by C. C. Morian
“Only because we didn’t have any. No more arguing.”
Reluctantly Brin tried on the pumps. They looked amazing, maybe even better on her than on Kris. Brin exercised a lot, and the pumps accentuated her leg muscles and slim ankles. Brin admired herself in the mirror.
“That settles it,” said Kris. “You’re wearing them.”
“I can’t. I’d feel terrible, they aren’t me anyway.”
“You always told me I had a great fashion sense. And I’m telling you different. They look incredible on you.”
Brin’s eyes misted over. “Kris. . .”
“I don’t want to hear it. It’s settled.”
“What shoes are you going to wear?”
“I brought another pair of heels. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” And she would be. Making Brin look her best would overcome any little disappointment she’d have from not wearing the new shoes. It wasn’t a big deal.
“Now, one last thing.” Kris went to her luggage and pulled out a felt box. “Here.” She held up a necklace with a bright green stone that would match Brin’s eyes. Kris hooked it around Brin’s neck and gave her friend an appraising look. “Good. How do you feel?”
Brin looked at herself in the mirror. “I don’t think I’ve ever looked this good. Thanks!”
“No problem.”
They went back to the living room just as Patricia was emerging from her room. As always, she looked stunning. She was wearing an elegant but not too flashy knit dress that hugged her hips and did everything possible to show off her breasts. The neckline was cut a little low, and to draw everyone’s eyes down, as if most men wouldn’t be doing that already, a large stone on a thin chain hung between her breasts. Patricia wore designer Jimmy Choo four inch pumps that must have cost as much or even more than Kris’s Louboutins.
Patricia looked hot and knew it.
“Wow,” said Brin.
Even Kris had to admit that Patricia looked great. Every guy at the reunion would be checking her out. “Nice, Patricia. Great outfit.”
“Oh this,” said Patricia, dismissively “It’s nothing.”
“I’ll bet you can get laid in that,” joked Kris, feeling just a little jealous, thinking that her own outfit, and body, would pale in comparison, as it always did.
“If I want to!” said Patricia. She checked out Kris’s outfit. “You look great, both of you.” She did a double take at Brin. “New shoes?”
“Kris let me borrow them. What do you think?”
Patricia glanced at Kris, surprised. “Really? They are really nice.”
We’d lose a looks contest against you, though, thought Kris. As always. Kris was mad at herself for feeling jealous, but she couldn’t help but remember how often nights had started like this, her trying to look her best, but getting totally one upped by Patricia. Every time they had gone out together and Kris had eyed some guy, Patricia would get to him first. Once or twice Kris had even remarked on it, but Patricia had laughed it off, often leaving with the guy, even if she hadn’t been that interested in him, just to show Kris that she could get whatever she wanted. Especially if it was something—or someone—that Kris wanted.
They breezed into the reunion dinner, laughing. Kris noticed all the men’s eyes on them, three attractive single women. There were more couples than Kris had expected, had so many of her classmates married already? But even the men with wives and girlfriends were checking them out. It made her feel good. She knew that most of the guys were probably looking mostly at Patricia, but right now she didn’t care. She looked pretty good, and knew it.
Their graduating class had been pretty big, a few thousand, but all three women starting recognizing friends immediately. As they made their way to the bar Kris heard a squeal, and Marie, one of her other college friends, grabbed her in a big hug.
“Krissie! I’m so glad you are here!” Marie stepped back to admire Kris’s outfit. “Looking good!” Marie was with a guy, and she pulled him over to do introductions. “This is Zach. Zach, this is Kris, Patricia, and Brin. Don’t they all look hot?”
Zach nodded and didn’t seem to know what to say. Marie elbowed him and said, “It’s okay, I won’t be jealous. You can say it.”
“You all look—great,” said Zach.
“Marie, you shouldn’t put him on the spot like that,” said Kris. “You’ll embarrass him.”
Marie made a dismissive gesture. “I know he’s thinking it.”
