Chapter 29
“Come out Hailey.” Jake groans through the door, “Let’s go already.”
I sit impatiently on my bed, my arms crossed, in my underwear and a large t-shirt that I may/may not have stolen from Jake’s laundry pile. “Maddy’s picking me up!” I say for the 15th time, “We’ve already made arrangements to go together.”
“I’d seriously rather you went with me though.” He replies, now kicking the door repeatedly like a child.
“Jake! Just go already!” I growl, starting to get impatient with him. Ever since that reunion we had with the family he’d been all distant. During Christmas he was civil enough, but afterwards he just went back to ignoring me and just generally refusing to talk. I mean, sure I hadn’t really done much to encourage him but I was building up all my courage for tonight. Yes, you heard me. Tonight is the night! The beautiful evening upon which I shall be telling Jake my true feelings and ending this whole debacle of misunderstandings and unspoken confessions.
The silence in the hallway seems to stretch as Jake stops kicking. “Let’s go already!” Wes calls from downstairs.
I strain my ears as I listen out for the retreating footsteps but I can’t hear anything. “Fine then. I’ll see you there or something.” He finally mutters before stomping off.
I relax a little, feeling a little bad for lying but knowing that I’ll be making up for it tonight. I peak through the curtains of my window a minute later and watch as Wes and Jake pull out of the driveway and take off down the street. I start to feel an overwhelming sense of panic build up within me and before I know it I’m under my bed having a little talk with myself.
You can do this Hailey.
No I can’t.
Yes you can. You’ve been psyching yourself up for this.
No I haven’t.
Don’t you think you’ve dragged this out long enough?
No.
Jake deserves to be happy too. You can’t just keep his hopes up for the rest of your life, can you?
I guess…
You have to confess today.
But–
Otherwise Maddy will have your ass.
Good point.
“Hailey? Where’d you go?”
I hit my head on the bottom of the bed as I jump in surprise, “OW!”
Maddy and Mitch’s face appear in front of mine, “What the hell are you doing under there?”
I crawl out, rubbing my head, probably looking like some kind of ragged monster that kids expect to find under their beds, “Um…”
“Never mind. Never mind.” Maddy sighs, hauling me up and pushing a bag into my hands. “I brought your dress, shoes, everything.” She gives me another bag, “Jewellery’s in there.”
Stressed thoughts put aside, I take a peek inside and a smile breaks out onto my face as I wrap her up in a big hug, “Oh Maddy!”
“You shouldn’t have.” She mimics, “I know, I know. Now get dressed in here while I figure out what to do with the idiot on your bed.
I turn around to look at the idiot in question and gasp in surprise, “Oh wow Mitch.” I stare in astonishment at the half-straight/half-curled shock of red hair sitting on top of my friends head. She crosses her arms and continues to sulk.
Maddy gets her up and sits her on my wheelie chair and begins pinning bits of her experiment up, “She thought she might try to do her own hair even though she has no idea how to use a straightener. I just about had a heart attack when I picked her up. Now get changed!”
I don’t need to be told another time. I slip my t-shirt off, not really feeling embarrassed to change around them anymore and grab the dress from out of the bag. “MADDY!” I yell.
She looks over at me mildly as she waits for the straightener to heat up, “What?”
“This isn’t the dress I bought!”
The machine beeps and she begins to fix up Mitch’s creation, “Yeah, I swapped it.” She says as calmly as if she was telling me what she had for breakfast this morning.
I look at the shimmery grey dress in my hands in shock. It’s a strapless dress with a ribbon going around the bust and a little bow. The skirt looks a little tighter than what I’m used to and I’m beginning to worry about my choice in friends. “I don’t know about this–”
“Just put it on!” Maddy snaps, attacking Mitch’s hair with haste.
I reluctantly unzip the dress and try to put it on. “Oh God,” I gasp as I wriggle into it, “I think you got a couple of sizes too small.”
She shrugs nonchalantly as she lets down more of Mitch’s hair, “The make is supposed to be tight.”
“Yeah, it’s made for a stick!” I struggle to zip it up and quickly give up, collapsing onto the bed. “Why do you do this to me?”
“I hear you sister.” Mitch grumbles. I look up a bit to analyse the dresses they’re wearing. Maddy’s pinned her hair up with actual paintbrushes, taking after Sarah’s style and she’s wearing this cute flowing black dress with colourful paint splatters all over it. Her usual zany jewellery has been swapped for some even zanier jewellery and I marvel at where she gets her ideas from. Mitch in the meantime is wearing dark skinny jeans and a silky night blue off the shoulder top with a white camisole peeking out from underneath it.
