Chapter 1: Electricity

Alexis

I BLINK MY eyes and realize that the walls are swaying before me.

I’ve been in this karaoke bar for four hours already, watching my drunk friends jumping and shouting all over the room, and chuckling to myself as Kelly, my childhood best friend makes an exaggerated head bang. She is singing Cheap Thrills at the top of her lungs, oddly looking like a concert queen rocking the arena. The other people in the bar are talking loudly with the birthday celebrant, Abigail.

The party is filled with familiar faces. They’re people I’ve come to know with way back in high school and Kelly is close with them. So naturally I have to come here as well being the good best friend that I am, and also because Abigail requested my presence. And yet, here I am, sitting idly in the couch, listening to my best friend who is currently having a very wild and on the spot concert in front of everyone. Everybody seems to be enjoying it though despite of the very loud music that’s reverberating all over the place. Maybe because Kelly has such a very nice voice and her choice of songs are truly excellent.

I would have totally stayed glued on my seat to support Kelly in her mini-live concert but my kidneys are already screaming inside of me. Letting them burst in my insides will be the last thing that I ever want to witness in my entire life, so I dizzily make my way towards my trans friend, Marky, who is sitting nearby with his boyfriend. The two of them seem to not notice my presence. They are so absorbed in kissing and touching each other’s body that the sight of them makes me cringe.

“Hey, guys.” I squeak. “I’d hate to disturb you but I really, really have to go to the comfort room.”

Marky flicks his eyelashes at me and mouths the words What the hell! in front of my face. I ignore his evident irritation and say further, “You need to tell me where.”

Jonas, Marky’s boyfriend twitches his mouth into a smile and quietly slips to get himself another drink. Marky feels more annoyed. I laugh as he rolls his eyes at me and watch him randomly calls someone.

“MJ!” he says loudly, waving a hand in the air. I look at the direction and see a chubby girl excuses herself from her companions.

“Faster, bitch!”

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

I watch the girl as she coolly walks towards us. Her shoulder length hair ruffles her face as she eyes Marky with a curious look. This girl isn’t a stranger to me. I’ve known her since high school but I’m not sure if she still remembers.

”Zup?” she asks Marky when she reaches us. Marky explains the situation and I am left gawking at her. She is wearing a baby blue tee and a pair of short pants that go above her knee. And despite of her tanned skin, I could see a hint of crimson on her cheeks, indicating that she is as flustered as I am. I watch as she brushes her hands to her hair, forgetting the fact that I am in the verge of peeing my pants off.

Marky pokes my side and tells me to just go with MJ. He excuses himself and throws himself to Jonas again.

“So, err, let’s go?” MJ asks me, her head’s slightly tilted to the direction of the door.

“Y-you don’t need to come with me,” I say, flashing an awkward smile at her, “just give me the directions.”

“Well, I can do that if that’s the case but unfortunately you’re not the only one whose got kidneys,” she replies, chuckling.

“Oh…right,” I reply breathlessly.

MJ flashes a toothy grin and ushers me to tail behind her as we walk the narrow aisle leading to the door. The place is so small that we have to squeeze through the bodies huddled here and I have to keep on saying “Excuse me” to everyone we pass by.

