Fragment #22 - Warm Kisses from 2008

“Alex is waiting outside!”
“I know Granny! I’m Doing my best.”
I just try my best to hurry up, but it is quite hard. I am stressed, as I just want everything to be perfect. I comb my hair a last time and storm down the stairs. I take my furry coat, and close the door after me.
I give a kiss to Alex. I hug him, breathing the heat of his neck.
“Let’s go!”
We have decided to go to central London for New Year’s Eve, though we know for sure it will be packed.
We go down the stairs at Archway station. The cold wind is blowing. I get my purple scarf tighter to my neck. We rush down to get the first tube to Central London. We need to wait for the metro displaying: Charing +.
In the tube, I explain Alex how Julian left stealing his paper. I don’t exactly speak about everything, as the fact that Julian and I made love, and the box, which I think he wouldn’t find interesting. At the end, he doesn’t understand how Julian would leave with his letter to make it disappear. I just don’t want to give more explanation, and give up.
As we arrive in Central London, we can feel everything is packed up on the ground. As we go upstairs, the escalators are more and more packed, and the metro exits give way to streets where we can’t really walk, as they are full of people.
We had decided to go to the G-A-Y party.
The queue in front of the club is huge. As for us, we enter a much smaller queue, as Alex is a member. He shows his card at the entrance, we get bodychecked, and we can enter the dark of Night.
Up in the club, everything is dark and lights, sounds and vibrations. I can feel the rhythm slithe through my skin, drumming in my head.
I just want to dance.
Dance to forget.
Be with Alex, as one person.
Later in the night, my body is pressed against his; my mouth is on his, my tongue dances with his.
In the corner of my eye, I can see people dancing together, lights flashing, people drinking.
Then some voice calls me.
“Jed?”
I don’t recognise them at first glance.
“It’s James!”
“And Ophelia…”
“Oh, the Renaissance people!”
“Yep, Be thus…”
“When thou art dead…”
“What’s up?”
“Well,” I answer, “you know Christmas, family, silly things. Oh, by the way this is my cousin, Alex. And on your side?”
“Nothing, just waiting for the New Year!”
Midnight is approaching, as we speak one to the other about life in London and other complicated things. This is at one to twelve that I stop the conversation to tell them the good news.
“4, 3, 2, 1…”
“Zero!” James shouts.
We all start to kiss.
Strangely, as James’s kiss drives itself very close to my mouth, my heart starts to pulse faster.