Because of the Accident (Book 1)

Chapter 15

"I'm so sorry for last night," Lia muttered, her voice barely audible as she hung her head over the toilet seat. Her body convulsed, expelling what was left of the liquor poisoning her system. I knelt beside her, holding her hair back, a mixture of emotions brewing inside me. The pungent smell of bile and alcohol stung my nose, but I stayed there, silently, not because she asked me to, but because I felt like I had to.

She glanced up at me, her eyes glassy but grateful, a faint smile touching her lips. It was a moment of shared vulnerability, her not her best and me in my own emotional mess. I didn't return the smile, couldn't bring myself to. My mind was too tangled with the memory of last night, the image of her with him—of her kissing that guy. It was like a record on repeat in my head, and no matter how much I wanted to shake it, I couldn't.

I let go of her hair and stood up, retreating to the bathroom sink. My fingers gripped the edge of the countertop, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I grabbed the first aid kit from behind the mirror and began patching up the wounds on my hands from the fight last night. I could tell Lia was watching my every move.

"Floyd... what's wrong?" Lia's voice was soft, fragile, as she reached for the toilet paper to wipe her mouth. The rustle of the paper felt too loud in the small bathroom, breaking the silence that had settled between us.

I turned, arms crossed over my chest, trying to find the right words, the words that wouldn't betray just how hurt I really was. But what was the point in hiding it? "Wanna tell me what last night was about?" I asked, my voice flat, emotionless. I was trying to keep it together, to not let the frustration I felt bleed into my words.

Lia's face shifted from confusion to sudden realization. Her eyes widened for a brief second, then her expression softened into one of apology. "I'm really sorry that you saw that..." She started, her voice small, as if she was treading carefully. "I wasn't in the best mind state, so I got really drunk and... I, uh, texted Kai. He happened to come over to the bar, and... yeah..." She trailed off, her voice faltering as she lowered her eyes, clearly embarrassed.

I didn't want to hear any more. "Alright," I said, cutting her off. The last thing I needed was a play-by-play of how my worst fear materialized in front of me last night. I rubbed my temple, feeling a headache creeping in, and sighed heavily. Lia, for a moment, looked genuinely remorseful, her face sunken from the hangover, but then something shifted in her demeanor. Her lips slowly curved into a smile—a full-blown smile, no less.

"What?" I snapped, irritated at the sudden change. I didn't want to admit it, but her smile always had a way of disarming me, like it was a key that unlocked the part of me that wanted to stay angry.

Lia's smile faded slightly, noticing the edge in my voice. "I don't know... it's just... you're jealous, aren't you?" she asked, her tone playful but unsure, like she was trying to lighten the mood.

I clenched my jaw, trying to hold it together. Jealous? Was that what she thought this was? "Jealous?" I echoed, my voice tightening. "Lia, this isn't about being jealous. This is about you kissing him Kai, of all people. How am I supposed to just shrug that off?"

Her expression faltered, and she shifted uncomfortably. "It wasn't like that," she muttered. "I told you, I was drunk. I wasn't thinking straight. It didn't mean anything."

"It didn't mean anything?" I repeated, incredulous. "You don't get it, do you? It's not just about the kiss. It's about the fact that when things got tough, you called him of all people."

Lia's eyes flashed with hurt, and she crossed her arms over her chest, defensive now. "What do you want me to say, Floyd? That I made a mistake? I already said that! But you don't own me. We're not together, remember? I don't owe you an explanation for everything I do."