Chapter 10 - You're Drunk
ZACH's POV
It was pretty late when I got home from the impromptu get together lasting well into the wee hours of the morning. It was one hell of a night indeed.
Bros will be Bros. I thought to myself, opening the door to the penthouse.
I stepped inside a bit sloshed, but it wasn't a surprise that I got home safe. I was a hardcore at drinking anyway. Those bozos never stood a chance.
I called for Boris, my butler. I could smell the stench of alcohol in me so I wanted a remedy. A glass of milk usually sobered me right up. "Boris? Where are you? Get me a glass of..." I stopped in my tracks when I saw the figure standing in front of my fireplace. Shit, I must be drunker than I thought!
Those dickheads had a lot of explaining to do. What the hell had they put in my drink? I wasn't that wasted. I wasn't drunk enough for hallucinations. Was I? I ignored the figure and continued to the kitchen.
Was this some kind of mind crap? The figure looked like Chloe and it was just staring at me. Now, of all the people, why her? Maybe we'd been talking about her earlier.
"That's it? You're just gonna ignore me all night?" She asked, annoyed.
"Mr. Anderson, you're back. I'm sorry for letting Ms. Loise in. She was very persistent. She also mentioned the matter being urgent." Boris came out of nowhere like a ghost.
"Boris! Stop sneaking up on me!"
"I'm very sorry, sir. Your milk?" Boris handed me a glass of milk. I glanced at Chloe for a moment, then shifted my gaze back to Boris.
"Never mind, Boris. It seems I have some business to take care of." Boris retreated, and I grinned inwardly. I had known my plan would work, but I didn't think it would be this quick. It has been what, a day or two? And now, Chloe was standing in front of me already.
This was highly unexpected. I ran my fingers through my hair and smiled. "So, what brings Charlotte back to the web this wonderful evening?" I already knew why, of course, but I've decided it was best to play it cool. I walked to the minibar and poured myself a drink.
"You know why I'm here, Zach. No need to play dumb." She walked up to the bar and filled herself three full fingers of whiskey, drinking it all in one gulp, and put the glass back to the table with a loud thump.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Get straight to the point. I haven't got all night." I sipped from my glass.
"Stop playing dumb. I'm only here because—"
"Because you missed me?" I supplied, sipping from my glass.
She tipped herself another glass of whiskey. "Still the same old move, huh, Zach?" She looked at me with a mischievous grin. "When will you change? Have a girlfriend but still flirting with someone else?" She drank the half full glass again.
"You... think... I'm flirting with... you?" I choked out then barked out a laugh. I was expecting her facial expression to change, but she didn't. She still had that smirk on her face. This got me serious, like she had some dirt on me.
"Please, Zach. Everyone knows how you are with girls. So whatever evil plan you think you're doing with Tori, stop it now."
"What do you mean?" I said, getting all serious as her.
"Must we play the guessing game, Zach?" Chloe backfired.
I refilled my glass with whiskey and make my way toward the fireplace. "You do know it was your friend's idea, right?"
"Yes, but why? Why do it at all? She's not even your type." She pointed out.
"Don't look down on her. She's your friend."
"I'm not. I'm just pointing it out. She's different from the others, Zach."
"I know. But what if she is—"
"Your type?" She butted in. "Come on, everyone knows you're some George Clooney wannabe." She concluded while raising her eyebrow.
"Judgmental as always. Didn't it occur to you that I might actually like her?"
"Stop it, Zach! Knowing you, you'll just take advantage of her!" She snapped.
"Really? You don't know me anymore, Chloe." I emphasized.
"Of course, I do. You're still the same womanizing jerk as before."
"Easy with your PMS there. It might make this conversation shorter. Who are you to judge people anyway?" Now this conversation was heating up.
"I'm her friend, genius! And I'm just stating the obvious."
"Fair enough. Wait, are you jealous?" I teased.
She looked like she was about to slap me. Instead, she just drank all that was left in her glass. "That's it? You're trying to make me jealous?" She asked in a sharp tone.
"Maybe, yes. Maybe, not. Are you?"
"No!"
"Figured as much. So why can I sense your urge to slap me in the face?" I asked.
"Well, the fact that you'd go that far just to make me jealous—"
I didn't even let her finish her statement, I just laughed at her. "Still the same old Chloe, thinking the whole world revolves around her. Don't be so full of yourself, not everything's about you." I sipped from my glass. "Just accept the fact that there's something I see in her. If you really trust her, trust me, and be happy for us." I gave her my best innocent smile; it widened when I saw she looked like she was about to explode.
"How dare you? I trust her feelings for you. But you? No way!" I could see her storming my way looking anguish. But I didn't mind that, I was more curious on what she meant by trusting Tori's feelings.
"What do you mean you trust her feelings?" I asked her, my interest piqued. "Explain."
"Curiosity killed the cat, Zach."
"Just tell me what you meant by that." I demanded.
She returned back to the bar and filled her glass again. It was probably like her third glass or something, I wasn't sure. I lost counting tracks. "I happened to talk to her before going here. She's a terrible liar, so I tried to get the truth out of her." Chloe gave me a baleful look. "For some unfathomable reason, it seems like she really does like you."
"What did she say?" I wasn't sure why I became so curious on what Tori feels and sees about me.
She shrugged. "Something about ninth grade, and the library."
"I have no idea. What about the library?" I haven't met Tori until the last semester of ninth grade, when she'd suddenly joined to Chloe's little group. I frowned at her. I really had no idea what she was talking about.
She rolled her eyes and continued with her mother-like speech. "Just as I thought, you don't even remember. The library's the first place she met you. It's kinda sappy, actually. But that's Tori's idea of romance."
