01. Electricity

THE WALLS AROUND me are dancing while the music from the karaoke keeps blaring in the background.

My best friend, Kelly is singing Cheap Thrills at the top of her lungs and the other people in the room are talking loudly with the birthday celebrant, Abegail. Almost all of them are just as tipsy as I am. Others are even way too drunk that they couldn't stop themselves from shouting and jumping all over the room.

I would have totally stayed glued on my seat just to support Kelly in her mini-live concert but my kidneys are already screaming inside of me. I can't help but imagine them bursting into pieces just because I've been stopping myself from going to the comfort room for no reason at all. So I dizzily make my way towards my transgender friend, Marky, who's also too busy entertaining his boyfriend, Jonas. They are literally eating each other's faces. Cringe.

"Guys, excuse me," I squeak. I don't really want to disturb them but the feeling is already killing me! Marky flicks his fake eyelashes at me and mouths the words 'What the hell' in front of my face. Jonas' lips just twitch into a smile.

"Do you know where the comfort room is?" I ask, ignoring Marky's evident irritation. But he's just too sassy to even bother answering me. Instead, he waves his hand and randomly calls one of our friends.

"MJ! C'mere bitch."

Geez. Did he just seriously use the b-word?

We watch as a lanky girl with a shoulder length hair casually excuses herself from her companions and smilingly walks towards us. Thank God this one isn't a stranger to me

I remember this girl from high school. We even had some stupid endearments before and texted each other every weekend. But of course, that was already five years ago. Everything changed since college. I doubt if she still remembers all of it.

"Zup?" she coolly asks when she reaches us, facing Marky. I see Jonas quietly slips away to get himself another drink.

"Can you accompany Alexis to the comfort room?" Marky asks. His eyes suspiciously glare at Jonas, who, by now, is already flirting with a hot chic named Bella, also a friend of ours. I can't help myself from shaking my head when Jonas purposely smack Bella's behind. And yeah, Marky starts screaming like a psycho and he just frantically throws himself towards Jonas again.

"MJ, just accompany Alexis on the comfort room, kay?" he says loudly, then he starts nagging at Jonas.

I awkwardly clear my throat and face MJ with an awkward smile, "Y-you don't need to come with me. You can just give me the directions.

"No. I'll go with you," she says, holding me in her gaze, "I'm gonna use the comfort room, too."

"Well, okay. Lead the way then."

"Follow me."

We walk through the narrow room and squeeze through the bodies inside the karaoke room. I keep on saying 'Excuse me' to everyone we pass by

"Where are you going?" I hear Kelly through the microphone.

"Going out. I'm gonna pee," I shout back, waving a hand in the air. She throws a thumbs up and continues singing.

I immediately blink as my eyes adjust to the natural light outside. MJ also rubs her eyes with the back of her hands as soon as she steps into the daylight. The karaoke room is kinda dark but with disco lights flashing all over your face. It's also loud inside and the smell in the room reminds me of an air-conditioned bus. Somehow, it feels great to breathe in a little air.

Kelly's voice has gone muffled as soon as we walk away from that room

We are not speaking as we walk through the pathway leading to the comfort room, which, according to MJ, is located downstairs. Only the sound of our footsteps can be heard as we trudge the cemented aisle. I pretend to look around and see more rooms ahead. We even pass by a small cafeteria and another small room which is converted into a boutique. I guess this is sort of a commercial building, I say on my mind.

"Why were you guys calling mean things to each other?" I later on ask, just to spark up a conversation. She takes a side way glance at me.

"You mean, Marky and me?"

"Yeah. He called you the b-word."

"We're always like that," she replies, chuckling, "don't you remember our crazy banters back in high school?”

I smile upon a sudden recollection of memory. Yeah... I remember high school.

"Our squad remained intact despite the intervention of college life," says MJ. Her hands are lazily tucked inside her pocket," nothing actually changed to the way we treated each other."

I could tell how proud she is of her friends. It's true. Real friendships do not just change despite the separation. I suddenly feel jealous.

"I did not have a squad in high school. I-I only got Kelly."

We carefully walk down the stairs leading to the comfort room. I tightly hold unto the railings because I still honestly feel so dizzy.

"Yeah, you did not have a squad," MJ says, "because you owned all the squad."

