Dropping the ball

My Christmas was pretty decent. My Mom actually took off work for a change, but then just flew around the house in a whirlwind – she was there, but she was so busy with other things that I’m not sure she sat down and really talked to any of us. That’s just how she was though.

My sister and her husband were there, and they had the best present of all – she’s pregnant! I’m excited, I know it’s something she’s been wanting and to be honest, it’s something I’ve been wanting (for her, not for me.)

Other than that, it was the same old Christmas most people do – too much delicious food, lots of gifts, and I was exhausted when it was over. I also missed John. We hadn’t talked much because I was trying to let him spend time with his family, but I wanted him home and in my bed.

I realized I had gotten a bit snippy with Sunny over her opinion of John and I, so after Christmas I agreed to let her take me and my new giftcards to pick out an outfit for New Years Eve. I knew the second we walked into the first dark-music way too loud-too much cologne sprayed store that I had made a big mistake.

“Do they want to dull every sense but touch so you just buy the first thing you grab?” I said to Sunny as we groped our way around the store.

“What?” She shouted back. I just shook my head.

We left that store and I got nothing but a pounding headache. The next store we walked into had light, and for a second I considered dropping to my knees and thanking God for the light, but then I realized this meant you could actually SEE the clothes – I tried to spin on my heel and walk out, but Sunny grabbed my arm.

“It’s not that bad, stop being so dramatic.” She said before going through the racks.

She sent me to the dressing room with an armful of dresses. None of them were great, but I settled on the least offensive one – a black sparkly dress with a skirt shorter than I liked but at least it had long sleeves. It did have a cut out in the back to show a good part of my lower back, but better my back than my stomach or cleavage.

“Crap.” I said as we walked out of the store, bags in hand (Sunny had bought an outrageous neon orange scrap of fabric that she called a dress. How come the less fabric they use, the more a garment costs?)

“Second thoughts already?” Sunny asked, smirking at me.

“I just realized I used the visa gift card my Aunt sent me to buy that.”

“So?” She asked.

“My Aunt Annie. The nun. I can’t tell her I bought a dress with it, she’ll ask to see a picture, and then she’ll spend the rest of her life saying hail Mary’s or whatever to save my soul. I can’t ruin her like that.”

“Tell her you bought a book. Books are safe.” Sunny said as she stopped to peek inside Victoria’s Secret.

“What book?” I asked.

“The bible, of course.” Sunny said giggling. “C’mon, let’s get you something to wear under that.”

Sunny and I had such a good time that day that when she asked if we could get ready for the party together, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. I forgot, however, that when Sunny says “get ready together” it means she ambushes you with a makeover. I was plucked, polished, buffed, shined, and glossed. I hadn’t yet seen my face, but the way Sunny was smiling at me, I already felt uneasy.

“You look so great.” She said, pulling me to a mirror. “Look.”

My mouth dropped open and I touched my face only to watch the person in the mirror touch her face too. And that’s when it hit me – that person was me. It wasn’t that I didn’t look good, I did. I just didn’t look anything like me.

Sunny had curled my normally slightly wavy hair into tight ringlets, my eyes were dark and smoky, my lips were red, my skin bronzed. My dress was a lot more form fitting than I remembered, the bra I had bought at Victoria’s Secret made me look stacked, and my heels made my legs look about ten miles long and toned. I know I should have been stoked – I looked on sex on heels, but I just didn’t see any me.

Still, Sunny and I had been getting along, and she had put hours into making me over. I didn’t want to make her feel bad or cause a fight, especially right before the party.

“I look amazing. Thank you Sunny.” I said, smiling at her. “You also look really good.”

And that wasn’t a lie. I had been extremely skeptical when I saw the bright orange washcloth Sunny had bought, but despite it being skimpy, Sunny made it work – she always did.

Sunny drove us back to Noah’s – the boys were there “setting up” (which basically meant going on a liquor run and carrying it all in the house, as well as popping in the appetizers Sunny and I had made earlier.) We walked in the house, and John walked right by me without saying anything.