They chatted for a while, and Kris noticed that Zach’s eyes kept drifting toward Patricia’s boobs. Just like she wants, thought Kris. Just to see what would happen, she casually positioned herself between Zach and Patricia. Sure enough, Zach, while still taking part in the conversation, shifted slightly so he’d be able to look at Patricia while pretending to talk to the others.
Kris sighed. It was so unfair. Big tits were impossible to compete against.
Fortunately, she had no interest in Zach. Even if he hadn’t been with Marie, he wasn’t her type. She preferred someone more in shape, a little on the lithe side, slim, with tight buns. Her eyes drifted around the room. Maybe a few guys like that here, hard to tell, a lot of them wore suit coats. Maybe over by the bar. . .
“Who needs drinks?” asked Kris.
“We’re good,” said Marie, holding up her drink.
“How about the usual?” joked Kris, to Brin and Patricia. “For old times?”
“I’m not sure they have cheap beer here,” said Brin.
“I know, just kidding. White wine?”
“Sounds good,” said Patricia, and Brin nodded.
“You guys keep talking, I’ll get it.”
Kris cut through the crowd to the bar, stopping now and then to say hello to some people she knew. She realized she hadn’t stopped for a nametag, and was glad a lot of other people were wearing them, it was amazing how quickly she forgot some names.
In the line at the bar Kris took the time to really look around. There was a dj playing, the crowd was lively, she thought she’d have fun. Not many of her classmates lived in the city where she worked, it would be good to catch up with old friends, do a little dancing.
And although she had joked to Brin about not having been laid in a while, she hadn’t really come to the reunion to meet a guy. Sure, if it happened, it was fine. Her breakup with her last boyfriend, or rather their drifting apart, hadn’t been that earth shattering. It wasn’t going to be long term, anyway.
Two guys were in line ahead of her, Kris didn’t recognize either one. They were facing the other way, also scoping out the crowd, nudging each other now and then as they spied an attractive woman.
“Look at her. Yeah, the redhead. I sat behind her in Econ, junior year. She never looked that good then.”
“Probably didn’t want someone like you drooling over her in class,” said the other guy.
“Wonder if she’s with someone? Shit, she is. Dammit.”
“Plenty more around, man.”
“You’re right. Look over there. Don’t stare, dummy. It’s Patricia. Man, what a rack.”
The other guy groaned in appreciation. “I chased her all of senior year. Nothing. It’s not like she was some ice queen, she just wouldn’t give it up to me.”
“Probably because she knew you wanted it so much.”
“Who wouldn’t?”
Kris reddened, keeping her head turned away, she hoped the guys didn’t turn around, or know she was Patricia’s friend. Not that it mattered, the guys were totally focused on Patricia, they didn’t even seem to notice Kris. She had a crazy thought of saying something to get their attention, Hey, do you think my skirt is too short? Or even something slutty, Hey, either one of you guys want a blowjob? Just to take their eyes off of Patricia, to win their attention, even though Patricia didn’t know these guys were checking her out.
They’d probably just think she was weird. It was a little depressing though; Kris bet that if she were alone somewhere, she’d have no problem getting their attention if she
wanted it. It wasn’t that she went around trying to turn guy’s heads, but every time she was in Patricia’s shadow, it brought out some kind of feminine competitive gene in Kris.
Thankfully, they had reached the bar, and the guys were forced to pull their eyes away from Patricia. Kris kept looking around the room, just for fun.
“What can I get you?” asked the bartender.
Kris turned to him and her eyes widened in shock. It was Brandon, two years ahead of her, someone she had a crush on as a sophomore. She had followed him around like a schoolgirl. She’d only managed to talk to him a few times, and always in groups. One time, she had invited him and a few of his friends to a party that she and Patricia and Brin were throwing at their off campus apartment. Brandon had showed up, but Patricia had immediately set her sights on him, even though, or probably because, she knew that Kris was interested in him. Patricia had slept with him that same night, and then a few times after.
“A drink?” asked Brandon, prompting her, because Kris was standing there speechless, a long line behind her.
