Blake Griffy Writing

“No sir…next week I’m fully back and operational though…since I was back in New York for the past week they’re letting me relax…only because my boss is actually here but still,”  I said with an eye roll.  When my boss wasn’t here, I basically played his role—I wasn’t complaining because I needed the experience—it was good for me—plus I was making almost as much as he was because of that reason, and he was making a lot.  Whoever said school didn’t pay was wrong to be honest.  “But you good for lunch?  Or do you want me to bring you something?” 

“Ooo.”  His tone changed.  “Now you’re offering to bring me something,”  I didn’t have to see his face to know that he was smirking.  I could tell just by the way the end of his sentence went up.  We’d been hanging out a lot lately, Blake and I, Los Angeles had treated me pretty well these last few months—it’d been a little over a year since I touched down from New York and I almost felt like a different person.  It was true what they said, the city had changed me…the only difference?  I’d noticed. 

New York El was different.  More uptight, tightly wound at every second of everyday—really boring actually now that I thought about it, she’d worn more black, felt small…the city was constricting…don’t get me wrong, I still loved it—I’d been just last week…but I loved it from a distance now and I was fine with that…Los Angeles on the other hand, it was a whole new world…chill, relaxed, full of smiling people…the weather was everything…it reflected the new me almost…I’d found it funny that my outlook on relationships, friendships—life, everything really, was changed by my location. 

“Are you gonna take the offer or not?  I’m like at a stoplight yo so—“

“Yeah that’d be nice El…”  He made kissy noises after—he knew it pissed me off.

“Fuck off—“

“Uh can you make sure it’s a-okay for my diet though—since we have a game tomorrow—“

“B I know…”  I said with a short laugh.  “You act like I haven’t done this before.” 

“I never know with you Elodie…one minute you’re taking my lunch orders and the next your ass is completely wasted and you’re trying to breastfeed me—“

“No sir…next week I’m fully back and operational though…since I was back in New York for the past week they’re letting me relax…only because my boss is actually here but still,”  I said with an eye roll.  When my boss wasn’t here, I basically played his role—I wasn’t complaining because I needed the experience—it was good for me—plus I was making almost as much as he was because of that reason, and he was making a lot.  Whoever said school didn’t pay was wrong to be honest.  “But you good for lunch?  Or do you want me to bring you something?” 

“Ooo.”  His tone changed.  “Now you’re offering to bring me something,”  I didn’t have to see his face to know that he was smirking.  I could tell just by the way the end of his sentence went up.  We’d been hanging out a lot lately, Blake and I, Los Angeles had treated me pretty well these last few months—it’d been a little over a year since I touched down from New York and I almost felt like a different person.  It was true what they said, the city had changed me…the only difference?  I’d noticed. 

New York El was different.  More uptight, tightly wound at every second of everyday—really boring actually now that I thought about it, she’d worn more black, felt small…the city was constricting…don’t get me wrong, I still loved it—I’d been just last week…but I loved it from a distance now and I was fine with that…Los Angeles on the other hand, it was a whole new world…chill, relaxed, full of smiling people…the weather was everything…it reflected the new me almost…I’d found it funny that my outlook on relationships, friendships—life, everything really, was changed by my location. 

“Are you gonna take the offer or not?  I’m like at a stoplight yo so—“

“Yeah that’d be nice El…”  He made kissy noises after—he knew it pissed me off.

“Fuck off—“

“Uh can you make sure it’s a-okay for my diet though—since we have a game tomorrow—“

“B I know…”  I said with a short laugh.  “You act like I haven’t done this before.” 

“I never know with you Elodie…one minute you’re taking my lunch orders and the next your ass is completely wasted and you’re trying to breastfeed me—“

“Oh my God.  I thought we agreed we wouldn’t mention it ever again—“  I felt my face heat up at the memory of that night.  That night was less than a week ago.  Since it was May—and Blake was out of season, he was taking the entertaining thing to a new level.  Well…a whole new level for Blake, by that I meant he just had a normal BBQ nothing overly extravagant or anything…just his whole circle of friends, and whoever they brought with them.  I swear he thought he was like George Foreman on his grill…that was the only way he could actually cook.

“COULD YOU BE LOVEEEEEEEEEE,”

“AND BE LOVEEEDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!”

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAA”  Nareesha, El, and Ashley both burst into laughter, El’s body folding in on itself.  She got up then, her bare feet floating in the way that she did across the patio, and into the house, most likely to fridge.  If it was anyone else, I’d have a problem with them walking into my house without first asking for permission but El?  She was here all the time, she knew where everything was…I’d bought the girly beers, she hated when I called them that, just for her…  my eyes rolled over and fixed their gaze on the chair she was sitting on to see the shoes she’d showed up in—they were these weird strappy—was that even a word?—heels with like a wing thing hanging from them, I didn’t understand why she’d come wearing them only to take them off as soon as she got walked in the doorway.  Her only explanation for it all was she’d lost a bet.

