2.
My first social outing since moving away from home lead me to standing on the front-porch of Sarah Halloways’ home, where a concoction of people in cheap costumes party like teenagers on the other side of the door.
Sarah works in the cubicle beside me at my new administration job and has been nothing but a godsent since I had moved interstate. From introducing me to everyone around the office, to inviting me to lunches and shopping and showing me the area; Sarah has a heart of gold- but a mind of pure sin. I had only been working with her for a month when she called me an hour before our shifts, asking if I had spare Xanax to cure her hangover. It was a Wednesday. I remember catching her walking out of the janitors closet a few weeks ago, wiping smudged lipstick from her face and brushing down her skirt. After her, followed the mail-delivery man. But Sarah merely winked at me, giggled like a high-schooler and strolled back to her desk where she would sell the highest percentage of product to a single customer that day. I envied her more than anything; her unrepentant hunger, her flawless legs- and, her unapologetic attitude. What Sarah wanted, Sarah got. Which brings me here, wrapped in a black, latex tube-dress that felt too tight on my skin, with whiskers drawn in eyeliner on my face and a pair of cheap, cat ears glued to a headband resting on my head. I licked my red-stained lips, anticipating what kind of wild occasion Sarah could host for Halloween. I gripped a bottle of Sparkling Moscato in my hand, regretting whole-heartedly, my decision to bring it in the first place. Sarah was a hurricane of mischief, drugs, alcohol and reckless youth. I imagined the lines of tequila shots and ecstasy sitting in jars like candy and couldn’t help but roll my eyes at myself. White wine? I’m the kind of person Sarah could eat for breakfast.
Nonetheless, completely out of my comfort zone and already close to taking my heels off, I thought once more about why I stood here in the first place. I wanted change; I needed it. I had to leave the old Claire behind and recreate myself. And if that meant opening the metaphorical door by actually walking through this one; then I had to take the leap.
The moment I walked through the door, my senses were overwhelmed with the stench of alcohol, smoke and sweating bodies. I could barely make out the décor I had come to know inside of Sarah’s house, with all of the flashing lights, thudding music and stranger upon stranger grinding against each other. I tried my best to squeeze through the crowd, but I was a fool to think I’d come out on the other side untouched. From all of the heated movements and endless groping hands, it wasn’t until I had finally made it through the crowd of bodies and into the kitchen that I had realised my bottle of wine had disappeared. I look down at my hands like I was searching for evidence of its existence in the first place.
“Fuck,” I sigh, unable to even think about how I was going to make it through the night sober. I hear a chuckle from the other side of the room and look up, half expecting to see a pair of drunk sex-addicts, going at it on the kitchen counter- in true Halloway fashion. Instead, I was greeted with a wide-set, roguish grin, wrapped in a dark stubble casing the sharpest jaw-line I had ever seen. My breath faltered, and I had to steady my hip against the wall. Jesus, the air in this house must have been thicker than I thought.
“Aw, kitty not handling the Play Pen so much?” His voice boomed across the room in a playful, mocking tone and I looked up at him again, wanting to throw back a sassy line, just like Sarah would.
I parted my lips.
“Kittywas looking forward to some liquid courage before even thinking about going in there.” I laughed and looked up.
His eyes were a dark grey, squinted and focused on what stood in front of him. My breathing faltered and every moral thought left my body as fast as it took me to glance at the only other person in the room. Holy shit, was this real? I wasn’t sure how long it took me to rip my sights away from his gaze, but from the moment I did, I wanted nothing more than to be staring back at him again.
He chuckled once more, taking a swig from his red, plastic cup.
“Ah, I see.” He began, swivelling his long legs on his stool to spin around to the counter.
His profile was a gorgeous sight; one I hadn’t imagined to see in a place like Sarah Halloways Halloween party, or outside of an un-photoshopped Men’s Healthmagazine.
“Lucky for you, this isn’t Sarah’s first rodeo.” He tilted his head to back to face me with a side-smile that forced a deep pulse between my thighs and filled his cup with one of the many bottles of miscellaneous alcohol that crowded Sarah’s benchtop.
Music thumped loudly around the house, however it came through my ears as more of a muffled, dull beat once I heard his voice.
He wore a black cape, with a dusty, black line over his eyes which I could only assume was a mask.
I smiled at his response, somehow managing to walk towards him. With my body in autopilot, I looked around the kitchen and found the stack of red cups sitting by the fridge. I pull one from the mess of plastic and held it up towards the man.
He looked up at me from his stool and poured the same, mystery liquid into my cup. With our eyes meeting once again, I was captivated by his sights this close. His grey eyes held slithers of green and hazel through them, like a beacon of colour and a playfulness I had never seen before. I could smell the soft scent of his cologne, not too strong that it became overpowering, yet just enough to make me want to lean in just a little closer.
He finished pouring me the drink, settling own the bottle without looking away from me.
