Nights Out (Parrish&Darius #1)

Night 11

The static sound didn't disappear or tone down. It was so overwhelming. I don't know for how long I sat on his bed or when I went from sitting to lying down. At some point I found one of his shirts and started crying on it.

I didn't hear the front door open or noticed June and Veronica coming in. All I heard was static, even when they came into Parrish's room and started shaking me. They were talking, asking questions, but it all sounded muffled, like my head was under water.

Until they threw some actual water on my face. I sat up quickly gasping when the water got into my nose.

"Darius! Snap out of it!" Vero yelled at me, or was it June? I wasn't sure but whoever it was, grabbed me by the collar and shook me violently.

"June, June! Stop yelling at him, we're not gonna get anywhere if you do," Now, that was Vero. She pushed June off me and kneeled in front of me. "Darius, love, what happened? Why are you crying?" She held my face gently and wiped my tears and the water away with her sleeves.

"I- Parrish he- he left me..." What followed was the most pitiful whining noise I have ever made in my life.

"I'm sorry, really, but we need to know where he went."

"I don't know... He wasn't home when I woke up..."

"And do you know what time that was?" June chirped in, earning herself a dirty look from Veronica.

I sniffed and shook my head, "I don't- seven? Six maybe? I don't remember."

June let out an exasperated groan and stood up. She walked off and started typing aggressively on her phone.

"I'm sorry..."

"No, it's okay, it's not your fault he's gone. He's probably-"

"But it is my fault!" I snapped but my voice cracked the second after. "Last night... Last night I told him I loved him and we- we had a fight. But he was already- he had a... an encounter last night and he, he was messed up. He was messed up and I was supposed to make him feel better but I started- I started telling him I liked him. I shouldn't have- I"

"Darius, it's okay. We'll find him." Veronica cut off my rambling with a hug. I started hearing static again.

Parrish's Interlude - 8 hours ago

I didn't sleep. I couldn't even close my eyes last night, between that bastard trying to flirt with me and Darius telling me he loved me, and how could I sleep? After I saw the hurt look on his face I couldn't even stand being there. I felt like such a piece of shit.

That's because I am.

Of course.

I turned on the bed when the sunlight started hitting me in the face. Then I turned again and again, until I sat up on the bed. I stood up and my feet led me to his room.

What am I doing? I should leave him alone.

I should have. I should've walked away and turned him down the first time at the karaoke place. I should've said no and I should've definitely not walked into his room when he was sleeping but I did. I did and I saw the dried tears on his face.

He had been crying, because of me.

"You're an idiot, why do you have such terrible taste in people?" I sighed, stepping closer to his bed.

I wasn't afraid he would wake up. Darius sleeps like a hibernating bear. He barely registered when I sat on the bed making a dent in the mattress. He was wrapped in the blankets like a burrito. His hair was still ruffled from what we were doing last night. I reached to pet him, the way he liked, scratching behind his ears, and he let out a little sigh.