chapter 3

Eddie pulled his shoulders back and puffed his chest as he walked. He kept his core tight, and hoped his stride still looked natural and cool. The woman saw him approach, and turned partially away, continuing to dance. Her gaze switched between her friends and Eddie, and her smile widened as he drew nearer.

Eddie smiled and nodded like he had practiced in the mirror. She waved back and danced up towards him.

“I think I saw you earlier!” he shouted.

“We did! Small world!” she smiled warmly. Her voice rang through Eddie’s soul with a clarity that could not be replicated in such a raucous environment.

“That’s so crazy! I’m Eddie!”

“Ava!”

‘Ava’ he thought, as he swooned inside his stiffened armor.

“You look like you came over here to dance!” she chirped.

‘Dance’ he thought, as he fought to keep his armor from crumbling.

“You bet I did!”
‘You BET I did!?’ he thought. ‘Idiot’.

Her face beamed as she stepped back and opened herself back up to the music, eyes fixed on Eddie’s face. Eddie focused on the beat, intimidated by the effortless grace in which she moved. When she turned, he allowed a momentary glance down her thighs, which flowed through the music like sheets in the wind, thick flesh jiggling through the more sudden movements.

“You’re good!” she leaned in to compliment Eddie.

“I’m just trying to do it like you!” he shouted back to her polite laughter.

Eddie shook his hips, mimicking Ava, to which she tossed her head back in laughter. He admired the rich sweetness of her booming laugh, the smooth soft plane that ran down her neck to her shoulders.

“Okay!” she continued, “maybe I spoke too soon!”

The two laughed as Ava turned her body. Eddie watched as the shelf of her butt bounced as she rhythmically inched towards him. She swayed side to side, and Eddie focused to move in unison. As she drew nearer, Eddie melted to her scent. She peered over her shoulder and smiled.

Eddie’s heart fluttered as her ass glanced against his midsection. She continued to sway and inched herself towards him, ass gradually pressing more firmly against him. Before long, Eddie had little control over how he swayed; as her butt anchored to his body, she began to move him.

Eddie reached down with his free hand and placed it on the side of her ass. She quickly swatted his hand away and shot a look over her shoulder. His heart stopped, and he felt an intense heat overtake his body. His face flushed as he figured how he’d even begin to apologize.

Before he could muster any words, with her butt still anchored firmly to his body, she grabbed his hand and lifted it above her head, waving back and forth to the music. She continued grinding into his body, head and shoulders smoothly rolling. Eddie kept his drink firm and high to his chest with his other hand.

As the music transitioned to the next song, Eddie glanced over at her friends and noticed one flash Ava the ‘OK’ sign with a smile. With that necessary boost of confidence, Eddie asked if Ava wanted to grab another drink.

“I was wondering when you’d ask!” she quipped.

--

For hours, the two split time between the dancefloor and the line at the bar. As the night progressed, their dancing grew sloppy and more taxing as the alcohol flowed and the and the passing hours weighed heavy in their legs. The three shadows with Ava gained identity as she slowly introduced them between drinks.

Eddie wavered at the urinal as he looked at his phone for the first time in hours.

‘This grils a feak. Wee getinj out f here. Talk later’ he read, a text from Mateo over an hour ago.

He looked to the top corner of his phone. 3:12 it read.

Washing his hands, he again looked at his reflection. One eyebrow cocked, he admired how his curls fell above his tight fade and the sharpness of his beard. He instinctively sucked in his belly, noticing how the dim light highlighted how his shirt draped off its slight curve. He remembered to keep his core tight as he headed back into the dark, bumping bass.

Eddie came back to his new group, Ava dancing next to her friend Cam, who found herself wrapped in the bulging arms of a statue of a man.

“I gotta get something to eat.” Ava struggled to shout into Eddie’s ear. “Do you want to get out of here?”

“I’d be down for that!” Eddie shouted back.

Ava motioned to her friends. Leah and Val, sitting at their nearby table, each getting an earful from men they just met, drunkenly waved. Val laughed and rolled her eyes.

Ava and Eddie watched out of earshot as Cam lifted her short, slim frame as high as she could on her tip-toes, into the statuesque man’s ear. He gestured a look of disappointment and resilience when she pulled away. Cam shrugged her shoulders as he shook head and left him standing.

