Our Chemistry

Chapter 11

"Dylan?" I groaned, answering my phone. It was 1AM, why was he calling me?

"Oliver!" He yelled. He was definitely drunk.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, sitting up, then rubbing my eyes.

"Lauren and I broke up,"

My heart stopped. They what? And why was he calling me to tell me about it?

"What?"

"I'm lying on Nate's lawn! We were at a party, but then me and Lauren got in a fight. Now I'm drunk on Nate's lawn," he said, slurring his words and laughing.

I pictured a drunk Dylan on the lawn.

"Why'd you call me?" I asked, curious for answers.

"Huh," he said, "I don't know,"

"Where's Alex? Can you go find him?" I asked, feeling like I was talking to a child.

"He left with a girl. I tried calling but he won't answer," he said.

The thought of him waking up tomorrow morning on Nate's lawn, or worse trying to walk home, made me nervous.

"I'm going to come get you," I said.

"You are?" He asked, surprised.

"Yeah. Give me a second," I said, "Stay there, okay?"

"Will do," he said, laughing.

"Don't move," I said.

"Okayyy," he replied.

I hung up and quickly drove over to Nate's. He was right. Dylan was lying down in front of the house. I got out of my car and walked up to his front lawn. I spotted Lauren, who was crying in her friend's arms. Dylan was staring at the grass and laughing.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

She sniffled. "No. He got really drunk and told me he loved someone else. How could I be okay after that?"

My heart skipped a beat.

"Oh no. I'm so sorry Lauren. You don't deserve that," I said, hugging her. Even though I liked Dylan, I still felt awful seeing that look on Lauren's face.

"It's whatever. I figured something was up with how he's been acting the last few weeks," she said.

I didn't know what to say to that. I didn't even have time to process this right now.

"I'm going to take him home," I said.

"Good idea. But maybe not home. His dad will freak out if he sees him like this," she said, sniffling.

I nodded. I said goodbye, while her friends held her in their arms.

I walked over to Dylan.

"Oliver!" He said, literally rolling around the lawn.

"Come on," I said, lifting him up, which was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Then again, he was definitely bigger than me.

"Where are we going?" He asked. I put his arm around mine as I walked him to my car.

"My house," I said.

"Really?" He asked. I opened the passenger door and tried to get him in without hitting his head.

"Mhm, now cooperate with me," I said, trying to get him into the passenger seat and buckled.

"Lauren hates me, doesn't she?" He asked as I turned on the engine.

"I'm not sure," I said, wanting to remain neutral and not say anything.

"She does. Whatever, it was going to happen sooner or later anyway," he said.

I couldn't tell if his drunken words were true, or if he was just really fucked up.

I quietly took him up the stairs to my room.

I grabbed a hoodie and pajama pants for him. I looked for the biggest clothes I had, since my regular stuff probably wouldn't fit him. I didn't want him to wake up in his clothes from last night. Plus, I didn't really want his party and lawn-scented clothes in my bed.

"Put these on," I said, tossing them to him.

He started taking off his clothes. IN FRONT OF ME. I had to turn away before I turned red. I ran downstairs quickly to get water, not sure I'd know how to act around him changing.

"What are you doing?" Lilly whispered. She appeared out of nowhere.

"I have a situation," I said.

"What situation?"

"Come with me,"

We walked upstairs to find Dylan lying down in my bed.

"Lilly!" He said, still drunk.

"Promise you won't tell mom," I said.

"Okay," she said, "I won't. But don't let him puke everywhere, it's gonna smell,"

"Lilly!" Dylan repeated, "Did you know you have the best brother in the world?"

I turned red.

Lilly laughed, "I do know that,"

She turned to me and said, "Have fun with your situation,"

I flipped her off as she walked out of my room, shutting the door behind her.

I grabbed my trash can and put it right next to my bed. I also set down the water on the nightstand. I lay down closest to the wall. I turned off the lights.

"Oliver?" He asked in the dark.

"Yeah?" I responded.

"Do you really not like anyone? Like at all?" He asked.

I laughed to myself.

"Fine. I do," I said, teasing him. He wouldn't remember this anyway.

"Who?" He asked.

"I'll tell you tomorrow," I said.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yes. I'll tell you tomorrow," I said.

"Goodnight Oliver," he said.

"Goodnight Dylan," I said.