First Kiss (Heavy Influence)

by Frohoff, Ann Marie

  “Calm down, Aly! You can do this. You look hot –stop slouching,” Nicole ordered, slapping my shoulder.

  Chris appeared through the crowd holding a stack of cups, and to my surprise he handed one to each of us. “One beer,” he instructed pointing his finger in our faces.

  I looked at Nicole pursing my lips. I didn’t really want to drink beer, but I’d better fill my cup to fit in, I thought. Nadine and Chris were already in line following the horde of other teens. Their arms extended forward in hopes that their cup would be filled next. Nicole and I followed the crowd. I hoped Jake would notice me. I glanced in his direction from time to time. He kept looking around too. Looking for me? I couldn’t believe how many girls were hanging around him and his band mates. The one standing the closest to him was Rachel.

  Nicole finally joined us. “I see Jake way over there. And what a surprise! Not one girl is vying for his attention,” she said sarcastically.

  “Do you think I’ll have trouble with those girls at school because of Jake?”

  “No, they’ll probably kiss your ass and wanna be your best friend,” Nadine broke in.

  “Beware of fake friends,” Nicole warned, her eyes going wide. “Shit, Jake sees us…it’s registering. Oh my God, you should see his face, Aly.”

  “Oh man, does Rachel see me?” I forced myself not to look in their direction in an attempt to play it cool.

  “Does who see what?” Chris butted in, leaning in closer to us.

  Nadine shook her head at Chris, ignoring his question.

  “No, Jake’s just standing there, staring. Let’s go over there and get this over with,” Nadine decided. “No chicken shit shyness, Alyssa Montgomery. You’re doing this for all of us! Chris, lead the way over to Jake,” she ordered, shoving him forward.

  I went numb. I couldn’t feel myself move as I followed Chris, Nadine and Nicole. I focused only on Jake’s face and anxiously waited for him to realize it was me. His eyes moved over each one of us and settled back on me. His mouth fell slightly open and a smile spread across his picture-perfect face. He squeezed past the crowd around him coming toward us. My heart was pounding harder than ever. He was dressed in all black, his hair was messy and sort of spiky; not the usual relaxed, fluffy way I’d seen over the past several days. He looked the part of everything a rock star should be. He didn’t acknowledge any of the others and stopped close in front of me, placing his hand at the small of my back.

  “Wow, I think I’m in a dream sequence,” he whispered in my ear. I looked over at Nadine and she was smiling from ear to ear. She looked over in the other direction and I followed her glance. Rachel and the rest of the Envies were watching us. I looked back into Jake’s eyes. “I’m speechless,” he added. “You look amazing.”

  Jake compliments made me woozy.

  I giggled nervously. “Thanks. Um…everyone’s staring at us.”

  “Yeah, so what? They’re just wondering who you are, and to be honest, so am I.”

  “What?”

  “What do you mean what? You look like a completely different person,” he said. His eyes roamed over my new appearance. “Uh, you’re owning right now.”

  “So, you’re not embarrassed to be seen with me? The super under classman?”

  “Aw, come on, shut it with that. Most definitely not. You’re amazing no matter what, but you just look tremendous all done up.” He smiled. “What gives? I’m curious.”

  I hung my head, embarrassed. “Well, it’s my first, you know, high school party, so I thought I’d dress the part.” I leaned in closer to him, as if someone would hear me over the loud music. “You know, you’re embarrassing me.”

  “Don’t be. Lighten up, and please tell me you’re not drinking that,” he asked, pointing at my cup.

  “Uh, you are, so why can’t I?” I challenged.

  “You’re too young, that’s why.”

  I didn’t like that he always pointed out my age. I rebelled, bringing the cup to my lips and took the biggest gulp I could muster. I swallowed, staring defiantly at him with a smirk of triumph.

  His eyes narrowed. “I don’t think it’s a good idea, but I’m not gonna preach.”

  “Good.” I took another big swig, finishing it off. My first beer and I immediately began to feel light-headed and less nervous. I hadn’t had any dinner, so I knew it was the beer. “You know Jake, everyone here is doing the same thing. It’s not like I’m any different.”

