The Graduate (Glee - Sam Evans Fan Fiction)

Chapter Eleven ~ Aftermath

"Thank you for the ride." I tell Holly when she pulls up outside the house. 
We both step out of the car and she nods in acceptance.

"It's no trouble, honey." She smiles a warm smile and I automatically reciprocate, depsite the pounding in my skull and the fuzzing in my eyes.
"You look like death warmed up," She nods in my direction and I bring a hand to my shuddering skull.
"Go get some sleep." She chuckles softly and steps away from my car which, clearly, I was in no state to drive anywhere.

"Are you sure you don't want me to call you a cab?" I say at a somehow exhaustingly slow pace. She shakes her head with amused eyes as I take a few steps back in the direction of the door.

"No, honey. I'm only about two blocks from here."

"But it's pretty late." I sigh as the drilling in my mind proceeds but I attempt to obtain an easy expression. Before I can continue to contemplate on her behalf I hear the click of the lock behind me and when I turn to hush it, Brittany's wide eyes are the first to greet me, her Mother's are the second.

"Teegan?" She asks in just a mere whisper. She steps over the threshold and down the stone steps to greet me with an arm under my shoulders. Do I really look that wrecked?

"This is Holly." I say without thinking. I suppose the tiny portion of my mind that is still somewhat sober wants to keep the subject-range away from the fact that I'm pissed out of my mind.
"She drove me home." I gesture to my car, which sits in almost exactly the same spot as it had been in when I'd driven to see my Mother. I don't even want to think about any of that because I know I'll end up heading back to the bar, whether Holly is there or not.

Holly holds up one hand in a small attempt to wave but I can tell that the sharp fall air is pinching at her bare arms. I don't think she'll end up accepting my offer so she might as well start walking, considering the discomfort on her face.

"Thank you." I conclude our earlier debate on calling the cab and she nods with the same kind smile.

"I'll see you around, Teegan." She chimes, taking a few steps away from the driveway. 
When I turn to look at Brittany her eyes are already on me, and they are beginning to gloss over in a way that I've always found unbearable to ignore.

Holly is gone by the time Brittany and I have sloped back in to the house and the look on her Mother's face is not the expression I'd been expecting.

"Do I look that bad?" I slur when I step back. Ms Pierce brings a hand to my face and it isn't until her fingers trace my cheek that the unpleasant sting resurfaces from my Mother's earlier assault. I suppose she had it worse than I did in the end.

The pair of them just stand before me, silenced, Brittany's eyes unbearably tearful.
"Mom." I answer their thoughts and gesture to my presumably pink cheek. Brittany's eyes widen and she takes one stride in my direction, wrapping her arms around my shoulders to nuzzle me in to her torso in the most motherly-way I've ever witnessed her.

"It's okay," I assure her, "I'm okay." I take a step back and her hands cup my elbows. 

"Let's get her to bed." Ms Pierce chimes in with a small smile. I have to admit I'd expected a little more disappointment on the faces of them both but, they both just appear comforting and sympathetic. 
Brittany pads up the stairs behind me and shortly after she's laid three comforters over the already scorchingly-warm duvet her Mother reappears with a glass of water.
"Get some sleep." Ms Pierce nods to the both of us before she plants a small kiss on each of our foreheads. It's so lovely to be accepted like this, in to a real family, a real home. Brittany's Mother is very much an affectionate one but for all the right reasons. 

Brittany shifts her pillows to the opposite end of the bed so that her eyes are closer to mine. When I peer up to meet them they are not as glossy as before, but concern still courses through them.
"I'm fine." I answer her ongoing thoughts and she offers the smallest smile I think I've ever witnessed on anyone.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" She asks quietly.

"No." I whisper. "I can't." I close my eyes to halt the tears that could spill at any moment. When I feel Brittany's hand envelope around my own I allow them to fall across my cheeks.

~~

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ms Pierce asks, Brittany appears beside her and threads her arms through the straps of her backpack.

"I'm sure." I nod. I must admit, my head is heavier than I can even comprehend but I am in no position to cause any sort of questioning as to why I may be absent. Six hours in a long time, I'm sure Brittany won't mind giving glee club a miss today. If she does then I will just have to walk home.

When Brittany pulls away from the house the sickness hits me almost instantly. I make a solid attempt to appear fine as Brittany chirps on about Cheerios practice. 
"Are you sure you're up for this? I can take you home?" She begins and I shake my head once - I'm afraid that if I cause any more motion than is already occuring in this car then I will most certainly spew on the dashboard.

"I'll be fine," I breathe. "Your Mom put some extra Aspirin in my bag." I mentally thank Ms Pierce once again. Why couldn't she have been my Mother?

The remainder of the drive is exceedingly bumpy and unpleasant but I am more than grateful when Brittany finds a parking spot a lot quicker than usual.
"Let me know if you're gonna puke." She jokingly advises with a poke in my ribs. When I wince a little at the nauseating sudden movement she apologises with a small smile.

~~

The unpleasant sound of shuffling chairs and students in unpleasant when we all arise in unison following the signal of the school bell. My sickness soon begins to subside when I spot Marley's blissful grin across the hall.

"Hey, Marls." I greet with a deep breath. Her smile doesn't fade completely at the sight of me but I can tell she's noticed some sort of difference about my appearance.

"Are you okay?" She asks as we begin to walk. "You don't look so good."

"It's a long story." I chuckle softly and begin to regret it when my mind begins to drill away once more. Hangovers really suck.
"We have English, right?" I ask and she confirms with a nod and a concern-laced smile.

My mind shifts to the fact that I'll be sitting beside Sam in my next class. Despite the fact that we appeared to be getting along well following our double-clumsy-first-impressions, I am somewhat glad that we won't be exchanging too many words. At least, I presume we won't considering his dismissive attitude the last time I saw him. 

Marley takes her seat beside Jake as I drop my books on the desk, immediately regretting the thud that repeats itself in my mind.
When Sam doesn't greet me I am a little more offended than relieved. Yes, I'm feeling dreadful, but what the hell is his problem? I'm half tempted to ask but I know that if I make a fuss out of something that is most probably nothing then my already pounding skull will be unbearable.

I can't help but feel he nausea quicken when Ryder's eyes flick to and from mine. I do my best to offer him some form of a kind expression but the bile in my throat is getting too much to dismiss.
"Are we interrupting something?" Miss Gaberi's smoothe tone brings my eyes away from his and I swear I can hear a small huff from Sam's side of the table. I shake my head with furrowed brows as I allow my eyes to shut. Oh, man. 

"Teegan? Are you alright?" She asks and I open my eyes. Do I really look that sick? Despite the fact that I am desperate to tell her yes I involuntarily rise from my seat and stride across the class with a hand across my mouth. When I reach the hallway I know that I don't have a lot of time before I decorate these lockers, so I shove in to the door of the girls bathroom and all hell breaks loose.