Strip Me Down

Chapter Three

- Hailey -

"I thought you were mad at us. At me. You never texted back."

"I know, I'm sorry," I promised Macy. And I meant it. "I didn't mean to worry you guys."

"Dude, you scared the fuck outta us. Hollis was raging last night. Where even are you?"

I hesitated, knowing Scar meant well and that she was worried, but I also knew she'd be the first to fold if our asshole boss pinned them for answers. Thankfully, the other girls stepped in before I could side step her question.

"Fuck him," Vicky said at the same time Martina shot back with, "He can suck a dirty fucking dick."

"You okay, Hails? What even happened the other night?" Macy interjected with the other question I had absolutely no desire to answer.

Before I had to fight the lie out of my mouth, my phone began to ring with another call. I wanted to kiss whoever it was that saved me. I sat up in the tub and looked where it sat on the ledge.

Caleb.

Oh God, ew. I absolutely take it back.

"Gotta go, but I'll text you guys later, promise!"

"Pinky?" they all said in unison.

I smiled and nodded like they could even see me. "Pinky." Ending the call and answering the other, I put it on speaker and leaned my head back against the tub's edge again, getting comfortable.

"Buddy the elf, what's your favorite color?" I twitched with a quiet laugh to myself, the sudsy water sloshing around me as I did.

"Hey, do you—What the fuck did you just say? You know what? Don't answer that." I laughed again, entirely aware he was pinching the bridge of his nose on the other end of the phone. "Do you need anything for later?"

"Nah. Is your boyfriend still coming to help set up, too? I think we'll be alright if so."

"He is, yeah. He's—Back up, my what? Jesus Christ. One day. One day of normal. Is that so much to ask between you all?"

"Depends. Do you mean me and Rach? Or your boyfriend now too? Is he fun like us? I might steal him from ya. Careful, Caleb." I splayed my toes on the faucet, turning the water on and off, fidgeting to keep myself from my thoughts.

"You know what? Ryan can have you. You might be worse than he is. He's been riding my ass about not fucking this up today as it is, and he's the one doing the set up."

"Oh, he's been riding your ass, eh? I would've figured the opposite, honestly, but—hello? You still there?"

I frowned, sitting up to look at my phone.

"Oh, that bitch. He hung up on me?" I shrugged, smirking to myself.

But the moment I shut my eyes again, I was drowning. My head was pounding, and I didn't even care to know if it was from the alcohol or pill I'd taken last night in the bathroom. I'd needed the escape and the alcohol wasn't hitting fast enough, so I'd given myself a push. Granted, I didn't expect that push to be off the whole fucking cliff. I'd woken up alone in a stranger's bed after definitely not sleeping with them. And I definitely didn't expect to be glared at by a spicy woman when I left, but at least I was confused in California and not home where my boss would find me.

Sliding my back down the slick bathtub, I let my head go under the sudsy water and blew out the air left in my lungs. They burned in my body and my brain would begin to panic soon, but there was silence. I just wanted the silence.