“How come she gets to wear jeans?” I grumble.
Maddy rolls her eyes at me, pointing at her with the straightener, “You saw what she did to her hair. What do you think she would have done if I tried to get her into a dress? It was hell enough hiding that friggin cat woman suit.”
I flop back onto the bed, pretty miffed. I could throw some pretty sick tantrums if I wanted to too.
Maddy continues to straighten Mitch’s hair and I reluctantly get up to put on my jewellery and take a look at the strappy shoes she’s swapped my modest pumps for.
“I’m going to look like such a hore.” I mumble loud enough for her to hear, tugging the bottom of the dress a bit but then pulling the bodice up as well as it slips down. “No. I’m going to look like a complete slut who has no intention of keeping her legs closed for the rest of the night.”
Maddy groans, putting the straightener down and sternly warning Mitch to not touch it. She comes over to me and spins me around so she can zip me up. She makes me twirl around again and places her hands firmly on my shoulders, “We have made a deal Hailey. We’re going to confess to the guys we like.”
She pauses as if waiting for an answer and I nod my head slowly.
“I wasn’t going to let you go to this party in that granny dress you picked at the store, that’s why I swapped it.”
She pauses again and I nod another time.
“You do not look like a hore or a slut.” She says slowly, “You. Look. Gorgeous. And you’ll look even better once I’ve gotten you ready. On top of all that we know for certain that Jake. Loves. You.” She sits me in a chair, “Now wait patiently and I’ll fix you up in a sec.”
I close my eyes as I let Maddy’s words sink in, chanting them like a mantra to calm me down. “Thank you Maddy.” I say, my eyes still shut, “I needed that.”
Maddy begins grumbling, “You and your stupid bridal panic attack. It’s not like you’re getting hitched tonight.”
*
We walk up the steps of Bryan Richard’s house with much trepidation. (I barely even know the guy) We’re all as nervous as hell but Maddy seems to have worked her magic and turned us into goddesses who have all the confidence of the world.
I touch my up-do for the 18th time tonight to make sure it’s still sitting on my head properly, earning a glare from Maddy. Mitch swings her own bright red hair around enthusiastically, excited that it’s straight and not looking like an experiment that’s backfired anymore.
Before we go in Maddy quickly gives us an onceover to make sure we look perfect, pulling the bodice of my dress up a bit unashamedly and adjusting how Mitch’s top sits off her shoulders.
We walk through the crowds of teens and college students, making sure we don’t get separated, in awe of the how so many people can gather at just one house.
“Ok. All know the plan?” Maddy yells at us over the thudding music.
“Yep, get as drunk as possible and then humiliate ourselves.” Mitch says, reaching for a random
guy’s cup.
Maddy slaps her hand away in annoyance and pulls us into a living room where there seems to be more space. “No. That was never and will never be the plan.” She says, slapping Mitch over the head good-naturedly.
Mitch rubs her head as if it actually hurts, “What’s got you all pissed off at the world?”
“I’m nervous, ok?!” Maddy admits, biting her lip and looking around, “I just don’t–”
“Heeeyyyyy! There’s the PB to my J!” Tom says as he slings his arm around Maddy’s shoulder,
“Babe, you’re looking good.”
Maddy’s whole demeanour seems to change as she frowns up at the guy she likes, “Are you drunk?”
He gives her a sheepish grin, “Only a tiny bit,” he emphasises with his fingers.
She rolls his eyes at him, “C’mon let’s get you some water.” And with that she starts to walk away, giving us a meaningful look over our shoulder and making hand motions at us to go find Wes and Jake.
So much for being nervous.
“She’s like his mother.” Mitch laughs, “No wonder they haven’t started going out.”
“I don’t know.” I say murmur, watching as Tom slings his arm around her shoulder and says something that makes her laugh, “I think they like each other a lot.”
I turn to see Mitch staring at them too, a happy smile showing me what she really thinks, “I know.”
We soon lose them as a group of rowdy boys and girls stumble into the room carrying bottles and kegs.
“Oh no.” Mitch groans as we make a hurried exit.
I look behind me in confusion, “What’s wrong? You’ve seen Wes?”
