Same Time

fourteen.

j a i m e e

+

"Stop fucking falling over!"

"Jaimee!" Taylor slurs. I turn around to see him and Libbie stumbling forward, arms wrapped around each other shoulders as they struggle to hold one another up. "Have I ever told you that you're one of my favorite people?"

Despite the fact I can't be bothered dealing with two drunk people right now, I can't control the grin decorating my face at his words.

"And you're one of mine, Tay. But let's go home, yeah?" I hold my hand out expectantly and he takes it, grabbing Libbie's hand with his other. "You're so drunk."

Taylor just laughs, leaning down at kissing the top of my head as I practically pull them down the street.

Libbie had phoned me about an hour ago saying they were at some bar in Boston so I met them at the subway and was trying to get them home before they both died of alcohol poisoning.

"You're absolutely useless. And you fucking ask me why I don't drink anymore." I complain as I push Libbie onto my couch, lying her down as she falls asleep practically instantly. I guide Taylor down next to her, sitting on the floor opposite to the couch so I can make sure they don't throw up and choke.

My head spins at the smell of alcohol invading my apartment. Today hadn't been a good day so the phone call was definitely unprecedented.

I'd been halfway through a depressing movie marathon with my sad song playlist on standby and, in all honesty, I just wanted to eat an obscene amount of food and cry my feelings away.

Maybe I needed this distraction. Maybe this was the universe giving me motivation to build myself back up again.

Following that night when I freaked out at Shayden's, things had been strained. It was almost like he was forcing himself to act normal with me, but we were never good at acting anything but natural with one another. It stung to think about how I reacted and I was embarrassed in myself for not being able to do something so simple.

"Jai, are you alright?"

I snapped my head down to Taylor, as I came out of my thoughts. His eyebrows were furrowed in confusion as he studied me, the concentration on his face almost making me giggle as I knew how forced it was due to the alcohol in his system. "Just thinking, Tay."

"I've been friends with you and Libbie long enough to know that when a girl is thinking, it's never good." He remarks, causing me to lean over and smack him. He lets out a soft laugh before speaking again, sounding a lot more sober than he did just an hour ago. "What are you thinking about?"

"Don't worry about it." I replied, heat travelling up my neck despite the fact I hadn't said anything.

"Hmm?" He squeezes my cheek, making me swat his hand away. "C'mon, Jai. It's me."

My eyes flicker to Libbie's sleeping form, feeling my lips unconsciously tug up at the sight of my best friend.

"You both annoy me so much. Like phoning me because you're lost in Boston, seriously?" I shake my head, rubbing a hand over my face. If he wasn't drunk, I probably wouldn't be admitting this. But it felt good to open up, considering I didn't do it often. "But I was just thinking about how I couldn't live without either of you. Libbie's my sister and you're practically a brother to me."

The smile that illuminates Taylor's face makes me thankful that he's not the sort of person to tease me during a heart-to-heart, and I can tell that he appreciates my confession. "Jai, you're the sister I never had."