Hello, Lovely

you're sipping your beer alone against the wall when the angel approaches you. it's friday night, and all the friends you came with to this house party have seemingly disappeared, leaving you to listen to music while everyone else chats, dances, and plays beer pong. you're completely alone while still surrounded by other people.

story of your fucking life, really.

"excuse me-" the angel says, voice raised so you can hear him over the music. "i'm afraid i have to apologize, i've done something that i'm just now realizing is a bit creepy."

you raise a silent eyebrow to him in question, letting your resting bitch face do all the talking while you look him over. he doesn't seem to be wasted or anything, and he's making no moves to touch you. it's hard to imagine what someone so clean-cut and sober looking has done that might be 'creepy'.

"it's just- well. i saw you standing here, and you looked so pretty, so i took a picture. see?" he holds out his phone, and you feel your expression soften as you take in the photo that's pulled up on his screen.

it's you, standing alone against the wall, beer in your hand, the multicolored lights from the little desktop rainbow disco ball glittering across your body and the plain wall. the picture looks almost artistic, the way it's photographed. shadowed outlines of other people in the foreground, almost framing the shot. as much as you don't want to admit it out loud, you do look really good.

"if you want, i'll delete it, but i just thought you look so nice, maybe you'd want it? for, like, social media or whatever?" the angel says, worrying a perfect, plush lip with his teeth. "if you give me your number, i'll send it to you."

those big, dark eyes of his look beautiful in the twinkling lights as he looks to you for some sort of response. when you hold out your hand to take his phone, he flashes you an effortlessly charming smile.

"that looks really good, yeah. are you a photographer or something?" you ask as you send yourself the picture with his phone.

"oh, just with my phone as a hobby. i like taking pictures of my friends, especially at parties. i didn't realize until after i took yours that i haven't actually met you yet." when he takes his phone back, he slides it in his pocket and sticks his hand back out to shake. "i'm kyle, by the way."

"nice to meet you." you reply, taking his hand.

"i've seen you at a few of these, i think. you know parker and kaltain, right?" he asks, letting your hand go after holding it just a beat too long.

"yeah, they're here somewhere." you say, gesturing towards the rest of the packed house where people are still milling about, drinking, talking, and laughing together.

"they ditched you?" he asks, perfect eyebrows furrowed. god, he's somehow even prettier when he looks a little concerned about you.

"no, no, no, they just saw other people they know. they know where to find me, they won't leave without saying anything." you rush to assure him, lest he think your friends are awful and not just, like, really popular.

"i was going to say, that doesn't sound like them." he smiles at you softly, and it's hard not to get a little lost in how the lights sparkle in his dark eyes, like stars blinking against the black vastness of space. "you having a good time?"

"yeah, i am. i've been liking this playlist but i feel kind of silly, i keep meaning to look up all these songs but i'm too busy enjoying them to remember to do it." you laugh. "i'll have to figure out whose playlist it is and ask."

kyle moves to your side, leaning up against the wall next to you with his arms crossed casually.

"it's soap's, i think. i'll get the spotify link to you." kyle says, leaning in and nodding towards the mohawked guy parker's playing beer pong with.

"so you said you like to take pictures of parties?" you ask, hoping to keep this beautiful man's attention.

"of my friends at parties, yeah." he says, suddenly going a little bit serious. "not, like, for pranks or anything. i just like having pictures of them happy, you know? and they happen to like parties."

"can i see?" you ask, feeling suddenly shy about it for some reason. kyle's grin gets a little wider as he fishes his phone back out again.

"yeah, let me just-" he swipes away a news alert reading 'austrian man dies after drunkenly attempting to ride buffalo in yellowstone' and shows you what he's taken so far.

there's a picture of that big masked dude on the deck, reaching his massive arms around the bearded man that he's practically hanging off of, lighting his cigar for him with an antique looking lighter. there's one of parker and their beer pong partner, with parker smiling and cheering in the foreground as bright blue eyes look at him with an expression of unadulterated want. there's a few of kaltain, arms waving about, animatedly telling a story to a couple you don't know.

he flips through more, and it's obvious to you the more he goes on- he's really good at this. everyone looks great, and he's clearly got a knack for the timing. he captures joy so well, even when it's understated. you see people dancing together, hugging each other, playing games, and luxuriating in each other's presence. they're all artfully shot, catching everyone at their best angles as they smile and laugh.

and then at the end of his photo album- you. parked alone at the wall, enjoying the invisible music as your beer sweats and glistens in your hand while colorful lights streak across your face and cast long shadows on the wall behind you. there's a contentment in your expression, something bone-deep and genuine, and it sparkles like that lights that shine on your face. maybe it's a tad self absorbed to think it, but you can't help but feel like a modern mona lisa when you look at it.

"do you mind if i keep them?" kyle asks, and you cock your head in another silent question. "your picture and number, i mean."

"no. i don't mind." you say, feeling your face heat a little as you try (and fail) to fight off the very pleased little smile that's worked it's way onto your face and refuses to leave.