melody_house-warming-party

A HOUSE-WARMING PARTY by Melody

PART 1

I grabbed my keys, locked my front door, and proceeded to walk along the street to Cherry's house. It was already evident that the party was in full swing; I could hear the noise from outside my door. Cherry was a newcomer to out street, and had decided, that the best way to get to know her new neighbours, was with the aid of a house-warming party. At least if all of the neighbours attended there would be no one left to complain about the noise. She had also mentioned that a lot of her friends would be there as well, leaving me to wonder how we would all fit into the little terraced house.

I rang the doorbell, then went straight in, as she had instructed me to do, to be greeted with the sight of a small, skinny bloke with close cropped hair, enjoying a tongue sandwich with Ellie, who lived opposite me. It wouldn't have bothered me, if it weren't for the fact that she was newly married, her husband working away on the gas platforms. Trying to pretend that I hadn't recognised her, I went through to the kitchen, and immediately had a glass of wine thrust into my hand by Cherry.

“Have you seen Ellie?” she giggled. “As soon as she discovered that James was in a band, she was all over him! The naughty girl has taken her wedding ring off.”
“She's the one that has to live with it,” I said, somewhat philosophically. “How are you for wine? I've got loads more at home if you need it.” I made my own wine, and had dropped off a dozen bottles earlier that day.
“No, I've got quite a bit left. People have been lovely and brought more than one bottle each, so we should be ok...for a while at least.”
“Let me know if you start to run low.”
“I will! Come on, I'll introduce you to a few of my mates.”

Most of the people that she introduced me to, were girls that she worked with, along with a couple that she had known since primary school. The party was definitely top heavy with females, and the majority of the men there were the husbands, sons or brothers of women in the street. The surprising thing was, that the most straight laced of our neighbours were really getting into the swing of it; 'spin the bottle' was causing a huge deal of merriment.

“Isn't it amazing the way home made wine affects people?” laughed Cherry. “I think a lot of them will have hangovers tomorrow.”
“I did ask you to tell them that's its very potent!”
Cherry continued to laugh. “They're having fun; what's the harm? Anyway, come out into the garden, there are a few people out there as well.”
There were three people in the garden that I didn't know, all of whom turned out to be James' band mates. The shorter, stocky one, Sean, was sat on the picnic bench with Melissa, another of my married neighbours, snogging each other like there was no tomorrow.

“Where's Chris, Melissa's husband?” I asked Cherry quietly.
“Not feeling well, she said.”
“If he finds out, he'll go crazy. You do know that she's just found out that she's pregnant don't you?”
“No, I had no idea,” Cherry gasped. “That explains why she hasn't had a drink though. I tell ya, all you have to do is mention to some people that a guy is in a band, and, for some weird reason, they can't keep their hands off them.”
“Who are the other two?”

The other two guys were stood chatting with each other, drinking from beer cans, and looking rather bored. One of them was of average height, slender, brown haired, and a sweet, nervous smile. His lips were fleshy with an incredible pout. I bet the girls love kissing those lips I thought to myself. The other was tall, over six feet I estimated. He was slender, with messy chestnut hair, and was grinning like an idiot.
“That's Richey and Nicky,” explained Cherry. “Richey is the smaller of the two. Let's go say hello.”
Before I had the chance to object, she was guiding me over to them and I was being introduced. I giggled when Melissa got off Sean's knee when she heard my name being mentioned, and hurriedly ran back into the house, leaving Sean totally baffled.”

Nicky and Richey both hugged me warmly when Cherry introduced us.
“Cherry informs me that you make rather potent wine,” chuckled Nicky. “I'll sample some later.”
“What the fuck happened there?” asked Sean, when he joined us.
Cherry laughed. “I think that hearing me say Dan's name startled her a little.”
“Why?”
“Could be to do with the fact that her husband is at home whilst she's out having fun,” Cherry informed him. “Say hi to Dana; Dana this is Sean.”
We shook hands and said hello, then Sean decided to go to the kitchen to get some more beer.
“Oh look, James has managed to drag himself away from Ellie to come and join us,” said Cherry sarcastically.
“Hi, I'm James, and you are...”
“Dana,” I replied with a smile.
“When did you sneak in?”
“A little while ago. I saw you on my way in.”
“Really?”
“Hmm, you were a little busy at the time.”
He chuckled. “Ah! Sorry about that. She's gone after Sean now. You women are fickle creatures.”
“I dare say that her husband will agree with you.”
“Oh shit!” Off he ran into the house.

“He'll be off to warn Sean,” explained Nicky. “So, are you married Dana?”
“Nope, I'm much too young. Maybe when I hit my mid thirties, if I meet the right guy.”
“I'm going to make sure that my other guests are ok,” said Cherry, tapping me on the shoulder. “See you later.”
“And I'm going to go and help James rescue little Seany,” smiled Richey.
“How come you're out here in the garden?”I asked Nicky.
“It's not as noisy, and I won't get dragged into any stupid drinking games,” he laughed, flashing me a full set of teeth. “I'm a bit of a prat when I drink too much.”
“Most of us are.”
“Not like me. I can't handle my booze, unfortunately.”

