The Best Part

            Malorie was fixing my hair and I was all smiles. I couldn’t wait to see Phil. I had changed my outfit about five times, modelling different ones for Mal as she rated them on a scale of one to ten. I had finally decided on a black tank top, dark jeans, and converse tennis shoes. I was ready and I wasn’t going to let anything freak me out.

            We pulled up to the bar and I could see Phil standing in line by the door. Keven, who was  standing next to him, waved over at us. We got out of the car and Phil ran over to hug me, picking me up in his arms and twirling me around. He reeked of Jack Daniel’s and cigarettes, but I didn’t mind.

“You just lost your place in line” I pointed out.

“It’s worth it.” he smiled.

I smiled as he grabbed my hand and led me to the back of the line. He pulled out his wallet to get his ID. I grabbed it from and looked at the picture.

“You’re sooo cute.’’ I admitted.

“I look like a criminal.” He laughed.

“Yeah - but a cute criminal!” I joked.

We made our way inside Relay and headed for the coat check. Phil took off his jacket and pulled something out of the pocket.

“I have something for you.’’ He smiled at me.

“Really?” I couldn’t help smiling back.

“It’s my music. Well, my band!” He said handing me a CD.

I examined the CD and thanked him. He so loves me, I thought. Oh my god! I’m going to date a singer – in a real band! I smiled at the thought of it. I totally need to get a t-shirt that says ‘I’m with the band’, I noted.

“I’m going to leave it at coat check so I don’t lose it.” I said as the bouncer stamped my hand.
“Don’t worry about it; I can always get you another copy. I know the lead singer.” He joked.

We made our way to the back of the bar to sit at our table. Malorie was already sitting down talking to Keven and Simon. Phil tapped Malorie on the shoulder.

“Excuse me – this table is reserved!” he said imitating poor Malorie.

I tried to hide my laughter as she gave me an evil look. I really must stop telling Phil stories about people he knows, I realized.

            Phil was telling me about his show at The Velvet, but I couldn’t pay attention to a single word he was saying. I would just alternate smiles and nods every so often. I couldn’t stop watching his lips move, wondering what they tasted like. He smelled so good that I just wanted to lean in to him and put my nose close to his neck, but I didn’t. That would be weird, I thought.

“What are you thinking about?” He interrupted my thoughts.

“Huh?” I jolted. Phil was looking right into my eyes. Awkward. “Oh err, I was just thinking about your err...” don’t say lips, don’t say lips, “...band.” I said proudly. Great save, I thought. “I can’t wait to listen to the CD” I continued.

“I was going to make you a mixed CD, but I don't know what kind of music you like.” He admitted.

“I like any kind of music” I informed him. “Well, almost any kind.” I corrected myself. “It all depends on the lyrics, I’m really into words.” Nice Joyel, now he’s going to think you’re a dork.

“Yeah, I feel the same.” He smiled; I felt relieved. “Like the song we wrote together” He pointed out. “I like songs that have some sort of underlying meaning.” Oh my god, we’re soul mates, I thought.

“Yeah! Or lyrics that remind you of someone, or something that happened in your life.” I thought for a moment and continued “songs that make you feel ...”

“Connected.” He stole the words out of my mouth.

“Exactly!” I laughed. “I think the best songs are the ones that remind you of someone you care for. A compilation of songs like that would be the perfect mixed CD.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could reply a tall guy with black hair tapped him the shoulder. Phil stood up and started talking to him, but I couldn’t hear their conversation over the music. I casually looked up at Phil, pretending to look at the clock hanging behind him. He was laughing at something the black haired guy told him. Wow! He’s beautiful, I thought.

“So how’s it going” Malorie interrupted my thoughts.

“It’s going well” I smiled.

“I’m going to go say hi to some people, I’ll be back in a bit” Phil said into my ear. I nodded at him as if to say okay and watched him walk away.

Malorie tapped me on the shoulder and I turned to face her.

