Closer

Chapter 14

I groaned as pain shot through my head. I forgot how shitty hangovers felt. I squinted as I opened my eyes, the light coming in from under the door was like a hammer to the temple. Wait, door? There weren’t any doors in the dorms. I shot up right, much to the disdain of my hangover. I was wrapped in black sheets that belonged to a huge bed. 

My eyes searched the room for an indicators as to where I was. There was a pile of black clothes in the corner and a pile of books in the other on a chair. There were no pictures on the either nightstand, just an alarm clock that looked like it had taken several beatings. I tried to back track to the last thing that I remembered. I was sitting by the chasm…then Eric showed up. Shit. Eric.

I threw the sheets off me and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I was still in the clothes I had on yesterday. That was a good sign, right? My boots where by the foot of the bed, but I didn’t bother putting them on as I cracked open the bedroom door. The light hit me like a brick wall.

As I peered out of the room I was met with the sight of a slightly messy apartment. I took a few steps out of the room, continuing my observational scan. I found Eric sitting at a desk that was located in the corner of the room. He rummaged through paperwork in a black tank-top and sweat pants, a pencil behind his ear.

He must have heard me because he turned around as I took a few more steps into the room. “There’s a glass of water on the counter and something to help with hangover,” was all he said before he turned back to the files in front of him. His tone had shifted from the one that he had last night. His tone was flat, borderline bored, tired.

I didn’t say anything, my mind still trying to sort what was happening. I padded over to the kitchen counter, finding the glass of water and two little white pills, just as he had said. Without hesitation, I took the pills and flushed them down my throat with a gulp of water. “What time is it?” was the first question that came to my mind.

“6:30,” he answered simply. I nodded, not that he would have seen. His focus was trained on the papers in front of him. I made my way over to his black couch, taking a seat. I couldn’t help but follow the outline of the muscles in his arm as I sat there.

“See something you like? Take a picture, it’ll last longer,” he sassed. I rolled my eyes and tucked my feet underneath me, my glass of water still in my hands. I placed the water down on the table and fixed my pony-tail.

“Why am I here, Eric?” I asked him what seemed like the golden question.

“You passed out on me last night,” Oh yeah, I remember now. 

“Why didn’t you just bring me back to the dorms?” I brought up another good question. Why bring me here, to his apartment?

For the first time since I had sat down, he looked at me. “I couldn’t really do that, could I?” I raised an eyebrow in question. “Do you know how bad that would look? First off, it would imply that there was something going on here,” he motioned between the two of us. “Secondly, I’m the one who gave you the drink, I would be incriminated myself,” he spoke as if reasoning to his actions were obvious, his tone harsh.

“Whatever,” I retorted, rolling my eyes. I got up off the couch and headed back to the bedroom, to his bedroom, and grabbed my boots. It was too early to deal with Eric. I brought myself back to the couch, sitting so I could pull my boots on.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he questioned. Once I had pulled on my boots, I stood.

“Anywhere but here,” I made my way over to the door as Eric got up from his seat at his desk. 

“You don’t even know you’re way back,” he sounded slightly annoyed due to my hasty actions.

“I’ll find my way,” I shrugged as I reached for the door handle. I had just managed to opened the door slightly when Eric’s arm came up next to my head, slaming to door shut. I turned, only to find myself face-to-face with him. His arm remained planted on the door, parallel to my head.