Everything

IX

December 2008

I had never been allowed to wear crop tops.

My family would always go on and on about revealing clothing and how it wasn't becoming of a young lady such as myself.

But right now, in the last week of my first semester as a Columbia freshman, my parents weren't here and I could wear whatever I chose.

So, a white crop top with a white denim skirt and flat white lace up pumps was what I decided on. I didn't go to house parties very often, in fact, this was one of my first. But Alicia and I had been invited by a guy from our dorm hallway, and despite my reticence, she encouraged me to accompany her. She was confident and outgoing, everything I wasn't, but she was an amazing friend and I was lucky to have met her.

Alicia had bounced out of the bathroom, bangs curled at her forehead in tight black spandex, a fitted black top and six inch heels. She so far seemed to have the uncanny knack of looking like a model whatever she wore.

"This party is going to be absolutely incredible!" she squealed, "And, we'll finally get a chance to introduce you to some hot college guys!"

Oh no. Here we go again. 

Alicia, my outgoing, bubbly roommate had made it her life's mission to set me up with college guys. The way I saw it, I would meet a guy when I met a guy. There was no big deal about it. But Alicia, popular as ever on campus, wanted me to be right up in the ranks with her. I loved her for it, she had good intentions, but none of that was in my personality. I was just an 18-year-old virgin from Queens who'd never had a boyfriend before.

The pair of us rocked up to the large frat house at 9pm. The bass was pumping and the alcohol flowing. I stuck tight to Alicia's side, afraid to lose her in the heavy crowds.

An up-tempo Beyonce track... Get Me Bodied, was pounding out of the stereos as we made our way through the partygoers straight into the living room. It was a huge space, relatively full but with enough space to dance, unlike the rest of the house. The numerous people that were in the room had formed a makeshift dance floor and were cutting shapes in the middle of the space. I couldn't remember the last time I had danced...at least to something that wasn't Latino.

Alicia nudged my shoulder, smiling wide with her usual bubbly personality, "This is so amazing!"

I smiled right back, her good mood was proving rather infectious, "It's okay, isn't it? Better than I thought it would be."

"See!" she exclaimed, "You don't get out enough! And the guys are going to be all over you in that outfit, Hot Stuff!"

I blushed hard, "Alicia..."

"Oh, okay, okay, don't take me seriously if you don't want to! But I'm telling the truth." she grinned.

"If you say so..." I mumbled, attempting to take the attention off myself, "The music is good at least."

"Yeah, it's great!" Alicia flicked her bangs from her eyes, "I'm going to get us both a drink. Are you good here?"