If Only We'd Met Sooner

1

The bass blasting through the speakers ricocheted off the walls and passed through her chest, although she didn't particularly care for the atrocious music she was in love with the scene, far too loud to hear yourself think, too deafening to listen to the ramblings of people she didn't care for, and loud enough to hush strangulating silence, Lavender Montelle wasn't a party girl or an addict, her golden heart was dull and it's hard to swear by such a sweet and empathetic way of expression when she herself gave up on picking herself back up.

Silas

The room spun and warped and it felt like I had two left feet as my hands instinctively felt along the walls for the familiar door frame to my brother Miller's bathroom. All the vibrant and colorful lights in which illuminated the house twisted and distorted, making the walls and drinks and even people look like they were sparkling and glowing. My stomach felt turbulent, my head felt like it might explode, my throat burned in anticipation of the alcohol that I would be puking out no sooner than it'd gone in, my hand slammed open the door, it bounced off the wall behind it as a girl screeched, hopping off the sink and slithering away from the guy who stood in front of her gripping her thighs with a sloppy stance. I gripped the counter until my knuckles turned white but that wasn't even enough to get me to stand up on my feet steadily, I swayed and I swayed until eventually my grip slipped and in a desperate attempt to save myself I flailed my arms, knocking over bottles of mouthwash, other long empty bottles of alcohol and hair products. I hit the floor, now slouched against a baseboard with a throbbing head, groaning and mumbling even though the slurring I was doing made my words unintelligible to even myself.

Suddenly the door creaked open slowly, the softened gaze of a girl bathed in golden light falling onto my less than appealing state. Whether she actually was glowing like this or not was something that hurt my head to overthink, so instead I gazed up at her enthralled. She was beautiful, angelic, her manicured hands gripping either side of my jaw and forcing my gaze right onto her. "Dude you're like the least sober someone can be are you alright? I heard you take a fall when I was walking by, wanted to make sure you were good."

My vision split double, hazed, the whole room swayed around us but she stayed still and grounded. I felt the impending vomit finally arrive as I dry heaved, the girl crouched beside me wrapping her arms around my waist and struggling with everything in her to haul me to my feet, I met her barely halfway, staggering to my feet and over to the toilet which was less than a foot away. I retched, my torso tensing as I emptied my stomach, her hand rubbed up and down my back gently before she too got onto her knees besides me. "I don't usually puke next to pretty girls I promise."

"What you only puke next to the ugly ones?" she teased standing up and going over to a closet, rustling through it for a few moments before pulling a slight ragged navy blue washcloth out, going to the faucet and running it under until it was damp.

"That's not what I meant." I mumbled as she laid the wet cloth across my forehead, I sighed as it felt like walking into the ocean after burning your toes in the sand.

"I know don't worry, hold that for me okay?" she instructed getting up and pulling a random cup from the sink, filling the cup with water and sitting beside me. "Here we got to try and flush some of that alcohol out of your system, you're stupid drunk." hesitantly I pulled the cup from her hand and took minuscule sips only once I realized that it was practically hydrating my tongue, I had cleared the cup out in three obnoxious sips.

"I'm sorry." I said gently looking deep into her eyes even though I was sure my gaze was floating everywhere but.

"Don't apologize, I'm happier that you're not choking on your vomit right now." she said hooking her arms under mine and grunting as she assisted in pulling me up. I practically draped myself over her meek and fragile build but she held me up regardless, leading me through the packed hallways, quite literally shoving through clusters of people, some grinding on each other, some pretending to skim their phones, some talking, some talking and drinking.