Friends With Benefits | Dylan O'brien

08: Acknowledgment

Chapter Eight - Acknowledgement

My phone has multiple messages and five missed calls from Nick all from 2 am the next morning when I check it.

babe<3
Lydia i'm sordy
Babyjplease i'm really sorry
Im just reallh drunk and upset I didn't mean to upset you
Ilove you
So mucg
I'm so sorry
Please talk t ome

I bite at my lip, feeling anxious about the whole situation. His texts make me soft inside but I can't help but want to push it to the side, not wanting to deal with it quite yet. I thought maybe I would feel different today but I just feel shitty—mentally and physically.

I need a gallon of water.

I have a few texts from Jo and Niyah too.

jo!!
hey babe, so sorry i didn't answer u last night !!!!

jo!!
i should've told u i went home with a friend and ended up getting super drunk. i'm okay tho!! i'm alive lmao thank you for inviting me. u could say i had a good time...

niy<333
pls tell me norah got home okay
i hooked up w some guy from athens last night
that's why i disappeared for the night
love you

I lock my phone and stare at the lock screen of Nick, Dylan and I at prom just a few weeks ago. We all stand next to one another for pictures, Nick's hand around my waist while Dylan's arm is around my shoulder. Nick's lips are pressed against my cheek and I have big grin on my face as I stare at Dylan who's smiling back at me. It makes me sad how fast things can change.

In the middle of the night, Norah ended up throwing up in the trash can, which woke me to find that Dylan and I were once again tangled in each other, warm and so comfortable. I kind of felt slightly less bad this time.

"How ya feelin'?" Dylan asks Norah who just comes back from the bathroom. She looks like the perfect image of a hangover. Her hair is barely in her braid, still in her clothes from last night and her eyes are heavy with sleep and squinted from the sun shining through my windows.

"Shut up," she groans and Dylan cackles, amused. "I'm actually never drinking again. I feel horrible."

"Yeah my stomach feels like shit."

"Do you guys wanna go get breakfast?" Dylan asks us and I grimace at the thought of food right now.

"What time is it?—Actually where's my phone?" Norah asks, glancing down at the air mattress.

"On my dresser and it's almost 10:30." I nod in the direction and then look at Dylan. "I honestly do not want to eat right now."

"Well I'm starving, so I'm gonna see if any of the guys are up and want to," Dylan says, feet on the floor as he leans back on my bed, shirt lifting slightly and exposing the trail of hair on the lower half of his stomach. I lick at my dry lips and avert my eyes elsewhere.

I don't know what it is about happy trails. . .

"I doubt they're up," I say with an amused chuckle. "They were pretty fucked up."

"Yeah, for real. I'm about to head home and go back to sleep," Norah says with a big yawn, and then grimaces. "Yeah, gosh I'm so tired."