Broken Heart/Broken Mind

-Chapter Eighty-four-

It was hard to see in the dark room. Strobe lights flashed around, hurting her eyes. She was starting to get ready to leave.

Sophie was a frat party. Her friends said that they should go for laughs and giggles. So she did. She decided that parties weren't her thing.

She shoved through the crowd to try and find her friends. She finally found a clearing on the dance floor. She saw them huddled in a small circle.

"Hey, there you are," she told them.

"Oh, hey. Having fun," Dex asked.

She shrugged. "Eh. I'd prefer to stay in. Probably going to head back to the dorm. Have you seen Keefe?"

Her friends glanced at each other. "We thought he was with you."

"Oh." Well, where would he have run off to. "Where did you see him last?"

"If I remember correctly," Biana said, "I think he was near the bar."

Why was he at the bar?

"Ok, thanks. I'll go check over there."

Sophie made her way to the back of the room where the bar was. She saw no sight of him. That was until-

"Keefe, what are you doing?"

He was out cold on the counter. He sat on one of the stools. Drool hung down his mouth.

The bartender leaned over the counter. "You know him?"

"Yes, that's my boyfriend. What happened to him?"

"Drunk, big time. Had to cut him off."

The bartender slid Keefe's ID to her. She sighed and shook Keefe by his shoulders. He woke up with a start.

Be sat up and blinked hazily off at nowhere. His gaze eventually found Sophie. A dopey smile spread across his face. Sophie was having none of it.

She took his arm and forced him out of his seat. He grumbled as Sophie drug him away. He kept swaying on his feet, nearly keeling over every couple of yards.

When they finally got back to their group, he was leaning on her, over her shoulders in an attempt to go back to sleep. She jerked her shoulder so he'd wake up. She got a dramatic whine it response.

"What happened to him," Tam asked.

"Drunk," she muttered.

Tam sighed. "How much."

"Not a clue. The guy said he had to cut him off."

She made Keefe stand on his own. She held her palm out to him. "Keys."

"Nooooooo. I can drive," Keefe complained like a child.

"You can't even walk in a straight line. Give me the keys before I have to take them from you."

He pouted a while moment longer before digging in his pocket. He placed his car keys into Sophie's hand.

Sophie drove to her dorm. She had a feeling Tam wouldn't be coming to pick him up until morning.

Sophie had Keefe sat down on the couch. Well, sat was saying it nicely. He ended up flopping his face first.

She crinkled her nose. She could smell the reek of beer on him. What in the world was he thinking?

"Hey!" She shook him. "You're gonna stink the place up. I don't want everything to smell like alcohol."

He groaned but held his arms up. She took off his shirt and threw it in the washer.

Rayni decided to pick that time to come out of her room. She stopped in her tracks when she saw the scene before her.

She snorted. "So... that party. How'd it go?"

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Great. My boyfriend got wasted the second he was introduced to alcohol."

Rayni attempted to cough to cover her laugh. "Good luck with that. I was just grabbing a snack before heading to bed."

Her roommate left the kitchen back in her room. Sophie was about to head to bed herself. That was until she heard a whiny voice from the couch.

"Can I get a blaaaaanket. It's cooooold."

Sophie rummaged through the linen closet. She found a thin, raggedy blanket. She wouldn't be too upset if she had to throw it out from the smell. She tossed in over the blanket arm of the couch. It quickly got snatched up.

She went to her bedroom and kicked off her heels. She changed into a shirt and shorts before collapsing into the mattress. It had been a very long evening.

In the morning, Sophie assumed Keefe was up. She heard retching.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she walked out of her room. Rayni was already in the kitchen sipping on her mug of coffee.

"I'm gonna let you deal with that." Rayni pointed to the bathroom door.

Sophie sighed. She bet she would.

She stood by the door. It was slightly ajar. She pressed on it to swing it open a bit. Keefe was pale, hovering over the toilet.

"Morning," she leaned against the door frame. "How's the hangover treating you."

He grumbled a response she couldn't make out.

"Yeah, well, once you're done with that, I've got you a change of clothes and a towel. Shower up, brush your teeth, and meet me on the couch. There's a spare toothbrush in the drawer."

When Keefe came out of the bathroom thirty minutes later, Rayni got the hint and went back to her room. Sophie situated herself by him on the couch.

"Wanna tell me what happened last night?" She asked him.

He shrugged. "Not really. Not that proud of it."

"Didn't think you would, considering your mom."

He cringed at that. She didn't want to add insult to injury, but...

"I was being stupid," he eventually told her.

"Oh, I know. But usually, something prompts you when you do something stupid. Did somebody dare you? Did it get too out of hand than what you were thinking?" When he stayed silent, she said, "You know why I'm so concerned, right? In no way is that good for your heart. Nor any of your other organs. So if this is going to end up being a normal thing that happens..."

He groaned and covered his face with his hands. "Headache," he muttered.

"I bet." Still, she stayed where she was.

Eventually, he said, "My dad called me yesterday. We fought. It was right before I picked you up for the party." A guilty look over took his face. His eyes turned downcast. "I just wanted to forget. Even if it was only a little while."

"Oh, Keefe," she cooed. She ran her hand through his hair. "You could've talked to me about it. Drinking won't make it disappear."

He sighed. "I know. I really am sorry. I won't do it again."

"Good."

"I'm gonna lie down," he muttered. "I feel like crap."

Sophie adjusted her position on the couch. She coaxed him to lay in her lap. Keefe gave in. She brushed her fingers through his scalp. He nodded back off quickly. She kissed his forehead.