“No.” She shakes her head, slapping her forehead in annoyance, “I don’t know what the plan is!”
I drag her through different rooms, scouting for Jake and Wes, “Mitch, I’m going to let you in on something.”
“What?”
“There is no plan.”
“WHAT!?” she yells in my ear.
I ignore her, spotting the person who we’re looking for. “Wes!” I call out, waving my arms to get his attention, “Over here!”
“What are you doing?!” Mitch hisses in my ear, her fingers digging into my arm, “I’m not ready! I don’t know what to do! What the–”
“When’d you guys get here?” Wes says, grinning down at us. His eyes dart from Mitch to me and then right back to Mitch in surprise. “Wow, you’re wearing make-up.” He laughs.
Her face flushes as she turns around to walk away, “I told you this was a bad idea.” She mutters.
Wes grabs her hand before she can leave, “Hey, don’t go. I didn’t mean to laugh.”
She crosses her arms, sending me death glares for calling Wes over, “Do I look that weird?”
He puts his hands out in a surrender position, “I was just surprised. You never wear make-up and… dress up…” he trails off, his eyes resting on her bare shoulders for a second too long. He clears his throat, “You look great. You should, um, wear clothes like that more often.”
I watch as Wes continues to talk to Mitch obviously intrigued by her transformation. I slowly begin to see my best friend softening as conversation keeps going and she seems to open up and become this completely relaxed person.
“Um, I think I’m going to go find Jake.” I announce after a minute or two, feeling that I’m just being a nuisance here.
“But–” Mitch says, worry clouding her face.
“It’s all good.” I cut her off, giving her a reassuring smile.
Wes looks over the heads of dancing people, “Um, I think he should still be in the front room. He’s going to yell at you for that dress.” he adds, giving me a meaningful look.
I make a deep sigh and walk off, leaving my best friend to deal with her I’m-seriously-hoping-soon to-be-boyfriend.
I confidently walk through the masses of tipsy to half-drunk to completely wasted people dancing and jumping around to the thumping base of some rap song, heading for the room Wes pointed out.
My friends are off with the guys they like and it’s obvious that their confessions are going to end in tears of happiness and zero broken hearts. I know what I’ve got to do now to keep up my end of the bargain and I know that by the end of tonight, I’ll definitely be with Jake. Everything will be how it should.
The front room is just as crowded as the rest of the house and I look around in exasperation, ignoring the drunks trying to hit on me.
“Excuse me!” I shout over the music at a group of girls dressed in matching mini belts/skirts and melodramatic gold halter tops that I recognise from my Geography class, “Do you guys know where Jake McLane is?!”
“Sorry?” one of the brunette girls shouts back, still jumping to the music.
“Have you seen Jake McLane?!” I shout again, jumping along with her in an attempt to be heard.
A smile breaks out onto her face, “You were in Fame?! O-M-G that is sooo cool!”
Oh brother, this is Gramps McLane all over again.
“No! I said have you seen JAKE MCLANE?!” I shout again.
The brunette’s friend looks at me in confusions, “You caught a train?”
I shake my head in exasperation. “Never mind.” I mutter before walking away.
“Why’d she say we’re too kind?”
After taking part in similar conversations with a variety of lovely people [note the extreme sarcasm] I finally push through the crowd and happen upon a couch with a whole group of guys and girls sitting on and around it. What really catches my attention out of all of this though is the fact that Jake is sitting there talking to some friends. With the addition of a girl on his lap.
He notices me, “Oh, Hailey. You’re here.” He says casually as if he doesn’t care. I see him frown a little as he takes in my dress, but it disappears as quickly as it came.
“Uh, yeah… I guess I am.” I laugh nervously, my eyes darting to the girl as she whispers something in Jake’s ear. My heart contracts painfully as the situation sinks in.
I stand there awkwardly as he whispers something back to her as if he’s dismissed me already and I don’t hear his friend’s question.
“Earth to Hailey! You there?”
I blink as one of the boys sitting next to Jake waves his hand in my face, “Sorry?”
He grins at me, “You don’t remember me?” he takes a swig from the cup he’s holding.
I glance at Jake and the girl as she laughs at something he says and I feel like crying, “Jeremy, right?” I say out of politeness rather than running off.
He nods, “Yeah, you came over to our house to grab a whole lot of food for some dinner you guys were making.”
I nod distractedly, “Um, it was nice to see you again.” I say, glancing at Jake to see that he’s definitely not listening now, “I’ll see you later.” I say a bit louder.
