Aiden
I didn't sign up for this. I felt the urge to call Marco, cuss at him and tell him that I never signed up for a damn house party.
But at the same time, I didn't have the time. And Marco was unavailable anyway.
I walked into the house a few minutes after Maria, making my way over to the living room while keeping my eye on her. Jackson was quick to take her into the kitchen, likely introducing her to his friends.
I knew that Maria didn't drink because of the accident, so I wasn't that concerned about her getting drunk. Instead, I sat down on the leather couch in the living room, observing the idiotic teenagers that filled the house.
The music was almost as bad as the songs that were played at homecoming. Homecoming hadn't been that bad, as no one really saw me due to the dark lighting. I was able to watch Maria dance with her friends, studying the way she danced shyly compared to Lauren.
I was brought back to reality when I heard a voice, a tall brunette standing in front of me with a drink in her hand.
"Mind if I sit?" She asked, looking down at me with a small smile on her face. "Next to you?"
I shook my head, my eyes going back to Maria who was being pulled around the party as Jackson talked with his various groups of friends.
"So, why are you here? You don't seem to be having a good time." The girl beside me spoke and I looked at her, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked around the room.
"I could say the same about you." I shrugged, slouching into the couch and letting my eyes depart from Maria.
"My girlfriend wanted to come, well ex now. She uh, went upstairs with some guy."
I looked at her, a slight frown on my lips. "Damn."
"Yeah." The girl laughed, taking a sip of her drink as my eyes went back to Maria. "Your turn."
I shrugged, watching as Maria leaned into Jackson, her legs giving out slightly. She was probably exhausted. "I got bored."
"Bullshit." The girl laughed. "Is that your girlfriend?"
I looked at her, following her line of vision to Maria. "No."
"But you wish it was."
"Fuck off."
She laughed again, seeming amused. "She's pretty."
"Do you want her?" I asked, scowling at her. "I'm not sure she swings that way."
I finally took a closer look at the girl beside me, wearing a white button up with black dress pants. We were practically matching aside from the shirt colors. I was wearing all black, and a blazer. Her hair was long and messy, done in a side part with pins holding back the smaller portion.
"Chelsea." She stuck out her hand, covered in silver rings.
"Aiden." I shook her hand. This would probably be the only time we'd ever speak, and she was having a hard night. If it made her feel better to have someone to talk to, I was willing to sit with her for a while. After all, all I was doing was watching Maria.
Maria.
I looked over to the kitchen, searching for a small girl in a red dress with long dark hair. And she was gone.
I stood up from the couch, pushing my way through crowds of people as I began to search the house. A feeling of panic was growing in my stomach. If she left the house, I was screwed.
The bottom floor was empty, no Maria, no Jackson.
I didn't want to go upstairs, I knew what I would find if Maria was up there. But the longer I waited, the further away Maria got from me.
So I went up the stairs, the second floor dimly lit. There were far more couples up here, people on top of each other in the hallway and against every wall.
I walked down the hallway as fast as I could, pressing on door handles.
Locked, locked, locked-
I pressed on the fourth door, the handle giving. My heart was pounding as I pushed the door open, hearing a girl groan. It didn't sound like a groan of pleasure, it sounded like Maria.
I stayed silent as I pushed the door completely open, not taking a step.
I looked into the dark room, the room looking like a guest room with a bed in the middle of the room near a window. On the bed was Maria, being pinned down by Jackson's body.
Maria was slurring her words, her hands on Jackson's shoulders and a pained look on her face. Her eyes were mostly shut, as if she were trying to open them but couldn't. "Stoooop, nooooo."
Maria's skirt was pulled up, exposing her underwear. She also was barefoot, as her heels were discarded on the floor. Jackson's hand was undoing his belt with one hand, and that's all I needed to see.
I took a step and Jackson paused, finally realizing I was there. Before I knew it I was across the room, throwing Jackson off of the bed and into a dresser.
Jackson winced in pain, the dresser shaking with his weight. Jackson was only a few inches shorter than me, but much leaner. Jackson was only stunned for a moment before he launched at me, landing a punch to my mouth.
Blood spread across my tongue, making me laugh as I stumbled back, peeling off my blazer and tossing it onto the floor.
"Stop please-" I heard Maria's voice, quiet and disoriented. I didn't know what was in Maria's system, but she was wasted.
And the son of a bitch in front of me was going to try and fuck her.
I walked towards Jackson, anger blurring my vision as I shoved him against the nearest wall. Jackson was pushing back, but I was stronger, and fueled with so much rage I could hardly think.
I didn't want to imagine what would have happened if I didn't walk in here, but my imagination filled in the gap for me.