That makes me laugh. "What do you think of me? A frat leader?"

When we reach the floor, MJ hurriedly goes to the door and opens it for me. I step in, smiling. Then, she immediately enters an empty cubicle. Thank God no other ladies are huddled here. Sometimes, I hate it when I get to use the public comfort rooms. Some girls do not know how to respect one's personal time and space. I usually have to wait for thirty minutes or more just so they could finish putting lipstick and face powders on their faces. Some even make use of the place as a photo booth! They irritate me every time. I'm also delighted because the CR is clean and well-maintained. I could even smell a sweet lavender scent all over the place.

"You know what I mean, Alexis," I hear MJ say, disturbing my silent thoughts. I enter the empty cubicle beside hers. Her husky voice echoes around the room. I listen as she unzips her short pants and starts urinating. I suddenly feel a burning sensation on my nape. 

"You and Kelly were pretty much alike," her voice is still resonating around the room, "you were both flexible and friendly. And everyone just loved hanging out with you. And I mean it when I said everyone."

"Well, Kelly was popular—

"You were also popular, Alexis."

Her remarks have cut me off.

**

MJ is already washing her hands on the sink when I get out of the cubicle.

"I just realized it now..." I say, standing alongside her.

"Y-you were kinda right about how I ended having no squad of my own," I say, sighing to myself, "it's ironic how everyone thought of me as a popular girl in high school when in fact, I didn't really belong in a group. Overtime, I realized that it's not really about having a million friends in life. Sometimes, it's all about keeping the real ones—and by the way, Kelly had a squad.

She stares at me and scratches her head, "Hmm, the Lipstick Girls, correct?"

I nod and pout my lips. Just the mere mention of them annoys me a lot. MJ lets out a giggle.

"Why didn't you join them?" she asks, teasing me. I don't answer. I just shrug my shoulder, showing my indifference. "I just don't like being with them. Period. I didn't like their company. They always talked about boys, about their makeup and of what color of lipstick they would wear every Friday," I blurt out.

Friday was the school's wash day. It means, we didn't need to wear our school uniforms on that day. It's just the perfect day for the Lipstick Girls to display their perfect girl get-up. Too bad I couldn't criticize them since my best friend was with them. I just find them pathetic, getting boys' attention and pretending like they were some famous It girls. Ha! I shrug to myself.

"I could even hear them saying 'Friday, Fly day!' on my mind right now—in chorus!" I say, feeling overwhelmed with my thoughts of the past.

Another wave of giggles escapes MJ's lips. "Well, they were ridiculous before with all their matching hair bands and skirts," she says laughing, "but I think they liked you."

I smirk. They didn't like me. They were not interested in me. It was only Kelly they were interested about. No one was interested in me in high school. Except Kelly, of course, but she would still be fine without me. I brush my melodramatic thoughts away and reach for the faucet. Our elbows accidentally brush.

"I didn't like the taste of lipstick. And my lips feel swollen every time I put it on."

She laughs again. The echoes of her voice are all over the place.

"Seriously? But why are you wearing one right now?"

"I got used to it," I snap back, "change is constant—and wearing it doesn't mean I like it."

I wipe my hands with toilet papers. MJ also does the same.

"Besides, I might stumble into one of my students on the road. I'd still want to show them a presentable face in or out of the school."

MJ clicks her tongue, "Teachers are really something. They're so decent."

My mouth twitches into a smile, "You think so?"

"Absolutely! That's why I always like to date a teacher," she whispers, almost in a sexy way.

I suddenly feel nervous when I hear her say that. I clear my throat and try to calm my nerves. I pretend to throw the crumpled toilet papers on the trash can behind me.

"I'm sure I wouldn't be included in the 'Most Decent Teachers League' right now," I say, sighing and forcing a laugh. MJ nudges my side, "Come on, why would you ever say that?"

"Because—well, I'm at a birthday party—in a karaoke bar," I say, waving my hand. "—drank beer for almost four hours already, and I'm tipsy. Really, really tipsy!"

"You're tipsy?" she asks, advancing towards me.

"Yes!"

"'you sure?"

"yes—" I shake my head and settles my hands on the sink. All of a sudden, I feel MJ snakes her right arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to her side. I shudder as I suddenly feel a tingling sensation on my stomach.