I was confused. I couldn't recall anything from ninth grade. Romance? Was she for real? This was turning into some stupid chick flick.
"Anyway, I wouldn't be here if it was Nathan she'd gotten together with—" I raised a hand and stopped her from continuing that thought the moment I heard Nathan's name.
"What about Nathan?" I asked, suspicious and irritated at the same time.
"And why should I tell you?" She didn't seem inclined to answer, then I pushed a little harder.
"You're not the only person in this room who has dirt on someone, Chloe. Miss Loise, coming here in the middle of the night. It would be quite the scandal..."
"You wouldn't..." She began, but I knew I'd gotten to her because her shoulders sagged in defeat. "Fine. I always thought that they liked each other since Nathan really takes care of her."
I was right. At least this confirmed it. Nathan was in love with Tori! True, Chloe wasn't sure, but she wasn't the only person suspicious of him. "And you think I'm not capable of taking care of her? And how can you say that he likes her?" I clenched my fists at the thought that Nathan could be better than me at something.
"I don't know. The way he looks at Tori? How he's so protective of her? How you two almost got into a slugfest the other day? The list could go on, you know. Anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if they'd confess their feelings to one another." Her shoulders dropped disappointingly and drank another glass.
"Oh really?" I didn't know which pissed me off more, her thinking that Nathan could be better than me, the fact that he had a thing for Tori, or that maybe Tori liked him back. Who wouldn't have been pissed at that?
I didn't realize I was spacing out until Chloe poked me. "Hey, are you listening?"
"You were saying?"
She rolled her eyes and continued. "I said instead of her confessing to Nathan, she confessed to you! I can't believe it!" She shrieked, downing another glass after. She was too drunk to watch her words.
"Does she know that Nathan likes her?" I probed.
"She doesn't. I don't know. She sees Nathan as just a friend, actually." She said. I smirked triumphantly. Well, at least she only saw him as a friend. "Wait... Are you jealous? Are you jealous of Nathan?" She burst out laughing.
"Of course not! Why should I? I don't get jealous!" I denied. But this didn't stop her from laughing hysterically.
"No need to be defensive. Just admit it. It's written all over your face." She continued to chuckle.
"Whatever. The only reason I asked those questions is just to be clear about the way things stand. He's Tori's friend, and he's always around her, so who knows? Maybe he's the one with the plan?" I justified, but Chloe dismissed my logic.
"Nathan? No! Oh trust me, he is too good of a guy to do that. He is very protective of her. He is even protecting her from you." She laughed.
So, I was a scumbag in his estimation then. He would get what was coming to him, one way or another.
"Now before you set world war three, let me tell you that Tori likes you, a lot. Damn, I've never seen her like that. And the fact that she swallowed her pride just to confess her feelings to you? Nathan's gonna be in for his money if he's trying to steal her from you." She gulped down the contents of another glass and looked like she was gonna barf. "Anyway, I'm going home now Zach, you take—whoa!"
Next thing I knew, she was falling to the ground. I immediately grabbed her; prevented her from hitting the floor. "Chloe! You're drunk!"
"I know! You always get the good stuff, don't you?" She giggled and passed out.
"Okay, that's enough juice for one night. I'll take you home." I carried her all the way down and asked Boris for a car service to take her home. I accompanied her, and all throughout the ride, I couldn't help but marvel at how truly beautiful she was. But I also couldn't help but think about what she'd said and the possibility that Nathan could steal Tori from me. I hated the fact that someone could take anything from me. Not even Tori. Was he planning something?
I glanced at Chloe again. It was nice to talk to her after so long. She haven't changed. I liked that about her. Chloe was such a respectable person. She was firm. When she wanted something, she did everything in her power to get it. That strong personality was what really drew me to her.
We arrived at her apartment, and I carried her all the way to her unit. I rang the bell, and a maid opened the door for me. "Oh god! Is she okay?" she asked worriedly.
"Yeah, she's fine," I told her. "She just had a lot to drink." The maid showed me to Chloe's bedroom, and I laid her down the bed and tucked her in. When I was about to leave, she grabbed my hand and said something, her eyes still shut.
"Please don't hurt Tori. She's too fragile, and I know you know that. Please take care of her. Never cheat on her. If the time comes when you don't like her anymore, come to me first. Don't do it right away. Let me talk to her first before you leave her. That way, it'll be less painful. You're a good person, Zach. Deep inside, you know it. I know you do. Promise me this relationship will help her, not destroy her." She opened her eyes and waited for my answer.
"You know I'm not good with promi—" She pulled me closer and hushed me. "O-Okay," I said in defeat.
She smiled and closed her eyes again. She rolled over to the other side of the bed facing her window. "By the way, you're free to join us at our lunch table. Since you're Tori's boyfriend, I
think we have to forget about the things that happened in the past and start over, don't you?" I heard her yawn.
"I guess so. We'll see."
"That's good to hear. Bye, Zach. Thanks again." She went to sleep right away. I just stood there for a while then left her apartment.
On my way home, I thought about everything Chloe and I had talked about. I've never wanted anything more than I wanted Chloe. But I didn't want to hurt her friend. Either way, I couldn't have both. The only way to be with her was to break up with Tori, but I knew Chloe wouldn't forgive me for that. And if I chose to stay with Tori, Chloe would never be mine again.
I knew I didn't want to hurt Tori. Not because Chloe asked me not to, but because it didn't seem right. I didn't know exactly why. She was something else, a very fun person to be with. For now, though, I just have to stick with the grade-conscious geek and wait till Chloe realizes that she likes me.
Yeah, sounds like a plan.
Keep your friends close and your lover closer. Although it never crossed my mind that someone might bound to get hurt.--END OF CHAPTER 10--