My fist collided with Jackson's face, my knuckles burning. He swung again, hitting me in the cheek as he continued to fight back. My cheek began to ache as I let my rage out, letting my fists pound into Jackson's face until it was red with blood.
My knuckles were burning like hell, the taste of blood still on my lips. But Jackson wasn't unconscious yet, and my heart was racing. Breaking Jackson's face was giving me an adrenaline rush, but Maria called out again, forcing me to stop.
I grabbed Jackson by the throat before he could collapse on the ground, already coughing on his own blood.
"Who are you?" Jackson choked out, his hands gripping my arm.
I almost smiled, relishing in Jackson's weakness. "Don't you ever fucking touch Maria again. I won't be as nice next time."
I released my hold on his neck, watching Jackson drop to the ground, holding his stomach and coughing as I walked to the bed.
Maria was frowning in confusion looking at Jackson in a pile on the floor and then at me. "What'sss gooing on?" her words were still slurred, her eyes fighting to stay open.
"Nothing sweetheart." I put one arm under Maria's back, one under her legs as I lifted her from the bed.
Maria didn't complain, barely conscious as I set her down on the ground, keeping my arm tight around her waist. Her arm came up to hold onto me, keeping herself standing up.
I reached down to where Maria's dress was bunched up over her hips, tugging it back down so she was no longer showing off her pink underwear. She leaned her head into my chest, a sad look on her face.
"Did he hurt you?" I asked her, bending down so I could pick her up again. She complied and wrapped her arms around my neck, her head resting on my shoulder.
"I don't feel good." Maria's voice was soft and she sounded as though she were going to cry.
I carried Maria out of that room and down the stairs, only pausing when I made eye contact with Chelsea from across the room.
Chelsea smiled at the sight of me holding Maria bridal style, meeting me at the front door and opening it so I didn't have to.
"I know we don't really know each other, but that punch in the kitchen is full of alcohol." Chelsea spoke while following me out the door, matching my fast pace as I tried to get Maria to the car as fast as I could.
"Oh god." I'd seen Maria have at least two full cups of it, no wonder she was wasted.
Chelsea followed me to my car, trying to open the passanger door. "It's locked."
"Front right pocket." Maria was silent in my arms, and I wouldn't be surprised if she was knocked out.
Chelsea reached into my front right pocket, pulling out my car keys and unlocking the car. She then opened the passanger door, helping me make sure Maria got into the car without hitting her head.
Once Maria was in I shut the door, Chelsea handing me my keys. "Thank you."
"No problem." Chelsea said, her eyes wandering over to Maria who was asleep. "If she throws up, put her hair into a ponytail, rub her back, and make sure she eats something. Call a friend to spend the night with her if you can."
I smiled slightly, appreciating the advice. "I owe you."
"Yeah you do." Chelsea smiled. "I'll see you around Aiden." She began to walk away, waving goodbye.
I walked around the car as she walked away, getting into the drivers seat. I started the car, realizing how cold it was and immediately turning on the heaters. I felt fine, but Maria was hardly wearing anything.
I looked over at Maria who was rubbing her eyes, not even questioning the fact that she was in my car. I leaned over the center console, reaching over to the wall and grabbing a hold of the passanger side seatbelt. I pulled it over Maria's body, buckling her in.
I buckled myself in as well, knowing it was late and there were probably a lot of drunk kids on the road. I wasn't going to risk an accident.
I pulled away from the curb and out of the neighborhood, making sure I went the speed limit.
About halfway through the drive, Maria seemed to become more aware. "Where are we going?" She asked, shifting in her seat. My arm was resting on the center console and Maria decided to use it as a pillow, laying her head down on the top of my arm while wrapping her arms around it.
"Someone's comfy." I said, smiling slightly at the warmth of her. "I'm taking you home Maria."
"Mmm." Maria said, voice sounding tired. "I don't feel good."
"I know sweetheart, do you need me to pull over?" I sped up slightly, trying to get Maria home before she hurled.
"Why would you pull over?" Maria asked, her voice small and confused. "Are you going to take me back to Jackson?"
"No, so that you can throw up."
"Oh okay. Don't pull over, I don't want to throw up."
I laughed slightly, pulling into her neighborhood. "Alright."
"You took me away from him, he was hurting me." Maria said, hugging my arm tighter. "You're my friend."
"He will never hurt you again." I assured her, pulling up in front of Maria's apartment. I looked down at the girl clinging to my arm, Maria looking up at me with big brown eyes. The whites of her eyes looked slightly red, making me frown. "What have you eaten?"
"I had a brownie." She said, smiling slightly. "It was good."
"Oh god Maria." I reached down to unbuckle her, Maria sitting up and releasing my arm. I left the car and walked around to the other side, opening Maria's door and reaching down so I could pick her up again.
