Can't Resist His Charm

A Ruined birthday

Bryan

Exactly six days later, Mel and I were at the only diner on this peaceful street, waiting for our friends. It was late evening and since we had the back booth, I kissed her. Pretty soon we were making out when we heard some catcalls.

“Give it to her Cam,” I heard my bestie, Natalie say before she banged on the table with her hand- like she always does when she sees us like this. “Ugh- yes, whoo-hoo.”

I pull away from Mel, as I wipe the corners of my mouth, knowing from past happenings that there might be lip gloss there. I loved the bubble gum flavour of it, on Mel’s lips. I kissed her cheek because she was blushing before I turned to the group, I knew are with Natalie.

Sure enough, there was my gang of friends- Natalie, Anthony, Lucas, Dominic, and Fuzz- I’ll give you the story later about his name. Natalie was holding a cup while Fuzz held a cake- a birthday cake. It’s my birthday today- officially an adult. My parents were off to some other part of the country and won’t return until tomorrow, so this was my party.

Of course, I didn’t mind for they were busy and I wasn’t a whiny kid who needed his parents in front of his face for every event. We’ll have a dinner party tomorrow which would be more of a business event, so I appreciated this little gathering.

“My goodness guys, this is the last day I will spend with you for you guys are now under-aged to me,” I joked and Mel elbowed me playfully.

“Where’s Gail,” I frowned as I noticed she was missing.

This was our last year together as we will all go our separate ways to college. Natalie and I had plans to play pro football together when we were kids and had promised each other to apply to the same colleges. We have grown up a lot since then- like now, professionally, there will be a women’s team and a men’s team- we will never play together professionally. We had an understanding that Mel and I would be doing everything together but somehow, I still assumed that Nat would have been with me just with Mel too- but now I’m not sure. It would be selfish of me to presume she did not have a personal life of her own.

Enough, with the heavy thinking.

Last of everything for us- for almost ten years I knew these guys and they were the best of friends that anyone could dream about. We all cared about each other and were all there through thick and thin… and I mean thick and thin.

There was a time when Anthony was arrested. Gail-Ann puked in her ex-boyfriend's mother’s car. Lucas almost drowned while drunk one evening. Dom and Fuzz- well drugs…Fuzz’s real name is Christopher but my mother had picked him up from the party that night and she said he kept saying he was just trying to get ‘fuzzed’. Till now, we couldn’t figure out if my mother heard wrong or if Christopher had been so high that he said 'fuzz' instead of 'buzz' that night.

That night he almost died.

It’s weird that my parents knew these things but didn’t judge them badly. My baggage? I have none. I am as clean as they come. So is Natalie. Although her parents didn’t like her friends… a preacher's kid and all. Ironic though, when the Sawyers preach about no judgment…

Gail walks to the booth then, swinging her long plaited magenta-coloured braids, with one of the elder waitresses in tow and the woman smiles as she lights up the number eighteen candles. “Happy birthday Sir,” she says as she backs away and I smile. In the years I had been coming here she always smiled politely at me. I don’t know if it’s her personality, her job, or my parents’ influence, but she’s always professional to me- for a waitress, I mean. I respected her just as she respected me. Different societies and whatnot can still get along with a mutual understanding, of course.

My friends sang the typical birthday song while Tony finished it in a rap-to a hip-hop track, but he rapped it word for word and didn’t change ‘girl’ to ‘boy’…

"Hey girl, it’s your birthday, open wide; I know you're thirsty…."

The group jeered and cheered until he was done. Tony did remixes of songs and was even hired for one hour at prom last year, so he had talent and might be heading places.

Smiling, I blew out the candles and the waitress left, seeing that the naked blaze was safely out. She sends over two other male waiters with two additional chairs. Mel sliced the cake and they all shared a funny story about me as was tradition when we celebrated one of our birthdays. I guess I wasn’t funny enough for only three stories and they paused, scratching their heads, thinking.

Shaking my head, I held my chest in mock horror as I looked at them, “Guys- am I that lame? Huh, guess I have a lot of jokes to tell before the year is out,” I jest, just as Natalie’s phone beeped.

Looking at the screen, her eyes widened for a second. “Guys- I forgot. I was supposed to meet Damian-”

“What?” I inquired, looking at her as I leaned towards her as she was sitting directly opposite me in the booth. Didn’t she know he was into guys? Surely it wasn’t a date.

