Wishbone

10 - 400 lux

(Important: Chloe's pov)

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The sight of Paige standing in my living room was, frankly, sobering. Though practically blackout drunk, I felt myself stand a little straighter as I stared back at her. Maddie fumbled with her belongings awkwardly, looking between us both. Paige just stood there.

"Hey, Paige," I said slowly, trying my best not to slur my words. "Why'd you come here?"

"Because you left me with just about ten thousand missed calls," She answered aggressively, her voice trembling with accusation. "I thought you were in trouble."

"When'd you get sphere—here?" I bit the inside of my cheek at my mess up, as if she couldn't already tell I was wasted. I tried to calm down as my heart rate rose, reminding myself she was not Brook. She would not get mad at me for being out, and drinking with my old friend.

"Like two hours ago," She said. "I had no clue where you were, so I just waited. I didn't know what to do. Christi didn't know, either."

I couldn't help my eyes, they just rolled. With the motion I lost my balance and stumbled into the kitchen counter, wincing at the way my scratched elbow smacked the table. I was too out of my head to cry at the throbbing pain. When Paige did nothing but stare at me with wide eyes, I said, "I'm sorry. I'm okay, if you wanted to leave now."

Nobody moved. I was frozen, leaning on the table. Paige just stood there, looking at the floor next to me. Maddie stayed looking between us, before sitting down on the couch as quietly as she could.

Breaking after a minute, I said, "Can you get Maddie water? I'm grabbing her stuff from my room so I can make her a bed on the couch." I gestured to the couch messily and slumped towards my room, avoiding Paige's eyes. I heard her walk over to the kitchen section of the room and open my cup cabinet.

I took a deep breath, fighting the urge to just pass out on my bed. Grabbing a couple blankets from the closet was a war. Everything kept dropping around me, like little bombs. I would have to drop the bomb on Paige that Maddie and I made out. I mean, it was just for fun, so it wasn't the same as when we kissed, but maybe she'd be upset. Or maybe she wouldn't, because she was mad at me and didn't love me back.

But she showed up when she thought I needed her, and waited for me to get home. I giggled to myself in the midst of it all, thinking she was like a dainty housewife, waiting for her husband to come back from the war. I strutted out of my room with the blankets in hand, having survived the bombs.

I dropped them on the couch next to Maddie and sat with her as she drank the water Paige gave her. Her lipstick was smeared, and I couldn't help but point and laugh at it. She punched me in the shoulder lightly and groaned, laying down over my lap. Paige came over to me and handed me my own glass of water, which I downed quickly. Some of it spilled down my front.

I sat with Maddie after, my eyes heavy, until I realized she was also falling asleep. I moved her off me and put a blanket over her as she dozed off, waving Paige down to my room. I didn't check to see if she followed or not; my feet were as heavy as bricks, and I just wanted to get to bed.

I flopped down on my bed and heard the door close behind me, then felt the bed crease as Paige joined me. She wasn't mad enough to leave, at least. The lights were already off, so I just pushed over a pillow for her and got under the blankets, and she followed. We laid there quietly for a while, just observing each other. I wanted to sleep, but I couldn't stop staring at her face. Her blue eyes were tired, stripped of their makeup, and she chewed on her lip absentmindly as she surveyed my own features. Her hair fell around her frame, and it took everything in me not to reach forward and run my fingers through it. She was so beautiful. I smiled before I could help it.