Crossed Lines

Mina

The night air mixed with tequila breath brushed against my face as I held onto Hannah, who was leaning heavily against me, her giggles still bubbling over from whatever joke Noah had told her before we left. Her arm was slung around mine, and she kept giggling every time she tripped over her own feet.

"You two are, like, so cute together," Hannah slurred, her voice full of affection, but there was a slight wobble as she leaned into me. "Like... adorable."

I shot a quick glance at Eli, who seemed just as awkward as I felt at the comment. His face was a little flushed, and I could tell he didn't know how to respond. He just laughed it off, keeping his arm around Noah's waist to steady him as we walked both of them to the car.

"Are you sure you're okay to walk?" I asked her, tightening my grip on her arm as she stumbled.

"I'm fiiiiine," she slurred, her head tilting toward me as she grinned. "You're such a mom sometimes, Mina."

When we reach Eli's car, Hannah tries to open the door, missing the handle at least five times.

"She's not wrong," Eli teased from my other side, holding the door to his car open.

I rolled my eyes, helping Hannah into the backseat before sliding in after her. Eli took the driver's seat, and Noah sprawled out in the passenger side, his long legs taking up more room than necessary.

Eli glanced at me in the rearview mirror as he started the car. "Where am I going?"

"Crest Hall," I said, securing Hannah's seatbelt.

She immediately rested her head against my shoulder, sighing dramatically. "Mina, you're so nice," she murmured. "You take such good care of me. I don't deserve you."

I smiled despite myself, smoothing a hand over her hair. "You're ridiculous."

Noah twisted around to look at us, his grin lopsided. "She's right, though. You're the responsible one. If it weren't for you, we'd all be lost."

"Speak for yourself," Eli said, his tone playful but warm.

"Whatever, man," Noah shot back, chuckling as he turned back to face the road. "You know I'm right."

The drive was short, and by the time we pulled up to Hart Hall, Hannah was half-asleep against me. Eli got out first, coming around to open my door and help me get her out of the car.

"She's going to feel this in the morning," he said under his breath as we guided her to the entrance.

"Yeah, but she'll be fine," I said. "Hopefully."

We got her to her room without incident, and I helped her onto the bed, tugging her shoes off before covering her with a blanket. She mumbled something incoherent before turning over, already on her way to sleep.

As I stood up, I noticed Eli leaning against the doorframe, watching me with a small smile.

"What?" I asked, brushing my hands off on my jeans.

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head slightly. "You're just...good at this."

"At what?"

"Taking care of people," he said simply.

His words caught me off guard, but I didn't let it show. "Somebody has to."

He didn't respond right away, just held the door open for me as we left. Once we were back in the car, he asked, "Let me drop Noah off, and I'll drop you off home."

I nodded, putting my seatbelt back on.

For a moment, the only sound was the hum of the engine and the soft music playing from the radio.