  “I still don’t like it. I don’t want you gettin’ all sloppy drunk.” He looked in the direction of Rachel and her friends. “See those girls? You don’t wanna be them.”

  “Speaking of which,” I said, eager to change the subject. “Has she said anything else about…the situation?”

  “She’s acting like nothing happened, but as you can see the others are catching on.” He casually glanced over at them. “They’re the fringe girls, the ones to the left. Do you want to come over and meet everyone?”

  “You’re not serious!” I choked.

  “Hey, sorry to interrupt, but we wanna walk around,” Nadine announced.

  “Um,” I couldn’t spit any words out. I just wanted to be with Jake and now I had to follow my stupid friends through this stupid party.

  I jutted my chin towards Rachel. “You wanna walk with us, or are you gonna stay here with Almost Famous?”

  I couldn’t believe the words and the sassy tone that came up from my throat and out of my mouth. Jake’s eyes widened and his eyebrows rose slightly. A crooked grin appeared on his face.

  “Aly, you fascinate me,” he said, looking at Nadine, Chris and Nicole. He proceeded to drape his arm around my shoulders. “Let’s walk, screw them.”

  “You don’t have to…”

  He interrupted, “Aly, I don’t give a shit about them. Bobby and Mike will manage fine on their own.”

  I wanted so badly to turn and see the look on Rachel’s face as I walked away with Jake and my crew.

  19

  Alyssa

  The house, if you wanted to call it that, was a set piece. It was something out of one of those decorator magazines plantation style with dark hues and green leafy plants everywhere. The beamed ceilings were at least 14 feet high and the floor plan was wide open. Jake led the way to a room that was as big as a 3-car garage. It had a pool table and a small movie theater like sitting area with an actual movie screen. Growing up in this town, I’d seen my share of nice homes, but this home was definitely the most impressive of them all.

  I leaned against the pool table and Jake stepped over standing directly in front of me. He moved in closer to where his hips pressed against mine and he wrapped his hands around my waist. “Let’s walk to the beach.”

  His eyes were tender and penetrating, they made my blood rush. “Um, I’d feel weird leaving the girls here.” I hedged, my inner baby started to fuss. I glanced around not knowing what to do with myself. I changed the subject. “So, who lives here?”

  Jake nodded slowly at me, conscious of my detour. I was thankful he didn’t call me out on it. “Alright, let’s warm up this pool table then,” he said kindly, slapping it. “And as for who lives here, Brandon and Sarah Miller do. Brandon’s a senior volley guy and Sarah is in Nadine’s class.”

  He moved away from me, running his hand along the emerald green felt of the pool table as he walked to the other side. He bent down gathering the brightly colored balls. I decided to look for pool cues. At least I knew how to play pool and wouldn’t embarrass myself. My eyes swept the room, spotting Rachel and Mike and the rest of their crew coming toward us, and my stomach fell to my ass. They looked like the cast of some TV show. Perfect, flawless and arrogant. Shit, where were Nadine and Nicole? - I frantically looked around for them. Nadine was the only one I saw and she was all the way on the other side of the room, enjoying her own spot light. I turned looking in the other direction and my eyeballs slammed into Rachel, standing next to me.

  “Hi, so, you’re Aly, Jake’s next door neighbor r
ight?” She asked in a callous tone like she’d forgotten she’d met me earlier at Jake’s house.

  She held her hand out in some lame gesture, which prompted me to take it in mine. I looked her straight in the eyes, giving her limp, clammy hand a firm squeeze. “Yeah, nice to see you again.”

  I thought Rachel was pretty. It made me boil inside admitting it to myself. She had deep blue eyes and fair skin. She wore the same bright red lipstick that her friend, Sienna, wore. Rachel was drunk too and hung all over Mike. Mike wore a perturbed expression and kept pushing her away - I didn’t think she noticed. He gave me a crooked smile, shrugging his shoulders. An apologetic expression stitched across his face. Rachel looked back and forth between the two of us, giving him an unexpected firm push, shoving him away.

  “What the fuck man, are you making fun of me?” She swung at him and missed. She looked back at me swaying a bit, shaking her head. “The nerve. So where’s Jakey? Oh there he is.” She paused, giving him a long stare. I could see her brain churning. “So you play pool? We should play teamsies. Mike and I against you and Jake, come on whad’ya say?”

