Between Us

The Morning After

The morning after the wild party at Julio's house was nothing like Jayden had imagined. The world outside felt strangely calm, yet his head throbbed like a drumbeat in his skull. The memories of the night before were a blur, but fragments were coming back to him. The loud music, the laughter, the shots—he could still feel the burn of alcohol in his throat.

Jayden opened his eyes slowly, squinting against the harsh morning light that filtered in through the blinds. His mouth felt dry, his limbs heavy, and his head... oh, his head. He groaned and rubbed his temples, willing himself to sit up, but everything seemed to spin.

"Ugh, why did I let Julio talk me into that?" he muttered under his breath, trying to steady himself.

As he looked around the room, he realized he wasn't in his own bed. The decor was different, and there were signs of last night's chaos scattered everywhere—empty cups, half-eaten snacks, and confetti still stuck in places.

It didn't take long for him to piece together where he was: he had crashed at Konner's house. Konner, who had kept a close eye on him the entire night. The thought brought a wave of guilt over Jayden. He knew Konner was worried about him, especially after all the drinking.

Jayden heard footsteps approaching, followed by the sound of a door creaking open. His heart skipped when he saw Konner standing in the doorway, his hair disheveled, his eyes still half-lidded from sleep.

"You're awake," Konner said, his voice a mix of relief and teasing. "Thought you'd sleep till the afternoon, considering how much you drank last night."

Jayden winced at the memory, feeling the full weight of his hangover. "I didn't drink that much," he lied, though even he knew it wasn't true.

Konner crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "Uh-huh. Sure. Whatever you say, man. But you were definitely slurring by the end of the night."

Jayden couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, despite his headache. "I just... I wasn't thinking, you know? Julio kept pushing it, and then... I just went along with it."

"I get it," Konner said, his tone softer now. "It's not your fault. But next time, let's just stick to soda, yeah?"

Jayden nodded, sinking back into the pillows. "Yeah, I'll make sure of it. I just... I don't know. It felt good to let go, for once."

Konner smiled, though there was a trace of concern in his eyes. "I get it. But you're better than that, Jayden. You don't need alcohol to have fun."

Jayden was about to reply, but he was interrupted by a loud voice coming from the hallway.

"Jayden! Are you awake yet?"

Jayden winced again. "Oh no... that's not who I think it is."

Konner chuckled. "Yeah. It's definitely Juni. She's probably bringing you breakfast... or a lecture."

Juni burst through the door a moment later, holding a tray with a cup of water, a couple of aspirin, and a small bowl of fruit. Her expression was half concerned, half amused. "You look like death," she said, placing the tray on the nightstand. "How do you feel?"

Jayden groaned as he reached for the water, trying to avoid eye contact. "Like I was run over by a truck."

Juni raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. "Yeah, I saw you at the party last night. You were definitely... extra."

"Thanks for the reminder," Jayden muttered, the sarcasm clear in his voice.

Juni smirked but then softened. "Hey, it's okay. I just want you to know that you don't need to impress anyone. Especially not with alcohol. You're perfect the way you are."

Jayden didn't know how to respond to that, but he appreciated the sentiment. He smiled weakly at her. "Thanks, Juni. I just... I need to be more careful next time."

Konner, still sitting on the bed beside him, nudged him lightly. "That's what friends are for. We've got your back, Jayden."

Jayden's heart warmed at that, and for the first time in a while, he felt truly grateful for the people in his life. The last few months had been a rollercoaster of emotions—confusion, new friendships, and drama—but moments like these made him feel like everything would be okay.