Rewrite The Future

Chapter 15: Dean's POV

To say that I'm in a rush would be the understatement of the century. Practice ran late because Coach decided to rip each of us a new asshole for the way we've been playing lately. I can't say I didn't see it coming. We've been scraping by these last few games and although we've been winning, our luck is going to run out eventually if we don't get our shit together fast. Any other day I would be all for a tough love pep-talk but right now I need to be on my way to get Jessica. I had told her I would collect her at 6 o'clock and arriving late to our first date is unacceptable.

"Okay. Now get your asses in the showers and make sure each of you wakes the fuck up when you're on the pitch next." Coach barks at no one in particular. He turns to head out of the locker room, and several of the guys flip him off behind his back. We have no problem ripping into Coach behind his back and bitching when he's not around, but you'd have to be completely insane to talk back to him. The guy looks like he could be The Rock's stunt double.

I waste no time in hightailing it out of there , opting for a quick shower at home before getting Jess. I drive home at record speed and have the quickest shower of my life. Fifteen minutes later I'm back out the door and heading for the Ridgeview girl's dorms.

When I arrive at her dorm room, I knock on the door, but it can't be heard over the loud music blasting from inside the room. I knock harder this time but still get no response as the chorus of "Sia – Elastic Heart" reaches its peak. What the hell is going on in there?

I quickly ring Jess to let her know I'm outside. Less than a minute later the door flies open, and I see a very drunk Arianna standing on her bed in a large boomer jacket and knee-high leopard-skin socks. She sways side to side completely out of time to the music as she screams the lyrics into a wooden spoon that she is using as a mic. In her other hand, she has a nearly empty bottle of Jack Daniels.

Jess runs over to a large speaker positioned on top of a cluttered dresser and turns the music down to a bearable level before returning to me. "Gosh Dean. I'm so sorry! I don't know what's happening. I got home from lectures earlier to her like this and haven't managed to calm her down yet."

Jess drags my attention back to her and once I fully take her in, I realise how stressed out she is.

"No problem." I say, making sure to sound completely unfazed. I let myself in and quickly scan the room. "I'm guessing that's all she's had since there's no other bottles around?" I ask, pointing at the bottle Arianna now has balanced on her hip.

"I think so, yeh." Jess replies as she worries her lip.

"Okay well, a pint of water and some toast should do the treat. You don't know how many times I've had to sober Noah up after one too many drinks." I chuckle.

"Don't talk about that asshole. He's a waste of fucking breath!" Arianna screams at me and nearly falls face-first onto the floor as she lunges at me.

"Woah. That asshole is my best friend that you're talking about." I reply as I catch her before she splits her chin off the edge of the dresser. I throw her over my shoulder as I bring her over to one of the desk chairs positioned in Jess's corner of the room.

"Hey, keep your hands to yourself big guy! Jess has a major crush on you and will kill me if you hit on me." Ari shrieks while slamming her tiny fists into my back.

I meet Jessica's eyes as her face turns bright red. I love how she can never hide her emotions because those cute pink cheeks of hers always give her away.

"Is that so?" I ask Ari while I continue to smirk at Jess.

"Oh definitely! She's like a major fan girl for you."

"Okayyyy I think that's enough talking from you." Jess interrupts before handing Ari a glass of water and a plate of buttery toast.

"Jessy!" Ari squeals and jumps up to wrap Jess up in a hug. "I forgot you were here!"

"Yeh, I gathered that." Jess deadpans.

"You're not mad at me, are you?" Ari replies seeming to sober up enough to realise what is going on to some level.

"No of course not. But I am a little confused as to why you decided to get black-out drunk at 6 o'clock on a Thursday night." Jess replies softly, with no hint of judgment in her voice just concern.

At this, Ari bursts out crying and sobs into her boomer jacket. "I just hate him so much, Jess! He's horrible and stupid and funny and nice and so fucking sexy." She whines.

I exchange a confused look with Jess, and she gives me back an equally confused shoulder shrug.

"Maybe you could wait out here while Ari and I clean up in the bathroom?" Jess suggests as she takes Arianna by the arm and leads her towards the closed bathroom door.

I give an enthusiastic nod and thank my lucky stars that I am being given a pass on having to partake in girl talk.

Twenty minutes later, the two girls re-emerge from the bathroom. Arianna seems to be more like herself again even if her eyes are red and mascara is smudged down her cheeks.

"Maybe it's better if I head off" I suggest. "We can do this another time?"

"Oh my God no. I've already ruined the first hour of your date. Please don't let me ruin the rest of it." Arianna protests.

"Ari I'll stay here with you. We can order pizza and watch the cringiest movie that we can find on Netflix." Jess suggests ignoring her.

"No way. You are not staying here and joining in on my pity party! You two are going out and I'm going to try to sleep away my impending hangover."

"I really don't mind rescheduling." Jess insists.

"Me neither." I input and mean it.

"Well, I do. One thing I can't stand is wasting a good outfit and girl you look killer right now." Ari insists as she pushes Jess towards the door.

That she does. Jess has on a white dress that hugs her waist perfectly and comes out to flow loosely around her tanned legs. She's matched it with brown sandals with a small heel making her short build slightly taller but still small compared to my 6.4 height. Her brown hair is pinned back showing off her beautiful face that she has applied makeup to even though she doesn't need it. Jessica is naturally the most beautiful woman I've ever seen and her looking like this is making it hard for me to remember to be a gentleman.

"I don't want to leave you on your own." Jess pleads with Ari.

"God you are relentless! I'll be fine. Plus, I won't be alone, I've got a hot date with my vibrator." She replies matter of fact and I choke on absolutely nothing. This girl has no shame.

Jess just laughs, clearly more used to hearing statements like that from Arianna than I am. "Okay, well I guess we will leave you to it." Jess chuckles and grabs my hand. Her small one is engulfed by mine when I intertwine our fingers. We head out the door and just as Jess goes to close it Arianna pops her head out.

"Be good you two. Don't do anything I wouldn't do and definitely don't do anything I would do." She throws a wink my way. We laugh the entire walk back to my car.