“Oh my god! I was just talking to Simon and he told me something that I really have to tell you.” I couldn’t tell from her facial expression if I should be worried or not, but I suddenly felt nauseous. He started seeing someone, I thought. I was right, he wasn’t busy with exams; he was busy with someone else.

“What?” I tried to hide my scepticism.

“You know the first night you met Phil?” Malorie asked. I nodded. It was the first day of the new year, I thought. Though, I didn’t really remember most of it. I remembered finding the e-mail when I woke up, and I vaguely remembered joining the dating website, but to say I remembered it perfectly would be a lie.

“He was standing by the bar with Keven and Simon when we walked in, remember?”

“He was at the bar that night?” I said sounding confused.

“What do you mean that night?” Malorie inquired.

“Oh I mean, I err, just never realized he was standing by the bar when we walked in that night.” I said casually, immediately realizing she wasn’t talking about the night I met him on the dating site because she had no idea that night even existed. Phil had promised to never tell anyone about the message I had sent him, and I just never actually got around to telling  Malorie about it. Not that I was embarrassed or anything.

“Well he was here that night.­” Malorie continued. “When we walked in, he, Kev and Simon were standing right there.” She pointed to the bar area.

“Really? I didn’t even notice anyone standing there.” I admitted. “But now that you mention it, I do remember you waving to someone.” I pointed out.

“Well that’s it! I was waving to them!” She seemed excited that I remembered.

“And?”

“And, I know for a fact that Phil was waiting for you.” She smiled.

“Me?” I pointed to myself and gave her a confused look. “He didn’t even know that I was coming.”

“Well he didn’t even know you at all, right?” Malorie inquired. I nodded, playing along. “That’s the best part!” Malorie continued.

“The best part of what?” I asked Malorie, who was leaning in toward me as if she was about the tell me the biggest secret ever.

“Well apparently that very night, Phil was going on about this girl he met on Do you look good. You know, that dating website I was telling you about, remember?”

“Vaguely”, I played along trying to hide my amusement.

“So Simon was telling Phil how dating websites are totally stupid, and FYI they really are.’’ Malorie said matter-of-factly.

“Totally”, I said and bit my lip to keep from smiling.

“Simon told Phil that he could find him a way better date than any stupid website could.”

“And did he?” I was intrigued.

“Well, Phil wasn’t keen on the idea, pointing out that there weren’t any cute girls in the -”

“Here I brought you a Gin and Tonic” Phil interrupted Malorie and handed me the drink. “Now, drink in moderation Joyel” Phil pointed to me like I was a little child. “Wouldn’t want you signing up to any random websites tonight.” He joked.

“What’s he talking about?” Malorie inquired.

“No clue.” I immediately replied and gave Phil an evil look.

“I was going to thank you for being sweet in getting me a drink, but you only got it to make fun of me, didn’t you?” I asked Phil.

“Little bit”, he smiled. I, in turn, made a sad face. “Cutie” he said as he tapped me on the nose with his index finger. Okay, you’re cute and all, but I really want to hear the end of Malorie’s story, I thought as I smiled back at Phil.

Malorie tapped me on the shoulder “Tell him to go ask the DJ for a song,” she said reading my thoughts.

“Good idea!” I turned to Phil and did as Mal instructed. Phil got up and made his way to the DJ booth.

I turned to Malorie and pulled my chair closer. appened? “So what happened? What did Phil do?” I asked eagerly.

“Well Phil said there weren’t any cute girls in the bar, so Simon told him that the next girl to walk in the bar would be Phil’s next date.” Malorie said. “And get this” she continued “Phil joked to Simon that he would not only date the next girl that walked in to the bar, he would marry her.”

“So who walked in the bar?” I asked Malorie.

“You did!” She exclaimed.

“What did I miss?” Phil asked as he sat down next to me.

I turned to him and put my hand in his knee “Well, apparently we’re getting married.”

He placed his hand on mine. “That’s the plan!”