  Did I really have a choice? She strode away toward Jake, weaving like the snake that she was. This had to be the most insane moment of my life. Mike moved in uncomfortably closer to me. “You look different,” he said in a low voice, smiling approvingly. “I like it.”

  I was shocked at his compliment. The only thing I’d ever heard come out of his mouth was derogatory remarks about Jake wanting to do me because I was a virgin.

  “Thanks,” I said looking up at him, checking out the scruff sprouting from his jawline. He was definitely good looking in his own scrappy-badass way.

  “So, you and Jake official.”

  “What do you mean? Is that a question?”

  “Not really. I guess it’s more of a statement, but I want to hear it from you. You know a heart’s been broken because of this,” he informed quietly, not looking at me.

  “What are you? The messenger,” I snapped, tersely and my blood began to boil.

  “No, I just got my ear talked off. Rachel’s been with Jake a long time,” he stuttered – obviously shocked at my return.

  “With Jake,” I echoed, my tone sarcastic. “Is that right, he told me they were only friends, that they’d spent one night together.”

  “I guess that’s how it went down.” He paused and nodded. “So he told you that huh? Anyway, she’s still heartbroken.”

  “That’s got nothing to do with me. I had no idea. That’s between her and Jake.” I was getting more uncomfortable. I felt like he was fishing or trying to scare me or dissuade me from hanging out with Jake in some faux friendly way.

  “It has everything to do with you, in her eyes at least,” Mike continued to explain.

  “Look, did you come over here to give me a hard time? If you did, you can leave,” I bit back.

  “Wow, calm down. No, no, don’t get me wrong. I’m sorry. Rachel just filled my head with a bunch of shit for the last hour. I just wanted to hear it from you.” He tried to laugh off the ill tension between us. A moment passed as we watched Jake and Rachel mingle together, Jake clearly not having her. “She’s got you pegged all wrong. I did too. You’re not some meek little push over are you?” Mike continued to dole out compliments, making it easier to let him in.

  “Not when someone’s giving me shit. Don’t forget, I have two older sibs who think their shit doesn’t stink either.”

  “Hmm, you just look innocent. Nice.” He grinned, winking at me.

  My stomach fluttered. Maybe I was being too rough on him. “I’m sorry, Mike, but she’s crazy. I had no idea about her and besides, why should I care?”

  “You shouldn’t. How long have you guys been seeing each other,” he asked, trying to be nonchalant.

  I was getting sick of all the prying questions. I took notice of the full cup of beer in his hand.

  “Can I have a drink?”

  “Yeah, sure,” he offered, handing me his cup. I took a big gulp and as if Jake had an Aly’s drinking beer sonar imbedded in him, he was standing next to me taking it out of my hand, again.

  “Dude what the fuck are you doing?” He spewed. Jake’s eyes were on fire.

  “Woah, bro calm down. She’s the one who asked and besides I saw her drinking with you outside.”

  “What did I tell you before? Don’t fuckin’ offer her anything,” he spat, pointing his finger in Mike’s face.

  I stepped between him and Mike, placing my hands on Jake’s chest. “Jake, calm down. I’m sorry. I asked him. It’s not his fault,” I explained, trying to defend Mike. I didn’t want them to fight because of me.

  Jake’s clamped jaw relaxed slightly. “I don’t need you going home drunk and stinking of beer, Aly. We’ll talk about it later.” He turned to Mike. “Hey bro, I’m sorry. I just don’t need her parent’s finding out about this. Sending her home drunk is just something that’ll set off a flare.”

  “Man, I get it, no worries.” Mike took his cup back from Jake, taking a drink. “So, we gonna play teams or what?”

  Jake glanced at Rachel, who was leaning against the pool table chatting with her friends. “I suppose, if she doesn’t throw up or fall over first.”

  Jake took my hand leading me away. I looked back at Mike and mouthed – sorry – and he waived his hand, signaling for me not to worry. He was the last person I wanted to piss off. I wanted him on my side.

  “After this game I want to leave, ok?” he said firmly, as if there was no other option.

  “Yeah, sure, but I’m supposed to be staying at Nadine’s tonight, so I’m not sure how to handle leaving them.”