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

I stop walking and wave a hand in the air. “Going out. Have to pee!” Kelly throws a thumbs up and continues singing.

~~~

My eyes hurt a little as soon as I step out in the open. MJ is even brushing her eyes with the back of her hands. It’s not a surprise since the karaoke bar inside is kinda dark. Disco balls with neo colored lightings dance all over the place. Stepping out after staying in that dim-lighted room is indeed a relief. So I fill my lungs with fresh air and give MJ a shy smile. She smiles back and tells me that the comfort room is located downstairs. We start walking and I realize that Kelly's voice has gone muffled as soon as we walk away from the bar.

We are not speaking as we trudge the cemented pathway. Only the sounds of our footsteps can be heard since both of us are being quiet and reserved. I pretend to look around and see more rooms ahead. We even pass by a small cafeteria and an average sized room which is converted into a boutique. I guess this is some sort of commercial building.

I take a quick glance at MJ and notice that she looks bigger and healthier now. I can’t help but contemplate how I’m still stuck on my average height and petite body after all these years. I shake the thoughts away and decide to ease the silence that has been engulfing us.

“Why do you allow Marky to say mean things to you?” I ask, hoping to spark up a conversation. MJ briefly looks at me and think for a moment.

“Are you saying about the b-word?” she replies, grinning. I nod my head in response. “We’re always like that. Don’t you remember how crazy we were in high school?”

I beam at her as a sudden recollection of memories flash before me. “Of course,” I quietly say.

MJ starts talking about her squad and how they remained intact with college underway. I could tell how proud she is of her friends.

“Lucky you. I never had a squad in high school,” I comment as I tightly hold the railings of the stairs. “I only got Kelly.”

MJ lets out a throaty laugh. “Of course, you don’t have a squad. You owned all the squad.”

“You’re making it sound like I was a frat leader,” I reply, giggling.

“You were more than a frat leader.”

Both of us laugh again at the comment.

Upon reaching the floor, MJ opens the door for me and I gratefully step inside. There are two cubicles which are both empty, thank God, and a big mirror, a sink, and two faucets at the right side of the room. The tiled comfort room smells of lavender and the place is clean. Usually, a normal public CR in the Philippines wouldn’t be as clean as this.

“Uh! So glad no other ladies are crowded here,” I say, heaving a sigh. MJ immediately steps inside the empty cubicle, chuckling at what I’ve just said.

“Yup,” she says. I could already hear her unzipping her short pants. “They usually take thirty minutes putting lipstick and face powder.”

“And they even make this place a photo booth. That’s just so inconsiderate, don’t you think?” I say as I step inside the empty cubicle beside hers. She has started urinating and I don’t know why but I feel uneasy being alone with her in this public CR. It just doesn’t make sense. So I try to shake the emotions away and just do my thing in silence.

MJ is already washing her hands on the sink when I get out of the cubicle. I stand beside her, open the faucet, and wet my hands.

“It’s ironic how a popular student like me never really ended with a squad.”

MJ looks at me intently in the mirror and I look at her as well.

“You and Kelly were just so genuine and fun to be with and everywhere you go and everyone who would be with you will just automatically complement you. Back then I knew you didn’t need a squad.”

I let out a chuckle, letting her know that I don’t agree with her. “Kelly had a squad,” I say dismissively.

As if something funny hits her, MJ laughs loudly, letting her voice echo all over the place. “The Lipstick Girls.”

“The ridiculous Lipstick Girls,” I rephrase.

The Lipstick Girls was a five-member girl squad. They used to wear red lipstick, skinny jeans and short skirts back in high school thus the name. Friday was their favorite day of the week simply because it was the only day where they could display their perfect girl-get up or OOTD’s since it was scheduled as wash day, which means we didn’t get to wear uniforms and just wore whatever we wanted.

“You should have joined them,” MJ says teasingly.

I roll my eyeballs at her. “They only talk about boys which was really annoying. And I can’t wear those ugly and matching headbands and lipstick!”

MJ laughs loudly as she sees my face crease into a frown. “Relax, I was just teasing you.”

“Just the mere mention of them boils my blood. Too bad I couldn’t criticize them since my best friend was with them.”

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

I smirk. They didn't like me. They were not interested in me because 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. “Nah, you don’t need to say such kind words to me, girl. That was like six years ago already.” I brush my melodramatic thoughts away and reach for the faucet. Our elbows accidentally brush.

“But at least you already wear lipstick now.”

I giggle. “I just have no choice, silly.”

“I know, ma’am Alexis,” she replies, poking my ribs. “I’m proud of you. Teachers like you are very decent. In fact,” she says, leaning on me to whisper something, “I like dating one.”

A laugh escapes my lips, hoping to get rid of the awkward sensation in my gut. I don’t like where this conversation is going.

But of course, that’s a lie.

“I wouldn’t be part of that Decent teachers’ League right now, MJ.”

“Come on, why would you ever say that?” she whines, sprinkling water on my face.

“Stop sprinkling water on my face!” I shout, laughing. The two of us later on resolve in stupid banters, touching each other’s hands and sprinkling water to each other, until we stop and become serious again.

“Why did you say you don’t belong in the Decent Teacher’s League, huh?”

“Well, maybe because I’m in this karaoke bar, I’ve been drinking beer for almost four hours, and I’m tipsy…really, really tipsy.”

“You’re tipsy?” she asks, repeating what I’ve said and advancing towards me. I shudder as my back touches the cold wall behind me and her arms rest at my side, trapping me in between. That being said, I could honestly feel a tingling sensation on my stomach, knowing how close her face is to me.

“You are decent, intelligent, and pretty,” she says, holding me in her gaze. “Just the kind of girl I prefer.”

I playfully push her face away and draw a nervous laugh. Geez, this girl is being silly.

"Stop flirting, 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 adds, as she lightly bites the sleeve of my shirt. Oh good Lord, what is she doing?

"Err, a boyfriend?" I ask, feeling so electrified by now.

"Gross!" she blurts out, wrinkling her nose in pure disgust. The sight of her face is just so funny.

“Whatever you say,” I tease. “But tell me, do you like someone right now?”

I don’t know why I am asking such question out of the blue but maybe it’s just because of the beer. Anyhow, MJ looks at me with a smirk plastered in her face. “Yep. Somebody who is a decent and cute girl, just caught my attention.”

“Care to know who that decent and cute girl is?” I press on, imitating her facial expression.

“I’m not telling. But tell you what, I know she’ll date me sooner or later.”

“Oho—you’re so full of yourself, girl.”

“I’m just confident!”

“Well I hope that’ll turn out right.”

Instead of shooting a witty response, MJ suddenly pulls me into a hug, leaving me shocked beyond knowing. I gasp, feeling my jaw drops to the floor.

“W-what are you doing?” I manage to whisper after sometime.

It now occurs to me that we’re really hugging right now. I could really feel her warmth seeping through my skin. I could smell her hair that smells of Sunsilk. And I could hear the unusual thumping of my heart that echoes hers as well. We are truly hugging, chest to chest.

I smile to myself, chest to chest—literally.

“I just missed you, babe,” she says, making my eyes pop. Another of her gestures has shaken me again.  “W-what did you just call me?”

“Uhh? Babe?” she replies, confusion is heard in her tone.

“Geez, I can’t believe you still remember that stupid endearment,” I excitedly exclaim, pulling her into a tighter embrace.

“Of course! Just so you know, I never let anyone call me that.”

I couldn't believe it. Hearing these from here overwhelms me.

We stay in that position for a moment. But 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.

It’s funny but I really 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 later on asks 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 keeps building up, especially that MJ is holding my hand on purpose. And as we walk side by side, back to the karaoke bar, 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. Yes, I know. And yet, I admit that I kinda like the attraction.

Damn. What's happening to me?

xoxoPAxoxo