We both dozed off again. Later, he borrowed his roommate’scar to take me to McDonald’s and back to my dorm.
“Don’t disappear on me for three years,” I said when I got out.
“Oh, Kitty Bird, you won’t be able to get rid of me.”
Chapter 9
Guy
I waited in the dark auditorium with Mikey, one of my best friends from the hockey team.
“So how do you know this chick?”
“We grew up together for a while. She goes here now. She’s really smart and funny,” I told him.
“Wait, is this the one who puked all over our place and Samantha had to change her clothes for her?”
I sighed. He was about to be a dick. “Yep. Same one.”
“Ugh. Why are we here?”
“Shut up. You puked in someone’s bed while you were hooking up with them,” I pointed out. Mikey was notorious for that one.
“Touché, mon frére.”
A Drake song kicked on and the improv group ran down the aisles of the auditorium to cheers from the crowd.
A busty blonde with a big dimple stepped forward, folding her hands behind her like she was an SNL guest host. “Welcome, welcome everyone to the Chainsaw Chatterbugs. To start our show, we just need a one-word suggestion from the audience.”
“Damn,” Mikey whispered, admiring the blonde.
Shouts came from the audience and she nodded. “I heard ‘pebble.’ Thank you, and enjoy the show.”
I didn’t tell Kitty that I’d be coming to her improv show. I’d seen a picture of her in the school paper that proved she was indeed part of this particular troupe. Pretty quickly, I recognized that they were doing long-form improv, something I was familiar with thanks to spending hours comedy nerding with Kitty and Frank. With three monologues and three sets of three scenes, they built a play from nothing. It was fascinating how quickly the actors molded to each other.
I hadn’t seen Kitty act since high school, and she’d really improved. Not that she was bad to begin with, but she was so fluid in both her words and her physical comedy. She wasn’t afraid to be raunchy, but she didn’t rely on basic humor either. She was balanced, giving and taking from her team members. Even when her teammates made really wild choices, she supported it.
I’d always thought she was beautiful, but seeing her talents on display was just plain hot. It felt like the epiphany I had in the storage room at the ice rink when I kissed her. I was still crazy about her, not as a friend. There’s nothing like seeing someone in their element, doing what they do best. I felt self-satisfied knowing I’d had the hottest girl on the stage in my bed, telling me she loved me. Begging me to make love to her. And God, I wanted to, but she was drunk and I didn’t want to screw up years of friendship with one night of bad decision making.
“Your girl the brunette?” Mikey whispered. I nodded, not wanting to take my eyes off the stage to explain that she’s not my girl. “Nice.”
After the show, Mikey and I waited as Kitty got off the stage.
“Guy-Guy! Thanks for coming!” Kitty said, surprised and reaching up for a hug. “How did you know I’d be here?”
I loved the feeling of her body under my hands, and how I could cross my arms behind her back to hold her extra tight. I gave her a little peck on the cheek.
“Lucky guess. Told you you wouldn’t be able to get rid of me,” I said with a wink. Mikey cleared his throat. “Oh, this is Mikey. Mikey, this is one of my oldest friends, Kitty. Mikey’s on the hockey team with me.”
“Pleasure,” Kitty said, her West Virginia accent peeking out.
“You were so, so good, Kitty,” I gushed. “I haven’t seen you act in so long. You’re amazing.”
“Yeah, you were funny as hell,” Mikey added.
Kitty’s cheeks pinked. “Aw, thanks, guys.” I wanted to kiss her hot cheeks.
“I think Mikey and I were going to stop by a little get-together if you want to come,” I offered.
