Love It Happens

My first love will always have a place in my heart. The relationship between us was much stronger and real than what people told me my “first love” would be like. No one would of thought that Miles would pursue me and we would become soul mates. He was known to be a player, a rebel of sorts, not a boyfriend type. He was four years older than me and hooked up with many girls. I ran with the popular girls, was on the cheer-leading squad, but was not the girl all the guys wanted to hook up with. I was the girl that became best friends with the guys. The girl who guys would ask to set them up with her friends. That was why everyone was surprised, myself included, when Miles and I became permanent fixtures in each others lives. It was a clear night in June when my first love entered my life.

Summer of 1994

Kelly, Bella and myself walked into the party. There were tons of football players who Bella and I knew since we were cheerleaders. It was summer into our Sophomore year of High School and I felt pretty out of place at the party. I looked over at Kelly who was chugging a bud light while taking the scene in. Kelly was a year younger than me and Bella.

We walked around the party talking to some of the cheerleaders and sipping beers. Kelly and I went and sat on the window sill while drinking our beers.

“Kat, I gotta leave early remember?”

“Oh yeah. Is it cool if Bella and I stay?”

“Yes of course. I wish I didn’t have to leave early. Once we get buzzed this could be fun” Kelly said while taking a long sip of her beer.

I started laughing and nodded my head in agreement. Without a buzz this party felt pretty uncomfortable. We were by far the youngest ones here. As always I was starting to get warm so I took off my windbreaker and looked over at Kelly.

“You getting warm? Buzzed?” Kelly asked me.

“Yes a little, to both”. I stood up and tied my jacket around my waist.

Across the room I saw Miles and his friends. Miles was the “cool” guy at our school. There was something about him that I liked and it wasn’t the “cool” part. Most girls liked him because he was hot, or cool, or just because he was “Miles”, whatever that means. There was something intriguing about him. It was as if he was an actor in a play and the real him only came out when he was alone. I was curious who Miles was when he wasn’t playing the star role at our High School.

“You guys want another beer?” Bella yelled from the kitchen. Bella was the pretty one. She was thin, had long dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. Plus she already had pretty good sized boobs unlike Kelly and myself.

“Kat, I gotta go. You better call me in the morning and tell me everything I missed” Kelly said while standing up.

“You know I will call you as soon as I open my eyes! Have fun and don’t get to tan with out me” I said.

We walked over to Bella so Kelly could say bye. She was standing with Miles and a few of his friends. Miles had dated our best friend for a short time so Bella and I felt pretty comfortable around him. Plus I was not the kind of the girl Miles would go for which made it easy for me to be myself with him.

“Kat, can I try your jacket on?” Miles asked.

“Seriously?”

“Yes, why not? You aren’t wearing it?” Miles chuckled.

I handed him over the jacket and glanced at Bella. Bella was laughing and I could tell she was already buzzed.

“Little small, but whatever. Thanks Kat” Miles said while passing me a fresh beer. A little small, the jacket was very small on him but hey I guess when you are Miles you can look as dumb as you want.

As the night went on I could feel myself starting to get a little tipsy. Miles never left my side. He was easy to talk to and joke with. It felt as if we were the only two in the room. Never once did I consider he might like me. I get along with most guys since I am sarcastic.

Bobby came up and whispered something in Miles ear. Great, I thought. Time for them to go and probably hook up with older hot girls. I turned towards Bella who was now talking to Steve, a senior football player. I began to twist the metal top of the can around and around. I felt awkward all of a sudden, as if I didn’t belong. I felt someone touch my shoulder and when I looked up there was Miles.

“Kat, you okay?”

“Yes, sorry” I said.

“Do you and Bella want to come with us to Meghan’s house? Her parents are away and a few people are heading over there.” Miles asked me.

I turned to Bella who was already saying yes.

“Sure” I said.

We followed them outside to Bobby’s car. When we got to Meghan’s apartment there were tons of shoes outside of the door. Please don’t say no shoes was all I could think. I hate feet and most of all my feet. Why did I wear these stupid Ked sneakers with no socks, I thought. The apartment door flung open and I could hear the music and people laughing.

“Hey you guys” Meghan said while hugging Miles and Bobby.

No one said anything about myself and Bella being there so we just went with the flow.

“Oh yeah make sure you guys take off your shoes” she said as she turned around and strolled back into the apartment.

“Bella, I am not taking my off shoes!” I had a horrified look on my face.

“Relax! Let’s just go sit down and hide your feet. She will never know you have your shoes on still” Bella laughed.

I began laughing as well as we booked it to the dining room table where a few older cheerleaders were sitting playing circle of death.

“Hey girls” Sammy, the captain of the cheer-leading squad, yelled. “You two want to play?”

“Sure” we both said.

Bella and I were having a blast. We couldn’t stop laughing and we both had to keep drinking because we were so bad at the game.

Next thing I knew Bella was grabbing my hand and telling me we were going.

“What?”

“Let’s go Kat. Bobby’s friend from private school is having a few people over and he invited us.”

I stood up and we both started laughing since I still had my sneakers on. Miles came up behind me and asked what us what was so funny.

“You girls ready?” Bobby said.

Bella grabbed my hand and we walked out of the party.

Once we got to Jackson’s house, Bobby’s friends house, we went straight to the basement to play beer pong. Another game I am not good at.

It was Bella, Bobby, Miles and myself.

“Where did Jackson go?” I asked.

“He went to bed. He doesn’t care if we chill here trust me” Bobby said while throwing the tennis ball towards my cup of beer. After a few horrible rounds I was starting to get bored and a little tired.

“Want to switch it up? Jackson has a full liquor cabinet upstairs. Let’s go”

We all followed him up stairs where we all took shots of rum. The rum felt like hot wax slowly burning my throat as it went down. The room also began to become a little foggy. I realized we were walking upstairs to some den. Miles sat down next to me and asked if I was okay.

“Yes. I am fine”

“I bet you fall asleep in ten seconds. All freshman girls fall asleep in ten seconds”

“Shut up!” I said punching him lightly on his arm.

“Ten, nine, eight,” Miles started whispering. I closed my eyes and leaned against him. I will not fall asleep I kept telling myself. Just going to rest my eyes for a few that is all.