Love & Carnage✗Noah Foster [2]

Chapter Fourteen// Ayahuasca

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"You wanna call this a win, because you survived?"

--Clark Hudson (R.I.P)

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"Oh, good. You're here." I jumped as I saw Brooke walking up Emma's walkway behind me. "Jesus. I thought you were already here." I grasped my chest. "Eh," Brooke shrugged. I rang the doorbell. "What's with you? Something's off." Brooke neared me. I backed up, looking at my friend weirdly. She turned her head to the porch, where there was a large tequila bottle. She reached down and grabbed it. "What? Nothing's off, what are you talking about?" I asked. "Arielle, I know you. What's with yo--Where were you during third and fourth?" Brooke asked suddenly. "Wha--I was with Noah, catching up on my homework." I lied. "Oh, my God!" Brooke nearly screamed. "Noah! You two had sex--!"

"Shh!" I covered Brooke's mouth. "I don't think China heard you!" I hissed at her. The front door opened suddenly, revealing Emma. I took my hand off of Brooke's mouth. But she had a sly smile on her face. "Come on." She ushered us in. We followed her to the kitchen, where Eli stood on a chair, hanging up a banner. "Hey!" He said cheerily to us. "Hey! Well, if it isn't Emma's co-conspirator." Brooke smiled at him, putting the tequila bottle on the table, beside all of the food. Emma was quick to change the subject. "Oh, so sweet of you. But you know you didn't have to bring anything." She picked up Brooke's wine bottle. "Oh, I didn't. It--it was on the porch."

"Whoa. Whoever did knows their tequila. That's extra anejo." Eli commented. Emma took the bottle, placing it over on the counter. "Like, super aged, super expensive. It's, like, 300 bucks a pop." Eli said. I looked at him weirdly. "There's a card." I said, grabbing it. I opened it. On the front of the card was a women in a bikini. On it, said, "Happy Birthday."

I opened the card and read aloud. "A pricey birthday bottle from south of the border. Shots are on me. Jake." I stopped. Jake... This was not from Jake. This was from the killer. I just knew it. "Well, that's one way to tell everyone you're back from Mexico." Brooke said, looking gutted. She sat down on a stool. Brooke held her hand out to me and I placed the card in her hands. She snatched it and threw it in the trash behind her. "He's such an attention whore. I need a drink. Who's bartending?"

"That would be me." Eli said, not turning around. "I actually left the cups in the car. Will you go get them?"

"Uh, sure." Eli hopped down from the chair. "Oh, I'll go get them." I volunteered. "Uh. No. Arielle, you stay here. I need your help with something." Emma said quickly. I nodded, staying where I was, as Eli quietly left the room. "Okay, what was that?" I asked. "Something almost happened with Eli, but I just want to have fun tonight." Emma spilled. "I don't want it to be a thing."

Brooke chuckled, "details, now."

"I mean, there are no details, 'cause nothing actually happened, but--"

"That's not a thing. You wouldn't have brought it up if it was nothing. It was something." Brooke interrupted. "Yeah, you're right. It was. Uh... we were hanging that banner and he fell, and then, he, like, grabbed me, and I think he wanted to kiss me." Emma took another sip from her drink. I smiled slightly. "Did you want him to kiss you?" I asked. "I'm--I'm with Kieran." Emma chuckled nervously. "It's Kieran's birthday."

"That's... not answering the question, Emma." I told her. "You cannot be starting something with--"

"Hey, I couldn't find the cups." Eli came back into the kitchen, cutting Brooke off. "I-I found them." Emma laughed. "Great. What can I make you?" He turned to Brooke. She cleared her throat. "What's this?" She grabbed a random cup beside her. "Oh, it's mine. It's vodka and--"