into my kiss, then pushed away from me.
She started talking about Carolina. I didn’t listen understanding how easy it was for her to block things out for the first time. She stood closer to me, kissing me, wrapping her arms around me, pulled herself away, back again, kissing me deeper.
I enjoyed her struggle with herself. She pulled away for the final time to rejoin her friends. I looked around the room and saw Isabella in the corner by the pool table, laughing and giving me a thumbs up. I smiled to her and turned to follow Zelda and her friends to the front door asking them, okay maybe begging them to stay.
She was firm and dismissive of me, telling me that they were late to the nightclub, and they had to leave immediately. I promised to find her in the morning. She didn’t look happy about that and walking away, she didn’t look back. I liked her spirit along with the half dozen words she said to me.
I stood by the front door watching her walk away, her graceful slim figure sashaying through the crowd of people until I couldn’t see her anymore. Turning around to go back into my house, I tripped over a phone on the ground. It was hers. Perfect, I would return it to her in the morning.
Isabella ran at me, jumping up on me, hugging, and high fiving me all at the same time. “Everything. Now tell me everything.”
I knew I couldn’t tell the story to my boys. It would have been disloyal to Zelda. I told it to Isabella because it was something I couldn’t hold inside. Zelda was mine. It was a long wait, but I did. Victory as my buddy Brendan always chanted. I started to tell her, but I was interrupted by Serge. He was angry.
“Was that Zelda? What did you do to her?”
“I was getting to know her. What’s up Serge?”
“You were all over her. Don’t you fucking touch her again.”
“From my vantage point she was all over him.” Isabella said.
“Shut up Isabella.” He practically spat at her, then turned to me rabid, “That girl is practically my sister. Don’t screw around with her. She’s not like you going from person to person.”
“What are you talking about? Person to person? She’s it for me.” This wasn’t what I wanted to get out there yet.
“You go through girls like athletic socks. No offense Isabella. If she’s “it for you”, what are you doing with Isabella then? I’ll take you down if you hurt Zelda.”
“Relax dude. I would never hurt her.” I cleared my throat, “I love her. Isabella is my friend, that’s it.”
“Athletic socks? No offense taken...” Isabella giggled.
“You love her? You’ve never even spoken to her before tonight. Did you get her drunk?” He was ready to fight me.
“Fuck off Serge. No I didn’t get her drunk.” And I was ready to fight him.
“Calm down testosterone boys. Serge, he’s always had a thing for her. I promise he would never do anything to hurt your surrogate sister. I would be more worried about him if I were you.” Serge’s head snapped Isabella’s way. He listened to her, and settled down
“Danny, know that I’m watching.” He stomped off back into the party.
“What’s up with Serge?” asked Isabella
“I’m going to be happy other people looking out for her and leave it at that.” I shrugged because what else could I do?
“What is she a damsel in distress? She’s spacey but capable. I don’t think she would appreciate the gallantry.”
“What are you going to do? It’s there.”
I told her the rest of the story. Girls love their stories, even someone cool like Isabella. The party ended around 2:00. I set the alarm for 7:00 and went to sleep eager for it to be morning so I could return the fair-haired Princess Zelda’s phone.
Chapter Four
“What just happened?" Theodora asked as we walked down the road away from the party.
“He kissed me, no, I kissed him. I don’t know. Why did I do that?” A feeling of dizziness overcame me.
“It’s about time someone did.” Veronica laughed.
“You three are all I need.”
“Silly, silly Zelda. He’s cute. I mean, I wouldn’t have imagined you with someone so American but his enthusiasm was sweet. It was just a kiss. Forget about it. Let’s have fun.” Theodora took my hand again, calming me down.
I stopped for a moment and looked at my friends. Their long legs and the red lips staring back at me. I closed my eyes wanting to hold the moment forever.
“I love you guys.”
“We love you too, but I think you’re a little drunk.” Theodora noted
Was I drunk? Is that why I behaved that way with him? I felt good. The word tipsy came to mind. That described it perfectly. I liked tipsy.
“We should get something else to drink. You think that they'll sell us something at the liquor store?” I asked.
“Excellent idea Zelda. We’ll send Veronica into the store. She looks the oldest out of the four of us.” Theodora said
“Goodie,” My drunken friend Carolina muttered, filling me with second-hand embarrassment.
In front of the liquor store we adjusted Veronica’s lipstick and fluffed up her hair. In her Moms leather dress and spiky heels she looked 21. She took deep breaths, shaking her head as if preparing for an acting role.
“What are you going to get? Here take my money. My Dad gave me so much for my birthday. I’m bursting with cash.” I reached my hand inside my now almost empty large black bag for my wallet.
“Don’t worry birthday girl. I have my credit card. My Amex will look more authentic than cash. Everybody tries to pay with cash. What should I get?” Veronica didn’t wait for an answer as she walked into the store.
“Are you thinking about Danny?” Theodora asked as we waited hidden behind the Oleander bushes in the parking lot.