“So,” I began, breathing in a shaky breath and taking a sip of alcohol to settle these wild nerves inside me.
The drink was warm; spiced with an underlining that immediately gave away what quality of party I was attending. The alcohol was cheap- and I knew I was here to get drunk. I scrunched my nose up slightly at the aftertaste.
“What are you supposed to be dressed as, Mr…?” I pulled up the stool next to him and sat down. His small laugh was subtle and masculine- just a small, little huff that sent shivers of excitement down my spine. He had a small dimple on the side of his mouth. The pulsing between my thighs deepened.
“Axel,” He replied. He turned his chair to face me again and our knees brushed slightly. I felt every inch of skin and cloth that came in contact with his.
“And I came here thinking I was some kind of magician, but if you’re going to walk through this party looking like the Cat-Woman from every one of my teenage wet-dreams,” he winked and lifted his drink to cheers with me, “Then I guess I’m Batman.” An unexpected, belting laugh roared through me as I clinked my plastic cup with his and he met me with the same level of humour.
We both drank from our cheap cups as the music continued to thud through the room.
“Well, Mr. Axel,” I teased, wiping the sides of my red lips. He stared at my thumb, my mouth and licked his own lips. His attention was excruciating; such a proprietary gaze on such a gorgeous man. I let him stare a little longer, the feeling of overwhelming arousal building in my abdomen. “Do you think it’s time we see if we can handle Gotham?” I nod my head towards the crowd of sweating bodies, all dancing and grinding to the music.
He looked out to the crowd, then back at me. He placed his large hands on my knees and Goosebumps erupted ferociously up my legs.
His striking smile lit his face once more as he stared deeply into my eyes.
“Us, handling Gotham? Kitten, I’m not sure they’ll be able to handle usin there.” I exhaled a shaky breath, feeling the alcohol hit me all at once, like a whirlwind of light-headedness.
He leaned in and I let the effect of our drinks take hold of me.
A breath away from his plump lips, I close my eyes, readying myself to feel the sensation of his skin on mine. His breath smelt of cheap bourbon and a hint of something I knew would become and addiction. He hovered for fleeting moments, teasing my shaking body with his close proximity.
“But I have been dying to see what this little body is made of…” he drew back with a heart-wrenching grin and I knew he understood what effect he was holding on me. I exhaled in a huff and slowly stood from my chair. Tipping my cup back, I drained what was left of my straight spirit to give myself that last hit of bravery. His smile widened and I extended my hand out to his. Without looking away from my eyes, he placed his hand in mine as we fumbled our way into the mess of smoky air, loud music and grinding bodies.
Sarah works in the cubicle beside me at my new administration job and has been nothing but a godsent since I had moved interstate. From introducing me to everyone around the office, to inviting me to lunches and shopping and showing me the area; Sarah has a heart of gold- but a mind of pure sin. I had only been working with her for a month when she called me an hour before our shifts, asking if I had spare Xanax to cure her hangover. It was a Wednesday. I remember catching her walking out of the janitors closet a few weeks ago, wiping smudged lipstick from her face and brushing down her skirt. After her, followed the mail-delivery man. But Sarah merely winked at me, giggled like a high-schooler and strolled back to her desk where she would sell the highest percentage of product to a single customer that day. I envied her more than anything; her unrepentant hunger, her flawless legs- and, her unapologetic attitude. What Sarah wanted, Sarah got. Which brings me here, wrapped in a black, latex tube-dress that felt too tight on my skin, with whiskers drawn in eyeliner on my face and a pair of cheap, cat ears glued to a headband resting on my head. I licked my red-stained lips, anticipating what kind of wild occasion Sarah could host for Halloween. I gripped a bottle of Sparkling Moscato in my hand, regretting whole-heartedly, my decision to bring it in the first place. Sarah was a hurricane of mischief, drugs, alcohol and reckless youth. I imagined the lines of tequila shots and ecstasy sitting in jars like candy and couldn’t help but roll my eyes at myself. White wine? I’m the kind of person Sarah could eat for breakfast.
Nonetheless, completely out of my comfort zone and already close to taking my heels off, I thought once more about why I stood here in the first place. I wanted change; I needed it. I had to leave the old Claire behind and recreate myself. And if that meant opening the metaphorical door by actually walking through this one; then I had to take the leap.
The moment I walked through the door, my senses were overwhelmed with the stench of alcohol, smoke and sweating bodies. I could barely make out the décor I had come to know inside of Sarah’s house, with all of the flashing lights, thudding music and stranger upon stranger grinding against each other. I tried my best to squeeze through the crowd, but I was a fool to think I’d come out on the other side untouched. From all of the heated movements and endless groping hands, it wasn’t until I had finally made it through the crowd of bodies and into the kitchen that I had realised my bottle of wine had disappeared. I look down at my hands like I was searching for evidence of its existence in the first place.
