My Girlfriends Brother || Reddie

Chapter Twenty Six

Eddie woke up to a pounding headache, his mouth dry and his stomach twisting in knots. Groaning, he squinted at the faint light filtering through his curtains. The dim room only made him more aware of the dull ache in his skull and the bitter taste lingering in his mouth. He turned his head slightly, noticing a glass of water and a bucket on the nightstand.

He blinked slowly, trying to piece together the fragments of the night before, but everything felt hazy, like a film reel missing most of its frames.

The door creaked open, and Lexi stepped inside, holding a glass of orange juice. Her expression was unreadable as she crossed the room.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty," she said, setting the juice down. "Or should I say... drunk disaster?"

Eddie groaned, shielding his face with his hands. "God, what happened? I feel like I got hit by a truck."

"You practically did," Lexi said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "The truck being all that alcohol you decided to chug like it was a sport."

Eddie winced, sitting up slowly. "Ugh, I don't even remember drinking that much."

Lexi raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "That's probably because you don't remember much of anything. You were a mess, Eddie."

He frowned, his mind struggling to piece things together. He remembered Richie's party, the loud music, and the drinks being passed around. Then... nothing. Just a blur of faces and laughter.

"I didn't do anything stupid, did I?" he asked hesitantly, taking a cautious sip of the orange juice.

Lexi tilted her head, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "Define stupid."

Eddie groaned again, running a hand through his hair. "Lexi, I'm serious. Did I embarrass myself?"

Lexi sighed, her teasing demeanor softening. "You were drunk, Eds. Really drunk. Richie noticed you stumbling around and brought you to me. We got you home, and that's pretty much it."

Eddie blinked, his chest tightening at the mention of Richie. "Wait—Richie? He saw me like that?"

"Yeah," Lexi said, her expression neutral. "He's the one who realized you'd had too much. He made sure you got to me before you could embarrass yourself even more."

Eddie buried his face in his hands, the shame settling in like a weight on his chest. "Great. That's exactly what I needed."

"It wasn't that bad," Lexi said, though her tone wasn't entirely convincing. "Richie wasn't mad or anything. If anything, he looked... worried."

"Worried?" Eddie repeated, his stomach doing a flip. "Why would he be worried about me?"

Lexi shrugged. "Probably because you looked like you were about to pass out. He just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Eddie sighed, setting the juice down on the nightstand. "This is so embarrassing. I'm never drinking again."

Lexi chuckled, standing up. "Famous last words. But seriously, Eddie, don't beat yourself up about it. Everyone's had one too many at some point."

Eddie looked up at her, his brow furrowed. "You're sure I didn't do anything else? Nothing... weird?"

Lexi hesitated for a fraction of a second before shaking her head. "Nothing weird, Eds. Just you being a drunk idiot."

He nodded slowly, though the unease in his chest didn't entirely fade. "Thanks for getting me home."

Lexi smiled, ruffling his hair. "What are big sisters for? Now, get some rest. You look like you need it."