Given Time

♡15♡

"Leah! Leah!"

I can hear someone faintly shouting my name in the distance, but I can't make out the voice as the deafening music drowns it out. The booming sounds do nothing to help my already pounding head, and I feel as if I'm hurling around on a roller coaster, moving in every direction at a sickening speed.

"Leah, stop!"

Who keeps calling me? Whoever it is, they sound closer, but I decide it doesn't matter and keep moving forward, away from this party, away from that bitch Chloe, away from everyone.

My heels hit the grass, and they immediately sink into the mud. Great. Just great! Zara's going to kill me if I ruin them. I try to look at the ground to watch my step, but the grass is swirling around, like an uncontrollable sea.

Bile rises in my throat, but I swallow it back down, forcing my body to keep it in my system. Taking a deep breath, I attempt to take another step forward, but one of my heels is firmly stuck in the mud. I try to dislodge it, but end up losing my balance and fall to the ground, scuffing my hands and knees. Could I look any more pathetic right now?

Blinking away the tears that have formed in my eyes, I hastily wipe my hands together to remove the mud, grab my purse off the ground, and push myself back up.

"Where do you think you're heading to?" the voice shouts again.

Where am I heading to? I don't even know the answer myself, but I do know that I need to get away from this house.

I pick up the pace, and my heels eventually find the paved path again, clicking on the hard sidewalk while I drunkenly try to dodge the people in my way.

A warm hand reaches out to touch my hip, and I shake it off, moving my sluggish body faster. Yet, my wobbly knees quickly betray me, and I fall forward, crashing into the hedges.

The impact causes my stomach to tighten in an unbearable pain, and I drop my purse on the ground to my side. "Oh no. I think I'm gonna..."

But I'm unable to finish the sentence as I double over, throwing up the last few hours of alcohol intake all over the hedge.

I can feel someone stand behind me, and they pull the hair away from my face, stopping me from getting vomit into my hair. Whoever it is, I'm suddenly grateful for them following me.

Just as I think my body has finished, I'm hit with a second wave of nausea. My stomach squelches in protest, and I throw up all over again. The pungent stench invades my nostrils, and the burning sensation in my throat intensifies, making my eyes water. Oh God. Make it stop!

After a while, my stomach has nothing left to give, and a few dry heaves come out before I finally fall backward and sit on the damp ground, exhausted.

"You're a mess!"

I finally recognize the voice and turn my head to see Tanner standing to my side with his arms crossed. His nostrils are flaring in and out, and his cold blue eyes are glaring at me.

"How much did you have to drink, Leah?"

I weakly hold up my hand, trying to show him how many with my fingers, but I can't make my hand work properly. He huffs angrily, and his expression grows darker.

I hiccup and let out a small giggle. He looks mad, super mad. Oh, but he looks so handsome when he's mad. "Mr.Grumps," I slur before giggling again. Wow, I'm feeling much better now.

Tanner groans and rests his hands behind his head. "For fuck's sake! You're far past wasted. Look at yourself; you can barely sit upright."

"Hmm." My lips lift upward at his observation of my slumped appearance, and I lie purposely on my back, stretching out on the ground.