The Wrong Choices

13. Click.

Chapter Thirteen.

There's voices talking downstairs and pots banging against each other. The windows rattle as the hailstones bang against them and I hear the shower running. None of those noises wake me. What wakes me is the intense pounding in my head and nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I wrap my pillow around my head, muffling out all the sounds surrounding me and let out a loud groan. I'm twisted across my bed in an almost impossible manner, my legs sticking out the side and the duvet only half covering my body.

Now would be the moment where I'm supposed to say how all the events of last night come back to me all at once. Well, they don't, and that's the problem; I can't remember anything after my second drink. I guess it's not a really good idea to drink on an empty stomach, you'd think when I was making all those sandwiches that I would have eaten at least one, but I didn't.

I can slightly remember laughing and hearing someone else laugh, but it's so vague that I can't even remember if the person was male or female.

A piercing noise fills my ears and it feels like my head is going to blow up as the thumping in my head becomes more profuse. The noise sounds strangely like an-

"Air-fucking-horn!" Theo sings, snatching the covers off me.

Then he does the most cruel thing. He holds the air horn, which is only slightly bigger than his hand, a few inches from my head then presses the button before I can get him away. Right in my fucking face. Normally, this would be painful, but hungover, it's agonising. I swat him away blindly because my eyes are squeezed shut.

When he releases the button and the noise disappears, I flop back down on the bed with a soft thud.

"Get up."

"No," I answer into the pillow, my voice muffled.

"Aw, Lilli has her first hangover, cute," he coos, pinching my cheek. I kick my legs out, attempting to hit him.

"Fuck. Off."

Before I know it, Theo grabs my ankles, hanging me upside-down, my stomach turning. I scream like a five year old girl who accidentally touched a boy and contracted some cooties. My hair hangs in a mess of curls and I flail my arms around trying to hit him.

"THEO!!"

He lets me down, laying me on the ground in the upstairs hallway and I jump up straight away, giving him the hardest kick I can muster right into his shin.

I walk downstairs feebly and hear Theo following after me, muttering under his breath. Good enough for him, I think.

Bella and Lydia are already in the kitchen, making dinner. I look at the clock, it's almost two.

"Did you enjoy the party, Lil?" my mother asks, flicking on the kettle.

"Lil can't remember the party, she was too busy getting pissed with Boyle," Theo cuts in, tossing my hair.

Hunter? Well it does kinda make sense.

"Piss off, Theo," I snap.

Lydia's frowns, her lips pressed in a line. "Lilli-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm sixteen, shouldn't be drinking, yada yada."

She sighs, putting a cup of yellow-green liquid on the table in front of me and I sniff it cautiously.

"It's lemon tea. To clear your head," she drops two painkillers into my hand and I mutter a thanks.

I force the tea down my throat with the painkillers. The tea tastes like crap, to be frank. I down it all, feeling slightly more awake and get up, picking my phone up from the counter. There's a message from this morning popping up on the screen.

Damon: Need 2 talk. Meet at d park at 3?

Me: Ok.

I put down the phone, heading upstairs. Dad's coming out of the shower as I collect my clothes and I slip into the bathroom when he goes downstairs. One look in the mirror shows the definition of hungover. My hair is in a bush around my head, I have extreme panda eyes. Overall I look completely dishevelled.

I step into the shower, letting the water run over me. I wonder what Damon wants to talk about. Then a thought strikes me. Did I text him last night? Or worse, did I call him?

Shit, shit, shit.

If I did call him, God knows what I would have said. I shake the thought out of my head, setting my focus on detangling my hair.

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I leave the house at quarter to 3 in my heavy jacket and woollen leggings. It's so chilly outside that I run back in to grab my hat and gloves. The cool air catches onto my damp hair, making it seem colder and by the time I get to the park, I think my nose is going to fall off.

He's sitting on one of the benches, playing candy crush and doesn't even notice me coming up behind me.

"Damon," I say, looking down at him. He jumps up a little in surprise then smiles nervously.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Then he just stares at me. Like, Jesus, that guy could use some social skills or even some manners. I sit down myself, deciding that there's no point in waiting for an invitation.

"You wanted to talk?" I offer, trying to start the conversation.

"Uh. . . . Yeah," he stares at me again for a while and I look away, my skin wriggling in awkwardness.

"Spit it out," I say, not meaning to sound so harsh.

"It's just that, Lilli."

"Just what?"

"Why do you talk to me like that?"

I shake my head, frowning. "I talk to everyone like this."

"Lilli, there's something wrong."

"With you?" I ask. I'm so confused, to be honest I have no idea what he's talking about.

"With us."

Click.

"Oh. . ."

"I don't understand you. You just don't say anything to me and I think we have a problem," he stretches his legs out, crossing his ankles over each other.

"So. . . what now?" I ask, I can hear how timid my voice has gone.

"Do you want," he points from himself to me, "this?"

"I don't know," I answer, in all honesty.

"Me neither."

I bite my lip. "Maybe we should take a break from this, like, I don't know, think it over."

"That's not a bad idea," he says, sighing.

I stand up, there's no point in hanging around. He stands up as well and we start walking together. I feel more comfortable beside him now, for some reason, like something has lifted between us. When we get to the the park entrance, he reaches down and hugs me. I close my eyes, absorbing one of the only nice moments between us that we've had in weeks.

We say goodbye and walk opposite ways. I feel like skipping but stop myself just because I would look ridiculous. I feel as light as a feather. One little piece of me has just clicked back into place and I can't help thinking that this is the beginning of something good.

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