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Guests for Thomas' party were scheduled to arrive by 21:30, but I decided to go earlier. I put on a black t-shirt and blue jeans. I left the house alone since Isabelle was still getting ready and I bet she wouldn't be done for a while. I figured if I got there early I could help Thomas get things ready. Only when I started getting closer to his house did the idea that I might be a bother popped into my mind, but it seemed I made the right choice. I was there by 20:20 and I caught Thomas running around his two story house.
"Oliver! God, I could kiss you right now! Mind helping me out? I had to run an errand for my dad that made me late. I have nothing ready for the party." Dude was outright panicking, so there was no way I wouldn't help.
We moved tables, chairs, made space for people to dance, and got expensive and fragile items out of the way. I went out to buy the things he needed while he made the rest of the arrangements.
Thomas' house was big. Two stories like mine, yeah, but his was far bigger and more spacious. The backyard alone would've been enough to hold a party for 20 or so people. It had a pool and shiny grass all around. His family was well off, obviously.
"Man, you're a lifesaver," he laughed. We had his house ready in record time, and as expected, Thomas played a perfect host the moment people started arriving. I got out of the way for him to greet all his guests. I picked a spot in the backyard that let me see the main entrance through the glass doors, and as I watched people entering and walking around, I noticed one of the people I was most aware of.
Milana was here on time, but her friends weren't. The Russian girl was glancing around, more than likely looking for her group. Then again, perhaps she was looking for her boyfriend? I didn't know if she or the other two had boyfriends at all, but I didn't want to find out anyway. It wasn't like I believed I had a shot, but knowing the doors are closed makes things sting more.
Despite not everyone being there yet, the party didn't take long to get started. Music was playing, people were drinking and some even jumped straight into the pool. I settled on a more secluded spot and watched them. I saw them dancing and heard them talking, and the only person I really knew in this whole party was being his annoyingly sociable self and going around making sure everyone was having a good time. Seriously, it was HIS birthday party. He should've relaxed more.
Every other moment or so, my eyes went back to Milina, who was walking around with a beer in hand and taking small sips. She was still alone, much to my surprise, but after turning away from her to see someone do a pretty impressive double front flip into the pool and then back to her, I saw the foreign beauty talking to someone. A guy.
I didn't want to watch that, but they were talking by the door to the living room. If I wanted to get into the house I'd have to walk past them. Yet that was better than seeing a girl I had some moderate interest in getting hit on by another guy, so I pushed through.
I walked as fast as I could, but by the time I was at the door they were squarely in the way. I'd been trying to ignore whatever they were talking about but I couldn't walk past without asking the guy to move out of the way. Problem was, I couldn't.
"Come on, Mila. You know I'm a nice guy. Do you have anything against me?" the big guy asked.
"I don't. We barely know each other," Milana said. "And only my friends can call me Mila."
"Then let's get to know each other a lot tonight," the guy insisted, grinning confidently.
"Um..." I tried to speak, but my words got caught in my throat. The guy turned to me with a deeply annoyed look, and my face just froze.
I was bothering them. The guy was trying to have a calm chat with Milana and I was bothering them. I didn't dare look at her. I didn't want to see her giving me the same mean look. Besides, my face was stuck looking at the guy. I wanted to apologize and walk away, but I was too anxious to even do that. My voice wouldn't come out.
Then, surprisingly, it was him who stepped back. His annoyance turned into a faint grimace as he looked at me. I think I even noticed him shaking. He gave me one last glance before he stepped away and into the house.
And I had no fucking idea why.
All I could think of was that I had interrupted their conversation and that Milana was going to hate me for it. What if she wanted something with that guy and I got in her way? Such are the thoughts that normally plague the mind of a socially anxious teen.
And yet...
"Oh thank god he left..." Milana said, letting out a relieved sigh. "Thanks for scaring him off, Oliver."
"...Eh?"
I had to believe I hadn't heard her right. She knew my name? We'd never spoken, not once in the three years we'd been in the same school. Yet she knew my name?
"That guy just WOULDN'T shut up," Milana complained. "Funniest thing is, I know he only approached me because Sarah and Grace aren't here yet. No balls at all, don't you think?"
"I'm definitely not the one to ask that," is what I wanted to say, but couldn't. I was too worried about the kind of face I was making that'd scare away a guy bigger than me, and about the fact that this gorgeous girl was talking to me like we knew each other.
My heart was beating loudly and painfully, my mouth was dry, I was feeling lightheaded and my ears were burning. I still have a hard time remembering what kind of expression she had as she talked. All from the simple act of being in front of a girl I found extremely attractive. God those were terrible years.
But that night was the start of my growth.