Riptide (An Emblem3 Fanfic)

Chapter 45

"This rug is so nice. This is a nice rug." Adrianna said rolling around in the Stromberg's living room. I started cackling and I sat on the floor next to her. Every few seconds she would bump into my leg and then start rolling in the opposite direction.

Adrianna was a loopy drunk. She kept petting the carpet and asking Wes if she could keep it. I on the other hand was more of a laugher when I've had too much to drink. With that being said I found everything to be absolutely hilarious. 

I looked over at the clock and it read about 2 o clock. Or at least I think it does... the numbers keep blending together so I can't really tell. I looked over at my friends who were all laughing at Adrianna and having a good time. Even Keaton was drinking tonight.

"Hey Wes! Don't let Keaton drink! He's only fifteen." I said between my bursts of laughter.

"No, no. It's okay. Keaton's forty five now." Wes said laying on the floor laughing. I turned to Keaton.

"Oh my god! Happy birthday!!" I said slapping him on the shoulder and not noticing that Keaton was still fifteen. He gave me a weird look and shook his head, laughing. Is he sober? Leave it to Keaton to be the responsible one. "Why aren't you drinking with us Keaterpan?" I asked.

"Keaterpan! Ahahaha that's like Peter Pan..." Drew said from the couch. I grinned and began to laugh at my own joke. Keaton chuckled again and looked around.

"Have you guys seen yourselves lately? Someone's got to look after you kids." He said ruffling my hair. At that moment my head started pounding.

"Arghhh. My head is killing meeeeee. I think I'm starting to sober up." I said reaching for the bottle of vodka that Drew managed to buy at the liquor store. Before I could get to it, Keaton stepped around me and snatched it up.

"Oh no. No more for you, let me remind you that you're getting on a plane in less than 12 hours." He said. I groaned, but he had a point. Instead I rolled over on the floor and placed my head next to Wes. I cuddled into his shoulder and he held his cup out to me. I took a small sip and handed it back to him.

"Guys since we probably won't remember half the stuff that happened tonight, I just wanted to say that I love you all." I spread my arms as far as they could go and Adrianna and Drew took this as an opportunity to pile on top of Wes and me. Before they got to me I rolled over onto my stomach so they wouldn't be crushing my lungs entirely.

"Keaton!!!!!" Drew said, his voice low from being muffled by Adrianna's arm. Keaton gave us that crazy expression again but eventually joined us in our group hug on the floor. Or at least I think it was a hug... our bodies were kind of just all over the place.

My forehead was pressed against Wesley's, but we both couldn't move because there were three other people on top of us, paralyzing our limbs. I laughed and he managed to move his face so were looking at each other. "I'm really going to miss you." He told me smushing his cheek into the carpet.

"I'll miss you more." I told him, and I believed it. Wesley didn't have to leave the perfect life behind. He got to stay here in Huntington with Drew, Keaton, and Adrianna while I had to go back to a welcome home party of my only two friends. The more I thought about it, the more upset it made me. Even the alcohol couldn't keep my thoughts away.

"Avery?" Wes asked, snapping me back to real life.

"Yeah?"

"Well I'm trying to be super cute and kiss you, but you're too far awayyy." He said whining. I laughed and leaned in as far as I could. Thankfully it was enough. Once my lips were on his I felt safe, like I had nothing to worry about. All of my thoughts and fears about leaving just melted away... Wesley always had that kind of effect on me.

It was only a few seconds until I had to pull away. It was my phone vibrating in my pocket. "Everyone off!! My phone's ringing." I sang. The three of them rolled off Wesley and me and my lungs immediately filled with more air. Ahh I didn't know how badly they were actually crushing me. I rolled onto my back and dug my Crackberry out of my pocket.

No one was actually calling me- it was just an alarm that I must have set. Apparently sober me must have wanted to be home by now. "Guys I gotta go get some sleep, it's pretty late." I said peeling myself off the floor.

"How exactly are you gonna get home? None of you are in any condition to drive." Keaton announced from the couch. That was true.

"Can't you take me?" I tried racking my brain for how old you had to be to be able to drive in Cali.

"Nah I don't even have my permit yet. I get it in a few months." Keaton replied.

"Hrmm. Well I guess I'm walking then." I said, "Anyone want to come with?" 

"You know I do." Wes said getting to his feet. "Keaton will you be our sober guide?" He asked, that little half smirk showing. Keaton nodded and went into the foyer and got a jacket and the beanie I got him for his birthday.

"Sure. Let's go." He said opening the door. Drew walked me out, and it killed me to say goodbye to him. He was the first of the boys that I became friends with. He's the one that convinced me to go see his show all those weeks ago. Without him, Wesley and I wouldn't be where we are today, and I owe him for that.

"Thanks so much Drew, for everything." I said as he pulled me in for a hug.

"Promise me that going back won't change you Aves." He told me and I smiled.

"You know I don't change for anyone D." I spoke confidently. As I continued to hug him my voice got quieter, "take care of him Drew." I said.

"I will. I promise." I pulled out of the hug and looked at him reassuringly. 

"Good. He needs you kid." I said, and with that I walked to the door. Adrianna was driving me to the airport tomorrow morning so I would have a chance to say goodbye then. Right now it was just me and my two favorite brothers.

When we got back to the Fisher's house the three of us just sat on the front steps for a while. "You guys better Skype me everyday." I told them looking out at the sky.

"I still can't believe you're actually leaving. I knew it was going to happen, but I didn't think I would be losing my best friend so soon." Keaton said, starting to cry. He buried his head in his hands and I saw his shoulders shaking.

"No Keaton don't cry! If you start to cry then I'm going to-" But I was already crying, wailing actually. I was probably the ugliest crier on the face of the planet, but Keaton didn't seem to notice. He just opened his arms to me and I slid under his bicep and we cried together, huddled on the front steps of Adrianna Fisher's house. 

"Thanks Keaton." I said after we finished crying. I looked up and Wesley still had the same expression on his face as before. A steely but sad look that I'd never seen on him before. It was obvious that he was trying to hold it together, for my sake and Keaton's. One of us had to be the strong one, one of us had to be the rock.

"I'm gonna let you guys talk." Keaton said getting up from the steps. "I'll just be sitting on the curb checking instagram or something." He said awkwardly before darting off. I didn't know what to do so I just took Wes's hand. He wrapped his fingers around mine and we just sat.

The last thing I remember were the words "I love you" as Wesley carried me up the stairs and placed me in my bed.