ACROSS.

CHAPTER - 03

I wake up with a jolt; my head pounding wickedly, throbbing as I glance at the foot of the bed...my bed. I'm in my room? Kristy is snoring softly on her bed and I'm not wearing the same clothes I had last night. Oh hell! How did I go from perfect beginnings to sick endings in less than twenty four hours? I should've stayed back, should've known something's not meant for me. Wiping my tears, I decide to hit the community showers.

Kristy is on her phone when I pad into the room after what seemed a shower of a lifetime. "Hey...what happened last night?" she asks and I remain silent as I set my toiletry case down and sit on the bed. "Wish I knew." I mumble to myself, "When did you get back?" I'm still trying put in the missing pieces together. "As soon as I could, Ryan told me something happened---but when I got back you're passed out, changed in your pajamas and tucked in bed." So it was Ryan who came to my rescue last night? I have to thank him; he's a good person.

Holy Shit? Ryan changed me out of my clothes, but why? What could be more bizarre than this? Leave it to me to show up in some crazy ass club night and thrown into vomit amongst other shit. "Did Ryan tell you what happened?" I dig deeper and head to my closet. "Not really. I was told you needed me. That's all." Okay...that's good. "Wanna tag along for a shopping spree?" I ask as I pick a sweatshirt and a pair of denims. "Do you even have to ask?"

****

It's later in the evening after I finish doing my face when the door opens to reveal Mason. "How are you?" he asks as I fetch my phone from the table, "Better, are you guys leaving?" "Yes, do you want me to wait while Ryan shows up?" Kristy asks, "You don't have to." I smile sweetly and she beams. "Okay, see you in the party." "Bye." I sigh as the door shuts with a thud.

Frankly, I don't wish to be in a party but I was brazenly reminded by Kristy that Ryan asked me out and I owe him an evening out of decency and goodness of my heart. Sorting through my plans on my planner, I hear a knock on the door after a beat.

"You look amazing," Ryan's grins boyishly as I open the door and my cheeks heat up. How weird is the fact that he has seen me naked? What did he think? I wink the thoughts away, "Thanks." I manage to say as I grab my clutch. A shopping spree was just what I needed to clear my head. Although Kristy never approves my taste in clothing----I think it's elegant. Locking the door, we advance out of the building. I'm just glad it isn't as awkward as I anticipated it to be. Ryan is so handsome, with his glossy black hair and glowing skin and deep eyes. "So...how are you today?" And here I thought I buried the hatchet for good. "I'm good." I crack a smile at him as we slide into his car and he ignites the engine, "I'm sorry the neighborhood isn't very good near Hot mama." Okay. "So I figured." I sigh heavily and look past the windows towards the city. "Thank you for what you did," I break the comfortable silence after a few long moments as he begins to drive and he averts his gaze on me, confused and lost, "I couldn't have tackled that man alone." "I'd come a little sooner had I known something was going down there." He flushes and I smile, "It's all right, nobody saw it coming anyway." I say as matter of fact and he frowns for a short moment, "I won't let anyone hurt you Jessica," he says and my heart swells in my chest, "I'm glad we're friends, it means more than you know." I admit placidly and look out of the window, "Me too." He has a tattoo of dragon blazing fire on his arm and oddly, it's attractive.

The drive as expected is short since I'm in the right company, talking about random things. Clearly, I was over thinking things a while ago. Ryan draws the vehicle into the parking lot of an apartment building named Alliance Avenue, touching the ribbon of sky as I tip my head back and glance at the vast condo after sliding out of the car. "You'll love this party. It's wild but in a good way." Ryan dabs the button for the elevator car, "I sure hope so." I laugh nervously and he chuckles, "So whose party is it?" I ask as we step into the elevator car and it slides up, "You'll see. The guy happens to be close." Interesting. Perhaps it won't be bad at all. It took me a whole day to wrap my mind around the fall of events and the reason I'm still doing this is because I don't want an event to dictate my whole life, even if it scares me or breaks me further. "So no boyfriend?" Ryan asks as I stare at the antique needle on the top of the frame of the door, "No. I had things that rather occupied me." I answer evenly and the ding of the elevator car sliding open makes me miss his muttered words.