"Hey it's my houseee." She said, a smile on her face as I shut the car door with my foot, not bothering to lock the car.
"Yes." I held my car keys in one hand, supporting Maria on my forearm. Luckily I had a key to Marco and Maria's apartment, otherwise I would've had to wake Marco up.
I unlocked the front door and walked inside, making sure to shut and lock the door behind me as quietly as possible.
Maria didn't speak as I climbed the stairs, walking down the single hallway until I found her room. There was another room and a bathroom upstairs, Marco's room downstairs with the other bathroom.
Maria's room was neat with white furniture and a fuzzy pink carpet. Her walls were covered in various pictures, posters, and lights. She had quite a few vases full of flowers, and plants along her windowsill. I set Maria down on her bed sitting up, flicking on a light switch and opening Maria's closet. Maria rubbed her eyes, squinting due to the brightness.
There was a dresser in her closet, which is where I assumed some comfortable clothes would be. "Maria, where do you keep your pajamas?"
"It's the uhm, the drawer thingy on the bottom." She said, letting her body slump over in the bed.
I quickly opened the bottom drawer, grabbing the first pair of pajama pants I saw along with a plain t-shirt. They ended up being hello kitty pajama pants which made me smile as I took the clothes over to Maria.
"No sleeping yet sweetheart." I chuckled as I grabbed onto her waist, pulling her off of the bed and onto her feet. "That can't be comfortable."
"It's not." She frowned, pushing a strap off of her shoulder, the other soon following.
"Wait, Maria." I guided her into the bathroom across from her bedroom, sitting her down on the toilet with the pajamas in her lap. "Change in here okay? I'm right across the hall if you need me. I'll come back in when you're all done."
Maria looked down at the clothes and then at me, nodding slowly. I left the bathroom and shut the door, letting my back lean against the doorframe. I heard the zip of her dress and the sound of clothes being taken off and put on, a wave of relief washing over me.
If she hadn't been able to change herself, she would've gone to bed in that dress.
And then I heard the sound of the toilet opening, and the sound of Maria throwing up.
I knocked on the door gently, pressing my forehead to it. "Are you dressed sweetheart?"
"Yea." Maria croaked before she threw up again, the sound and smell making me nauseous.
I was quick to open the bathroom door, kneeling next to Maria. She didn't look at me, but it wasn't hard to tell that she was crying. Her eye makeup was messed up and running down her face, her cheeks pink, and her hair running down her back. She was kneeling in front of the toilet, her arms on either side and her head down.
I thought back to what Chelsea said and grabbed a hairtie from the counter, tying Maria's long hair back into a ponytail as she threw up again.
"I'm sorry." Maria sobbed, her entire body shaking. "I didn't know it had alcohol." She finally looked at me, tears welling up in her eyes and the saddest look on her face.
I wiped her tears with my thumb, my head telling me to take care of her and my heart telling me to kill Jackson Walker.
"You're okay Maria, it's okay. It's not your fault." I spoke calmly to her, knowing she needed comfort.
I didn't know what had come over me tonight, the gentleness catching me off guard. But that's all I could ever stand to be with Maria, she was angel, and I was not. But this was my job, and my fondness towards her was fueled by that.
Maria didn't throw up anymore, so after 5 minutes I filled up a glass of water from her from the bathroom sink. I didn't want to leave her, and she didn't want me to go far either.
"Small sips sweetheart." I told her, Maria following my directions. And god the nickname was there again, rolling off my tongue before I could even think about it.
I hadn't had time to think about my actions earlier, about the way I called her sweetheart, the way I let her sleep on my arm. She called me her friend, and I could only hope that she was too drunk to remember any of this tomorrow.
I picked Maria up from the floor, sitting her down on the counter in front of me. "Makeup wipes?"
I couldn't help but notice how cute Maria looked in her oversized pajamas with her hair back, her natural texture starting to show.
Even with the messy makeup, she was beautiful. She was always beautiful, and seeing her tonight, all dressed up for some peice of shit who wanted one thing only, made me sick to my stomach.
Maria pointed to the top drawer out of three and I opened it to find a pack of makeup wipes. I tried my best to get the makeup off her face, too scared to tackle her eyes.
I helped Maria off the counter afterwards, bringing her back into her room. Maria was now able to walk on her own, so she climbed into bed easily. More of a flop.
I stood in the doorway and flicked the lights off, getting prepared to leave when Maria whispered my name.
"Aiden." She said, not even looking in my direction.
"Yes Maria?"
"Thank you." She mumbled her words, curling up into somewhat of a ball in her bed.
"Of course sweetheart."
And with that I left, wondering how much longer I could ignore the fact that I had a soft spot for Maria Sanchez.