Before You | 18+ | ✓

29: jj

I'm being shaken awake. "JJ, goddammit you better wake the fuck up." Harry says, patting my cheek frantically.

Words aren't functioning properly in my head and the only thing I can do is groan. What the fuck is that smell?

"You fucking idiot. You drank so much you passed out before you could get to your room and you threw up all over yourself." She scolds just as my stomach roils. My head is already turned to the side and I cough as I vomit again. "Gross," Harry complains before helping me up.

"Harry, what is taking you so long? You said you were only going to check on him..." Marley's voice fades and then she gasps. "Oh my god."

Fuck fuck fuck. She can't be here. "Marley," I croak, almost gagging again on the smell of vomit and the taste of it sitting in my mouth.

"I'm sorry to even ask you to help me right now, but he's too heavy for me to lift on my own. You have every right to be angry with him Mar, but-"

"It's fine. I'll help you clean JJ up."

I can feel their hands reach under my arms and I do my best to help them, but my body isn't working right now. "He's lucky you wanted me to check on him otherwise he would have been there until tomorrow morning." Harry says quietly to Marley as they get me up onto my knees.

It was Marley's idea for them to check on me? My eyelids feel heavy, but I fight to keep them open. I'm not sure if that's a better idea since the world is spinning all around me.

With their help, I manage to make it onto my feet as the girls all but carry me into the bathroom before guiding me into the shower. The water is turned on and its freezing cold, a sharp shock to my system, but it's what I need to slowly come back.

"I've got it from here. Why don't you go pick Bria up and still meet up with her friends. I'll stay here tonight." Marley says and I don't want her to put off going out with her friends because of me.

If I hadn't mixed, I would have been fine.

My hand feels like it weighs a hundred pounds, but I'm able to lift it to wipe my face off. Next I attempt to pull my shirt off, but the soaked fabric clings tightly to my skin. "Hey, let me help." Marley's voice is soft when speaking. It's nicer than I deserve.

"I'm okay," I struggle to say and Marley's face falls.

"You're not. No one is saying you have to be, but please just let me help you."

Her unwavering gaze with her crystal blue eyes have spellbound me. I nod slowly and lift my arms for her to pull my shirt up over my head. I see the hurt in her eyes and it guts me that I've put it here. That I'm the one whose hurt her.

"I'm sorry."

Marley breaks eye contact and focuses on unbuttoning my shorts to slide them off of me before continuing with my underwear. She says nothing as she lathers soap in her hands and combs them through my hair and down my body.

It's not until she's helped me into pants and into my bed that she finally says something. "You scared me today." Marley admits and my guilt worsens.

"I didn't mean to."

She sniffles. "You just walked away from me earlier after saying those hurtful things to Mira, and then you wouldn't answer your phone. I've been so angry at you all day and I want to be mad at you, but I'm not."

I reach for her hand, but she pulls it away before I can touch her.

"Why did you drink so much you passed out in your own vomit unable to function? What would have happened if I hadn't asked Harry to come in because I didn't think you wanted to see me?" Marley asks, her questions hitting me deep. And the truth is I don't have the answers she's looking for.