Just a Memory

A List of Cliches

7

I stood in my room, dressed in only a towel, staring at my closet. A girl would’ve already pondered about what she was going to wear, gone shopping, and ended up sitting in a pile of strewn out clothes rethinking everything. I didn’t understand how girls could have hundreds of clothes and still complain about not having a damned thing to wear, but my mom always said, “You’ll understand one day.” Here I am, going out on my first date, and I still don’t.

I decide on jeans and one of my newer t-shirts. Really, it’s the middle of summer and you’re going out wearing jeans? I scolded myself. Reece is my friend; I don’t think she’ll be intimidated no matter what I wear. I sounded like such a girl. Usually I don’t care what I wear. I bought it, so I like it, and it’s sure to match with something else, so why flip out?

I decided on a button-up collared shirt, a casual one I wore to my eighth grade graduation, and stayed with the jeans. I did what I usually did with my hair: gelled it and brushed it back. I checked myself in the mirror. It’s just dinner and a movie; you don’t have to wear a tuxedo.

I ran hurriedly down the stairs. My mom took one look at me form where she was reading a romance novel on the couch. “Where are you going all dressed up?” she asked.

I shrugged like I didn’t care. I could feel my blood pounding through my veins. “It’s Hawaiian shirt day,” I explained. My mom knew that this was one of the dumber things I did with my friends, wearing Hawaiian shirts for no reason and walking around the mall like we owned the place. “It’s the closest thing I have.”

Mom raised an eyebrow, her typical ‘weirded out’ expression. “Have fun,” she called after me as I slammed the door. I practically jogged to Reece’s house. I rang the doorbell.

“Hey shithead,” Maverick said. It had become a traditional greeting since fourth grade. Maverick had cleaned up a lot. His hair was shorter, he was in college on scholarship and he had a nice girlfriend the last two years. I still couldn’t believe this was the same guy who taught me how to swear when I was nine.

“Have fun with my sister tonight,” he said, letting me in the house. I felt unwelcome, although I practically lived here.

“She told you?” I shouted. Maverick laughed. “Hell no,” he said, cracking up at my startled expression. “It’s so obvious. You’re more dressed up than you were for promotion and Reece has been freaking out for days. She was talking about you to her friends a few months ago.”

“Months ago?” I asked. “This is our first date.”

Maverick looked at me. “I know that,” he said, scanning the way I had apparently obviously over prepared for this. “Maybe she liked you before then.”

I couldn’t help smiling. Reece came down the stairs, wearing a black skirt with a dark blue top. She was dressed way more formally than I was. She blushed when she saw me. “I know I’m overdressed. Should I change?” she asked.

I stared at her. She had even curled her hair. According to Nikki, no one bothers with that unless it’s something really special. I shook my head. “No, you’re perfect,” I said. Maverick laughed in spite of us.

“Reece, you look ridiculous,” he said.

“Oh shut up, Maverick,” she said, turning away from me. “Just go have sex with your girlfriend or something.”

“No,” Maverick said. “I actually like her. There’s no way I’m going to scare her off.”

Reece rolled her eyes. She knew as well as anyone his track record with past girlfriends. She turned back to me. “Are you ready to go?”