Logan

130. I Have To Tell Her

*Natalie's POV*

I don't know how drunk I was, it didn't ever take much. I joked around with the kitchen crew and some guy handed me a bag of gummy bears. Josh? Jamie? Jeremiah? It was a "J" something. After their shift was up, I tried a few more.

"Natalie. that's it." AB walked up to me, his hand outstretched and pointing at my keys.

I giggled and took another shot. I was feeling so weird, but I liked it.

"No," I stood up, "I'm fine."

I walked out of the bar and AB tried to grab my arm.

"AB, stop it, let go."

"Natalie you're not even fit to stand by a car, let alone drive." He grabbed the keys from my hand and then tried to lead me back into the bar. A few moments later he was on the ground and my ankle felt a dull pain as I kicked him in the groin "That's for my brother, jerk."

I started off knowing where I was going and then everything went black.

*Ripley's POV*

I heard a bird hit the window? I think.
I looked out my window and saw nothing, but I did see a light shining in the snow. The kitchen light wasn't on when I went to bed. My instincts kicked in and I knew someone had to have broken in. I grabbed the baseball bat next to me and headed quietly down the stairs. Wow, this person had audacity.

How did I not hear the glass break?
I turned the corner of my living room and yelled, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE?!?!"

Just as I held out the bat the girl I recognized as Natalie jumped and screamed, her hand whipping around in defense, sending the wooden cutting board to the floor with a SMACK as a bundle of cut vegetables hit the floor. Glass peppered the vegetables, yet she bent and started to scoop it up, her hands shaky and bloody as one shard sliced her palm.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she whimpered, "you said to come over when I needed you, I just, um, I'll clean it up and then I'll leave, okay?"

I couldn't believe this, what happened to her? She was in some kind of fancy dress, no doubt from the party she told me she was hosting. Her stockings were ripped, and she had socks on but they weren't nearly warm enough for a night like this. Where were her shoes?

"Stop, stop," I put down the bat. I walked over, "you're going to get glass in your hand."

"I didn't see the glass fall," she whispered, visibly flinching when I reached out for her arm. Shit. I wasn't sure what kind of case I was looking at, here. I said nothing more, until I felt the tips of her fingers to check for damage.

"Natalie your fingers are like ice."
She had her head slumped down and wasn't concentrating on anything. I helped her into the bathroom and then grabbed my medical bag out of the closet, and a few towels. I held the light to her eyes, they were dilated and bloodshot, a little cloudy, she was seemingly high. Couldn't be too careful, and I tried not to panic as I thought of the questions to ask her "what did you take?"

She shook her head, "I didn't take anything."

I looked away and back into her eyes, "I need you to be honest with me."

She sighed, "I had a few drinks, um okay a lot of alcohol and some kitchen guy gave me some gummy bears."

"Why?"

"I didn't know what they were but we were having fun chilling and talking." Natalie sniffled and started talking about what happened at the party, the way her ex behaved, the way her brothers boyfriend was acting, it sounded like a lot "I lied and told Wren I wouldn't have alcohol tonight." She sighed, "My nightmares have been bad lately. I haven't been taking my medication for a couple days."