Testing The Waters

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The piercing sound of my phone ringing startles me awake as I open my eyes to a pitch-black room.

Groaning, I roll over as my disoriented arm moves across the bed towards my nightstand in search of the shrieking device. As soon as I feel my phone, I grip it and pull it towards my face, squinting against the bright light. I have to blink a few times until I'm able to read the letters on the screen, but when I do, my heart skips a beat.

Make that two beats.

I immediately swipe the answer button.

"Alex?"

I frown when a flurry of noises and muffled voices filter out of the speaker.

"Can you hear me?" I say a little louder.

There's more shuffling right before the muted sound of a male voice comes through. I can't make out what he's saying. Just as I'm about to turn up the volume, I hear a fully audible sigh. 

"Hey Babbie. It's Joe."

I breath hitches. "Joe? Why do you have Alex's phone?"

Another sigh. "Alex is really drunk," he says, his voice lined with tension. "I'm sorry. I've been trying to stop him from calling you, but he snuck one in."

"What's going on?" I ask him, my concern rising.

There's a long pause before Joe answers me. "He got kicked out of a bar for getting in a fight. The only reason his stupid ass ain't in jail right now is because my cousin works there. He called me to come and get him."

My hand instinctively goes to my mouth. "Is he okay?"

"Well... he's banged up a bit, but he should be okay once the liquor wears off." Joe hesitates. "I've never seen him like this." There's a slight edge to his voice that twists my stomach.

"What are you going to do with him?"

"I hadn't gotten that far. I literally just got him in my truck when he called you." He releases another irritated sigh. "I really don't know what to do with him. I can't bring him back to my house right now, and his mom would lose her shit if she saw him like this."

"Can you bring him to me?" I ask without hesitation.

A few seconds tick by.

"Are you sure?"

My dad is going to kill me, but there is literally only one, singular response that I am capable of giving him.

"Yeah. Text me when you get here. I'll help you get him inside."

"Okay," he breathes out. "See you in a few."

When he hangs up, I jump out of bed and throw on my hoodie and flip flops. I grab my phone from the bed and quietly open my bedroom door. Stepping out into the dark hallway, I peek back at my dad's closed door. I haven't come out of my room since I left him in the kitchen this morning. A sad sigh leaves my mouth before I make my way downstairs to the living room as I start gathering items that Alex might need.

I'm a ball of nerves by the time Joe's text comes in letting me know he's out front. I open the front door and slowly make my way towards the truck in the driveway. Wrapping an arm around myself, I squint at the headlights as Joe's silhouette climbs out of his pick-up.

I walk over to him, and when Joe's eyes find mine, an assortment of emotions mirroring my own skate across his face. It's the first time we've seen each other since the night of the 4th of July barbeque.

"Hi Joe."

Joe gives me a small smile but doesn't quite meet my gaze. "Hey Babbie." He nods towards his truck. "He's passed out. You want to try to move him?"