Illicit

Chapter Four- Hangover

*This chapter may contain comments that are sensitive and triggering to some readers in regards to 'self inflicted resentment'. Reader discretion is advised in continuing. Thank you.*

Rubbing her eyes as she woke up, Naomi looked around to find she was not anywhere she recognized. In fact, she was in a long shirt and in a bedroom she hadn't known. Moving from the covers, she took a book from beside her as she heard footsteps coming towards the room. The door creaked open as an unknowing Logan entered. She was about to hit him just as he turned.

"Mr Castelle?"

"Naomi...What are you doing?"

"I didn't know where I was."

"Do you remember anything?" She slowly moved towards the edge of the bed as she nodded. "I remember Kirsten convincing me to go to this party and...there were so many people. This guy came up to me and he kept pushing me to drink and-" She paused. "Oh God...you were there....you saw me drinking." She placed her palm on her forehead before he handed her a headache reliever and a small glass of water.

"What else?"

"He kept pressuring me to drink and I refused because of your comment. I don't want to slowly self-destruct like my father so I stopped but he was cute and the music was in tune so I accepted one but hardly drank it. He told me I was a chicken and I took the challenge-stupidly and he told me he was into poetry and won awards and wanted to show them to me." She slowly shook her head. "Why am I so stupid."

"I think you're naive and want to trust people. But I don't think you're stupid."

"Thanks." She took the medication then took a deep breath. "Everything else is kind of hazy...but how did I end up here? And where is "here"?"

"My apartment and you're here because I carried you out..."

"I knew someone did...but I thought it was an officer or something...I remember fading in and out-mostly out and hearing my name..." She paused. "Why were you there?"

"I was on a blind date sort of..."

"Did it work out?"

"No. She was kissing another guy within a few minutes of meeting me."

"I'm sorry...that's...that's awful."

"Yeah. But...I hardly knew her and she was rebounding after an awful breakup. I was doing it for my friend-being  a wing-man."

"And my hero." She said with a smile as she finished the water.

"Would you think awful if I wanted to take a shower? You can totally say no."

"Sure. Towels should be in there. I'll bring your clothes."

"Thanks. For everything."

He nodded as he moved down the hall to the laundry basket and fetched her clothes before moving back towards her. The shower had already omitted steam as he knocked on the door.

"Where do you want them?"

"On the sink please." She asked as he blocked his vision from her in the shower and set them on the sink. But as he turned, he caught a glimpse of her damp bare body but quickly moved as she turned towards him. Luckily, she hadn't seen him look, but his blush was prominent.

Flipping a pancake in the skillet, he set the final one on the stack of at least ten as she moved down from the stairs, still in wet hair.

"I feel like I tell you thank you more than hi...."

"It's alright. Are you hungry?"

"I've never been more in my life." He pushed the plate forward to offer her breakfast as he took his seat across from her and he took pleasure in watching her relieved.

"Did you get a good look at the guy?" She asked taking a large bite as he shook his head.

"I know where he is. I have a feeling he won't be doing it again."

"Did you deck him?"

"No. I don't choose violence."

"A pacifist-don't find many of those anymore. You mainly find guys who try to beat up others to get into other girl's pants..." She stopped. "Totally inappropriate, isn't it?"

He nodded as he smirked. "Considering the circumstances, I'd say it's alright."

"So tell me about you. I know nothing...and I want to know who saved me. More than the typical "good guy" exterior...."

"There isn't much to know."

"Really?" She cleared her throat and turned to him. "The fact you have a knock-off Prozac in your bathroom cabinet, no pictures of anyone-not even family, and have this incredibly spacious apartment to yourself....there's something you aren't telling me."

"Naomi...there isn't anything worth stating. It's mostly depressing."

"Oh...." He scowled. "I just...You know about me and I wanted to know something about you..." She turned from him and took a sip of her juice before he lightly sighed.

"I was born in New York but moved here about ten years ago. I fell in love in Junior High and married her right out of High School. College was tough, she stayed in town bar tending and I was in studies. She decided to sleep around and I decided to study all night. I couldn't blame her for distancing but it was hard. She led me to believe a child was mine when it wasn't and lied to me to marry her so she wasn't alone because the guy she was with left her upon finding out she was pregnant."

Her face showed shock. "No way... That's terrible...."

"I was able to get an annulment after a DNA proved it was false. I haven't heard anything about her since she left. I have no pictures of my family because I have no family. I was orphaned young and raised in a home of alcoholics and drugees. I distanced myself as far as I could."

"Wow-"

"The Prozac was for her. I kept it because I had anxiety. But since I worked at the school, it went away. Maybe helping people did it-I don't know."

"You don't seem the type..."

"What do you mean?"

"The tortured type."

"Not all tortured types have tattoos and cut themselves Naomi. The more mature ones know how to handle it."

"You think that's it about me?" She paused. "You must have seen me with Nate..."

He nodded. "Look, you're a bright girl. I've seen the talent you have for photography, yet you put yourself in positions where it's more likely you'll get hurt than anything else. I just don't want to see anything bad happen."

"I don't think I've ever had anyone say anything like that?"

"The truth?"

"Anything kind..."

And in that moment, he saw, as just like him, how broken she was.