Strange Magic Series: Sunrise

I'm nobody special in the grand scheme of humanity. I am a product of divorce, limited means, and a cheap, good time. I'm all about the thrill of life and regret...well, regrets are made for the morning after(s). I am a firm believer we are not here for a long time, we should be here for a good time. Believe it or not, I have a great head on my shoulders, I just sometimes screw up. A lot. Well, honestly, who doesn't? Another holiday season where I buy my own gift, wrap it, and place it under my tree. I have been a Christmas junkie since birth. I firmly believe there is something magical about Christmas. I was raised in the South, so dreamin' of a "White Christmas" is all you can do. Well, unless you get lucky, but if it snows in the Bootheel, then that is the equivalent of having a winning lottery ticket. Unfortunately, I can't be in the South, because I have a full ride to the University of Montana. So, even though I do get homesick, I love the fact that I can live here in Bigfork and be a part of this wonderful community and it's beautiful Christmas village that is decorated like a Hallmark movie. I had laid down for a Saturday nap and was sleeping oh so good. Beep, Beep, Beep is the sound my phone alarm makes and I roll over, hit end, and get to the shower. I stand in the shower daydreaming, while allowing the clean water to wash me. I headed down to the local club, McKee's, and met up with some friends. Of course, Raine never lets me stay home. She says, "it is not healthy and I need a friendervention", while everyone else just laughs. We take one, two, three shots of tequila and then move onto the dance floor. The dance floor starts pulsing, lights darkening, and red flashing... Closer starts playing by 9 inch Nails. We group together and start dirty dancing. Just crotch to crotch, grinding, writhing, dirty dancing. You know, the kind you do when you want some attention. I suddenly got dizzy and had to get some air. I have got to remember to eat before I drink, ugh! So, I meander my way to the bar to grab some free pretzels out of the snack bowl. Casey comes over and asks, Tequila before food?" I reply, "yep. Tequila, to kill ya." We both share a laugh, as I chow down to try to curb my wooziness. Casey asks, "you decided on your major yet?" I just say, "no, nothing has struck my fancy. I don't know what I want to do, but right now I just want to be young, free, and enjoy myself. Besides, who made the rules we have to hurry and grow up, pick a major, graduate, start a family, and become drones in a made-up suburbia fantasy?" She giggles, "I hear ya Gatsby, but we all have to figure it out sometime." "Well," I say, "You do that and let me know how it goes." Casey just shakes her head. She knows me well, from the inside and out. We had a fling a couple of years ago. We both wanted an orgasm, not a relationship. Albeit, friends with benefits when needed, but nothing even romantically symbolic. Although that girl could teach some of these guys a thing or two about the use of their tongue, a relationship is just not our future. What really sucks is she is currently seeing someone and they just made the decision to be exclusive, which SUCKS for me...literally. I make my way from the bar to the floor. An upbeat pop song is on and I start dancing my way to join the girls. We bump and grind on each other. It's a damn shame as nasty as we get on the floor, we took an oath a long time ago that no relationships would enter/skew our relationship. So, we don't sleep or date each other. Girl code. That doesn't stop us from giving everyone a show. They can look all they want to, but they can't touch without our permission. I'm dancing to the beat of Red Light Special and that is when I see him. Those dark eyes were looking me up and down. What's more is that he is looking at me as if he could devour me. "Who is that," asks Raine? I reply, "I don't know, but I think he likes what he sees. I definitely do." He then gets up, turns around, and leaves. What the hell? So, I attempt to follow him outside, but I don't see him. Oh well, crash and burn. I return to my friends and we get on down. Around 2:00 a.m., I say my goodbyes, because, as much as I try, I can't hang with my crew. I seriously am out past my bedtime. I like to have a good time, just at a reasonable hour. Besides, my morning run is going to kick my ass in the morning. The next morning, I get up, throw my hair in a mom bun, scrub my teeth, rinse, and go pound some pavement around the town. The Christmas Village is just getting started, but I love this time of year. I am not really enjoying myself this morning, since my late night antics have made it rough, but I continue on, because I know my mental health needs the activity. My life has not benefited from a stellar upbringing, so instead of turning to alcohol, drugs, or prescriptions, my high school coach turned me onto exercise a long time ago. I've learned to exercise my past, my demons, and purge my body of a variety of emotions. I don't think I would be where I am now if it was not for my outlet. I'm not a professional runner. I throw on shorts and a t-shirt. I'm not going to impress you, I'm going to exercise and how much I hated my own runner's philosophy when I rounded the southeast corner of the pond. There, in all his glory, is that dark, gorgeous hunk of a man that I saw last night at McKee's. I'm running by and he is sitting on a bench, speaking to some beautiful woman. Holy s**t, he sees me and I try to avert my eyes. I'm not sure, but I think I see a mischievous glint of a smile. Shake it off, I say to myself silently and then I kick on the jets and finish my lap. I return to my apartment to shower and get ready for work. I'm a receptionist for Tyler Brothers Corporate. Basically, I answer the phone, schedule appointments, guard the door, make coffee, make guests comfortable and schedule appointments. The Tyler's don't bother me and I don't bother Sidney, Scott, or Samuel. Besides, they are an odd bunch, so it's just as well. I mean, as long as I do my job it is not a problem and that is exactly what I do. Many women and men have been employed and I am still here after a year. For others, not so much. See, the Tyler brothers are odd ducks... Polite, but odd. They deal in Wall Street, stock, land, deeds, trading, and all of that, but they are basically in business 24-7. I have the day shift and go to class around that schedule. Lucky for me that this semester, all of my classes are online. They allow me to work on them, as long as I still perform my job duties and it doesn't interfere with theirs. I stretch my legs and arms and find myself yawning. About that time, I hear, "late night?" I look up from my desk and I am pretty sure if the floor could open up and swallow me, I would let it. I silently celebrate this beautiful creature in front of me, as I try to stutter out a dumb reply, "yeah," and grin. I mean, goofy grin which is the kind of grin that is cringeworthy. He then announces he is there to speak to the Tyler Brothers. I inform him that everyone has to have an appointment and that the Tyler brothers will not see anyone without one. He then has the audacity to to tell me to, "Call them and tell them Blake is here." "Well Blake, those aren't the rules. I can put you down for..." Blake takes off and just opens the office door. Well, there went my year of job longevity. Sidney pops his head out and tells me to cancel all their afternoon appointments. What? I'm not fired? I silently breathe relief, but I don't care. I am still going to give this Blake a piece of my mind when he leaves. To hell with it. I waited for Blake until Tiff came in to relieve me. Oh well, I don't even care. Let me go home, unwind, and relax. As soon as I get up to leave, I hear "going so soon?" I reply, "you've got to be kidding me right now! What the hell do you want? Wait, never mind! You know what, I don't even care. You could have gotten me fired and I would have..." he cuts me off and says, "but you weren't. So, if you're finished, how about joining me for an early dinner?" My mouth drops open...literally drops open. Seriously? This man just dismissed me? "Blake, is it?" He smiles and nods and then I proceed to say, "I tell you what. Why don't you s**t in one hand and wish in the other. See which one fills up faster!" I didn't even give him time to respond before I spun around and headed home.