The Night Of

 

We left our apartment around 9 pm, and despite the darkness and chilly weather, our bodies warmed with excitement and anticipation as we piled into the taxi. One of our neighbours had the address, so we blindly tagged along.

When we arrived, it became obvious that this wasn't the typical "party." Instead, I found myself in a beautifully lit garden, with music gently wafting through the air. We were directed to an area with chairs gathered around a table, accompanied by an assortment of drinks and the tantalizing scent of grilling meat nearby.

Initially, I had pictured a lively party filled with carefree swaying and getting lost in a sea of sweating bodies with music almost tearing down my ear drums but it appeared that I was now expected to engage in conversation with fellow "hangout" attendees. This wasn't going according to plan. Since we had come a bit early, we amused ourselves by talking and laughing among our group until more people began to arrive.

It was at this point that i noticed i might have overdressed for the occasion. Most of the boys and girls present had gone for a casual, post-classes look, while we had opted for a more dressed-up vibe. My self-conscious ass was slightly rattled, but as I regularly do, I laughed it off.

Then you arrived with  your group of friends and other people you invited and magically all my previous concerns seemed to evaporate leaving  my heart racing. I tried so hard to maintain a composed demeanor, hoping to God I looked presentable. When our eyes briefly met, I broke into a hopeful smile, but you seemed to look right through me, as though I were invisible. For a moment, disappointment set in, but I reminded myself that the night was young, and there was still more time.

When most of the invited parties were presumed to have gathered around the table, we embarked on brief self-introductions, a part of social gatherings that I've learned to find somewhat annoying as it puts the spot light on me momentarily.

Random conversations sprung up, filled with jokes and laughter, but you still didn't turn my way, look at or engage with me. I tried to conceal my disappointment, but it was probably quite evident. I couldn't help but assume that I was one of the random girls you invited to fulfill your "quota" of bringing babes. It stung.

After a while, the group initiated a game of truth or dare, momentarily diverting my disappointment and replacing it with a sense of unease. As the game progressed with a sprinkle of dirty truths and silly dares, I decided to choose truth, convincing myself that I could fabricate a lie on the spot without anyone noticing. When my turn arrived, "truth or dare?" they asked me. I chose dare. I didn't know what I would be asked to do, but I was prepared to pick a boy and seize my chance for a little revenge.

I was dared to pick a boy of my liking and using my teeth, I was to take a piece of his clothing off. I instantly regretted my choice but, being a quitter was not an option. I chose a boy who was slim, rather feminine, and appeared innocent, although I would later discover he was anything but innocent in our university years (a story for another time). As I scanned his body, I decided to remove his belt using my teeth. It seemed like an innocent choice until I started, and my head ended up near his groin. The group erupted in laughter and cheers due to the suggestive nature of the dare. In less than a minute, I accomplished the task, generating more applause and amusement, and somehow it felt good.

For the remaining parts of the night, I pushed thoughts of you to the background and focused on having fun, just as you were engaging with numerous other girls and enjoying yourself.

The hangout began to wind down around midnight with most people dispersing in pairs, engaged in conversations and giggling, while others left. My friends were considering going party, but I decided to take a leisurely stroll around the garden. The darkness was serene, and the stars were shrouded by the overhanging canopy of trees. Gazing up at the beauty of it all, I was briefly lost in admiration when I heard footsteps approaching from behind.