First off I was the last to know about this surprise birthday pool party...and it was supposedly was for me. When I reached the door I was steaming pretty good. Forget about knocking I was pounding, I wanted whoever was going to answer the door to know I was not mad, but extremely mad. The next step in the mad hierarchy. The door slowly creeks open and I feel my verbal surge attack ready to let loose. My shoulders were tensed up, my eyebrows in 'V' formation, and I was wearing a grim look on my face, but before I could mutter a single word, a single adjective, or even a noise I caught her eyes. Her deep brown eyes. They innocently glazed around the door at me, as if they knew why I was there and pleaded me not to yell. I stood there hypnotized, finger in air, originally to make a point, but now only just pointing up. I see her eyes glancing upward to see what I was pointing at and then back down to me.
"Can I help you?" her angelic voice soothingly asked.
"Um..." I managed to eek out, but in a higher pitch then my normal talking voice and no where near the deep voice I was planning on using.
I couldn't believe it I lost my words and my voice. Honestly couldn't think of anything else and she seemed so fragile I was afraid to break her with my sound. I got it I will introduce myself and then find out who she is, but from mind to mouth it was too late. She was gone and now Biff stood there in the doorway.
"Dude where have you been?! I've had the National Guard out looking for you." he said red cup in one hand and reaching out with the other. He hooked me around my neck and carried me in.
He is a big guy, star player on the football team, neck as thick as his bicep and I have to say I'm very thankful he was my best friend. We grew up together and have pulled each other out of some real sticky situations. But that is all besides the point, I was mad and I needed to let Biff know it. I've been putting up with this type of crap for a long time and frankly just sick of it.
"Why didn't you try calling my cell?" I calmly asked, trying to find my inner anger I just had.
"I did, but got some foreign guy named Carl...I couldn't understand him one bit so I started calling around looking for you. I tried your mom and your dad, I tried Tom and Mark, but no one knew where you were," his voice started trailing out as we got closer to his backyard.
Music was cranked up and the place was packed. I kept looking around for that mysterious girl with the brown eyes, but as if she really was an angel, she disappeared. I barely recognized the people that where here, but maybe it was the free drinks or the free food, they all seemed to know me. Great, I hope Biff wasn't telling his stories about our younger days and how he and I used to do crazy...no stupid stuff just for fun. Then a guy as pale and goth kid, but sporting dreadlocks throughout is hair, reeking of smoke and wearing puka shells and sandals walks over with his half shut eyes looks down at my chest and then back up to me and greets me as if we were old college buddies. Now I know I would have remembered him, I looked down to see what I had on my shirt and sure enough there it was...a name tag.
What the...I don't know how it got there and where it came from, but a rectangle box with my name in the center was stuck to my chest. That explains why everyone knew my name. So much for wishing it was like on Cheers. But I need to concentrate on finding that girl. I had to admit the party was, well, awesome. There were people everywhere. The is the other nice thing about being friends with Biff, not only be a mountain of a kid, his family had money. Which means every person's dream party in a mansion type atmosphere. The pool was Olympic size and had a waterfall on one side. There was a live DJ blaring out all the new hits and not so new hits. And there was the bar. It served pretty much anything you wanted and it was stocked with everything. Then there she was, by the bar. As if I was in a movie her brown eyes stood out like lights in fog. Again I am entranced, everything else goes black, except her eyes.
I need to get over to her, need to find out who she is. I prayed for the ability of Moses and part the crowd. I squint my eyes using one hand on my temple and I force will the crowd to move, providing me with a clear path to her. I feel a vein in my head throbbing with such force as I repeat in my mind, "Separate, separate, separate, separate..." And as if God was watching me...and laughing I see her look over to me and a look of worriedness shines in her eyes and then everything goes dark. Minutes later I'm awoken with a splash of...cold coffee. What gives and I look up to see Biff holding a Starbucks cup. A crowd had formed a perfect circle around me.