"Hey, look at you in the mirror," she says, forcing me to stare at the two women on the reflection. Black hair, sad eyes and confident lips—MJ is pretty much like me.

"It's totally okay to have some fun, sometimes. It won't make you less of a person. And remember that you are decent, smart, and pretty," she says, a naughty smirk plastered on her lips, "just the kind of girl I prefer."

I lightly push her away and sprinkle water on her face, "Stop being such a flirt, MJ. Your girlfriend's gonna rip my face off if you keep on doing that. Behave.”

"Correction," she says, "I don't have a girlfriend." She lightly bites the sleeve of my shirt. Oh good Lord, what is she doing?

"Err, a boyfriend?" I ask, feeling electrified once again.

"Gross!" she blurts, wrinkling her nose.

"But seriously, tell me," I say, forcing her to face me, "do you like someone right now?" I don't know why I am asking such stupid things. But maybe it's just because of the beer.

"Well, now that you've asked me that," she replies as she stares deeply into my eyes. I wrinkle my forehead, suddenly feeling the awkward sensation again, "Some girl has just caught my attention," she says as she carelessly tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, "and, I'm sure that she will date me, sooner or later."

I force another laugh, "You're so full of yourself, girl."

"I'm just confident," she replies winking. MJ playfully holds my hand and smiles at me. "You still have the habit of licking your lips whenever you get nervous," she says, playing with my fingers, "are you nervous, ma'am Alexis?"

I force an awkward chuckle. "W—why would I be nervous?"

MJ's face splits into a grin. She reaches for the trash can behind me, intentionally trapping me between her arms. Another wave of electricity crawl all over my body. This is so wrong. Our bodies feel so close, so intimate. Our lips are just few inches apart. I suddenly have a sudden urge of kissing her. Should I kiss her, now?

Oh God, Alexis. Stop it! I scream on my head. I try to stay on focus. "W-what are you doing?" I ask, it feels like my voice has suddenly left my throat.

"Relax ma'am," she whispers, "I'm just reaching for the trash can."

I suck a considerable amount of air and fill my lungs with the lavender scent inside the comfort room. This is so fucked up; I awkwardly push her aside.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," I say, crossing my arms. I feel a little embarrassed to myself.  She fakes an innocent look on her face and raises her hands in the air, "Woah, I'm not doing anything."

I roll my eyes. Despite of myself, I couldn't stop myself from smiling. I smile so hard that it feels like my face would be torn into half. "Come on, now. Let's get out of here," I say.

I walk towards the door but MJ carefully pulls me into a hug, leaving me astounded and shocked. "I missed you, babe," she whispers as she tightens her grip around me. Her words tickle my ear. Did she just really use our high school endearment? Woah.

"I—I miss you, too," feeling giddy all of a sudden, "I can't believe you still remember that stupid endearment.”

I settle my thin arms around her neck and pulls her closer. Some strands of her hair even brush to my nose. They smell of strawberry flavored shampoo. I wonder if she also uses Sunsilk. And gosh, I hope she'll never notice the abrupt drumming of my heart now that we are already hugging each other, chest to chest. I smile to myself, chest to chest...literally.

"Why would I ever forget?" she says, giggling, "You're the only one who calls me that."

"Really?"

"Yes! I didn't let anybody call me that.”

I couldn't believe it. My heart flutters upon hearing those words. It just feels so overwhelming.

Silence engulfs us as we stay in that position for a moment. Then I jolt when I suddenly feel her mouth on my neck. "You feel hot," she whispers.

"Because I'm alive, dork." And you are hugging me.

I feel at ease as we continue the hug. It feels like everything around me stands still. Heart beats, nervous giggles and intimacy—all of it make me realize how much I've missed her. "Let's head back?" she softly asks later on, as she gently breaks the hug. I nod my head and smile at her.

We get out of the comfort room, beaming like drunken teenagers. The tension in my body still keeps building up, especially that MJ is holding my hand on purpose. And as we walk back together towards the karaoke room, my mind is preoccupied with the knot that I am feeling on my stomach. Worse, I could still feel the weird electricity that's circulating all over my body even until this moment.

This is wrong, Alexis! I hear my mind screaming.

I know. And yet, I admit that I kinda like the attraction.

Damn. What's happening to me?