  “Oh, that’s right.” His eyes dulled. Clearly he’d forgotten whom I’d come with and my concocted arrangements. “I was just hoping you’d sneak back over tonight.”

  Would the girls understand if I said I wanted to go home? I searched the room for Nicole again. Where the hell was she? My eyes halted on Nadine and Chris, who were now making out in plain sight. Nadine was not the typical girl Chris went out with. His norm was the all-American cheerleader type. Nadine was a vampy sex kitten in the making. I envied her confidence and her who gives a shit attitude – I could never make-out in public like that.

  “Let me talk to the girls and feel it out,” I offered.

  He nodded and gave me quick peck on the cheek. My eyes darted straight to Rachel as if I had no control over them. Besides her cool rise to grab a pool cue, there was no emotion or reaction registered on her face as she absorbed our every move.

  “Ok, who wants to break,” she asked loudly, staring straight at me.

  “I’ll do it,” I said with confidence, and smirked at her. Growing up with a pool table in my house, I knew I had to have this.

  Our game went quickly. My elation over the win didn’t last long when the thought of my sister popped in my head. I wondered where she was and if she was there. This was the first big party of the summer. She just had to be around.

  “What’s wrong,” Jake asked, concerned.

  “I forgot about Allison, she’s gotta be here. There’s no way she’d miss this.”

  “Ok, calm down, we’ll ask Chris and Nadine to take a look around,” he said reassuringly.

  “Hey Chris,” Jake called out walking over to him. “Will you do us a favor, cruise around and look for Aly’s sister? You know her right?”

  “Yeah, sure.” Chris grabbed Nadine’s hand and they whizzed off on their stealthy mission.

  Jake measured me with his eyes, tracing my mood. “We’ll just hang here until the coast is clear,” He offered, rubbing my back.

  He took my hand leading me over to the newly arrived Dump and Sienna. Sienna was amazing to look at. I loved everything about her style. She was like something off of a funky fashion runway. She was wearing a tight black low cut shredded t-shirt with skin-tight, pin stripped knickers. The fishnets she wore underneath peaked out above her boots. Her signature red lipstick was flawless. I w
as speechless. I had no idea what to say to someone as cool as her.

  “Sup man,” Jake greeted Dump exchanging a knuckle jab.

  My confidence level was in the dirt standing there next to Sienna. I wondered what she saw in Dump. He was a big over-sized, muscle-head with nearly translucent eyes. He was a few years older, twenty if I remembered correctly. He had a dragon tattoo on his baldhead and gnarly tattoo sleeves running up to his neck. Oddly enough, the both of them matched perfectly. She was china doll pretty, a gentle compliment to his harsh look and over powering build.

  She shocked me by introducing herself, extending her hand. “Hi Aly, I’m Sienna. I met you at Jake’s last week.” Her voice was sweet and sincere, taking me off guard.

  “Hi, yeah, I remember. Nice to see you again.” I had to look away from her, or I’d embarrass myself.

  “You look quite different than the last time I saw you. I almost didn’t recognize you.” She nodded approvingly.

  “Oh, yeah,” I replied looking down at my outfit, afraid that I looked like I was the one trying too hard.

  “It’s a good look, I dig it.” I couldn’t believe my ears. She liked what I’d put together. I felt the heat starting to rise up my neck and it was about to hit my face at any second.

  “I’ll be right back.” I forced a smile and took off abruptly to look for a bathroom. I couldn’t believe my reaction to Sienna’s compliment. I was nearly hyperventilating. I spotted a few girls who looked like they were in line for the bathroom. “Hey, is this the line for the bathroom?”

  “Yeah.” The cute, hippy chick confirmed. She was clearly using the wall as a kickstand. I wasn’t impressed with everyone slothing around. I was thirsty and starving. My stomach grew sour and it felt like it was eating itself. I took a few deep breaths and started to feel slightly better, realizing I actually did have to pee.

  “Hey, so you’re going out with Jake Masters? I saw him with his arm around you,” Hippy Chick asked with a not so friendly smirk on her drunken face.

  “Um, I’m his next door neighbor. We’ve been friends forever.” I waved it off, like it was no big deal, hoping they’d leave me alone.