“No, he’s cute though, right?” Veronica, who ran out of the store, interrupted my question. She ran in her high-knee mock run that she liked to do to make us laugh. We laughed.
“I have it, I have it” She pulled a small bottle out of a paper bag “Peppermint Schnapps, you’re going to love it. It’s liquid mints.” She put the bottle back in the paper bag. I wondered why alcohol was geared to our childish taste buds.
“Should we drink while we walk or drink it behind the store?" Veronica asked.
“Let’s drink and walk. If anyone notices I’ll slip it in my bag.” I led the way to our ultimate destination The Whiskey. We had planned it weeks before, and I was desperate for the real night to begin. Danny drifted from my thoughts as I imagined the nightclub.
“You get the first chug birthday girl." Veronica handed me the bag. I unscrewed the top, and the peppermint scent wafted up to my nose. I took a sip. It was sweet, sticky sweet.
A year before, Carolina and I had sniffed around the bar at my house, the alcohol had smelled bad. We hadn’t tried it. This was like a candy store. I wondered if they had Rollo flavored alcohol.
“It’s really good. Here taste it. Yum.” I handed the bottle to Theodora, ignoring my slightly inebriated friend Carolina.
“You really haven’t had anything to drink before? Veronica and I always sneak sips, even when we were little. They’re are always so many people at my house it’s easy to steal a bottle away now
and then.” Theodora said.
“Nope."
We passed the bottle around while walking down the boulevard. I worried about Carolina. The alcohol sent her off to a different world. I would have to keep an eye on my friend who always kept an eye on me.
Strange people walked by us, groups of men in tight jeans and snug leather jackets with long greasy hair, their skin yellow from the streetlights. Girls not much older that us wearing little more than sports bras and boy shorts in garish colors. My father would have hated the way these girls were dressed. He liked to judge the quality of a persons' character based on their clothes they wore when we were out together. It was a game we played. Yes, I know it was a bad game.
It was cold out but my stomach was warm from the Peppermint Schnapps. The bottle made its way back to me. I took another sip. I felt light from the drink. I smiled at the strangers walking by us. I wanted to give all of them hugs. Instead I hugged Theodora.
“You’re my best friend. You’re my best friends. This is the best night of my life.” I cooed at my group.
“What time is it?” I took my phone out of my purse to check, “My phone’s not working.”
“That’s not a phone silly. That’s your wallet.” Veronica laughed. She may have been giddier than me if that were possible.
“We’re here. What do we do with the bottle?” Theodora asked.
“There’s a little left. Oh, all right. Should I give it to Caro to throw in the street?” Veronica asked.
“Yes” I very enthusiastically said.
Veronica shrugged in an exaggerated way and handed the bottle to Carolina who lifted it over her head and threw into the momentarily empty intersection of Sunset and San Vicente. Boom on to the street.
The four of us jumped up and down with excitement. The surrounding crowd shifted position with the shock of the noise. We calmed down and pretended to be as surprised as those around us.
“I think we better go in.” Carolina said.
“There’s a line. It’s long.” I laughed and whined to my friends.
“Don’t worry Zelda. I’m a child of the night. I’ve been here before just not with you and Theodora. Follow me to the front.” I had forgotten that Veronica had a whole life away from Theodora and me.
We followed her to the front of the line much to the displeasure of the other people waiting in the queue. The bouncer could not have been more excited to see Veronica, taking her into a bear hug and lifting her off the ground.
“Hey Veronica. Come on in girls, you’re just what the night needed. I’m Evan what are your names?” He opened the velvet rope for us.
We told him our names, and he said he would remember them and they we were always welcome. Carolina burped. That’s something she did.
The club was dark with loud pounding music. We tried to stay close together but Theodora and I somehow ended up separated from Veronica and Carolina. We weren’t terribly concerned as we walked to the lower level and assimilated into crowd of dancers.
We danced for what felt like hours, our bodies banging into other bodies, boys and sometimes men coming close to rub up against us. The vibration of the music bounced around, our arms swinging above our heads, grinding our hips into each other. I began to sweat in my cashmere dress.
Veronica and Carolina found there way to us, handing us bottles of water that we eagerly drank down. They tried to speak but I couldn’t hear them over the music. I shook my head in agreement at what ever they were saying. Veronica nodded back and took my hand and walked us out into the street. Their eyes were glowing with the energy of the night.
“That was the most fun that I have ever had in my life.” Carolina screamed out not yet used to the quietness of the street. A couple of rocker boys gave her a smile and thumbs up. She gave them thumbs up right back.
“It’s 1:00 I don’t think we have enough time to walk back to your house. We should take a cab. I see some across the street.” Veronica pointed to the gas station and the long line of taxis in front.
“Yes a cab, I promised Serge that we would take one home.” The cool night air had hit my damp skin causing a chill. We ran across the street clutching onto each other for warmth.
“Serge is so hot” Veronica yelled out as we got into the cab. I’d had so much fun that night. I didn’t even care.
