New Year's Ring

Chapter Nine - I'm Not A Saint

Darren P.O.V.

I groaned in agony and rolled over, peeking one eye open at a time. I felt like dog crap. What in the world did I do last night? Bits and pieces of images from the night before floated through my pounding head. A vision of Emma in a smoking hot red gown, a bottle of tequila, and that was about it. I glanced over at the clock on my night stand to see that it was late morning and spotted a tall glass of water with two pills next to it. So apparently my mom knew that I got drunk last night? I forced myself to roll over, swallow both bills, and drink the whole glass of water.

"You are alive. I was beginning to wonder." Mom stepped into the room.

I cautiously sat up and more flashbacks ran through my mind. Emma once again not accepting my apology, me leaving in a huff to drown my sorrows, Vicky coming onto me, me rejecting her, and me dumping Emma onto the floor? What the hell had I done? I frowned up at my mom, "You wouldn't have any idea what happened last night, would you?"

Mom clucked her tongue, sounding disappointed, "All I know is Sweet Emma brought you home and she wants you to seek her out today."

"That's good, right? I mean she wouldn't want to talk to me today if I'd totally blown it, right?" I asked, desperately.

"I would guess so, but son, you're an idiot. I expected you to make a mature decision where Emma is concerned and instead you get drunk. I'm very disappointed in you." Mom said.

I groaned, "Mom, you know how much I hate it when you're disappointed in me. I don't even know what happened. I went to Prom, saw Emma, asked her to dance, and she still wasn't ready to forgive me. I just kind of snapped. I left mad, got drunk, and...holy shit, I remember now. I told her that I loved her, although I didn't even realize that I was talking to her at the time. I thought she was just some random chick coming onto me and I'd told her that I loved Emma, then I pushed her to the floor."

"Wow, son, just wow."

I groaned again, "I owe Zach an apology too. When he helped Emma up, I saw red. I thought he was hitting on her and at that point, I realized it was Emma. I punched Zach in the face." I flexed my hand. No wonder my hand hurt.

"I would start making your rounds of apologies. It's sounding like it might take you all day." Mom said, patting my knee, before leaving me to my misery.

I reached for the phone on my nightstand and dialed Zach's number. When he answered, I rushed out, "Hey man, I am so sorry! I shouldn't have hit you last night. You were just trying to clean up a mess that I'd made and I went ape shit on you."

Zach sighed on the other end, "We're cool, dude, but you and Emma need to have a long talk. The rollercoaster you guys are on is getting exhausting for everyone."

"I know. I'm heading over to talk to her right now." I told him and climbed out of bed.

"Shower first, Bro, you probably stink." Zach said, chuckling, and hung on me.

I shook my head, but then realized he was right. I went and took a long shower. By the time I was done, I felt more like myself, which was good. I needed all the strength I had to approach Emma's door, which I did cautiously, as if I was afraid it would jump out at me. I shook my head at myself and forced my hand to knock. It took her a minute, but when Emma opened the door, my words of greeting got stuck in my throat. Emma was wearing a pale pink tank top and I could tell she had no bra underneath. Her matching shorts couldn't even be called shorts, in my opinion, they were so deliciously skimpy.

"Hey..." She said and was it my imagination or did she sound breathless?

"Hey..." I croaked and then stepped inside when she held the door wider.