Ghost Flowers

31. After Party

At first, the drive back to Unity was super bumpy. Ezra was getting tossed around. Eventually, he threw up over the side of the truck and passed out.

Cully felt her phone vibrate. She struggled to get her phone out of her back pocket. Faye tried to move around on her lap. Cully finally got her phone out and saw a text from Chase. Faye saw it too.

"So Chase is nice right?" Faye asked.

Cully smiled. "Yes, he is. I don't think I stopped liking him since Oscar's Fields." She wanted to make sure Faye understood she was interested in someone else.

After hearing that, Faye felt fifty pounds lifted off her shoulders. "So, Damon, does Ezra like anyone?" she asked, blushing.

'Holy shit!' Savana thought. Cully was also surprised. Faye must have been drunker than they realized.

Damon chuckled. "I have no idea. He hasn't mentioned anything to me."

"Oh." Faye was disappointed. "Well, I know Savana likes someone." She giggled.

Yup. Faye was drunk. It must have just hit her. Why now? Savana hit Faye's shoulder. "Shut the fuck up."

"Ow. Why are you so violent when you're drunk?" Faye asked.

Cully laughed. "She's always violent. On the inside. Drinking just brings it out more."

Faye smirked at Savana. "Does Damon like anyone?"

Damon smiled. "I'm not sure. I feel like I'm too busy to date right now."

"Oh." All three girls said in unison. They were all disappointed to hear that.

Once they got into Unity, Damon dropped Faye and Cully off at Faye's house. They asked Savana again if she wanted to stay there too. Savana said no, her dad was expecting her to come home.

Savana could have quickly texted him she was at Faye's. But she wanted to be alone with Damon, even for a few minutes. Cully and Faye walked up to the house and were surprised to see Nicole opening the door.

"Did you girls drink?" Nicole asked.

"Yes." They said together.

"Where's Savana?" Nicole looked at Ezra's truck.

"She's going home, Damon and Ezra are with her." Faye pointed to the truck.

"Did they drink?" Nicole was about to get very upset if anyone was drinking and driving.

Faye shook her head. "Damon stayed sober. He drove."

Nicole walked over to the truck driver's side and looked in. "Are you okay, Savana?"

"Yes ma'am." Savana slurred.

Nicole looked at Damon. "You're okay to drive then?" Savana obviously was not.

"Yes. I only had water and soda at the party. I have to work in the morning." Damon smiled.

"Thank you for driving them home." Nicole looked back in the truck. "I thought Ezra was with you."

Savana pointed to the back of the truck. "We couldn't all fit."

Nicole laughed. "Alright, get home safe." She herded the other two into the house.

It was silent on the drive to Savana's house. Damon parked in front of her garage. He looked over and saw she had passed out. He got out of the truck and walked around to her door. He gently lifted her and carried her in his arms to the door.

"Thank you," Savana whispered as she kissed him on the cheek. "You can take your hoodie back." She was half asleep.

Damon was caught off guard by the kiss. "No, you keep it." His heart fluttered.

She looked peaceful as she fell asleep again. Damon kissed her forehead gently before ringing the doorbell. He wondered what she was doing to him.

A minute later, Gavin came to the door. He was surprised to see Savana passed out in a man's arms. He was upset at first. Damon explained what had happened at the party. He told Gavin he thought Landon was a bad influence on her. He didn't mention her fighting, though.

Gavin thanked Damon and opened the door to let him carry Savana into her room. Gavin's back couldn't hold up. He was never a bigger-built man. Savana was the same height as him, but she was expected to grow taller eventually. She got her height from her mother. Ezra was tall, like his dead-beat father. Gavin's older sister, Jesimae, was the shortest.

Damon followed Gavin into her bedroom. He gently laid her down and covered her with her green plaid comforter. The pile of CDs and books on her desk made him smile. He glanced around the room before they stepped into the kitchen.

"I'm very grateful to you for taking care of my daughter and her friends. And being a good friend to Ezra." Gavin looked at Ezra's truck. "Is he passed out?"

Damon laughed. "Yeah, he got stuck lying in the bed of the truck so the girls could fit inside."

Gavin laughed and offered to help get him to the front for the drive home. But after Gavin walked up to the back of the truck and saw Ezra passed out, he had an idea. "Actually, it's late, and he's already passed out. Why don't you two crash here for the night?"

"Oh no, we couldn't impose like that and I have to work in the morning. But, thank you for the offer." Damon replied.

"You knew you had to work in the morning and yet you put up with these yahoos all night." Gavin shook his head.

Damon chuckled. "I wanted to make sure everyone was safe. And between work and school starting again for all of us, I don't know when we can all hang out again. I know Ezra wanted to make sure the girls had a memorable time before they returned to school."

Gavin nodded in approval. They said goodnight, and Damon drove home with Ezra slumped over in the front seat.