Rollercoaster [Motough Fanfic]

chapter 17

Derek pulled into the driveway of Bethany's apartment.  He pressed a hand to his tie to make sure it was straight, and patted his hands on his black dress pants to clear any sweat off of his hands. Dates normally didn't make him nervous. But this one was different. It was Bethany. 

Derek walked up the driveway reminding himself that there wasn't anything to be nervous about. Except his mind didn't want to listen him. All he wanted was to make this day special for Bethany, but he couldn't help himself from thinking about the worst possible scenarios. They hadn't been together for that long, and all the worst possible scenarios kept running through his mind. 

"Oh my god, shut--" Derek muttered to himself, but was interrupted when he saw the door starting to open. "Wow." 

Bethany giggled. She stood in the doorway wearing the most beautiful dress Derek had ever seen. 

"I, uh," Derek shook his head, trying to recollect himself before handing her the flower arrangement in his hands. "Um, these are for you. Happy birthday." 

Derek stood their smiling, taking in the gorgeousness that was his dance partner, and friend, and hopefully soon-to-be girlfriend. 

Derek had set up a dinner with Bethany's family. They had met prior to this in passing, but they never really got to sit down and talk. He hoped that this dinner would make a lasting impression on them, so they would feel comfortable if their relationship grew to be something more. 

"So, we can trust that you will be responsible at your party tonight, right?" Tammy asked her daughter, raising an eyebrow. 

"Of course, Mom." 

"And you, too." She focused her gaze at Derek now. 

"I would never do anything to endanger your daughter." Derek said confidently. It was a promise he intended to keep. Not just tonight, but for however long she happened to be in his life. They waved off her parents, leaving Derek, Bethany, and Brittany in the parking lot. 

"Beth, you know I would love to go to your party tonight, but I have to relieve the sitter. Plus, I miss Marin." Brittany turned to her sister. 

"I totally understand." Bethany started, and also relieved that she wouldn't have her sister there watching her every move. "The three of us can have a girls' day soon to make up for it, though." 

"Ah, thank you for understanding! And yes, we will!" Brittany hugged Bethany before hopping into her own car. 

Bethany let out a small laugh before turning to Derek, "Let's go." 

Derek looked down to smile at her. The dinner could not have gone any better, but Derek felt a sense of relief when they all finally said their goodbyes. Derek opened the passenger side door and said, "As you wish, princess." 

. . .

When they arrived, there was already a handful of people there and Bethany felt a little embarrassed showing up late to her own party, but Derek reassured her that everything was fine. 

Almost immediately, Mark had found the two of them. "There you guys are! I've been looking everywhere so I could be the first one to offer you a birthday shot." 

Bethany scrunched her eyebrows together. "What, why? It's not like it's my 21st or anything?" 

Mark laughed out loud, clearly this wasn't going to be his first drink of the night. "Who cares?" 

Bethany shrugged, and shot the drink back with Mark, the alcohol burning her throat. 

"C'mon, Derek, when have you ever turned down a drink?" Mark nudged the glass towards him. 

"We're supposed to be responsible," Derek told him, while looking at Bethany with concerned eyes. 

Bethany shot back an annoyed look. "One drink isn't going to hurt, but if you're not going to take it," she grabbed the drink from Mark's hand, "then we shouldn't let it go to waste." Bethany tipped her head back again, the familiar taste burning her throat once again. 

Bethany just smiled, and Mark had his mouth open as if to say he was impressed and approved. "Your girl is a badass!" Mark exclaimed, wrapping an around Bethany's shoulder as they walked in the direction of the bar, "let's get you another!" 

Bethany looked over her shoulder at Derek, who shook his head in disapproval, but also couldn't help the smile forming on his face. 

By the end of the night, Bethany was a goner. He didn't know the exact moment she had drank, but she couldn't walk without stumbling or talk without shouting. It didn't look like she was having fun anymore, but she yelled at Derek and ran away every time he insisted that they should leave. 

Derek finally found her again, and this time he wasn't going to let her run off. "Party's over." He said as he gripped her wrist firmly. Not enough to hurt her, but enough to keep her next to him. 

"No! I don't want to--" Bethany started to yell, but closed her mouth when she could feel vomit coming up. She ran to the nearest trash can with Derek in tow, after she failed to escape his grasp.

"Okay..." Bethany looked down at the ground with shame, "maybe you're right." 

Derek gave her a weak smile to let her know that things were good between them before leading her out of the venue and to his car. 

Derek climbed into his car after helping Bethany and started rubbing small circles on her back. Bethany had folded over, holding her sides and trying not to puke in Derek's car. 

"Let me know if I need to pull over." Derek said, as he started up his car and drove to her apartment.