Wings

In the courtyard, the birds sit on the dying tree late into the autumn night. All the once green leaves now lay in a myriad of red and orange around the base of the trunk. The small birds twitter softly to each other as they wait for the morning light. The streetlights are beginning to fade, and a few rays of light can be seen over the treetops in the distance. A window nearby is open, and a few kids in their early twenties can be seen sitting around a table, which is covered with nearly empty bottles and shot glasses. The birds hear singing from other birds inside inside, while the other kids all turn to a guy leaning his chair on the wall.

"Bird calls?" says the girl sitting next to him.

"Hey, it beats the default Cingular ring tone," says another guy as he pours out the last of the Grey Goose for everyone. As he moves on to pour shots of Sprite, the first guy pulls out his phone. Upon seeing the caller ID, he downs his shot and chaser, takes his thick glasses out of his pocket and puts them on, then he answers the call. Within minutes, he retreats to his bedroom and slams the door, apparently to continue the conversation in private.

The others take their shots and chasers, and some of the girls grab the last parts of the gigantic sub from earlier. Another girl is passed out on the couch with her empty glass sitting on the nearby table. One of the guys grabs a few more beers for everyone and a deck of cards from his room.

"Aidan still on the phone?" he asks. Everyone stops talking momentarily to listen for sounds of life beyond the closed bedroom door.

"It's all quiet. I'll bet anything it was his girlfriend, calling to yell at him again. She's enough to make anyone pass out," laughs one of the girls.

"Ok, well then he gets to miss out on one last game of Ring of Fire," he says as he places an empty cup in the center of the table and spreads a deck of cards around it. "Faye, you go first."

The girl sitting by the wall draws a card. "It's a nine. What's that mean again, Max?"

"Nine is social, so everyone drink," Max explains. Each takes a sip of his or her beer. The guy to Faye's left draws a card: a three. "Three drink minimum; tell three people to drink."

Surveying the crowd, the guy says, "Ok, Max, Sid, and… me." Everyone laughs, and the three assigned to drink each take a sip.

The bird calls ring tone can once again be heard from Aidan's room. A loud, "What the FUCK?" from behind the closed door almost makes them choke in mid sip. After a slight coughing fit, Sid collapses on her boyfriend's lap, and the other guys set down their drinks.

"It's probably her again," says the Faye.

No one replies.

The girl who had been passed out on the couch rolls over, apparently woken by the shout. "Little twit, why can't she just make up her mind and let him be?" she says.

"What does Aidan see in her?" asks Sid's boyfriend. Sid runs her fingers through his short hair. A few people shrug. Ring of Fire abandoned, they all make feeble attempts at small talk. About ten minutes later, the door opens and Aidan emerges without explanation as he drops his phone into his pocket.

"Hit me," he says as he whips off his glasses and sets them on the table.

Outside, the sky is continuing to lighten across the East. Ready to announce the day, the birds twitter softly to each other and ruffle their stiff feathers.

"Aidan, is that your phone?" asks Faye. He does not answer; he is leaning his elbows on the table and supports his forehead with his hands. His glasses still lay a few inches away. Faye puts an arm around his shoulders and runs her hand slowly back and forth across his back.

"If she calls me one more time just to yell at me, we're through," he says. "I don't care if she's my high of highs, I can't take this anymore."

"Girlfriend got you on a short leash?" asks Max. He smirks, but his eyes are still soft and understanding.

"She talks down to me where ever we go! I'm so sick of her acting like she's so much better than me!" Aidan says, and he slams the table with the fist holding his empty shot glass.

Day breaks and the birds outside begin to sing loudly.

"GOD DAMN IT! FUCKING PHONE!" Aidan shouts. He rips out the phone's battery and chucks it sideways in frustration. The noise scares the birds outside away from their perch. Everyone sits in silence as Aidan throws his head back into his hands.

"Welcome back to the single life, buddy," says Max, handing him a beer.