When August Ends

Chapter 18

I feel my phone buzzing in my pocket and take it out.

The screen is lit up with a picture of Conrad eating ice cream when we were 13 on the boardwalk.

"Buzz kill" I show Sarah the screen and roll my eyes.

"Don't pick upppp" Sarah slurs taking another sip of her drink.

"Maybe he's calling to confess his 'love' again" I make quotation marks with my hands around love.

I pick up the phone. "Hello?"

"Where the fuck are you?" I hear him say even though the music is blaring. Sarah tries listening in but I cover my other ear and walk to a more quiet area.

"Hmm why does it matter to you?" I slur.

"Can you please just give me a location" he sounds frustrated.

"No. I'm having fun. Something you apparently forgot how to do this summer" I slur

"Goddamn you are drunk. I'm not gonna ask you again, where are you?"

"You sound so sexy when you're mad" I say "has anyone ever told you that? I'd love you to fuck me when your mad"

I hear him let out a frustrated sigh. "Are you even in Cousins?"

"No" I respond.

"Where are you? Everyone is worried" he says slowly.

"I-who's worried? My mom? Tell her I'm okay. If anyone else is worried tell them I'll be back soon. Yeah maybe I'll be back soon I don't know" I say.

"I'm worried. Can you please just tell me where you are?" He's getting impatient now.

"OooOh Sarah did you hear that? Conrad's worried about me!" I scream keeping my phone away from me for a second.

Apparently he can hear my scream though because once I hold the phone back up to my ear I hear Conrad yell "YOU'RE IN FUCKING BOSTON?"

"maybe" I laugh a little. "I'll come back to Cousins soon don't worry"

"No. You're coming back to cousins by tomorrow morning. I'll make sure of it. What's the name of the bar you're at?" He asks.

"By the Bay" I say. "But that doesn't matter"

"Please don't drink anymore" he says I can hear his car engine start up "just be safe. I'll be there in a few hours"

"What? N-" He hangs up the phone.

I sigh. "Another round of drinks?" Sarah suggest and I nod.

We get another round, and another until eventually I'm puking in the bar bathroom. I felt so dizzy and sick but I kept going. I was done for.

I walked out of the bathroom swaying as Sarah tried holding me up even though she was having a hard enough time walking herself.

"Okay one more round than we seriously have to go" Sarah laughs and I do the same. We get another round and as I go to take a sip of mine someone grabs it from me and places it on the table.

"Funs over" I can make out Conrad's face even though the world is spinning.

"No-No what are you doing here? I'm having funnn" I touch his chest. "Don't you wanna have some fun Conrad?"

He looks at me uncomfortable. "I'm taking you home"

"But she's having fun. You obviously don't allow her to back at Cousins" Sarah pouts.

"I'm taking you too. Come on ladies" he grabs me and tosses me over his shoulder. I hit his back but he doesn't budge.

Sarah follows us to Conrad's car.

"My carrrr" I whine.

"Shit" Conrad mutters as he places me in the car seat buckling me in.

"I took the train" Sarah slurs.

"What's your address?" Conrad asks buckling me in.

Sarah gives him her address as she gets into the backseat.

Conrad gets in the drivers and takes Sarah home.

"I'll call you" I slur as she stumbles into her house.

"Do you know how much in a panic everyone in the house was in? Why would you do something so stupid?" Conrad asks pulling away from Sarah's house.

"I-I wanted to get away" I say.

He shakes his head and pulls into a motel on the side of the road.

"I'm not driving another 3 hours back tomorrow so you can get your car. We're staying here tonight" he says.

I moan and he gets out of the car and comes and takes me out like a little kid.

"I'm gonna be sick" I say running over to a bush. Conrad comes and grabs my hair holding it away from my face.

"This will teach you a lesson about drinking too much" he mumbles as we walk in. He gets us a room and the guy gives me a questioning glance.

We walk in and there's only one bed.

"You take the bed" Conrad says.

"No-no sleep with me up here" I say pulling off my shirt. "I want you too"

"It's wrong. You sleep up there and I'll be right below you so if you need anything I'm here" he says.

I walk up to him and grab his hand leading him into the bed. "No-sleep with me tonight"

He stands there for a moment then shrugs. He pulls off his shirt and gets into the bed.

I fall on the bed and get under the covers. My vision is still blurred.

I turn to face Conrad. "You cared enough to come get me"

He doesn't respond but instead just breathes out.

I turn the opposite direction from him. I start to fall asleep when I feel his arm wrap around me and pull me closer.

"I will always come get you" he whispers.