Although I've only ever had boyfriends I have always known that I find people, not just guys, attractive and since I'm a little touchy-feely and friendly (I guess), I've had a few flirtations and invitations from girls. It's not gone any further very often, but when it has, it's been a delight.
I remember it being in the winter. I was on a short break with my boyfriend, staying with his family in the countryside where he grew up, and we'd met up with some old friends of his for a night of partying. I was new to the whole party scene; he'd introduced me to it. Before, meeting him I'd always led a sheltered, studious life. Even as a student I'd concentrated more on my grades than going out. Dancing, drinking and having a nightlife had been a revelation, and I was a convert.
His friend's mum was super-chilled and we were all in her kitchen, chatting, drinking, getting excited for the evening ahead. Randomly, I remember we were shelling peas for a bit. Anyway, I ended up sitting next to Annie. She was the younger sister of my boyfriend's mate Charlie, and this was their house. Charlie was a cool dude indeed, and was busy organising a rave at a disused factory nearby, we'd be heading over there after the pub. Unfortunately, it had been raining, a lot, and there was some issue about flooding at the site. He was ringing around to confirm the sound systems were ok and that we could actually get into the factory without getting soaked through. The scene was busy, gregarious and fun...
Annie was easy to talk to, as we sat shelling peas, listening to the rave preparation and downing some local ale, we found that we had plenty in common, not just a love of partying, but interests at university, hobbies and similar taste in clothes and shoes. She was slim and pretty with mid-length curly brown hair (another commonality) and great skin. She and her brothers had been friends with my boyfriend for years and we all chatted about the fun they'd had playing together as kids. I loved this new crowd and Annie was helping put me at ease.
We headed off into town for some drinks and dancing. It was going to be a good night. We bumped into more old friends in the pub and since she was a local Annie knew most of them. She was enchanting, chatting, laughing, giggling; she was wearing skinny blue jeans, ripped at the knee to reveal a little skin below. I was getting glimpses of her small waist as her loose vest lifted each time she absent-mindedly pushed her hair back from her eyes. I wasn't sure why I kept looking at it, but it certainly was beautiful.
Whenever she looked my way, she would smile, and when she came over to chat, she'd touch my arm, and I realised she was sending tingles through my body. To start with I thought it was a sign that I really liked her as a friend, but as I kept seeking her out in the crowd, I realised it was more. I could tell she was feeling it too, as her coming over to check I was ok was becoming a habit, and when we left to go to the rave we were arm in arm. We squeezed into the back seat of the car and I was next to Annie, our thighs were pressed together and I could feel her hip against mine.
My boyfriend been distracted with his mates at the pub, but by the time we got to the factory we were all hanging together again. The flooding was pretty bad. As we could hear the thumping bass inside, we were taking turns trying to find our way round a waist-deep puddle in the car park, in the pitch black, drunk. It was freezing and pretty smelly too. God knows what they used to make here...
Grimy and cold from our foray through the wilds of the abandoned car park, we finally made it inside. I was expecting trance, but this was much hipper, drum and bass, with a live MC in a back room. And we were there to meet the guy running it. I felt so cool! Annie was blasΓ© about the whole experience; this was a regular weekend for her. We checked out the party, but mostly hung out with the others chatting, drinking, smoking, laughing. My boyfriend noticed the frisson between Annie and I, and I could tell he was enjoying it. With a naughty twinkle in his eye, he came over and stood between us, an arm around each waist:
"You two have certainly hit it off."
I looked at Annie and we smiled at each other awkwardly, for a moment we were looking into each other eyes, and then looked quickly down. I was blushing. I looked back up at her and she was still staring back. I wanted to kiss her. With Dutch courage, I blurted it out:
"Shall we kiss?"