He Saved My Life

CHAPTER 3 ---- Free Time

I woke up late thanks to my brother. I barely had time to get dressed and sloppily throw on some make-up. I put my hair up and left it alone.

"Let's go, Layla!" Joey yelled. Great, he was already here.

"Just a second!" I yelled back. I threw on a sweatshirt and grabbed my bag. I stumbled down the stairs into the hallway where Joey and Ethan were waiting. "Sorry I took so long. Mister lazy over here woke me up late," I said glaring at Ethan.

He threw his hands up in protest. "Sorry, I didn't here the alarm!"

"So you're also deaf?" I joked.

Joey rubbed his temple. "Guys, major hangover here. I'm going to be deaf if you don't shut up," he complained.

I tapped his nose. "Maybe you shouldn't get drunk," I scolded.

He smiled. "Maybe you should be more fun. Let's go," he said grabbing my wrist and pulling me out the door.

"Layla, my friend Ted is driving me to school today, is it okay?" Ethan asked as some stocky guy pulled up.

"Yeah, just as long as you actually go to school. No skipping today, Ethan. Mom will kill you and me, got it?" I warned him.

"Got it." he smiled and kissed me on the cheek. "You're the best sister ever!" He got in to the car.

"I know," I said. He smiled and shook his head.

"See ya," he said slamming the door shut. They sped off down the road leaving me with Joey. We walked in silence for a few minutes.

"Joey, why aren't you driving to school?" I asked.

He laughed. "I... umm.... I kind of got grounded. And besides; I like walking with you."

"You got grounded for what?" I asked.

"You know,the usual," he said passing it off quickly. He was nervous, so he was probably lying to me for some reason.

"Joey, seriously. Why?"

"My dad found out I got drunk, of course. But when I was drunk last night," he hesitated but I didn't stop him, "I told him I slept with Sophia Johnson and-"

"You did what?" I asked in disbelief.

"I-" he tried.

"Joey, you slept with her? Do you know how many rumors are going to go around now? That's repulsive. Only desperate guys sleep with her. I'm not the slut who sleeps around, she is. SO DISGUSTING!" I ranted. He stopped and grasped my shoulders.

"I DIDN'T SLEEP WITH HER," he said loud and firm. He didn't scream, but it was loud.

"Oh," I said my cheeks turning red. "Oh," I repeated.

He smiled and bit his lip, trying not to laugh at me. "Let me finish next time, Layla."

"Sorry for yelling," I whispered.

"It's okay. Now, here's what I was going to say," he said. "I told him I slept with her and he grounded me. This morning I asked him why I was grounded because he wouldn't let me drive you to school and he told me why. I tried to explain to him that I didn't actually sleep with her, but he wasn't that concerned about my opinion. He said it was for getting drunk and then knocking a girl up. Apparently I told him we didn't use protection and that's what got me grounded," he explained.

"Okay, I get it. Let's go or we're going to be late," I said pulling him along. He kept his feet planted firmly on the ground.

"Layla, wait," he said pulling me back.