“It’s our second date and I was already late the first time- this is bad,” she mumbles as she nervously texts him something and I feel hurt for my bestie.

‘Why did I have to be the one to break the gay news to her?’

“He’s so dreamy, right?” Gail added and I curled my upper lip, turning my head slightly to the right to look at her too, not believing my own ears. Is she serious right now?

“If I wasn’t already in love with my sugar boo, I would so be on him,” Mel added and my eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

‘Tf?’

“Like a date-date?” I stuttered feeling like I was about to go into panic mode. I mean seriously? All of them found he was attractive. I mean, sure he's good-looking, but still. I see lots of pretty girls all the time, but I don't think that they are-

“That kiss- ugh,” Natalie added.

“What kiss?” I choked out as my eyes swung back to Nat.

“Where is he? Tell him to meet us here,” Lucas piped in, ignoring my questions from his seat which was on the chair that was added by the staff. Next to him, Dom added, “Damn girl.”

“Huh you made me want to kiss him the way you described his-” Gail started saying again, but Nat made a girly squeal and cut off her words, blushing “Ah, I know right.”

“Was it that good?” Mel’s mouth was slightly open.

‘What in the world? There was a second date and I didn’t even know about the first. And why is everyone ignoring my question?’

“Baller,” Tony heckled from next to me while he high-fived Fuzz who sat across from him. They were referring to Damian and not Natalie- there are times when guys would high-five any dude over their female friends. It’s a guy thing. Bro-code.

“What those lips could do, umm, I tell you- I can hardly wait for him to explore,” my bestie gushed and I felt my stomach turn, at the answer I didn’t want to hear. “I asked him to join the team too and he agreed.” She plays with her long curly hair in front of her.

“Yay Sawyer,” Gail cheered and she sent Natalie a wink, “I’ll be eyeballing your man though.” She sucked in her mouth, making a loud smacking sound, pulling her braids to the front of her over her shoulders, running her fingers through it.

‘What is with this guy that has both my friends like this?’

“We’re not official yet, so eye away friend,” Nat gushed and they both did a girlish squeal.

From what I gathered, Nat was on a date with Damian and had confided in both Gail-Ann and Mel- so we the guys, are now hearing about it. All my friends were in support of it except me. My birthday is officially ruined now. And Natalie had asked him to join our team.

“But he’s a cheerleader,” I blurt out, and everyone turned to me and stared. I feel Mel’s hand on my thigh, slightly gripping it and I close my eyes.

“Former Bry. He’s part of our team now,” Natalie informed me again, just as she had that last day on the field. I have missed practice since. I just couldn’t accept it.

“Big dog is just a bit bruised that he’s no longer the eye candy at school,” Tony laughed as he patted my back and I nodded my head. Wow, just wow. Even the guys thought he was good-looking, not just the girls. But no, I didn’t see him as a competition like that for I didn’t care about who was most popular.

Just to clarify- it’s me.

It was something else that was bothering me and I just couldn’t figure it out. It wasn’t the fact that he was gay although I am using it. There are many l***q+ people at our school and neighbourhood. I am sure that at college it will be on a bigger scale, plus I can’t be judgmental because of my parents.

“He says he’s almost here,” Nat informed us when her phone buzzed again.

“What’d you wish for ‘adult’?” Fuzz mocks me because of my earlier joke, playfully, but my good mood has faded.

“I wish for new friends,” I sulked. “Friends that share my views and my likes.”

No, I don't mean that. I love my small group- the eight of us are like family and I hope we remain this way until we're old and grey. I usually smile when I picture us greying but I don't know. Gail's curly hair is the funniest to me. Red hair Fuzz- Tony with his bald shiner- would he grow his hair out as we get older? I usually smile when I picture us getting older with our kids and greying but I don't do so now.

“What are you on about?” Tony asked as he frowned slightly from me to the rest of my friends to see if they had sensed my foul mood too. They shrugged and I even pulled away from Mel, leaning my elbows on the table.

“Forget it,” I mumbled and they did, for the conversation went back to ‘dreamy’ Damian while the guys gushed about new blood and how well he played.

I even heard Natalie say he has a tattoo somewhere. Isn’t that against the church or something? Her parents most definitely won’t approve.