Defaced

Explanation

I'm curled up on our sofa as Doll sits to the side of me. She hands me a cup of hot cocoa and despite it being one in the afternoon, I gratefully sip it.

"Just start at the beginning okay? Why did you take forever in the bathroom? You said you'd explain." She stares at me expectantly waiting for a response.

"That wasn't even anything serious, I just met another drunk girl in the bathroom and helped her fix her makeup. She's the one I was dancing with when you were with that guy. Then as I was leaving to find you I literally ran into Kai Astor and he spilled his drink on me. The bathroom girl looked like she wanted to tear his head off but I calmed her down. Then I just left and found you, that's all." I take a deep breath after explaining myself. She stares at me and then begins to shake as she hysterically laughs.

"Dude I was worried sick about you and you were helping a drunk girl fix her makeup? Of course you were! Oh my god and Kai had the audacity to spill his drink on you? He should be grateful that a goddess like you ran into him." Her eyes squint shut as she continues to laugh. Wiping her eyes she takes a deep breath before continuing. "Okay now that's all sorted out. So where were you this morning? You didn't text me to let me know you went home with anyone. You also didn't share your location with me so I had no idea where you were! On top of that you weren't answering your phone! I was really worried El." The concern in her voice makes me feel awful for putting her through that stress. I take a deep breath trying to figure out how to tell her all of this.

"Um, well I danced with Aviva for awhile. Then I ordered an uber to go home. Um, while I was waiting this drunk guy attacked me." I move my hair that's covering the bruise on my cheek causing Doll to gasp in shock.

"Oh my god! El what happened are you okay? What did he do? Did he?" Tears swell in her eyes and she wraps her arms around my neck. "I'm so sorry! I knew I shouldn't have left you there, I knew better." She's shouting now, all I can do is hug her back.

"No he didn't really get a chance to do anything. He groped me so I maced him and he slapped me that's all. But um Kai I guess saw it happening and tackled the guy. Then a security guard cuffed him and took him inside." I take a shaky breath and feel her rubbing my back for reassurance.

"Wait, Kai of all people came to your rescue? That heartless jerk has a heart under all of that leather?" She laughs in disbelief which earns a giggle out of me.

"Um I guess he does. Oh god that's not even the worse part Doll. I passed out 'cuz I was drunk, or shocked, probably both. But I threw up all over myself and on him." This causes her to go into another laughing fit.

"Oh god no way! How are you alive? Jesus I'm picturing Kai with throw up on him now and man what a sight to imagine. Wait are you wearing his clothes!" She says gesturing to my large shirt and baggy sweatpants I nod.

"Yeah he washed my dress and then used baby wipes to take the vomit off of my chin. Also he dressed me which is so embarrassing but kind of thoughtful I guess. He says he slept on the couch too and gave me his bed. He was so chill about everything it's like he was a different person." As I say this her eyes grow big.

"Oh my god! Kai totally has a thing for you! Why else would he suddenly be so nice? Nice isn't in his vocabulary." While she has a point she forgets that Kai isn't the type to have crushes. He's just a guy that gets everything handed to him, including women.

"You're delusional, Kai did something nice yeah. But I'm not going to dig deeper into it or praise him for saving me. Yeah, I'm thankful he was there but I won't give him any like thanks for not letting me get raped sex." It's true, I don't think I owe him anything more than a plain old thank you, and I've thanked him.