Chapter Five
The alarm went off. I ran to the shower, rinsed off, dressed and ran straight out my front door, Cinderella’s phone in hand. I was in front of her house in under three minutes. I looked at my phone, 7:20 too early to knock on the door. I sat on the porch and waited for a sign of life from the house.
I drifted off for a couple minutes. The cold woke me up. I heard noises coming from the kitchen and walked around the side of the house and looked in the window. A small boy pulled out pans from the drawers. He had made a mess. I knocked on the window and waved. He waved back and walked away. I hoped it was to the front door to let me in.
“Are you here for Theodora? Could you come back later? I’m making them breakfast.”
“Hi I’m Danny I’m here for your sister Zelda.”
“No you’re not. Are you here for Veronica? You can get her if you want.”
“I have Zelda’s phone. She left it at my house last night. Can I come in? It’s cold out here.” I shivered to make my point.
He let me in. Their house was amazing. It looked ripped out of a magazine, dark woods, original Spanish tile floors, rugs instead of carpets, thick leather sofas. I told the little guy I liked it. He hadn’t told me his name yet.
“My Mom and Dad use it for the ads. They want Zelda to be in the pictures but she won’t let them. She says it’s misogynistic. She just doesn’t like having her picture taken.”
The little guy could be a good friend to make, so I introduced myself again and asked his name.
“My name’s Tony but Zelda calls me Anthony so you should call me Anthony too.”
“Hey Anthony. What were you doing in the kitchen?”
“Making breakfast. They’re still asleep. Do you want me to wake them up?”
“Let them sleep. I’ll help you make breakfast.”
We went into the kitchen, which was also a family room with the long aged wooden table that could seat fourteen, a sofa in the corner, and a TV hidden high on the wall. I organized what he laid out but couldn't see what he was trying to accomplish.
“What should we make?”
“Pancakes. Zelda likes pancakes the best, no butter and a lot of maple syrup. I was going to make bacon too, but sometimes she’s a vegetarian. I’m going to make it anyway. Theodora likes bacon.”
He seemed to be crushing hard on Theodora. We cooked. He kept talking, the opposite of Zelda that way. They didn’t look alike either. Anthony was dark with curly hair. We bonded over our love for Zelda. He may not have known that, whatever.
“So what do you two like to do together?”
“Everything when Carolina’s not around. She helps me with my homework, plays games with me and puts me to bed at night. But Carolina never goes homes and when she finally does, my sister does her homework. She does it fast so we can spend time together. Maybe you could take Carolina home with you?” I thought of the spreadsheets. She wasn’t “fucking” the system as Isabella said, she wanted to spend time with her brother.
“Sorry Anthony I’m here for Zelda.”
“Okay you can hang out with us.”
“I would like that.”
Chapter Six
We woke to a knock on my bedroom door. My head pounded, and I felt parched with an unquenchable thirst. From the warmth of my bed I looked over at the mirror on my vanity, beehive hair and mascara smeared eyes looked back at me. Ugh, I plopped my head back on the pillow.
“What?” I shouted out.
“I made breakfast. Come to the kitchen. Pancakes with lots of maple syrup just the way you like it.” Anthony said through the door.
“Thank you. Give us a minute. We’ll be right out.”
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I nudged my friends. “Wake up, breakfast.”
They moved around, groaning. Carolina pulled my pillow away and put it over her head. Veronica stared straight up at the ceiling. Theodora did the same.
“What time is it?” Veronica asked.
“8:30. My head hurts. I think I’m getting allergies.”
“You my dear have a hangover. Hair of the dog, did we throw away the... Oh yeah Carolina threw it in the street. We need Aspirin, sugar and a shower.” Theodora said.
She always knew what to do.
“I’m going to wash my face. Hurry up, cold pancakes are the worst.” I crawled out of my bed and into my bathroom.
“Gloria will be here in an hour to pick us up. Come on Veronica we need to get up. I’m starving. I need at least a liter of water right now.” I heard Theodora say as I splashed icy, cold water on my face.
Refreshing, the water numbed my aching skull. I opened a jar of almond scrub and rubbed it roughly onto my face. I looked like a Zombie. I scrubbed more. A glossy faced Zombie. My breath. Thank God for my electric toothbrush. I used double the amount of toothpaste and relished the flavor of rot leaving my mouth. I rinsed my mouth, one last splash of cold water on my face. Clean but sleepy. I stuck my mouth under the faucet and gulped the cool water
“I need water. Do you have a cup or a bowl? I feel like a dog, I might as well drink like one?” Veronica moaned, as I filled the glass with water for her.
“No need for a bowl. Here is a cup Lady Veronica.” The pain of her headache showed through her squinty smile.
“Don’t laugh it hurts.” Carolina’s muffled voice spoke from underneath the pillow.
“You need to get up. Anthony made us breakfast. I’m starving. Let me get you some water.” I took the cup from Veronica, rinsed it out again and brought it to her.
“Drink up.” I said. She raised her head, and I saw she had the same smeary eyes as the rest of us but a bright smile unlike Theodora, Veronica and myself. She looked like a seven year old on Christmas morning.