“Uh, hello?” I said, and watched him whip around.

“Oh!” He said. “I didn’t recognize you. You look…”

“I know. I’m a Sunny original.” I said.

He hugged me. “It looks good on you, just… Not what I’m used too.”

“Well don’t get used to it, it’ll be back to jeans and sneakers tomorrow.”

“Good.” He said, kissing my forehead. “Want a drink?”

“Of course.” I said, and went to settle on the couch (the only way I was going to survive the night in these heels was going to be to sit as much as possible with my legs glued shut so I wouldn’t show my hello no-no kitty.)

People started showing up, people we knew from highschool, some of Noah’s work friends, people Noah and John knew in school, and soon Noah’s small house was filled with people. John had brought me my drink, but then had disappeared, I assumed to mingle with people he hadn’t seen in a while. I didn’t care, I had plenty of people to keep me entertained, but the closer it got to midnight, the more I wanted to be near him. I finally gave up my position on the sofa to go find him and some more booze.

Instead I found Matt, standing in the kitchen drinking a soda and walking to a group of girls. He glanced at me when I walked it and then did a double take.

He let out a low whistle. “Why Miss Melanie, you clean up nice.”

A couple of the girls shot me a dirty look, and I was feeling loose enough from the drinks I had already had to egg them on by giving Matt a hug. In my heels, I still only came up to his nipples. I would have ruffled his blonde hair if I had been able to reach it.

“Why thank you, this is brought to you by the fabulous Miss Sunny. Don’t get used to it. How was your Christmas?”

“Good. And yours?”

“Excellent.” I said, turning to pour myself another drink. “Have you see Mr. John? Do you know why I’m calling everyone Mister and Miss?”

I thought Matt would laugh at that last part, but instead he looked a little uncomfortable. He took a long sip on his soda.

“I think I saw him out back.” One of the girls said. “You’re talking about John Hutchinson, right?”

I nodded.

“Yeah, I think he went out back with Hailey.”

Was it me or did this girl look a little smug? “Thanks.” I said, smiling at her. And then because I couldn’t resist goading the smug little bitch, I poked Matt in his hard belly. “I’ll see you later.”

I gave up my heels before I even hit the back door. They hurt and I knew there was no way I was managing the stairs in heels that high while this tipsy. Peeking my head out the back door, I could see there were a few small groups of smokers, but no John that I could see from the door. I stepped out. The deck was cold and my feet made no sound on it, which is how I was able to stand and watch John talk to this girl – Hailey – without being noticed.

I watched him tilt his head back and laugh. I watched her touch his arm and toss her hair. I saw him bump her shoulder with his. The knot that had started forming when that girl had mentioned Hailey’s name in the kitchen was now huge, and I touched my stomach sure that it must be showing through my skin tight dress. All I touched was my own pudge, and my legs were started to freeze, so I decided to walk away and see if John found me at midnight or not.

I turned and ran smack dab into Matt. I bounced off his chest and fell backwards on to the deck.

“Melanie! I’m so sorry! I was looking for Hailey and I didn’t see you out here in the dark.” He said, loudly, bending down to help me up. At this point, John and Hailey were both at my side, John looking concerned and slightly guilty.

“Hailey, there you are! The girls wanted you, something about body shots. Melanie, this is a friend of mine and John from college – Hailey. Hailey, this is John’s girlfriend and my co-worker, Melanie.”

I’m sure I looked attractive – my mouth hanging open in utter surprise. I had just about gathered my wits to point out I wasn’t John’s girlfriend (which Matt knew) When Matt took Hailey by the arm.

“C’mon Hail’s, those shots are calling me.” He said, pulling her into the house, leaving me alone on the deck with John.

“We were just talking.” John said before I could even say anything.

I held up my hands in front of me, not sure of what else to say.

“You look cold. Let’s get you back inside.” He said, slinging his arm around me.