Jake looks up as I give him a tear-filled look, “Have fun.” I say with a wavering smile before pushing back into the crowd, feeling my heart break into pieces all over again.
You idiot, Hailey. What else would you expect after stringing him on for so long? Of course he’s going to want to date other girls if you don’t say anything.
I know it’s stupid but I feel like crap now that I know that Jake’s not interested anymore. I mean, I should have seen this coming. I was the one shying away from him, confession after confession. It’s not like he was going to wait for me for the rest of his life. I’m a heartless bitch who only thinks about herself. Who would?
“Hailey!” my mini self-mental-beat-up session is interrupted by a familiar voice.
I quickly rub at my eyes before turning around to see Emma of all people… with Linc.
Someone seriously hates me…
“Hey guys.” I try to smile warmly, seeing their entwined hands, “How’ve you been?”
Emma smiles while Linc’s eyes search my face, wondering what I’m thinking of all this. “We’ve been good.” She says.
It’s not like I’m still in love with Linc or anything but encountering two guys who’ve broken your heart within the half an hour you’ve been at a party kinda sucks.
“I’m really glad that you guys are together again.” I genuinely say to make sure they know I’m fine with their relationship. Emma had tentatively broached the subject with me and I had immediately told to her to go for it. I’d broken up with Linc for a reason.
I try to emphasise how happy I really am for my friends as I go through the usual course of regular chit-chat, “So are you enjoying the party?” Emma beams at me, happy that I’m fine with them being together.
I shrug, “It’s ok I guess.”
“You here with anyone else?” Linc asks, his grey eyes still filled with worry.
I give them a thumbs-up, letting out a fake laugh, “Yeah I’m all good. With a couple of friends and stuff. Should be fine.”
Emma nods, obviously not registering her boyfriend’s worry. I know he’s probably going to ask me to tag along with them until we find someone and I really don’t want to intrude on their time together so I make up an excuse to leave.
“I’ll, um, see you guys later then. I’m just grabbing something to drink.” And with that I bolt away from them before they can say anything else.
I start heading towards the kitchen once I’m a good distance away from them, carefully avoiding any closed doors and areas empty of people. My mind races back to Jake like I’m an addict and he’s my drug and I feel despair course through me again. I clench my fists and fight back the tears, refusing to cry.
You’ve got to toughen up. You shouldn’t be pitying yourself since you had this coming.
In the kitchen I wash out an empty glass I find drying near the sink and fill it up with water. I lean against the counter, sipping the liquid slowly and getting my thoughts under control.
Ok. This isn’t the end of the world Hailey.
Yes it is.
He’ll come back…
No he won’t.
Well, you brought this on yourself! If you’d just kissed him or told him you love him then you wouldn’t be here sulking your butt off.
True…
You’re going to need a couple of tubs of Ben and Jerry’s…
Tell me something I don’t know.
“Hey, why the long face?” I look up to see Jeremy standing in front of me, swaying slightly, a bottle in his hand now.
I give him a watery smile, looking out the window above the sink, “Not feeling that well.”
He snorts, “That’s what they all say. It’s obvious. Your heart has been broken!” My eyes widen a little in surprise as I turn towards him, “Or nobody wants to do it with you.”
My posture relaxes again, “You’re drunk.” I state dryly.
“Yeah, the girl I was supposed to come with ditched last minute so I’m drowning my sorrows. Fifth girl this week,” He adds with a shrug. He nudges me a bit, “It’d do you a bit of good to get drunk too, you know.”
I roll my eyes, “I think I’m fine thanks.”
He pushes the bottle into my hands, forcing me to hold it and he leaves his own hands on top of mine for a few more seconds than necessary, “You need it. Trust me. If he’s not interested then he’s not worth it.” He lets go of my hands and leans back against the counter with a self-assured smirk, “You’ve got to get drunk and show him what he’s missing out on!”
The guy’s obviously wasted and has no idea what he’s saying. The random babble he’s spouting out is obviously self-degrading and stupid advice and you’d have to be seriously drunk or a complete idiot to go with that kind of logic.
I’m leaning more towards the latter and the fact that my heart seems to feel like it’s never going to heal at this rate sort of explains what I do right then and there.
I tip my head back and chug the contents of the bottle without a second though as Jeremy watches on in awe. Foul, bitter tasting liquid fills my mouth but I keep drinking, my main goal at the moment to numb the pain and just do something crazy.