"What in the hell did you do that for?" I asked wiping the excess grounds from my face.
"Well dude you made yourself pass out...it was classic" he informs me, "one minute I see you standing there holding your hand staring at the bar, the next you laid out flat on the ground."
"You know people usually splash water on people to wake them up...not cold coffee"
"You seemed pretty out of it and I know coffee works for me when I'm tired"
"Yeah to drink, not to...never mind" I stop myself from trying to argue with Biff and look back around to try and find brown eyes again, "where did she go?"
Biff had a puzzled look on his face, the crowd seeing that I'm alright and not suffering and heat stroke or any other stroke for that matter dispersed and back to enjoying the party.
"Where did who go?" Biff asked.
"The girl by the bar with the killer brown eyes" I inform him, but I could tell I wasn't talking Greek to him, "you know the one that answered the door when I first showed up?"
Again nothing buy a blank stare. I wave him off and proceed to scout the crowd. Finally I see her off to the side of the DJ dancing with her eyes close. Since mind tricks don't work I'll skip those and do it the old fashion way...and walk over there. It was tough getting throw the crowd and every Jane, Dick and Harry stopping me and wishing me a happy birthday or a Merry Christmas and Not Quite Hippie Guy actually thanked me for inviting him to my Bar Mitzvah...I'm not even Jewish. I can see her still there and I'm feet away with my previously wished for clear path, when the music stops.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR..." roars out and I'm again surrounded by people. After the song dies down a mic is shoved in my face. Perfect I can ask Brown Eyes to come up and we can finally get a proper introduction. My moment of truth. I tap the mic and....
SPLASH!
Biff and three other enormous stone walls plow me into the pool. Good thing the mic was attached with a short cord was the only thing that flew threw my mind as I hit the water with a gut wrenching punch.
"Sorry, didn't realize you weren't wearing a bathing suit" Biff apologized from outside the bathroom door.
"What do you mean, I was wearing jeans..." I rolled my eyes in the mirror, "it's ok. Do you have anything smaller?"
I walk out looking like a toddler trying on his father's clothes playing dress-up. I could hear Biff trying to hold back his laughter...
"Um...nope"
It figures the way my day had gone. Night had fallen and the party was still going strong, everyone still enjoying themselves...some more than others...not mentioning any names Not Quite Hippie Guy. Who would thought he'd know how to river dance. I searched the rest of the night for her and as the shin dig finally spat out its finally stragglers, Biff walked up to me.
"Hey that girl you were looking for earlier?" Biff casually mentions.
I felt my eyes get big as they do in cartoons, "Yeah?!" I grabbed his shirt pulling him closer, hoping he'd finish the question with a she's still here, or with her name and number...
"She left a few hours ago?"
As if I dropped off a sugar high, I crashed right there and then. A let down beyond all let downs. Don't know who she was, where she lives, not even her name. Just her eyes and that she smelled of lavender. I was tired to get mad at Biff so I helped him pick up the massive mess, that was his backyard.
The next morning I was thankful it was Saturday and got to sleep in. The clock read around 2:00 p.m. as I dragged myself up and out to face the cruel world. The one that teased me all night just to get a cheap laugh at the end. I curse you. I walk out to get the mail, sporting whatever was close by and easy to put on. Today I just don't care. Walking down the walkway showing off my mom's pink robe and my younger sister's slippers..one cat and one dog. Keeping my sleep wear of a white t-shirt and boxers in view for all to see I make it to the mailbox. From the corner of my eyes an orange and white van is parked in the next driveway over and movement is being made. Curiosity gets the better of me I mosey on over to catch a glimpse of my new neighbors. Probably some really fat guy with fifteen cats and his mom. I round the van and am pushed down. Flying back landing sprawled out, mail everywhere. I look up to the sun blaring down at me, when it is blocked out by....brown eyes.
"I'm so sorry...hey have we met? My name is Shelly, we just moved in"