Hex

Chapter 12

     I woke up the next morning wildly hungover, yet again, but at least I was able to sleep in for once, as it was my day off from the coffee shop. My head was pounding and the light shining in through my curtains was much too bright for me. I rolled away from the window and held my head like I was afraid it would explode. I was hit with a wave of nausea, and I scrambled to the door, only to crash into Bishop just across the threshold.

     I looked up at him, wide-eyed. "Oh, hey, sorry," I said, the scare temporarily setting back the bile rising up my throat.

     "Good morning, pukey," he said, back to his joking self. Danny is here making breakfast, picked up bacon on the way, just to cure your little hangover." He grinned and ruffled my hair, before brushing past me and into the kitchen.

     "What the fuck?" I whispered to myself, confused at the sudden switch up in his behavior, but I followed him into the kitchen anyways.

     I sat down at the counter and Danny served me a plate of bacon and pancakes, a glass of water, and a napkin with two tablets of aspirin on it. I sighed in relief. "Thank you so much, Danny, you're a lifesaver," I said, eagerly swallowing the pills.

     "Hey, what are managers for!" I noticed he was even wearing a little kitchen apron that said 'band manager' on it.

"Where were you last night? I'd say we missed you, if I even remembered playing that stupid game." I took a small bite of bacon, as Bishop sat down next to me, but leaving a stool empty between us.

"Oh, you know, just out with a friend, some friends," he stammered through it, avoiding all eye contact.

"I didn't know you had friends," Finn joked, sliding into the room and snagging a piece of bacon from my plate.

"Finn," Bishop warned, shooting him daggers with his eyes. Finn held up his hands in surrender and sat down on the other side of me. I laid my head down on the counter, the cold feeling good on my cheek, and chewed slowly.

"How much did she throw up last night, Bish?" Zane asked, coming in and leaning on the pool table behind me.

I felt bile rise in my throat. "Don't fucking talk about it," I warned, flashbacks of last night flooding my brain.

"Probably about her body weight," Bishop answered, completely ignoring me.

"Sick," Zane said, laughing.

I picked my head up off the counter and glared at Bishop. "I am not afraid to throw up on the floor right now."

     "I for one will not be cleaning that shit, that is outside of managerial duties," Danny grumbled.

     I put my head back down on the counter and closed my eyes, willing the nausea to go away. Zane came up behind me and rubbed my back. "Poor little lightweight," he chastised jokingly.

     Danny slid a mug of coffee over to me. I took a small sip and almost gagged. "What the fuck, Danny?"

     "Bailey's. Just a little hair of the dog, drink up." I pouted, but obediently took another small sip.

     While the guys talked around me, I cut my gaze over to Bishop. He was very quiet this morning. He looked lost in thought, just staring at the stovetop. He glanced over at me and caught my eye, but then he quickly looked away again.

     I sighed and forced myself to eat my breakfast. I spent the rest of the day in bed, partly because I felt like shit, but mostly because I was avoiding Bishop. The next few days were tense and awkward. I went from work to straight to my room and then back to work. I was sure Bishop was busy with his classes, but I was also pretty sure that he was trying to avoid me too.