Falling in Love + other Conditions of Living

Chapter 14

© kelliekook

The aftereffects of last nights short-lived drinking binge were definitely in motion.

Not only was Rachel's head throbbing as though someone was repeatedly pounding her skull against the wall, but her mouth was dry, and a bitter taste lingered on her tongue.

Never again, Rachel swore as she rolled over with a groan, never again!

She cracked open one of her sleep-crusted eyes and moaned as the now gluggy mascara was forced to un-glue her eyelashes.

With effort, Rachel tilted her head to see if there was someone else's resting on the other pillow. Yet she knew before she saw the empty space, there wouldn't be.

Her bed was bare, except for herself.

She let out the breath she had been holding. All the torment she was currently enduring and she still had to live with the very clear, very mortifying memories of last night?

Brilliant, just brilliant.

Rachel rubbed her temples slowly. She could smell him on her pillows and it was making her stomach flop all over the place. Her heart gave a little tug as she remembered how good it had felt to fall asleep surrounded by it.

Good lord, she would have to burn the stupid thing later!

Rachel lifted the sheets up to cover her face. Oh god, what had she done?

Hysteria bubbled dangerously close to her line of control as the reality of her actions began to sink in.

The multiple anxieties and accusations plaguing her brain, until eventually they burned down to the singular question of why? Why had she done it?

A simple enough inquiry, yet it unsettled her to the core.

The matter wasn't made any better with her body's present state of well-being.

Emotionally, Rachel understood she was currently very unstable, but as each terse second ticked by she could feel her physical health slowly deteriorating as well.

The bathroom was just a door and a few metres away – she knew her time was little.

On unsteady feet, Rachel frantically manoeuvred her body out of the warm comfort of her bed and down the hall. Where, after a few painstaking minutes, she was able to temporarily relieve herself of the pain.

The sound of a knock alerted her there was someone at the front door, but her small form refused to move from the cold tiled floor she had fallen limp against.

"Hel – lo?" Rachel managed to croak out.

There was more tapping, then Jasmine's gentle voice, "Rach? Are you there? Maddy said you'd be home...It's Jaz." Apparently Rachel's croak had gone unheard.

She tried again, lifting her voice an octave. "Hello!"

The knocking ceased. "Rach?"

"Yes! It's me!"

"You sound horrible." Jaz's voice took on a sudden brash as she rattled the doorknob. "What happened? Let me in!"

Rachel could feel her stomach squirming uncomfortably again. "There's a key.....under the.....welcome......m-mat." She breathed, moving her weak limbs in preparation for the trauma her body was about to endure again.

Rachel didn't hear the lock click or the door open but suddenly she felt Jaz's warm hands taking the hair from her hands and holding it back from her face. A sense of security eased through Rachel's trembling frame.