Scarlett Louviere
I woke up one morning in Stratford and looked around realizing quickly that this wasn't my house. The air smelt like booze and throw up. Looking around I was surrounded by light that only made my skull feel more like it was in a vice being crushed.
Looking around I realized I was in a wooden paneled home with light streaming in from white framed six-pane windows with the curtains pulled to the sides in C shaped artistic holders. I lay half naked in a messy bed with the sheets crumpled near my feet.
I made a big mistake.
Glancing over at the bed I was thankful no one was there and I didn't feel a wetness anywhere or pain in my pelvic area.
At least I didn't have sex.
Door was locked.
Double checking the blurry memory of locking the door I found that it was indeed locked before walking into the bathroom to get cleaned up.
Staring at myself in the mirror I realized how terrible I looked, large dark bags hung under my eyes, and my messy hair was knotted in places.
I didn't even really remember most of the night. I could remember getting to the party in the back seat of Courtney's Rover, I remembered dancing but then something happened and from that it was just flashes of drinking, until right now.
I had clearly thrown up as in whatever drunken state I didn't flush the toilet which I did quickly along with lit a candle before going to the bathroom since hangover had fully kicked in and I had to go badly.
"Never again fuck sake".
Noticing my phone carelessly placed on the marble counter around the sink I reached for it knowing that I didn't typically put it face down and opened it to look at a series of about seven messages.
Hey handsome, haven't talked in a while
Read 9:15
Anyways how are you doing I'm at a party having fun without you
Read 9:23
I look really hot
Read 9:36
Hello
Read 9:55
HELLO!
Read 10:20
So mean, meanie
Read 10:32
I hate you because I miss you
Read 10:47
Who the hell did I send those too?
Swiftly looking up to the top of the screen in a panic, my eyes met with the name placed centrally there taunting me: Nathan
Well shit.
He had seen all of them and didn't answer which told me a lot though there was a voice message from him from an hour ago. Cautiously I opened my voicemail and raised my phone to my ear to hear the message.
"Scarlett I can tell you're not yourself so I am going to pretend that I didn't read those messages, I deleted them already, and you should too. Move on like you wanted. Without me so that this year is easy, it might even be good if you blocked me, I can neglect the urge to message or call you, I've been good to do that. Just do what will help you without you getting drunk at parties and messaging people. Bye".
His voice was just how I remembered it the teasing notes of wit were gone. There was a sadness and a pain there in his words, like he cared, and was limiting himself. It showed the maturity he had, that same underlying piece of himself he showed mixed with the part he hid. He didn't like being sensitive and I knew it. He used being reclusive as a defense a way to let no one in and I wouldn't force that on anyone.
The sadness I couldn't put a reason too, that was until I checked the date. September twenty-ninth, it was Nathan's grandparents death day one day before Adrian would be forty-four. Today was somber for the Winters Family and it likely always would be it marked another year that the people who affected who made Adrian who he was today died, exactly thirty years ago.
Of course I made a mistake like that.
I couldn't apologize, the more I talked to him the worse it would get. I just wish I hadn't made the mistake I did both of letting him go, and of going to that party last night because now I had no way home.
Letting out a sigh I closed my phone and set it down on the countertop before looking at myself and seeing that I'd teared up from the voice message left on my phone.
Deciding the best thing to do would be a hot shower to hopefully clean me of my shame and self pity.
Parties had that effect where they were fun in the moment but not when they were over and you felt like shit, at least I did.
I need an opioid to get rid of this headache. Putain de merde.
Getting into the shower I stood there under the warming water until it was almost too hot and I had to turn the heat down.
Eventually I turned around and allowed the hot water to pound against my shoulders releasing the pressure that had built in the muscles there since the bed I'd slept in was soft.
Getting out I dried off and walked out into the bedroom to find the door being knocked on making me jump before looking for something to use as a weapon.
"Scarlett its me" Derek says before I walk over and unlock the door.
"How the fuck did you know I was in here".
"You're in my house" he says reaching in and hooking my clothing from last might on a hook on the back of the door.
"Ah" I say, "aren't I in Stratford?".
"That's where my house is" he laughs and I nod even though he couldn't see me.
"Well please shut the door I need to get changed" I say and he shuts the door leaving me to put on the clothing I'd chosen to wear yesterday before leaving the room with my hair pulled up into a bun.
Getting downstairs I found that Derek was walking around in comfy pants while cleaning up the cups, cans, and bottles lying around.
His torso and back was exposed revealling the tattoos that spread across his chest and back from his sleeves.
"Good morning, you're the only one here, your roommates left at three in the morning" he says closing the final bag and sliding it across the room to where the others were.
"I see that, do you mind driving me back home?" I ask and he nods, "you have to help me with this first as a condition".
"I'm not in the best outfit but sure" I say regarding my clothing before collecting bags and carrying two while Derek hauled the other four to the back of an Escalade.
"My daily driver, if you didn't guess" he says putting the bags in the back and taking the two I held to do the same with.
"Now what?".
"Wash the floors and clean the kitchen, I'll do that when I get back though" he says shutting the back of the SUV.
"Get in" he says walking back to the house while I got into the passenger seat.
A moment later he hopped into the car and started it before driving off towards my address which he did with no help since his navigation was helping to lead him there.
"So whose Nathanial?" he asks looking over at me for half a second.
"My ex boyfriend. He treated me really good, and I have my regrets about leaving. He told me to just move on over phone call after I spam texted him last night" I admit and he nods tapping the wheel with his index finger.
"You were upstairs crying last night that was the only name I got out of it. I also didn't want to bug you if it was personal" Derek says.
"The door was also locked" I say, "I just can't believe I got that trashed".
He then starts laughing and I gave him a weird look.
"Sorry, just your accent makes the word trashed slightly funny".
"I'm French, I can't help it" I mutter.
"Not a judgement, I like it actually. Also I'm sorry that your break up is hitting you like that".
"It's okay Halloway" I say and he smiles.
"Just know I'm here for you Louviere" he assures with a smile before looking back at the road.
Twenty minutes later we were outside the sorority and just like last time he stopped at the gate.
"Thanks for driving me Derek, and for letting me stay the night" I say grabbing my purse and pushing open the door.
"Wait hold on" he says as I stepped out and turned to look at him.
"I'd like to see you again between parties, when neither of us are drinking" Derek says.
"I'll think about it" I say though I like the idea, I just don't want to come across as easy that would be the last thing I would want.
"Okay let me know when you decide" he says and I nod before shutting the door and walking to the gates before disappearing behind them on my walk up to the house.
Early update, also I have so much stuff planned that I didn't actually expect to end up fourteen chapters in as if any of you know I write out points and number them in sections but there are often other points or themes that get explored so my books end up extremely long. Comment, vote, and share. Anyways
Peace✌