Difference Of Opinions

Chapter 1

When she looked at her phone on Wednesday and got that text message she thought nothing much of it. Maria always sends the most ridiculous messages when asking a simple question. A quick look informed Leah of the party she was going to on Saturday night, 'Claire's Birthday Saturday night, be there or be square loser’ Typical of Leah she assumed it would be the usual get together and her next thought? 'What the hell will I wear?'

Leah was the kind of girl who only ventured out every now and again. Her friends had all left for college and she seemed to have been left behind by most. Her bonds broke and only a few remained so when they came calling she wasn't one to decline an offer. Her relationship with Maria seemed only to float above water every time alcohol was involved so Leah knew that they were simply offering each other company as a way into a social scene. She also knew that more often than not she was the one who ended up accompanying her ‘friend’s’ home as they would become too drunk to function. This was not part of the plan. Vomit and tears are always a letdown. Trying not to think about that she turned her attention to Claire. Claire was the kind of person who liked to get others to invite people along to her get together just to bring the numbers up. Ideally she would hope for someone to be snapping happy with a camera and the more photographs taken of her with different people the better. So what do you get her for a birthday present? A distant thought which faded quickly.  Even with the night played out in her head Leah knew that a night out with them was better then another Saturday night on the couch watching stupid television.

When you don’t socialise very often, when you do it tends to be with the same people, that leads you to the problem of not having a lot of different outfits to wear. This was always Leah’s main concern about going out with the same girls. They where the type of people would judge and pass comment on every inch of clothing you wore. So getting an outfit right was crucial. Of course Leah knew that this wasn’t an important issue for her because she’s a live and let live type of person.  Even so it was something she had to think about.  In true Leah style, she decided to go shopping, when? The day of the party! What are the chances of getting a whole outfit in a couple of hours? For most twenty something year olds, no problem. For Leah, Mission Impossible!  A quick browse around the habitual stores and the mood takes a turn for the worst. When most items of clothing are designed to fit only those who stand at six foot tall and those who disappear whilst they turn, you can imagine the breaking heart of a healthy sized girl who maybe needed a few inches added to her legs when all she wants is something to wear and it’s quickly turning into a nightmare.  As always after nearly dying a slow death walking from shop to shop, Leah went back to the first store she was in and picked up the first item she looked at a long casual dress which most would have worn on a nice day not on a night out but as she looked at it she said to herself, ‘this will do’.

Starting the night out routine Leah hopped into the shower with the stereo blasting the latest club songs which she knew she would be dancing to later that night. She thought about the conversations that would be had in Claire’s house, remember that time, remember this time, and all she could think of was how every conversation like that had always been about times that everyone was drunk. There was never a memory of a great time when everyone was sober. Shaking that thought to the back of her mind, the gathering of the common make up and accessories made her lose concentration of that thought. As Leah wasn’t exactly a professional makeup artist she done her best and knew when she looked respectable. Makeup done, tan done, dressed, bag ready, time to make a move.

Chapter 2

Text message sent. Still no answer at the door, eventually a half ready Maria answers the door, a look from head to toe and a pause, ‘you look gorgeous’ she smirked. Leah just wanted to get that bottle of wine open to that she had the Dutch courage to stay there. The first hour played out exactly as she knew it would photographs of fake smiles and not a genuine person to be seen. She began to consider the option of finishing her night early. As everyone was shouting and laughing getting louder with each passing second there was a knock on the door, it seemed like nobody had heard so Leah went to answer the door as she did the door opened and nearly took her head across the room. ‘I’m so so sorry’ a softly spoken voice said, shaking it off Leah stood up and shrugged it off ‘not at all, I should be watching were I’m walking’. She then went to the kitchen where she was getting herself another drink, in a world of her own she considered the softly spoken guy she had just seen. At face value he seemed to be the only genuine person she had come across, interrupted in her thoughts, Claire asked ‘Having a good time?’ Of course her reply would always have been ‘of course’. Swiftly Leah directed them back into the main room where she and Claire would not need to have one on one conversation.

Looking around the room she caught the eye of the guy she had earlier bumped into he looked to be in as deep a thought as her. She eyed his polite manner relaxed body language, without realising she was evaluating him on how he was conducting himself rather than the way he looked. She stopped herself. Taking another glance she studied him, dark black hair slightly hanging over his ears, soft yet deep brown eyes, and his nose which was small but not without imperfections she assumed it had broken before. Lost in a deep thought she described his smile awkward but charming and as she was weighing up the idea of him she was interrupted by Maria. ‘You ok loser?’ Sounding like she had already had maybe one too many ‘You look like your lost in Narnia there’ Hesitant to answer Leah lifted her head and asked ‘when are we leaving for the club I’m starting to get irritable here’ With that the head out for a taxi cab was done and they where nearly on their way. Leah was glad to get out of there.
The taxi pulled up and with that the charge for the back seats began, Leah always stood back and waiting until the end. To her surprise a voice whispered ‘you’ve got the same idea as me then’ she turned to see a little smaller than average height guy behind her. She was surprised by his height but unusually not deterred by it. Laughing slightly she said ‘yeah they are like a bunch of school kids pushing and shoving’. The conversation developed and by the time they got to the nightclub both of them where totally comfortable in words and surprising each other with their wit and good humour.