I drink the whole bottle and slam it down onto the counter when I’m done, gasping for breath.
The idiot who suggested this whole thing claps in admiration, “That was impressive.” I rip the hair ties and pins holding my hair up on top of my head and shake it out. I’m not dressing up or looking pretty for anyone now. Who cares about my hair?
“Let’s get some more.” I say, the effects of the alcohol already starting to fuzz up my brain.
He nods eagerly and thus begins our drinking spree. We go absolutely mad together, trying out whatever we can find, laughing at each other’s stupidity as we trip over things and spill drinks all over ourselves. We dance hard to the random song selection people have started up, Basshunter filling our ears and my conservative shy behaviour basically goes flying out the window. I want to forget about boyfriends now, full stop. This time it was my fault I wasn’t able to get with Jake but I don’t want to spend the rest of the night crying about him. I just want to forget. I don’t care how I’ll do it. I’m just going to go with whatever I have.
I have no qualms as Jeremy and I clamber up onto a coffee table and begin strutting out ridiculous moves as teenagers flock around us, cheering. We laugh like this is the funniest thing in the world, shamelessly going wild. I find myself kicking off my shoes as I go and people start shoving money in my dress, cat-calling and whistling as I move. A couple of people join us and soon I find myself up close and personal with guys whom I’ve never met before. The table’s crowded full of sweaty bodies and it’s a wonder that it hasn’t buckled underneath all our weight. Pure exhilaration runs through my mind as I’m packed between bodies, somehow still able to move, loving the hazy way I seem to be detached from the real world and just being able to forget all pain and loss.
By now I’ve lost count of how many drinks I’ve had and how strong they were. All I know is that I’ve completely lost my inhibitions and on a scale of 1 to 10 on how drunk I am, I’m definitely a 25.
Jeremy’s seems to be just as bad as me and he proves this by toppling off the table without any sign of tripping or anything. The crowd around us picks him up easily and soon he’s body-surfing through the room like he’s at a concert. He pumps his arm up and down, cheering as he goes around the room. Following his lead I jump out of the mini rave on the table and out onto the crowd, getting passed around the room too, giggling like a little girl as I go.
BEST NIGHT EVER! WOOOHOOOO!
Suddenly strong arms grasp my shoulders and pull me down to the ground. I stumble unsteadily at my sudden transfer from being carried to actually having to put weight on my legs.
“What’s the big idea?” I slur, frowning at the party-pooper.
Alex glares at me before pulling me towards the kitchen, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” He shouts at me.
“Meow bad boy! Where have you been all night?!” I say, looking him up and down in appreciation.
He rolls his eyes, “Are you out of your mind Hailey?! I walk into a room and find you on the friggin table with some random asshole grinding against you!”
I smile at him lazily as I reach up to play with his tousled dark hair, “You have pretty eyes.” I giggle, swaying in front of him. “And luscious hair. What shampoo do you use?”
He grabs both my hands, absolutely appalled as I start to pull at his cheeks, “Jesus, how much did you drink?! You reek!”
I laugh, “I’m not Jesus, silly! I’m Hailey!” I frown a little, “Or is it Craig?”
“This is ridiculous. Who did you come with? Are you alone? You’re so–”
“Hey! Hands off my girl buddy!” Jeremy shouts as he clumsily karate chops Alex’s hands.
“Jerry-Bear!” I squeal launching myself at him as soon as Alex lets go. His arms come around me too, holding me up despite the fact that he looks like he’s about to topple over himself.
He glares at Alex, “This one’s mine. Go find your own.”
Alex’s eyes practically bug out of his head as he grabs my hand again, “I think you need to back off. She’s not going anywhere with you.”
I frown as I look between both of the boys, not liking the tense atmosphere that’s broken out, “It’s ok Lexi.” I finally manage to say, wriggling my hand out of his grip, “Jer’s actually looking after me. Not Jake.”
Alex looks confusedly between us, “Jake McLane? What’s he got to do with this?”
I shrug, still hanging around Jeremy’s neck, “He’s being an ass.”
“He’s with some other chick when he should have been with Hailey.” Jeremy adds, shaking his head in disapproval, “So now I’m with her.”
A strange look flits across Alex’s face but I don’t understand what it is. He closes his eyes for a second, obviously trying to think about what to do. He opens them with a sigh, “Ok. You two wait right here. I don’t want you drinking anything else and I want you here when I come back. Promise?”
