Chapter 9 - Pills
Luke
Thursday
He looked so cute in my clothes.
Although he was much skinnier than me, he still had a decent amount of muscle and for once I was thankful that I hadn't thrown out my old suits that no longer fit me. They clung tightly to his pecs and abs, the blazer adding an extra spiciness to the look. His usual tight jeans made it more casual, but his Converse... they needed to go. They were practically falling off his feet. He kinda looked like a high school student going to prom.
We ordered, and he complained about it being too expensive.
"Well, next time you can cook for me," I said in reply.
"I'm awful though, you'd probably vomit."
"I'm sure I wouldn't," I reassured. "Now I really do want to try your cooking!"
The waiter brought champagne over and I poured him a glass. "How high is your tolerance?" he asked. I smiled smugly.
"I can drink about ten shots of vodka without getting too drunk. Got a fast metabolism."
He gawped, taking a small sip. "That's incredible! I don't usually drink but I remember I once got drunk at a party from three bottles of beer."
We continued talking for a bit, and then our waiter brought over starters. I filled up his glass with champagne.
"Why are you single? I mean, you're rich, really sexy and have the perfect job... it muddles me," he asked – I could tell the alcohol was already beginning to consume him.
I shrugged. "It's easier to be single. It's not like I don't have a sex life – I just don't like commitments. Or clinginess. How about you?"
"There are no hot gay guys at college and it frustrates me."
My eyes widened. So... he was gay huh. A smirk crept up my smile and I had to bite down on my bottom lip to stop myself from grinning like a Cheshire cat.
I might not have gotten drunk easily, but alcohol certainly made me feel more excited than usual and that's why I drank it so regularly. I kept refilling his glass and by the end of the night, he was slurring his words, needing a helping hand to stop him from collapsing onto the pavement.
"Do you want to go home? Tell me your address," I asked. We were stood outside waiting for the valet parker to bring back my car.
"Not home... no... my family won't even be there..."
"Why not? Where did they go?"
His eyes rolled back and I panicked. He wasn't going to faint was he? I put him on my back just in case. "They went somewhere without me, it's really unfair."
"How long are they gone for?" I was struggling a bit because he was so limp and relaxed.
"They didn't specify, so I stopped waiting..."
That confused me. "What do you mean?"
He didn't reply. I looked around and saw that he'd fallen asleep. I scoffed, my eyes scanning his sleeping face. Damn, he looked cute.
~
I put him in the guest room and sighed, tucking him in before saying goodnight and heading back to mine.
As if on cue, my phone started ringing. "Arzaylea? What are you doing calling me so late?"
"Can we meet up for a drink? I'm desperate to see you Luuuuke," she slurred. Was she drunk again?
"Not now, you're already drunk." I listened harder and heard that she was probably in a bar already, and was simply drunk calling me.
"I'm not I promise, please just come?"
I sighed and took down the name of the bar, changing clothes for the third time that day and heading back out. Sure, I was worried to leave Calum but he was out cold so I didn't really have to be concerned. I didn't feel like driving so waved down a cab and took that instead.
Calum
I woke up in the middle of the night.
A nightlight was on, making it bright enough for me to hobble to the toilet to throw up – how much alcohol had I had to drink? I was pretty sure we'd only had champagne... but knowing me, I was the kind of person who could get easily drunk on beer so I wasn't that surprised.
Once I'd finished being sick, I flushed the toilet and washed out my mouth in the sink. I then took a few moments to gather my memories, and realised I was in Luke's apartment again. Part of that made me blush a bit – I started wondering what his sleeping face was like and had to slap myself to stop fantasising as it began to get a bit explicit.
I went out into the upstairs lounge area, and decided to head down and get a drink of water, or search for something that would get rid of my headache. Suddenly, I heard the door click and the sound of two mouths together. My palms started sweaty and anxiousness curled in my stomach. Was it a burglar? Or if not... Luke? Was he not asleep?
The only way to find out was to go down and see for myself.
And I regretted it so bad.
Pressed against the wall of the hallway was Luke, and a brunette girl wearing heels and a low-cut sparkly black bodycon dress, her fingers choked with rings of all sizes. I stared for a while longer before forcing my eyes away. I felt so intrusive, watching them make out in such a manner. Forgetting about the water and medicine I rushed back to my room, heart beating wildly in my chest.
Why was I so embarrassed and shocked? It wasn't like Luke had specifically told me if he was into girls or guys, but I thought, him taking me out for dinner meant something, even just an inkling.
Maybe this was what he meant when he said 'I still have a sex life' – did he get hookers to come over during the night?
All of a sudden I felt sick again. It reminded me that I didn't actually know who this guy was.
Hurrying to the toilet, I threw up and this time, it was even worse. I had to sit down on the cold floor and leant against the toilet until I could properly stand. I needed a painkiller, otherwise I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. If they were busy making out, surely they wouldn't notice if I slipped into the kitchen?
Then, I remembered. There was a small black spiral staircase at hidden at the back of the apartment, that led to the smaller living room and kitchen. I could go down that way and avoid them; so that's what I did.
So far, so good – I'd gotten to the kitchen and downed a glass of water. I could hear them still making out, so decided to get a move on in finding painkillers. As quietly as I could, I searched through each drawer and cabinet, high and low, and finally rested my eyes upon a box of pills.
But there was an uncanny number of them, all in different packaging. Some were in brown glass bottles, others were in silver blister packages. I could hardly tell which was which though, as they all had different names on them. For a moment I wondered if they actually belonged to him or were just random drugs he collected, but then I saw the labels on each one that meant they were specifically prescribed for him.
Taking a moment, I fished around again, this time finally managing to find a box of painkillers. I popped two out and drank them with the water, almost choking since I hardly ever took pills, before putting the glass in the dishwasher and closing the medicine cabinet carefully.
~
I'd been wrong thinking that painkillers would be able to make me go back to sleep.
I spent the whole night thinking about Luke, and if he was still with that girl downstairs, or if they'd gone to bed together, or if they'd both left – the walls were quite thick so I could hear much outside my room. A few times, I attempted getting out and standing above the stairs to check, but I didn't want to be caught, and besides, it wasn't as if I wasn't tired at all.
I badly wanted to sleep but he was on my mind.
Why?
Because, well, I guess I liked him – personalities and all.
I began to realise that the reason I couldn't sleep was because I was simply jealous, something I hadn't been for a long time.
I also realised that despite liking him, I'd never be able to be with him.
***
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