"So, are you coming to my sleepover tonight?" My coworker Jas asked with her hand on her hip, leaning on my desk. She knew I was quiet and didn't socialize much, especially at work. I started to think that her invite was out of sheer pity of my nonexistent life.
"I don't know," I began. "You know I don't do social gatherings--sleepovers at that."
"Come on! Don't be a buzzkill."
I continued typing on my computer, acting as if I didn't hear her.
"There'll be drinks!" she said.
I assumed that that was her way of trying to convince me. I gave her a look of baffle. What made her think I drank?
"Hell, and soda. Juice. Whatever your libation."
"Yea. I think I'm good." I giggled.
"Look. If you change your mind, my address is on the invite. Just come through." She handed me a pink and red invitation, her address showing that she was located on Fern Street, about a five-minute drive from where I lived.
"Who's all gonna be there anyway?" An introvert's favorite question when they get invited to an event and wanted to know what the potential outcome was gonna look like.
"Some of the coworkers--Mya, Shawn, Sienna. And a few of my other homegirls."
Sienna? I wondered if she'd be there. She was quiet like I was. She came to work, kept her head down, did her duties for the day, and turned around and did the same thing the other four days of the week.
"Your inquiry leads me to believe you'll be attendance," she said slickly.
"Just wondering."
"Well Jay, hope to see you there. You'd be missing a good time." Jas gave me a sly smirk.
I gave the invitation another once-over. I noticed the picture of Jas and a few of her friends dressed in lingerie on the front. The invitation headline read, "Girls' Night In."
"So, are we supposed to dress sexy for this occasion?" I dreaded the answer as I pondered on my wardrobe. I didn't own a piece of sexy clothing. Not only was my social life nonexistent--so was my sex life. I didn't have much of a need for anything outside of work clothes and sweats.
Jas laughed. "Just be comfortable. It is a sleepover." She started towards her desk. "Later love!"
Nothing about this night would be comfortable if I decided to show up. I haven't been to a sleepover since I was young. I didn't know grown women had these. But then again, I practically lived under a rock and didn't know about most things that existed outside of my precious little bubble. Maybe going out tonight would be just what I needed. It would give me a chance to engage, possibly meet some new friends. And the drinks that would be available would probably be just what I needed to loosen up.
Five o'clock arrived and it was quitting time. "Cheers to the FREAKIN' WEEKEND!" I'd say in my head in my best Rihanna voice every Friday afternoon, even though I rarely had anything to do with my weekends. I eagerly stood up to prepare to head out, Jas's invitation in hand. I glanced it over, still debating my attendance.
"Are you going?" A voice crept up on me from behind. It was Sienna.
"I'm not sure yet actually. You?"
"Same. I don't know. I don't really do these things."
"SAME! I'm a complete hermit. But I've been thinking, maybe I should. It might actually be fun."
"True. I just don't know what I'm gonna wear though."
"SAME!" I exclaimed.
There were a lot of "sames" about us. I didn't realize our temperaments were so in common. Another introvert that may or may not have decided to engage in tonight's festivities.
"Well, maybe I'll see you there," she said.
"Maybe."
Sienna smiled and walked out the door to the parking lot. I peered back at the invitation.
"Maybe I'll just take a peek in my drawers," I said to myself.
I made it home and dropped my bag on my bed and pulled open my dresser drawers. Jas's sleepover started at seven thirty. I wanted to be on time, which to me meant about fifteen minutes early. I didn't believe in the whole "fashionably late" thing--drew too much attention.
I rummaged through my top drawer where I kept my socks and underwear. It was that day that I realized that my drawer was filled with nothing but Fruit of the Loom "granny panties" as people would call them. Not a pair of lace panties or anything remotely sexy. I mean, no one would see them though, right?
"I have to go shopping," I said to myself, disappointed in my lack of my true femininity.
I took out a pair of decent purple cotton panties with a silk frill around the trim of them. They were cute, and they would have to do. Now to the pajamas. I usually opted for an oversized t-shirt and underwear for bed, but I had to come better than that for the sleepover. I rummaged through my second dresser drawer and found a navy-blue, two-piece pajama set with hot pink hearts on them--a top and shorts. I hadn't worn the set in a while, and it still looked brand new. It wasn't lingerie, but it'd be comfortable. After deciding on what I'd be wearing, I hopped in the shower, got dressed, and prepared to be on my way to Jas's.
I made it to Jas's fifteen minutes early like I planned. I rung the doorbell and a few seconds later, Jas was at the door greeting me.
"You made it!" She said excitedly. I walked through the door, and everyone was in attendance, including Sienna. So much for making it before everyone else.
"Everybody! This is Jaylen! Jaylen, you already know Mya and Shawn, of course. These are my other friends, Nessey and Brenda."
"Hi Jaylen!" Nessey and Brenda said in unison.
"Hey Jaylen! Nice to see you here." Mya greeted. Shawn waved.
"Hey ladies. Nice to meet you. And yep, I made it."
"How about a drink ladies?" Jas yelped excitedly.
"Yes please!" Mya accepted proudly like she'd been waiting for that drink all day.
Jas waltzed over to her kitchen island, picking up and bringing over a tray of sugar-rimmed margaritas, setting them on her dining room table. She grabbed a light green one, raising the glass to propose a toast.
"Here's to a wonderful night of fun. Let whatever happens, happen!"
"CHEERS!" The girls recited. Whatever happens, happens?
The night commenced, and we were all about two drinks in. We engaged in small talk about a series of things. Jas broke up the chitter chatter.
"So, y'all know a sleepover isn't a sleepover without games! Everyone's played 'Never Have I Ever', right?"