Flicker of Hope // NH + HS

6 - Drunk Phone Time

Cotton balls in my nostrils. Fuzzy tasting mouth. The odour of alcohol. All these things greet me when I am abruptly awoken from my drunken slumber at 11 am the next day by my phone beeping. I groan and roll over, a stabbing pain emanating from my head, and grab the offending device to see who could possibly want something at this time of day.

It's my older brother sending me photos of my niece, Grace. She just turned 3 and is probably the cutest child on the planet. I'm still not happy at being woken up so early, but she's perhaps the only reason I wouldn't be mad about it.

I snuggle back under the cozy bed covers and try to remember why I'm so hungover. The last thing I remember is singing that stupid Christmas song with Mikaela and grabbing a drink from the bar. I grab my phone to message Miaela and see if she knows more about last night than I do when I notice a text from a number that really shocks me.

Niall: Thanks for last night

Thanks for last night, what the hell does that mean? Did I give him a ride home, buy him a drink? For the love of God, please tell me I didn't sleep with him.

Before I text Niall and ask a stupid question, I dial Mikaela's number, praying that she knows something about last night.

"What?" She snaps as a greeting. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

"Nice Mik," I retort and roll my eyes.

"You better be on fire, there's no other reason to be calling me this early after last night," She threatens, and I stifle a giggle.

"Well, it's pretty close. I woke up to a text from Niall saying thanks for last night. Pity I can't remember a single thing after we sang that dumb Christmas song," I regale my tale of woe down the telephone.

"You're kidding!" Mikaela gasps, seemingly more awake now she knows the situation.

"Yeah, definitely not kidding. Do I text him back and try to figure out if I had sex with him or do I just leave it? I seriously remember nothing," I fret.

"Dude I don't know," Mikaela wails back at me, obviously as stressed out as I am. "I think you need to subtly try and get details out of him about last night without making it obvious what you're doing. You're a lawyer, you'll easily be able to do that," She instructs, and I'm silent while I mull over her suggestion.

"Just do it," Mikaela barks down the phone, sensing my hesitance. "Then call me once you figure it out."

"Okay, thanks Mik. Bye," I reply and ponder what in the world I am going to say to Niall.

***

I decide that I shouldn't have this conversation on an empty stomach, so I manage to trundle my way to the kitchen and make a cup of tea and some toast. I wolf down my breakfast at breakneck speed, grab another cup of tea and some paracetamol and head back to bed.

Once I'm all tucked up again, I grab my phone and try to draft a message to Niall. I finally come up with something.

Me: Would it be rude to ask why you're thanking me? (laughing face emoji)

One thing people need to know about me is I am blunt and honest. Although Mikaela's suggestion of trying to get little bits of information subtly was a good one, I decided that honesty is the best policy and I should just come out and ask, point blank, why he was thanking me.

I don't get a response straight away, so I switch on the little TV I have in my bedroom and put some mindless romantic comedy on.

***