The Petals Of A Red Rose

Chapter 3.1

Part 1

Haden stands in front of me swaying side to side. A whiff of alcohol fills my nostrils as I stare up at him. He leans on the doorframe for support. "You are so beautiful." He slurs. I fold my arms against my chest. He looks down at me apologetically. "I'm sorry." He burps. Chuckling, he sways back and forth as he removes himself from the doorframe. "I am sorry, Emerald, for wanting to fuck you on your kitchen counter." He genuinely apologizes. "I-I think, I think I mi-might have some fee- some feelings for you." He stutters, burping and slurring in between. "I know that we-we don't know each other but, I want to get t- to get to know you." He says, trying to stop himself from swaying back and forth.

I decide not to hold a grudge on him for saying what he said, at the end of the day I also feel a pull towards him. He might be a stranger but he hasn't given me a reason not to let him in my life. "It's fine, Haden." I say looking up at him. "I accept your apology." He beams down at me, his smile sending a zoo of butterflies down to my stomach. He looks so devilishly good.

"Alright." He smiles then burps. "Can we be friends?" He asks me hesitantly.

"Friends." I smile at him nodding my head.

He smiles widely at me nodding his head. "Okay, okay. Friends." I laugh at him. His cheeks turn pink in embarrassment as he scratches the back of his head. "I better go." He says pointing the direction of his apartment. I nod my head.

Closing the door slowly, "Goodnight, Haden." I whisper at him. His cheeks turn a deeper shade of pink as ducks his head so that I won't see his face.

"Good-goodnight Emerald." He whispers back.

Before I can close the door he holds it. "Wait, what happened to your leg ?" He opens the door wider and gets inside. Closing the door behind him, steps closer towards me and crunches in front of me examining my leg.

"Nothing. The glass fell and scraped my leg." I say nonchalantly.

He looks up at me and burps. "Do you have a first-aid kit ?" He stands up and looks down at me. I nod my head.

"It's in my bathroom." He moves past me and sways his way up the stairs. Having to remind myself that our apartments look the same hence he knows his way around mine. Deciding to follow him upstairs, I find him coming out of the bathroom with the first-aid kit.

"Come, let me clean you." He leads me inside my bedroom. He gestures for me to sit on the edge of the bed. Obliging, I sit down. He kneels in front of me and takes my leg and puts it on top of his thigh. "This is going to hurt a little." Bracing myself for the sting of the alcoholic liquid, Haden dabs the cotton wool on the bleeding wound.

"Were you not suppose to clean it first?" I ask squinting at the pain.

"Oops." He slurs. Taking a clean cotton pad and dabbing the blood off of my leg. Chuckling, I help him clean my cut. He gently puts the Minnie Mouse bandaid over the cut.

"There, all good." He stands up and takes the kit and the used cotton pads. He leaves the room and goes into the bathroom. He comes back but this time doesn't enter the room. "I'll be heading home." His deep voice never seizes to amaze me. I nod my head unable to form words. "Goodnight." He whispers.

"Goodnight." But instead of heading down the stairs he rushes to the bathroom and pukes. Rushing up to him, I find him slouched over the toilet seat puking his lungs out. Not knowing what to do I gently rub his back. He continues hurling out his guts, some of the puke gets on the floor and on the toilet seat.

I walk out of the bathroom and head downstairs to get him some painkillers and water. Returning to the bathroom, I find him tiredly resting his head on top of the toilet seat. "Here, take these." Looking up at me, excess vomit drools from his lips. I get the towel and wipe off the vomit. He looks up at me through hooded eyes. "Please don't look at me like that and just drink these painkillers." I roll my eyes playfully at him. He takes the pills and drinks them.