HOW I LOST YOU

CHAPTER TEN

Author’s Note: This is my first posting to Wattpad – thanks for reading! Please vote, comment and like! This is one of my more recent YA contemporary novels – if you like this please check out my other books I’m Not Her, If I Stay and Who I Kissed.

Copyright © 2013 by Janet Gurtler

Chapter Ten

I banged my fist against James’s door while Levi held half-naked and fully passed out Kya across his arms like a little kid asleep from a long car ride.

James opened the door, smiled, and then it faded when he saw Levi holding Kya behind me.

“Seriously?” he said. “She passed out in her bikini?”

“I know. The NCPA would love this.”

“Forget your college paintball aspirations, what about my mom?” James said. “Can you put a pair of sweats and a shirt on her? I can come up with a story for her crashing here but not in her friggin’ bikini.” He shook his head. “She is going to owe me for this. Huge.”

He stared at Levi as he spoke.

“Oh, sorry. James, this is Levi,” I said.

“One of the merrymakers at Kya’s get-loaded fest?” James asked.

“Hardly,” Levi said.

“No,” I added. “Levi had nothing to do with it. I got a call from her when we were having coffee. Levi was at hot yoga with me. He just moved here.” I played with my hair and glanced around the front porch, avoiding James’s gaze.

Levi shifted Kya in his arms. “I’d love to do the whole introduction thing, but she’s kind of heavy,” he said.

“Sorry.” I stepped aside and Levi walked past, carrying her inside the house.

“James? Where should we put her? Your room?” I followed behind him.

James blew out a puff of air, made a face at Kya, and flicked his hand in the air for Levi to follow him. “God, who cares about the sanctity of my bedroom? I’ll have to fumigate it later. This means I get to sleep on the couch. I swear to God, if she pukes in my bed, she is cleaning it up herself.”

"Good call,” Levi said, and followed James to his room. I trailed behind them, watching as he plopped her on the bed. Kya groaned and then curled over on her side in the fetal position. Her bare butt was practically exposed and I pulled a blanket over her.

James shook his head. “You’re aware that most friends don’t involve you in their illegal acts. You know that, Grace, right?”

I ignored him and stood looking down at her. “Can you give me a pair of your sweats and a shirt? I’ll put them on her,” I said without glancing his way.

James pulled some clothes out of his dresser and handed them to me. I looked over at Levi, who was leaning against the wall. James followed my gaze and winced. Levi had slightly wrinkled the Pokémon poster that had been on his wall for as long as I’d known him.

“I’m going to put some clothes on her,” I told them.

“Oh.” They shuffled out of the room together. She made a couple of whimpering sounds but stayed heavy and limp. I managed to pull pants on her and got a shirt over her head and arms, then tucked her back under the blankets and checked her breathing, wrinkling my nose at the odors coming off her.

I said a silent and quick prayer to God for her in my head. I’m not overly religious. My family goes to church for weddings and funerals, sometimes on Easter or Christmas, depending on the year, but I still had silent conversations with God sometimes. And I figured Kya could use some extra help.