Cough Syrup

Chapter 6: Drunken Confessions

I made sure to keep my hands steady as I poured the hard alcohol into the two shot glasses. What happened to not caring about drinking out of the bottle, hypocrite?

Zach watched me unsure. I could tell by the look on his face that he was somewhere between upset I wouldn't spill my secret, and pleased that drinks were being poured. Don't get me wrong, Zach is a great kid. But he had a large reputation with parties. You couldn't say he was an alcoholic, but the boy was definitely no newbie to the strong stuff.

I offered him one, and with a small grin he accepted. He held it in his hand until I was holding mine too. "Hope you can handle this one, E," He laughed. Rolling my eyes I tilted my head back and closed my eyes, tossing the clear liquor into the back of my throat. I tried not to crinkle my face as I brought the glass back down to the table. It burned again, but I cared less now that I wouldn't be suffering alone.

I looked over at Zach who was finishing the last of his shot, and with a smack of his lips he let out an "Ahh." Than more or less slammed his glass down next to mine, his smile wider now. "Round two?" I asked smiling back this time, genuinely. His smile was pretty damn contagious. "I want to get totally wrecked." I said with a laugh.

"Well shit, I can't let you get wrecked all alone!" He said wrapping me in a hug.

"Let me go so i can get us more drinks!" I shouted elbowing him.

After a good seven or so more shots, we were both red-faced and giggly. "So I guess I'm crashing at your place tonight than," He said with the slightest hint of a slur.

"What? It's only.." I checked my watch. "Fuck, is it eleven already?" I stumbled over to the window and was met with a dark sky and the small lights of downtown below. "Well, I guess you are than." I said with a smile. "Don't tell anyone, okay? They'll get the wrong idea. Everyone already thinks we're a thing." I winked.

"What's so wrong with that?" He furrowed his brow, one hand rubbing his rosy cheek.

I shrugged. What was so wrong with that? I mean if we're just friends than we have nothing to hide anyway. "Hey," I looked over at him, still standing at the window. "Remember when I was sixteen? We had known each other for about six years, and I snuck out at midnight and just showed up at your house out of nowhere?"

Zach nodded. "You know, that was the best night I've ever had." His eyes got a far away look and if I was sober I would have easily known that the next part was not meant for me to hear.

"You texted me, and It woke me up. I don't think you knew, but at the time I had the biggest crush on you, always have, since we were ten. Ha. So you could imagine how happy I was to read that you were outside my back door and wanted me to sneak you in. When I snuck down those stairs and saw you through that window, shit, E. You were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Your hair was still brown, and it was in those beach waves you always had before you started straitening it every day, and it sort of danced around your face when the wind blew. Almost like it was trying to make you look even more attractive. If that was even possible."

He let out a small hiccup, and I stared speachless, a hand over my mouth. He wasnt looking at me though, instead he was grinning with that look still on him.

"Your eyes were this funny shade of a grey-ish blue. They kind of looked like.. like a stormy sky? But even more breath taking. And there were these small tears slipping down your cheeks. You kind of smiled when you saw me and I swear you made my heart stop, E. Like a painting. You looked like a goddamn beautiful painting. I remember thinking for a second what a cruel world we lived in that someone as stunning as you could look so sad."

I waited for him to continue, more than speechless now, but instead he just stopped talking and looked concerned again. The silence laid over the room heavily for what seemed like an eternity before he said "I'm a little tired."

A little tired...? A little tired? I'm a little shocked. What the fuck Zach?

I just nodded. "You can have the couch." I handed him a pillow and a blanket before heading off to my bed.