I hold out my pinkie, “I promise! Cross my heart and hope to die.”
“Stick a needle in my eye.” Jeremy finishes off for me, shaking my little finger with his.
Alex rolls his eyes, “Just stay here.” And with that he dashes out of the room.
We stand there unsteadily for a bit, wondering what we should do.
“Jer?” I ask, swaying as I hang off him.
“Yes Craig?”
I knew my name’s Craig! I think triumphantly.
“I’m bored.”
Jeremy looks down at me, a sweet smile playing on his lips, his curly hair reminding me of those ribbons you can get on presents you can get curled with scissors. “You want to go outside for a swim?”
I frown, biting my lip a little. Alex did tell us to stay here… but he didn’t say anything about staying right here till he got back and he definitely didn’t say anything about not going for a dip in the pool… at least I don’t think he did…
All rational thoughts, pushed to the back of my mind I grin at him, “Skinny dipping it is!”
We stumble through the crowd and out the back door onto the porch overlooking the small garden, smokers and couples looking for dark areas, milling around.
“There’s no pool.” I pout, feeling a little deflated.
“It’s too cold anyway,” Jeremy says as he picks me up and sits me on the wooden railing around the porch. He leans against it himself and we look out up at the sky together giggling for no reason.
“You smell like lemons.” He randomly says to me scrunching his face up, “You smell like an orchard to be exact.”
I roll my eyes, nudging him a bit, “You smell like wet dog. I think I’m better off.” I laugh at his sulky expression and lean my head on his shoulder. “Thanks for staying with me.” I say quietly after a while.
His arm comes around my shoulder casually, “It’s ok.” He says with a big sigh, “I don’t know why Jake would give up on you. You’re one hell of a girl.”
“You’re not too bad yourself.” I yawn, covering my mouth slightly. “Don’t know why that girl would have ditched you. You’re one hell of a guy.”
“You really think that?” he chuckles.
I look up at his face giggling, “Of course I do.”
We stare at each other for a while, our words slowly processing in our brains. Before I know what I’m doing, I’m tipping my face forward as his comes to meet mine and soon we’re making out like there’s no tomorrow.
The kiss isn’t as sweet as the ones I shared with Linc or as amazing as Jake’s. It’s sloppy, it’s hungry, it’s drunk. Something in the back of my mind tells me that this is beyond stupid and I’m definitely going to regret this at some point in the near future. But because this is me and I’m basically drunk witless I don’t really care and I just concentrate on trying to enjoy this.
It doesn’t even matter that I only think of Jeremy as a friend. We’re two kids whose ‘dates’ have basically left us and I guess we’re just looking for some comfort for the rejection.
My hands tangle through his hair and my legs wrap around his waist. I notice his hands are in very inappropriate places but I just pull myself closer to him and try to ignore the fact that I wish he was Jake.
Suddenly he’s jerked away from me and I’m caught from behind as I stumble back, “What the hell are you two doing?!” Jake shouts at us. I look up, completely dazed as he holds me close, his arms protectively around me.
Alex is gingerly holding Jeremy up as he hangs off him, “I thought I told you two to wait in the kitchen!”
I hold my pinkie up, smiling cheekily at him, “I pinkie promised with Jerry-Bear not you silly!”
He rolls his eyes at me and for some reason I crack up laughing. This sets off Jeremy too and suddenly I’m staring straight into a pair of blue eyes.
“How. Much. Did. You. Drink.” Jake says slowly and carefully, inches away from my face.
I kiss him on the nose and he pulls back quickly in surprise, making me giggle, “Oh, we lost count ages ago. Didn’t we Jer?”
I turn to find my new friend now sagging against Alex, snoring softly. I pout as I try to walk over to him, “Jeeeerrrrr wake up.” I whine.
Jake pulls me back roughly, “There is no way you’re going near that asshole for a long time.” He growls. I cross my arms sulkily and glare at him.
As if I liked this first-class jerk.
Alex closes his eyes tiredly for a second, “Do you know how he got here?”
“He drove himself.” Jake says, adjusting his hold on me so he’s taking most of my weight.
Alex nods, “I’ll go find him a room or something then. Does he usually drink this much?”
Jake nods, “Yeah. He should be ok for the night. He can take a lot more than whatever he’s had so far, this is him tipsy.” He grimaces, “By the time he’s announcing his love for you, you know he’s had enough.”