“See ya neverrrr.” she shouted as she shuffled Ava and Eddie towards the door.

--

“I need this pizza more than I need the oxygen in my blood right now.” Cam joked, ahead of Ava and Eddie in line. “Alright, Eddie,” she continued, “consider this your first test: what slices are you gonna get?”

“Well,” Eddit laughed, “I think I’m gonna grab a cheese slice. That’s all I need to know whether or not they know what they’re doing.”

“Alright,” Ava approved as Cam nodded in agreement, “I like it, okay! Solid choice. So you’re gonna go one cheese, and what else?”

“Eh...that might be it for me.”

“No, oh no…” Cam spoke quietly and low, shaking her head.

“One slice!?” Ava loudly dragged. “After hours of drinking and dancing!? I’ve never seen a 6’3 dude get just...one...slice.”

“No ma’am.” Cam agreed, again in a quiet state of shock and disappointment.

Eddie burst out laughing. “Well...you know...it’s the beginning of Summer. Still trying to get that Summer bod in check.”

“Man, I knew I should have taken those vodka sodas you were drinking all night more seriously!” Ava joked.

“Would you like if I got the kiddie menu for you instead?” Cam asked, shoving Eddie in the chest. Ava tossed her head back in laughter. Time again slowed as Eddie admired the softness of her face, consumed in careless joy.

Eddie stretched is arms out in front of him in playful frustration. “I thought I was going to grab a quick slice with new friends, I didn’t know I was coming to my own roast!” he shouted.

“You’re roasting yourself with that one, my man.” Ava joked, grabbing Eddie’s wrist, pressing her shoulder into his side.

“Guess I’ll have to look like a fatty then.” Cam warned.

“Girl, shut your skinny ass up.” Ava shoved Cam’s shoulder as the two laughed.

Eddie finally took his slice and headed for the table where Cam sat near the front door.

“You don’t know what you’re missing, bro.” she said, diving into her margherita slice. “This right here, and a vodka slice? It’s art, it’s magic.”

Eddie laughed. “Noted.”

Ava arrived and wiggled her way into the booth next to Eddie. Sitting down with three slices, she slid one across the table in front of Eddie. “Let me save you from your own foolish self.” she joked warmly.

“Alright, you don’t have to beg!”

The two talked about the music in the club as they scarfed down their pizza. Ava and Eddie roared with laughter at almost everything Cam said. Eddie found himself taken with her sharp wit and dry delivery. He held onto the moments Ava collapsed into him in laughter, whether it be a warm hand on his shoulder to brace herself, or dropping her head into the curve of his neck. Those moments were frequent overwhelmed his senses.

“Well,” Ava signed in satisfaction, pushing the greasy, empty paper plates away from her, “that was a perfect end to the night.”

The implication dug a small twinge of sadness into Eddie’s chest.

“I could have a whole pie, swear to god.” Cam noted. “But I might crash and pass out here if we don’t get home soon. Ava, you’re good on my couch, right?”

Another twinge in Eddie’s chest.

“Yes, ughhh, I’m already dreading waking up tomorrow.” Ava whined.

“You live in the area, Eddie?” Cam asked.

“Yeah, close enough, just a few stops on the subway for me.”

“Oh, nice. You’ll have to hang with us, then.” Cam warmly replied. “I’m right around the corner, and she’s not too far, either. We’ve become pretty accustomed to staying at each other’s places, though, so we don’t have to worry about heading home alone.”

“Ah, that makes sense, good thinking from you guys. Fuckin’ sucks it has to be that way. Shitty world out there.” Eddie lamented.

“You don’t gotta tell us.” Ava glumly agreed.

“Let me throw this stuff out and I’ll get a few more cups of water before we head out.” Cam said, rising from her seat.

Ava sighed deeply as Cam walked away from the table, slumping her shoulders.

“Doing okay?” Eddie asked.

“Yeah, I’m okay. I just can’t wait until you ask for my number.”

Eddie’s eyebrows raised unconsciously as his stomach turned.

“Oh! Yeah!” he exclaimed before he could think to pull back the surprise in his voice. “Definitely, I’d love that.” he continued, a bit cooler, pulling out his phone.

Ava giggled as she grabbed his phone. “Too freakin’ cute.”

“Aw, cuties.” Cam said as she stumbled back.