The Fire We Make

chapter seven

"What the hell..."

A confused and angry voice woke me up. Slightly groggy and annoyed that someone woke me up, I pulled the blanket over my head. That's when I knew I made a mistake. My arms felt like jello' and my head felt like a hammer was repeatedly hitting my head. The metallic taste in my mouth didn't go away and neither did the voice.

"Jay!" He angrily yelled. "Jay! Wake your ass up!"

"Shut up," I half growled, half mumbled.

I pulled the pillow from under my head and smushed it over my face. I've had some pretty wild nights of partying in the past, but it's been awhile since I've felt this hungover. How much did I drink last night?

"First, you don't answer your phone and now I see some chick on your sofa? What would Maria think?" He continued, his voice dripping with venom.

"I said shut up!" I yelled, groaning as I sat up on the couch, way too quick.

I felt the effects drinking way too much catch up to me and sitting up too fast. My stomach lurched and gagged as I placed my hand over my mouth. I got up and looked around, wondering where the bathroom was. I gagged once more before I felt a hand on my back. I caught a glimpse of a tattooed filled arm before I was pushed down the hall, into a closed door. There was a toilet and it was as if my body knew how to react. I spilled everything that was clawing their way up my stomach and out of my mouth. I sighed as I finished, feeling exhausted and parched.

"Are you going to sit there forever or are you going to eventually get up?"

I slowly moved my head to the sound of the voice. There, I saw the bitter man who bumped me at the airport. As I got a closer look at his many, many tattoos I realized it was the bipolar guy from the bar as well. He had his arms crossed and he looked at me with amusement.

He must've registered in his mind a second later that we've met before, more than once, because his eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. He opened his mouth, ready to say something until another male figure showed up.

"How'd you get in my house?" Jay asked, glaring at the guy.

When he failed to answer, Jay followed his eyesight and saw me crouching on the floor, next to the toilet. He cursed under his breath before rushing towards me.

"Fuck Kaiden. You see a girl puking her guts and you just stand and watch?" Jay asked, resting his hand on my back.

"Hey, I brought her to your shit bathroom! If it wasn't for me she would-"

Jay slammed the door with the back of his foot, cutting Kaiden's words off curtly. He apologized for his behavior and helped me clean up. He pulled out some Listerine from underneath the sink cabinet and I gave him a weak smile. Though my head was still pounding and I felt abnormally weak, I pushed through and got myself together.

"Better?" Jay asked, handing me a towel. I wiped my face and sighed.

"I will be once I get some Advil's."

Jay grinned at me before nodding. "I could use some too."

I don't know how he does it. He's always smiling. The bag under his eyes and his wrinkled shirt indicate to me he had a rough night as well, yet he looked like he just saw a cute little puppy.

Jay opened the door and allowed me to leave first. Across from us both, I could see the guy, Kaiden I assumed, working his jaw furiously. His arms were still crossed and his back was resting against the wall.

"I didn't think you were the type of go home with random strangers. If that was the case, I would've pulled a move on you too," Kaiden remarked, smirking at me.