Before Sunday

Twenty One

Xavier shakes his head. He's irritated. I can tell. "Forget it." His hand loops around the top of my arm to steady me. "Come on then."

Jackson rakes his fingers through his hair. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I shrug. "Maybe. Maybe not."

This earns me a small smirk. "Alright, whatever. When the hangover wears off and you're puking your guts out, dizzy, feverish and wishing for some relief, you'll be around. Reminds me of somethin, how bout you?"

Damn it. He's right. "Whatever."

"You're pissed at me," Jax says. "It' isn't the first time, it won't be the last time and even so, I still love you."

Xavier's grip tightens on my arm at Jax's proclamation.

The words slip out before I can stop them in attempt to continue being mad. "Love you, too. C'mon Xavier. Let's pop this blow corn stand."

They both laugh.

"I mean let's blow this pop stand."

Xavier shakes his head. "Stop talking, Lo."

"Whatever."

I hitch my purse over my shoulder and start walking. As we head back to X's car, I find myself avoiding obstacles that don't even exist. I'm not even sure if what I'm doing can be considered walking. It's more like a dance—a terrible one might I add—while Xavier is involuntarily tasked with keeping me vertical.

When my foot catches on an uneven sidewalk paver and he stops me from falling, he says, "Jesus Mouse, how much did you drink?"

"I dunno. Lotta."

"Why would he let you drink so much?"

I stop moving and glare. "Let me? Let me? I'll have you know, no one lets me do anything. I am my own person. I am a strong, independent woman."

"Not so independent when you can't walk. I knew I didn't like that guy."

"Pssh," I say, waving my hand dramatically. "Jackson didn't force me to do anything."

"He shouldn't have allowed this. If you were mine, I swear to God."

This causes me to stop again. "If I was yours?"

Even in the darkness of night, I can see X's features harden. "Keep walking, Mouse."

"No."

"Walk," he says sternly.

I freeze and glare at him.

"Walk," he says again. "Or I'll do exactly what your boyfriend was prepared to do and toss you over my shoulder. You have no idea how tempting it is right now."

"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" I say. The venom in my voice is clear as day.

He rolls his eyes. "Holy fuck, Lola Marie. Whatever it is you drank, you're never gonna drink it again. You're beyond a pain in the ass right now. I'm not asking again."

Some small miracle, maybe a sense of self-preservation allows his words to sink in. I've mouthed off to Jackson, I'm running my mouth to Xavier. There are alarm bells in my head, pleading with me to shut the hell up before I do anymore damage. Once they come out, words cannot be unspoken.

My shoulders slump. "Sorry."

"Walk," he says for the third time.

This time I do. I walk and keep my stupid mouth shut.

Xavier lives in an off campus apartment with his roommate, Jared. Tori may be a slob but Jared is a chauvinistic pig, which is why X and I spend so much time at my cramped dorm. Compared to my dorm room, his apartment is high roller living, but X wants to protect me from Jared's less than noble intentions at whatever cost, including but not limited to having space to breathe. He slides his key in the lock and shoulders open the door.