He doesn’t remember me, thought Kris. I can’t believe it. But maybe it wasn’t so surprising. Brandon had been hot in college, and still was. A lot of women had probably followed him around. Still, Kris thought he would at least remember. “Uh, three white wines,” she stammered.
Kris couldn’t help but stare at Brandon as he poured the wine. “You look familiar,” she said, pretending to try to place him.
“I graduated a few years ahead of your class,” Brandon said. “I work part time here, make a few extra bucks.”
He handed the wines to Kris, and Kris caught his eye, giving him another chance to take a good look at her. But there was no recognition in his eyes at all. I bet he’d remember Patricia, she thought. But of course he would, they’d slept together.
Another guy she stole from me, thought Kris, as she took the wines and turned away, fighting back tears. It’s stupid to be upset. It was just a guy I had a crush on, for all I know he would have been an asshole, nothing might have worked out.
That wasn’t what was bothering her. It was because Patricia, her friend, had stolen him away. What was so weird was that Patricia actually had been a good friend, at least on the surface; she’d listened when Kris needed someone to talk to, she shared her clothes, her class notes. She was okay with sharing almost everything, except when it came to men. Then she was ruthless.
Kris took her time returning to the others, she needed to get her emotions under control. Now that she had a little distance and five years had passed to think about it, maybe Patricia hadn’t been such a good friend after all. What kind of friend stole guys away from you? Kris wondered if it just happened to her, or whether Patricia had stolen men away from Brin as well. And might still be doing it. Brin was a little insecure about her looks, maybe Brin just assumed Patricia would get all the guys. But that didn’t make it right.
Fortunately, Kris didn’t have to deal with Patricia anymore; Kris had her own life, in another city. No sense in dwelling on the past. Patricia was Patricia and probably always would be. She could be fun too. Better to just have a good time this weekend, look at the positive aspects, and get back to her own life next week.
Resolved, Kris headed back. Brin was still chatting with Marie and her boyfriend. Kris handed a wine to Brin. “Where’s Patricia? I have a wine for her.”
“Some guys came and dragged her off,” said Marie, laughing. “Same old Patricia!”
“Funny, that’s just what I was thinking,” said Kris. When Brin looked at her strangely, Kris said, “Nothing, never mind.” What did she care what Patricia did? She turned her attention back to the conversation.
After Marie and Zach had left, Kris and Brin drank their wine and eyed the crowd, picking out people they knew, trying to remember names. “We should get our name tags,” said Brin.
“Later, I want to see who remembers us,” said Kris. She was still thinking of Brandon. She scanned the room. “Hey, that guy over there, I think he’s checking you out.”
“Who?”
“Over by the side door. The one with the dark wavy hair. He was with a couple, they left, he’s just standing there, drinking a beer.”
Brin glanced over to where Kris had indicated. “He’s just looking around, like we are.”
“No, he was definitely staring at you.”
“He’s probably looking at you,” said Brin.
“No, now that I think of it, I noticed him when I was coming back from the bar. He was looking over this way even then.”
“Probably at Patricia,” said Brin.
“Don’t sell yourself short,” said Kris. “Plus if he was looking at Patricia, why is he still staring over this way?” She glanced around. “There’s no one behind us he’d be looking at. He’s cute. Why don’t you go talk to him?”
Brin blushed. “I’m not good at meeting guys like this. I just don’t feel comfortable walking up to a stranger.”
“Just go up and say, hey, you look familiar, weren’t you in my Psych 101 class?”
“That sounds so lame.”
“Of course it is. He won’t care, he’ll know you just want to say hi and meet him.”
“Is that how you do it?”
“It’s how everyone does it. Come on, I’ll go with you. The more I look at him, the better he looks.”
“I’m kind of interested in a guy at work.”
“Is that the guy you told me about, way back, like last year?”
“Yes.”
“Have you said anything to him?”
“Not yet.”