“Fuck,” I sigh, unable to even think about how I was going to make it through the night sober. I hear a chuckle from the other side of the room and look up, half expecting to see a pair of drunk sex-addicts, going at it on the kitchen counter- in true Halloway fashion. Instead, I was greeted with a wide-set, roguish grin, wrapped in a dark stubble casing the sharpest jaw-line I had ever seen. My breath faltered, and I had to steady my hip against the wall. Jesus, the air in this house must have been thicker than I thought.
“Aw, kitty not handling the Play Pen so much?” His voice boomed across the room in a playful, mocking tone and I looked up at him again, wanting to throw back a sassy line, just like Sarah would.
I parted my lips.
“Kittywas looking forward to some liquid courage before even thinking about going in there.” I laughed and looked up.
His eyes were a dark grey, squinted and focused on what stood in front of him. My breathing faltered and every moral thought left my body as fast as it took me to glance at the only other person in the room. Holy shit, was this real? I wasn’t sure how long it took me to rip my sights away from his gaze, but from the moment I did, I wanted nothing more than to be staring back at him again.
He chuckled once more, taking a swig from his red, plastic cup.
“Ah, I see.” He began, swivelling his long legs on his stool to spin around to the counter.
His profile was a gorgeous sight; one I hadn’t imagined to see in a place like Sarah Halloways Halloween party, or outside of an un-photoshopped Men’s Healthmagazine.
“Lucky for you, this isn’t Sarah’s first rodeo.” He tilted his head to back to face me with a side-smile that forced a deep pulse between my thighs and filled his cup with one of the many bottles of miscellaneous alcohol that crowded Sarah’s benchtop.
Music thumped loudly around the house, however it came through my ears as more of a muffled, dull beat once I heard his voice.
He wore a black cape, with a dusty, black line over his eyes which I could only assume was a mask.
I smiled at his response, somehow managing to walk towards him. With my body in autopilot, I looked around the kitchen and found the stack of red cups sitting by the fridge. I pull one from the mess of plastic and held it up towards the man.
He looked up at me from his stool and poured the same, mystery liquid into my cup. With our eyes meeting once again, I was captivated by his sights this close. His grey eyes held slithers of green and hazel through them, like a beacon of colour and a playfulness I had never seen before. I could smell the soft scent of his cologne, not too strong that it became overpowering, yet just enough to make me want to lean in just a little closer.
He finished pouring me the drink, settling own the bottle without looking away from me.
“So,” I began, breathing in a shaky breath and taking a sip of alcohol to settle these wild nerves inside me.
The drink was warm; spiced with an underlining that immediately gave away what quality of party I was attending. The alcohol was cheap- and I knew I was here to get drunk. I scrunched my nose up slightly at the aftertaste.
“What are you supposed to be dressed as, Mr…?” I pulled up the stool next to him and sat down. His small laugh was subtle and masculine- just a small, little huff that sent shivers of excitement down my spine. He had a small dimple on the side of his mouth. The pulsing between my thighs deepened.
“Axel,” He replied. He turned his chair to face me again and our knees brushed slightly. I felt every inch of skin and cloth that came in contact with his.
“And I came here thinking I was some kind of magician, but if you’re going to walk through this party looking like the Cat-Woman from every one of my teenage wet-dreams,” he winked and lifted his drink to cheers with me, “Then I guess I’m Batman.” An unexpected, belting laugh roared through me as I clinked my plastic cup with his and he met me with the same level of humour.
We both drank from our cheap cups as the music continued to thud through the room.
“Well, Mr. Axel,” I teased, wiping the sides of my red lips. He stared at my thumb, my mouth and licked his own lips. His attention was excruciating; such a proprietary gaze on such a gorgeous man. I let him stare a little longer, the feeling of overwhelming arousal building in my abdomen. “Do you think it’s time we see if we can handle Gotham?” I nod my head towards the crowd of sweating bodies, all dancing and grinding to the music.
He looked out to the crowd, then back at me. He placed his large hands on my knees and Goosebumps erupted ferociously up my legs.
His striking smile lit his face once more as he stared deeply into my eyes.
“Us, handling Gotham? Kitten, I’m not sure they’ll be able to handle usin there.” I exhaled a shaky breath, feeling the alcohol hit me all at once, like a whirlwind of light-headedness.
He leaned in and I let the effect of our drinks take hold of me.
A breath away from his plump lips, I close my eyes, readying myself to feel the sensation of his skin on mine. His breath smelt of cheap bourbon and a hint of something I knew would become and addiction. He hovered for fleeting moments, teasing my shaking body with his close proximity.
“But I have been dying to see what this little body is made of…” he drew back with a heart-wrenching grin and I knew he understood what effect he was holding on me. I exhaled in a huff and slowly stood from my chair. Tipping my cup back, I drained what was left of my straight spirit to give myself that last hit of bravery. His smile widened and I extended my hand out to his. Without looking away from my eyes, he placed his hand in mine as we fumbled our way into the mess of smoky air, loud music and grinding bodies.
