Looking Beyond

Chapter 18: Hangovers and Walks of Shame

     Savannah grabbed her head and moaned. "What hit me?"

     Erik put his book down and looked Savannah over. "You're awake." He said softly. "Here." He handed her the aspirin and Gatorade. "Take this."

     Savannah took the aspirin and laid back down. "How much did I drink?"

     "Drew stopped counting after six, but he said that Nick served you some too."

     "God..." She looked down to find herself fully dressed. "At least I didn't do anything I regretted."

     "You were going to, but I found you and got you home."

     Savannah remembered something about Erik last night, but she couldn't quite place it. "Did I say anything to you last night?"

     "You said a lot of things last night. You weren't happy I took you home." He smirked. "You called me 'Papi'. Actually, you laid on my horn and shouted it out in the parking lot."

     Savannah grabbed her head and groaned. "I'm sorry." She looked over at Brea's bed. "Did Brea come back from her date last night?"

     "Brea had a date? Oh yeah, with her secret admirer?"

     "Yeah."

     "She didn't come in here last night, but she and Jacob went to the bar to get your car."

     Savannah sat herself up. "She was with Jacob?" She turned green.

     Erik shoved the trashcan in front of her. "Don't move too fast until you sober up some more. Savannah hurled into the basket, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. "I'm going to take care of this." Erik pulled the trash bag out of the can, tying it up so that the odor wasn't as offensive. "I'll be back. Go lay down and rest some more."

     "Thank you Erik." She shut her eyes as he left. The door creaked open slowly. Savannah could hear footsteps lightly entering her room. She barely opened her eye enough to see Brea holding her dress from the night before. She watched as Brea put the dress on her bed and grab a complete change of clothes from her dresser. It took Savannah a moment to notice that Brea was again wearing Jacob's clothes. She shut her eyes and waited for Erik to return.

     Brea closed the door gently behind her. "Are you doing the walk of shame Brea?" Erik teased.

     She stopped and refused to turn around. "What shame are you talking about?" She asked as casually as possible.

     "Girl, you're wearing Jacob's clothes and you've got a change of clothes in your arms." He chuckled. "I can also see, because his shirt is so tight on you, that you aren't wearing bra."

     "Girls don't sleep with their bras on." She huffed.

     "They do when they're crashing in a friend's room, unless..." He loved teasing her like this.

     "Shut up Erik." She hissed.

     The door to Jacob's room opened. "Hey Darlin', what's taking you so..." Jacob stopped upon seeing Erik leaning against Brea's bedroom door, his arms crossed and a smile on his face.

     "Darlin' huh?"

    Brea dropped her head, her back still facing Erik. "I said shut up Erik."

     "So Jacob...still going to tell me you're just friends?" He pointed to Jacob's boxer briefs. "Because the last I knew, friends don't sleep in their underwear..."

"Shut up Erik." Jacob glared at him.

"Listen, I've know for a while." Brea spun around, her face slowly turning red. "I saw you kissing the day after our birthday."

     Brea bit her lip. "You can't tell anyone Erik!"

     "Why not? You guys seem good together."

     "Because we're still figuring stuff out." Jacob told him bluntly.

     "It's December, hell in a few days, it'll be January. What stuff do you need to figure out before telling the rest of us you're together?"

     "We just do." Brea glared at him.

     "Okay, if you insist." Erik shrugged his shoulders. "You may want to keep it down though, Savannah's got one of the worst hangovers I've seen."

     Jacob put his arm around Brea and guided her back to his room. Erik knowing about his relationship might not be a good thing. Only time would tell.