“Have you known Cherry long?”
“Oh years! Her parents moved next to James' and we were in the same class.”
“Has she dated any of you?” I scrunched my face up tight in horror. Why had I said that?
“You're a bit forward aren't you?” he giggled. “She had a thing with James for a while, it was more teenage lust than anything else.”
“James likes his women then?”
Nicky cracked up with laughter. “We're young guys, in our early twenties; nothing wrong with having fun. Why, do you fancy your chances with him?”
“No, I was just being nosey. I suppose, being in a band, there are a lot of women?”
“We have our moments!”
“Aren't one night stands a little shallow?”
Nicky frowned and grimaced. “They can be,” he said sombrely. “That's why I don't go with groupies any more. Oh I'll have a snog with a girl, but that's it.”
“And the others?”
“Sean has a girlfriend, so he only kisses. Richey does indulge, but barely talks to them, and certainly never kisses them, or gets lovey-dovey with them. James though, well James has a tendency to fall in love with everyone that he shags, so the poor sap constantly has a broken heart.”
“I find that quite sad.”
“James is on the look out for that special girl.”
“And you?” I asked, “are you with someone or are you single?”
“I'm single. What about you?”
“Single.”

We remained in the garden for a couple of hours, talking and laughing, and only went inside to replenish our drinks, or to visit the bathroom.
“Time for me to go home,” I said to Nicky with regret. “I have to be up early for work.”
“I'll walk you home.”
“No need, I only live two doors away,” I smiled. “I think I can manage.”
“Indulge me,” he whispered. “I want to kiss you goodnight without everyone staring at us.”
I blushed, and felt a warmth run through me. “In that case, why not come in for coffee?”
“Coffee huh?” he winked.
“Hmm, you know, it's a hot drink; comes from a bean.”
“Oh, that kind of coffee,” he sighed. “I thought you meant...”
I shook my head. “Coffee means exactly that Nicky. You will not be staying, nor will you get more than a kiss.”
“Sounds perfect! What are we waiting for?” he asked, taking my hand and leading me to the house.
Richey, James, Sean and Cherry, all grinned madly when Nicky told them that he was taking me home.
“I'll be back in a while,” he said cheerfully.
“We'll see you tomorrow, Wire!” laughed James. “Have fun.”
“James, its only coffee.”
“If you say so.”

Hand in hand, we slowly walked the short distance to my home. Once we were in, I showed Nicky through to the kitchen. I busied myself filling the kettle and getting the cups out and ready for our drinks; the tension in the air noticeably increasing. Nicky did his best to look casual, and stood against the kitchen units.
“Go into the lounge,” I said nervously. “I'll bring the drinks through when they're ready.”
“You don't know how I take mine,” he smiled, steadily walking towards me.
“True,” I conceded. I wasn't in the habit of taking a man home for kisses and a coffee, and suddenly, I wasn't sure that I was doing the right thing. After all, he had said that they wanted to have fun, obviously inferring that, aside from James, they didn't want commitment.
“Don't get so worried,” he said, then tenderly took me in his arms. “I won't take any liberties with you.”
I sighed heavily; being in his arms felt wonderful. Instinctively, I put my arms over his shoulders. “I don't often invite men here, and certainly not ones that I have only just met.”
“Why don't I kiss you goodbye and we can save the coffee for another time?”
“Another time?”
“Oh yeah,” he whispered sexily. “I'd like to see you again. Would that be all right?”
“Like a date?”
He chuckled softly. “Don't sound so surprised. I really like you Dana, and, I'd love to see you again.”
“I don't know...”
“Please, tell me what you're thinking.”
“The other girls...”
“Oh that. If you go out with me, you have my word that I won't kiss any groupies, or anyone else for that matter. Beside, I told you earlier that I don't have sex with groupies any more.”
“I guess we could see how it goes,” I mumbled.
“All I'm asking for is a chance.”
“You had better have my phone number then; so you can call.”
“Thank you.”
He pulled me up close against him, and his lips softly brushed against mine, making my stomach do somersaults.

The following night, we went out for a few drinks, and a walk through the park. Actually, we didn't do much walking, we spent most of our time on a park bench, kissing like a couple of teenagers.
“I'd better get you home,” he whimpered in my ear. “It's late.”
“That's ok,” I smiled, “I don't work on Sundays.”
He giggled, rubbing his nose against mine. “It is way past my bedtime.”

That was the start of our relationship. I was introduced to his family, and everyone that he worked with. True to his word, Nicky didn't take any liberties, and it was four months after we had met, that we spent our first night together, although we didn't make love. Nicky had been in the recording studio from the early hours of the morning, and, when I had finished work, I joined him. It was eleven-thirty when we left the studio, both of us shattered. Once I had got over the hurdle of letting him see me naked, we slept together regularly, and booked a long weekend away at a hotel; a long weekend that rarely saw us venture out of our room.

Our first anniversary as a couple, coincided with the band starting their first tour, since I had met them. I went to almost every gig that they played, meaning that I was constantly tired, but it was worth it. I loved watching them; their music was so different to what everyone else was doing. Nicky would always have security put my right in front of the stage, or against the barrier, in front of his mic, and we would wink and smile at each other. For the first time in my life, I was in love. Any misgivings that I had harboured when he first mentioned us dating, had evaporated. He gave me no reason to doubt him; none at all.

I'll never forget leaving a gig with him for the first time, and the hoards of fans asking for his autograph, and to have photo's taken; he insisted on introducing me to them.
“This is Dana, my lady,” he had said proudly.
There had been a few girls that booed and jeered, but Nicky had beamed brightly, and told them: “Be nice or no more signings and no more photo's.”
Over the forthcoming gigs, thinks gradually settled down, many fans openly asking us to pose together. I did wonder how many of them would stick the pictures up on a dartboard!

part 2 >>>

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