Kris put her arm around Brin and sighed. “I guess you are right. If you don’t feel comfortable approaching a guy you know, it would be hard to walk up to someone you haven’t even met.”
“It’s just not me,” said Brin. “I have to really get to know someone first.”
“Okay,” said Kris. “It’s too bad, he is cute.”
“I think so too. You go,” said Brin.
“I couldn’t,” said Kris. “He was looking at you.”
“It’s not like I was interested in him and you are trying to steal him away,” said Brin. “You said you thought he was good looking. Go.”
Kris looked at her friend. So different from Patricia, who would probably have been flashing her tits at the guy the second she thought Kris was interested.
Brin noticed her hesitation. “Go!” she said, giving her a friendly shove.
“Okay, if you insist!” said Kris. The guy was cute, but now she was the one hesitating, partially because even though she had told Brin to do it, just walking up to a guy wasn’t always easy. And she still didn’t want to be cutting in on Brin.
The guy moved away from the wall, heading toward the bar for a refill. Brin gave Kris another shove and Kris went with it, drifting over toward the bar. She timed her approach to meet him as he reached the line.
He was looking even better as he got closer. In shape, kind of wiry. Her type of guy.
In the line, she pretended to just notice him. “Hey, weren’t you in my Psych 101 class?”
His wonderful dark eyes lit up, and he smiled at her.
Two hours later, the dinner over, the dumb speeches finished, the music blaring, the dance floor jammed. Kris had spent most of the time with the dark eyed Andrew. He was funny and confident. Best of all, he was a good dancer. They had looked for a connection, but they had been in different circles in college, and had only distant mutual acquaintances.
During dinner Andrew had glanced at Brin a few times, but Brin had been only polite, she had happily let Kris have Andrew, with not a hint of jealousy. Patricia had met some guy, tall, ruggedly handsome, he looked like a politician, with a stylish haircut and a fashion model square jaw, exactly Patricia’s type. They were all seated a table for eight, Andrew and Kris, Brin, as usual in the middle, and then Patricia and the future politico who Patricia had picked up, whose name was John.
Now and then Kris caught Patric
ia glancing at Andrew, checking him out, Kris wasn’t overly worried, it looked like Patricia had John firmly in mind. Kris had given Brin one more chance at Andrew, trying to manipulate the seating so that Andrew would be between her and Brin, or even sit in the middle herself, but Brin saw right through it and smiled, quickly taking the middle seat.
To make it extra clear, Brin leaned over to Kris at one point when Andrew had gone to the men’s room. “He’s great. Don’t you dare not do anything because of me.”
Kris kissed her on the cheek. “You are so sweet.”
“Send money,” joked Brin.
“You’ll still be married before I am,” said Kris.
“You’re in no hurry to be married,” said Brin. “And neither am I. But Patricia will beat both of us.”
They glanced at Patricia, who was talking to someone across the table, almost ignoring John next to her. For his part John seemed to be listening closely to what Patricia was saying, or else he was staring down her top.
“That’s her perfect husband,” whispered Kris. “Looks good, probably is a partner at a law firm, future senator. Patricia will look good on his arm, but she’ll be the one leading him around. Probably only have sex with him when she wants a kid.”
“Kris! That’s mean!” But Brin was smiling.
“Just telling it like it is. Patricia will put him in his place and he’ll think it’s his idea.”
“You aren’t jealous, are you?” asked Brin.
“Not of that.” And that was the truth, Kris wasn’t jealous of Patricia having that kind of guy. She was a little jealous—angry and hurt mostly—of how Patricia used her looks to get what she wanted, especially if it was a guy who Kris had wanted first.
Well, she can’t have Andrew. Kris turned back to him. He was nice, but now that she had spent some time with him, she already wondered if he could be long term material. He wasn’t quite tall enough, and was a little bit—not really shy, but reactive. She wanted someone with a stronger personality. Still, Andrew was sexy in an unassuming way, had a good sense of humor, and had great eyes. She had also felt his muscles, a lithe, hard body, when she had danced with him, and that was something she loved.