I titter a little at this, my mood changing rapidly, and link my arms around his neck, “Don’t you think I have pretty eyes?” I ask, fluttering my eyelashes at him.
Jake gives me a weird look and then glances back at Alex, “Just let him sleep it off, I’ll deal with this one.”
Alex nods as he begins to haul Jeremy inside, “Look after her. I’ll see you later.”
“By Lexi!” I coo, waving my hands coyly.
Jake nods back, following them to the door, “Yeah, thanks for getting me.”
“Just be nice to her.” Alex replies with a stern look, “I think she’s beaten herself up enough for one night.” And with that said, he walks back into the house.
I tilt my head sideways as I watch him go, “Do you think he’s got a cute butt?”
Jake groans out loud as he leans against a wooden pole supporting the over-hanging roof, “What am I going to do with you?”
He leans against the side of the house tiredly and I take the opportunity to get comfortable against him, “Take care of me.” I say simply, nodding my head as if I’ve decided.
Jake doesn’t say anything for a bit, probably thinking about what he’s going to do, “We should go home. Mom will know what to do.”
“She’s going to get angry at me,” I say, looking up at him with a pout.
“You reek and judging from everything you’re saying you’ve drunken way too much.” I nod my head in agreement, trailing my fingers up his arm. He coughs, “Um, maybe before we get you home we should tell Maddy or Mitch what’s…uh, going on…”
“Mmmm?” I mumble, batting my eyelashes up at him. I watch in utter fascination and delight as his ears begin to turn red and I move my hands towards his chest.
“So we should, uh, go, um, find them…”
I push myself up against him completely, “Why can’t I just… stay with you?” I ask seductively as I can.
Jake stares at me in shock and I can’t help but laugh at his expression, “I love you!” I crow, jumping at him and wrapping him up in a hug.
He stumbles under me in surprise, “What is wrong with you?” he moans. I step back suddenly and stare intently at his stomach, “Hailey?”
Quick as a ninja I shove my hands under his shirt, “You’ve got abbs!” I exclaim.
His hands grip my wrists as he tries to wrestle my wandering hands away from him, “Hailey! Stop!”
“Don’t be shy!” I giggle wiggling my fingers cheekily as he tries to hold me away.
“We’re going home.” He says gruffly, holding both of my wrists with one hand while checking the time on his phone with the other.
“God your sexy.” I breathe out.
“We’re definitely going home.” He starts to haul me down the porch steps to lead me around the side of the house rather than trying to get me through the crowd of party-goers.
“Jaaaakkkkeeeeee.” I whine, “I’m not done partying though! I command you to let me go! Or I’ll have you… beheaded!”
He picks me up and chucks me over his shoulder, “Oh we’re done your majesty. We’re done and you’re going to have deal with mom and dad by yourself.”
“No!” I cry as we come out from the side of the house and walk out onto the front garden, “Not JOHN!” I begin kicking my legs out and banging my fists against his back in retaliation and he suddenly puts me down, making the world tilt before me. He grabs my arm as I nearly collapse, “Oh wow.” I mumble, stumbling against him, “I’m seeing nebula’s all over the place.”
“Why does this happen to me?” he groans, putting his arms around me to lead me to the front gate a bit more gently.
I put a hand out to stop him as I feel an all-too-familiar sensation gurgle in my stomach, “Crap.” I mutter.
“What’s wrong?” Jake leans down, worry colouring his words and something inside me feels pretty damn happy about it despite how gross I feel all of a sudden.
“I think… I’m going to be sick.” I say in a wobbly voice.
“Oh Crap.”
Crap is right. I think as my stomach empties itself all over party-guy-who’s-name-eludes-me well-manicured lawn and Jake’s shoes. And then, like all the cliché drunk moments you see in books and movies, everything goes black and I effectively pass out.
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A/N: Hey :) hope you guys enjoyed :) Just letting you know that I've made a Facebook page you can join where you can discuss the story and ask questions etc. It's just a bit easier for me to reply than on wattpad and i'll also be posting about my updates more regularly on there than here...
Also, i'm hoping to start up some competitions for chapters and i'd love to hear any ideas from people on there too :) It's just a bit hard on wattpad checking all the messages since it's a bit slow :s
Anyway, thank you for all your support and patience guys :) You know how appreciated it is and i really really am grateful! :)
xxxsteph