Naked with Friends

Just finished watching a movie, it was pretty sweet. Took me back to my own, far distant high school days...
I remember going to a friend's house for a sleep over and it'd be me and few other girls--all best friends and all frequently bombarded with what the world thought to be "perfect." We all had our own demons; we all had our own problems and misadventures. It was being with each other on a Friday night that kept us tied together.
We would order Chinese or pizza, have an older brother buy us Smirnoff, lock ourselves in whosoever room and turn on the T.V.. We'd turn the channel to the pop or indie music, turn off the lights and cover the blinding light from the T.V. with a sheet. Sitting in a circle to begin with, each taking a turn and drinking a bottle of our choice of flavor. We'd end up dancing; one by one, getting in the swing of the music and start to vibe.
It didn't matter what the song was, or who was singing off key, or who drunkingly took off what. None of our problems, which looking back now were pretty insane, mattered. Nothing in our real lives mattered.
All that mattered was that us girls, the seven or six, or sometimes only two of us, were together. Together, dancing, vibing--naked.
Maybe our problems weren't as major as we thought they were and maybe we were just being childish but there is something about being with the people you love the most in the darkest rooms with the loudest music. Being naked meant nothing but being able to trust each other mentally with each secret buried within our teenage hearts.
I remember singing as loud as I could, eyes shut, moving up and down, dancing around in circles and raising up my hands--clapping and laughing and loving and living...
Living and making it out alive from high school deserves endless applause. The pressure of attention, beauty, keeping lies and promises could kill anyone. Having some other broken soul to confide in--shedding the outer layers of who you're supposed to be and not caring if anyone sees you naked--someone to share a sacred, safe moment with is what saved me. Dancing through the late hours of those Friday nights saved me.

Good night, or Good morning, or whatever.