Downright Delinquents

Chapter Twenty One

Frowning, I attempted to sit up, but was unsuccessful as black dots rushed into my head, disorientating my vision. With a groan, I collapsed back down into a limp heap. My head was hammering inside my brain to the extent I felt like beheading myself.

I had all the symptoms of a hangover and it sucked majorly.

"How long was I out?" I asked, my voice coming out raspy, due to the lack of water I've consumed within the last twenty four hours.

"Couple of hours." Imogen answered. "We didn't have the heart to wake you. Well, until now."

She frowned at Colin who I only really just noticed properly. He was standing against the wall, one leg propped up, his arms folded neatly across his firm chest. I let my eyes dip over him, once again, impressed by his dazzling appearance.

"Yeah. Thanks Colin."

"Welcome."

Slowly, I reeled forward and this time, managed to actually sit up. I let myself fall forward and hung my head in between my knees. I sighed heavily, letting my eyes close again. I wish I had just stayed asleep. The emotions of grief and devastation were restlessly swirling around inside my chest, swelling to the point that it might suffocate me.

"Can I have some alone time guys?"

"Not a chance." Imogen replied swiftly, making me give her a disapproving look.

I stood up and planted my hands on my hips angrily. "I don't need a baby sitter."

"We're not your 'baby sitter'." Colin barked at me, making me flinch in surprise. "We're your friends, trying to look after you. Stop being a brat."

My mouth fell open at his outburst. His lips were twisted into a scowl and his arms tightened their stance. I opened my mouth to retort, but no words came out. Colin just admitted we were friends. Most of the time he argued that we were 'nothing'. Upon hearing him state that, well, it left me speechless to be honest. We stared heatedly at each other for several moments, before Imogen carelessly broke us out of our trance.

"I'm actually pretty keen for tomorrow." Imogen said, collapsing beside me on the bed and stretching out. I heard the bones in her back crack as she let out a groan, before falling backward and spreading out unattractively.

"What's tomorrow?"

"Those schools are coming to see how 'rebellious' us teenagers us." she laughed. "Half of them sneak off and party with us anyway."

My stomach clenched painfully as my mind automatically switched towards Gabe. He would be here. Tomorrow. With the rest of my friends. They don't even know I'm here. Hell, I haven't spoken to them in God knows how long. Suddenly, this hangover felt like nothing in comparison to what I was feeling now. My mouth began watering as I rolled off the bed and onto my knees. I fumbled for the bin and vomited, dry heaving until I fell to the floor, gasping.

"Um, are you okay?" Jeremy asked, painfully reminding me that I was not alone.

My hands trembled as I tried to keep calm.  The word 'okay' wasn't in my vocabulary any more. Tears burned at my eyes as I rolled onto my back, trying not to have a full-blown breakdown in front of the small crowd gathered around me. I pressed my palms to my forehead, feeling sweat gather across my forehead.

"I need to leave. Now."

"What? Why?"

"I can not be here tomorrow when they arrive." I groaned, the pounding in my head only increasing the more I thought about my situation.

Scenarios began bombarding my brain of them seeing me. Would they hate me? Of course they would. I abandoned them without so much as a note goodbye. This was going to be a disaster.