End of the year is fast approaching, school finished, the weather is warming up and party season has well and truly started. Sometimes it's for a birthday but usually, it's just because we can.
A group of us have been playing basketball all afternoon and have taken a break to discuss what's up for tonight when Johnno dropped by.
A chorus from us all: "Hey Johnno!"
"I'm just dropping past to invite you all to my party tonight."
"What's the occasion?"
"My folks are going away for the weekend and said I could have some friends over if we keep ourselves nice. So, don't go inviting anyone else. I already have a few others coming. I need to keep it small, so the mess isn't too hard to clean up. Okay?"
"That's cool man, but you know we'll all help clean up. Your olds won't even know we've been there."
Johnno smiled. "Thanks guys, you're the best. I gotta go, catch ya tonight."
Someone yelled out to him, "What time?"
"Oh yeah, the olds' aren't leaving till about seven so to be sure they're gone before you get there, any time after eight should be fine.
Well, it appears that tonight is sorted so we finished our game then all went home to shower and get ready. We agreed to meet at Macca's (McDonald's) later for something to eat then we'd all walk to Johnno’s together.
After my shower, shaving my legs and neatly trimming other things, I put on my favourite denim mini skirt, a tight dark blue cotton tank top and a little bit of makeup. I'm not one who likes to tart up too much. So, for me, less is more. As I was leaving, I kissed my grandfather on the forehead. "Bye Pop."
"Bye, sweetie," he replied in his raspy voice from years of smoking, "You look nice, where are you off to?" He’s noticed I’ve put on some makeup.
"A bunch of us are meeting at McDonald's, then we're going to Johnno's tonight for a small party. You remember Johnno, don't you, Pop? He's really tall with sandy blond hair. It's no big deal. Should be pretty chilled."
"Okay, be good and if you can't be good, be careful and have fun. And you can tell me all about it tomorrow," he said with a cheeky smirk and a wink.
"Pop, you are incorrigible."
As I pulled the door closed, I yelled out, "Bye mum." Didn't wait for a reply and headed down to Macca's to meet everyone.
I was the last to arrive. Everyone else was already there and there were also a couple of extras I don't know. Joslin introduced me.
"Courtney, this is Tim and Craig. They're friends of Michael's."
Michael interrupted because he knew I was about to say something.
"Johnno said it was okay. They could come. He knows about it and it's okay before you get bent out of shape about the extra people. It's okay."
I smiled at Michael to acknowledge his interjection then turned to Tim and Craig.
"Hi, Tim and Craig, is it?"
Craig reached his hand out and I shook it and he partially stepped in front of Tim.
"Nice to meet you, Courtney. Joslin’s been telling me all about you."
I was feeling just a little embarrassed and I shot Joslin a look as she held her hands up and mouthed something, but I couldn't make it out.
"Oh has she just?" I replied, "Well, I'll have words with Joslin later about that."
"Thanking her I hope," he replied with a self-confident smile.
"Well, you're a bit full..."
Someone interrupted me by yelling out that we should order some food stopping me from finishing my sentence.
We started lining up to place our orders, so I pulled Joslin aside. "Why were you telling him about me?"
"Because he asked, he was very insistent, wanting to know about you. That's why. I didn't just start talking about you for no reason. He's kinda cute, I'm not going to pump up your tyres when I might have wanted to have a go at him. I'm feeling horny tonight."
I laughed, "You're always horny. that's no different to any other night."
With a very cheeky grin, she replied, "Yeah, that's true but anyway, Craig clearly wasn't interested in me. I've got a feeling he's only here because of you and he's dragged his mate Tim along as..."
"As his wingman?"
"Yeah, that," she replied with a chuckle.
"So, what did he ask?"
"He already knew your name. His first question was, making sure you were coming tonight and then were you seeing anyone, did you have a boyfriend. Then he asked if you lived locally."
"So, he already knows enough about me to know my name and that I'd be here with you guys. Where does he know me from?"
"I don't know. I asked him that but then you walked in and he didn't answer me."
"Interesting. Yes, you're right, he is cute but so is his mate Tim so why don't you keep him busy while I find out what's Craig's story."
"No problem, how busy do you want me to keep him?"
"I don't know, use your imagination. Sit on his face if you want too."
A very wicked smile came across Joslin's face. One I’d seen many times before.
"Okay. I'm on it."
With that, right there in the queue at Macca's and in front of everyone Joslin approached Tim.
"Courtney said I should sit on your face. So, what about it, are you up for that?"
Everyone laughed and Tim turned bright red and didn't know which way to look. He started to stammer, then finally managed to squeak out, "Yeah, sure. Sounds like fun."
Joslin gave him a quick kiss. "Oh, it will be fun, I guarantee that."
I got my meal and sat down to eat, and Craig sat next to me. There was a nervous tension and neither of us said anything while we ate. I was starting to feel a little awkward. Finally, he broke the ice.
"How do you know Johnno?"
"I was going to ask you the same question, but I didn’t want to be first to speak. I've known him since first grade, and we all play basketball at Albert Park. And you, how do you know him and how do you know me? Why were you asking about me?"
"I know him from football, Aussie Rules footy. Tim and I play in the same district as Michael and Johnno."
"And me? you were asking about me. How do you know my name, and why were you asking about me?"
Craig swallowed the last of his burger and took a drink by way of delaying the inevitable. Finally, he spoke, his voice a little croaky with nerves.
"You were at a party in South Yarra last weekend. I saw you there."
I thought for a moment. It was like a light came on over my head.
"Yes, I remember you... You kept looking at me."
"Please don't think I'm a creep or anything. I liked you and had asked a few people to find out your name. I finally summoned the nerve to walk over to talk to you when the cops banged on the door and broke the party up. I don't know what their problem was but none of us was waiting around to find out. Once we were outside, I looked around for you, but I couldn't find you."
"I'm only seventeen and if the cops saw me drinking. Well, I didn't want to get caught so I shot through to a friend’s place just down the street until the heat had cleared and then we went back to the party for a while, but it was pretty dead after that."
Craig chuckled and we both were starting to feel a little less nervous.
Walking to Johnno's place, we walked together but didn't say much except when we both noticed Joslin with her arm around Tim’s waist as they walked together. Craig leaned over a little and whispered, "Your friend, Joslin's a live wire. I'm not sure Tim will know what to do."
"It's okay. He won't have to know. Joslin will tell him exactly what to do. When to do it, how to do it and where." I laughed then added, "And the where won't much matter to Joslin."
Craig didn't reply but he did look a little concerned for his mate.
"It's okay, don’t worry, he'll be fine."
Twice we crossed major roads and he held my hand as we crossed which I thought was sweet of him.
At Johnno's place, the party was already pumping. We stayed in the kitchen talking where it was a little bit quieter and we could hear each other. He asked a lot about my basketball and I asked about his football.
A couple of times I thought he was going to kiss me, but something always seemed to happen to distract him. Someone would walk in or there'd be some commotion or other in the other room.
Suddenly there was a whole heap of people in the kitchen and he leaned in and I thought he was finally going to kiss me, but he whispered in my ear,
"I can see a nice swing seat in the back yard. It'll be quieter out there and it looks comfortable. Do you want to go out there?"
Sitting on the seat, our conversation seems to have dried up. Craig had his arm around my shoulder, sort of and was looking at me as he started to move in. Surely, he's going to kiss me this time but suddenly there's another commotion inside and we can see through the window, Joslin has removed her top and bra.
I laughed. "Somebody probably dared her and that would be all it takes."
Craig laughed, "And what if someone dares her to take the rest of her clothes off?"
"Then she'll be naked," I replied with a chuckle.