Broken

Seventeen.

The party was exactly what I needed. I danced the rest of the night with Mykie, Chris and all our friends. Chris was a stud on the dance floor. We kept up with each other's rhythm song after song. Singing the lyrics to each other laughing hysterically since we knew every word to all the songs.
I signaled to my throat to Chris then shimmied to a table with a cooler under it with bottles of water in ice. I opened the bottle to gulp down the cold liquid. I instantly felt relief on my tired vocal chords.
I laughed at Chris still dancing to Hanson's MmmBop. A tap on my arm caused me to spin around to see mom waving. I gave her a sloppy hug and told her I loved her with the slurred words. She held up her phone to me to show the photos of me and Chris kissing on the patio were already in the hands of TMZ. I gulped down more water trying to play off my cheeks blushing bright red. Mom pulled me closer to her.

"Not your boyfriend, huh?" She pried. Before I could defend my actions, the lights dimmed throughout the bar. Twinkling lights resembled stars on the ceiling. The smooth opening guitar to the song More than Words by Extreme began to play. Couples stayed on the dance floor while everyone else cleared the way.
My eyes found Chris in the middle of the dance floor removing his jacket and handing it to Mykie. She walked over to me to place his jacket behind mom then nudged me to him.
"Go get him, tiger." She said into my ear. I laughed and walked up to Chris. He sang along to the words as he held out his hand. He spun me around then brought my hand to the back of his neck. I smiled at his effortless reach for my other hand to also place it on the other side of his neck. I linked my fingers together. His hands rubbed my sides before finding a place to rest on my hips.
I mouthed along to the words admiring the lights on the ceiling.

"This reminds me of my prom." Chris said chuckling, also looking up at the lights. I sighed deeply, pouting my lip. "Didn't you go to your prom?"
"No, I was in a boycotting school functions phase during my senior year." I embarrassingly admitted. He chuckled again. "I regret it now. Especially if it was anything like this." I glanced back up to the ceiling.
"This is better." He whispered and spun me around again. I looked into his eyes that were glistening with the lights above. I returned my hands to behind his neck. He continued to adorably sing along to the song. "All you have to do is close your eyes and just reach out your hands. And touch me, hold me close. Don't ever let me go!" He pulled me to him closer. I dropped my hands to his biceps. I joined in with him for the rest of the song:

"More than words is all I ever needed you to show then you wouldn't have to say that you love me, cause I'd already know." It was as if the words we were singing together brought the realization to the both of us at the same time. Our smiles faded. Our breathing became subtle. I gripped onto the back of his biceps. His hands tightened around my hips.
The song continued to play. Everyone continued to slow dance around us. The subtle and sensual kisses he pecked onto my lips brought me to the clouds.

***

The wet tongue licking my face woke me up the next morning. I pushed away the now declared dog of mine, Deeohgee, with very disgruntled noises. He fought past my hands to again attack me with slobbery kisses.
"Alright, alright. I'm up." He jumped off the bed. My bed. I'm home. I held up my phone to see the time. I'm awake at 6am with six unread text messages from Chris. I swiftly unplugged the phone from the charging cord. If there's one thing I've always been good at when I get wasted, it's always making sure to charge my phone. I sat up in bed and opened the texts. Two texts were very long. I instantly got nervous as I scrolled up to the beginning of the texts and read them slowly, wiping the sleep out of my eyes:

You told me to text you when I got home so I'm home. I hope Mykie and her mom were able to get you into bed.

I glanced down at my limited amount of clothing for pajamas. Mykie. I continued to read:

Nobody has ever told me to tell them when I got home safe

I had insisted on it. Begged them to do it. But you said it first

Now I'm going to say this first, Sarah

I took in a deep breath before reading the last two texts:

Dancing with you and seeing your eyes light up tonight was amazing. You looked even more beautiful smiling at those lights while we danced together. I know we said we were going to take things slow. I want to. I want to be able to give you your space but you have to know that I'm so fucking crazy about you. I have never felt this happy in all my years on this earth.

I know you're going to read this when you wake up. You don't have to reply. If this doesn't scare you away then I would like to take you on a date since you have yet accepted my invitation to do so. Please meet me at my trailer on set at 6:30pm tonight. More than words. 😘

I wiped the tears flooding my eyes. Deeohgee bounced back onto the bed to kiss my tears.
"Aren't you the sweetest?" I kissed his head. The scent radiating from his fur reminded me of Abigail's perfume so she must have bathed him for me last night. I stared at the texts. "He's pretty sweet, too." I said out loud. Deeohgee licked my cheek then leaped off the bed again. "Okay, hold on." I reassured him that we would go outside. I brought my fingertips to the keyboard. I should reply. He thinks I don't have to but I do. But what do I say to that? Thank you? Here's to lookin' at you, kid? Do I play it off as nonchalant or express that he made every essence of my being melt into a puddle of goop? What's goop? I shook myself out of the thoughts to focus. I typed my reply and hit send:

Reading your texts after spending such a magical night with you makes it feel like a dream. I feel like I'm still dreaming. I'll see you at your trailer tonight, handsome. More than words 😘😘

I got up, locked the phone and threw it onto my bed. Deeohgee pranced around the room until I opened the bedroom door and watched him run to the front door.