After Hours

Keep Your Hands to Yourself, Starman

The two old friends made their way to sit in the corner, at first they didn't look at each other, or speak to each other for that matter. Both of them watched the different kinds of people that attended the party, partially eavesdropping on conversations, slight glances at others who were familiarizing themselves in the shadows where they thought nobody would notice.

"So.. umm.. how are your parents?" Brian broke the silence between them first, sitting back in the chair and crossing his legs. His legs were so long that his knee was almost to his chin, which amused Jane.

"Oh.. um.. they're good, yeah.. my mum asks about you every once in a while actually." She mirrored his movement and got comfortable in the chair also.

"Well, you can tell her thank you for asking, I'm fine.." He replied, feeling a little foolish but wanted to have a conversation with her and forego any awkwardness, which in turn, he unintentionally made it awkward.

"How long have you been in this band?" She leaned against the armrest of the chair.

"Roger and I were in a band before Queen called Smile and we did that for about two years, then our singer and bass player quit and Fred stepped in about a year ago, maybe not quite that long but it's been going good since then."

"Mmm, that's good. Like Denise said, you're all very good at what you do. I was impressed, especially with you."

He leaned against the armrest too, they both were aware that the action made them closer together, "Why me especially?" He had that certain look on his face, that mischievous smile.

She looked at her hands, "Oh you know.." She fumbled with her words a bit while fiddling with a ring on her right index finger, "You've grown up to be quite different than I expected."

"It's the hair isn't it?" He continued smirking at her.

"Well it's the hair, the guitar playing.." She couldn't help but look him up and down, fixating her gaze on his open shirt, the charm of his necklace resting against his bare chest.

For a moment, her imagination ran wild and she had an image of that same charm dangling over her, moving hypnotically with every thrust he made.

She shook her head, a little embarrassed to think about him in that light. She had never done that in the past, when they were kids she had the ocasional daydream of getting to second base with him but never the home run.

Jane realized she never finished her sentence and he was looking at her expectingly, ".. and the overall appearance. I'm sure people don't expect you to be an astronomer."

"I usually get weird looks when people find out what I do for a living, especially my students." He decided to ignore her minute disruption of her train of thought and not pry.

"Students? Do you teach also?"

Was there anything he couldn't do?

"I took a student teaching job, teaching maths and physics." He took a sip of his beer.

She couldn't believe these next words came out of her mouth, it was her response purely out of reflex, "I'm sure all of the young ladies in your classes pay attention." She grinned at him, the alcohol was definitely taking over, and proceeded to throw her logic completely out of the window.

"Why just the young ladies?" He leaned a little closer to her, wondering if she was actually flirting with him or was it just his imagination.

"Well.. I mean.." She gestured to him, "Look at you."

He couldn't help but laugh, not at her response but for the way it made him feel.

"You're too kind, Jane." He spoke a bit softer.