She returned with three beers in her hand, one for her, Nareesha, and Ashley.  She looked really good tonight too…the best part was she wasn’t even trying.  El’s hair was tied at the base of her neck, she had hardly any makeup on…well…as far as I could tell she had hardly any makeup on… her dark skin was glowing because of her top—her top was doing her more than one favor—every time she laughed or started talking with her hands, my eyes went immediately to her chest—she was just so effortlessly sexy…

“AND THERE ARE YOUR DRINKS MY LOVELY LADIES.”  And with that she reassumed her position in between the two girls. 

“El you don’t really have to yell…I’m two feet away from you.”  DJ said un amused.  He was kidding though because as soon as she was about to protest—like she always did when someone called her out for her behavior, he winked and blew her a kiss. 

“Someone’s getting brave,”  Taylor said smirking.  He meant the kiss DJ had just blown El...he wasn’t around both of them constantly so he really didn’t know how they were around each other…this is how they were, earlier this week El was over getting her work done, she did that a lot, and DJ had stopped by for a minute to drop something off.  One thing led to another and before DJ left, El honestly believed she had the potential to be a stripper…I’d said something stupid to piss her off about how she probably couldn’t give a lap dance because her ass wasn’t big enough—even though it was—and so she’d gone to every extend to prove me wrong—and DJ had shown up just in time to be the test subject.

“Bravery is DJ’s middle name,”  El said winking—or doing her best to wink…the girl couldn’t wink…it was cute.  I smirked to myself taking a swig of my red bull.  I couldn’t drink before a big game like the one on Tuesday night.  It’d mess with my pH and lactic levels.  I felt my mouth curve into another smirk.  In college I’d drink and party all the time…I wasn’t even aware of how lactic levels neither affected performance— nor did I care…and now I was watching what I drank four days in advance.  I could tell El was more than a little tipsy.  It wasn’t that she got sloppy when she was drunk…it was just in the way she moved.  Like she only had partial control of her limbs and her facial expressions. 

“We all know you guys are fucking just say soooooooooo,”  Nareesha said in her Spanish accent.  She on the other hand, was completely wasted.  We’d all been out together on a number of occasions and the only time her Spanish accent came out was when she was angry—or when she was drunk. 

Everyone dissolved into laughter around the circle—even Eva , Liv, and Matt who were having their own conversation about whatever.  Probably something academic or related to Liv’s area—she was one f those types…I always went to her when I was in the mood to be stimulated…not like that—like mentally stimulated.  This is the kind of stuff I lived for.  Just good friends—I glanced up at Nareesha—Okay still good friends—and better food…and warm weather.  That was the good stuff. 

“Naw I love DJ,”  El said getting up and moving into his lap.  She was sitting really close to him, her boobs practically in his face—that was annoying.  If he didn’t see her in sports bras and t-shirts then he didn’t really appreciate the true value of—

“Nooooooooooo.  Elodie wrong lapp….you’re supposda be in Blake’s lap because of the bettt.” Nareesha said before going back to chatting with Ashley…well as much chatting could happen when both of them were under the influence of alcohol. 

“OH YEAH!”   she said giggling. 

Taylor looked over and smirked at me, he knew el—he’d known her for almost as long as I’d known her, and he had some kind of sixth sense about everything concerning me and my feelings—he’d always had it—it was weird. 

“Hi,”  El said, her weight comforting, as she settled into my lap. 

“What’s up.” I smirked.  Her face being centimeters didn’t make me uncomfortable or nervous.  The closeness was normal with us…  Her tiny hands, well tiny compared to mine and everything was in my perspective anyway, reached up and gently pulled down the corner of my mouth. 

“You’ve been smirking non—stop for a reallllyyyyyyy long time Blake.”  She was talking loudly, unaware of her own volume levels.  The only one really listening was Taylor. 

“Hasn’t he?” Taylor asked. 

“You smirk too…”  she turned her head to face me and him and then me and then him and finally me again.  “It must be a family thing…does your dad smirk a lot or—“

“Ahahahahahahaha…I’m not sure…”  Taylor said, clearly amused.  “I’m really not…lemme ask mom real quick because if I ask dad he’ll say,”

“Of course I don’t,” I finished for him.  “That man denies everything.” 

As the night went on and the reserve of food and alcohol started going down, everyone kind of started to filter out.  DJ and I did the usual rounds to make sure everyone was in a car that was being driven by someone who hadn’t been drinking—you could never be too careful.  Liv had forgotten her phone charger, and I’d run into the living room to grab it for her so she wouldn’t have to fumble through, looking for it…I’d spotted it before.  I was just about to turn out of the front door when I spotted El sitting at one of the barstools nursing a box of orange juice—the tiny kind that I bought for Matt’s kids—or Chris’s kids—or anyone’s kids really.

“What are you doing?”  I asked her a feeling of confusion washing over me.  I was too tired for all of this. 

“huh?” 

“I said what are you doing…?” 

She raised her juicebox in my general direction.  “Would you like some breast milk?” 

I stopped mid—cough not expecting that at all.  She palmed her own boob for emphasis.  “We have to do it really quick though because Nareesha is coming and then DJ’s taking us home so…do you want some?”