Shattered

14. Out

I lock eyes with Darren from across the room as he makes his way over to me. I couldn't be happier to see him.

I stand up to go to him. I just want to get out of here. I fall forward on to my knees. Darren grabs my wrists and helps me back onto my feet. I grab on to him for support. I can't stand straight.

"Are you drunk?" He asks an obvious question.

I nod my head. "Mostly just buzzed right now. I can already feel a hangover coming."

"Okay. Come on. It's time to go home." He says. I nod. I am so happy he's here to get me out of this mess I've somehow found myself in.

What was I even thinking? Why did I come here in the first place?

Chris stumbles his way over to me and Darren. "Are you leaving? The party is just getting started!"

"Fuck off!" Darren growls at Chris who throws his hands up in the air in defense.

"Hey man. I was just trying to help her let loose a little. That seems like something you really don't let her do."

"Mind your own goddamned business." He growls. Darren is really mad. All I can think about is getting out of here. I just want to lie down in my bed. My head hurts. My whole body hurts.

"She's my girlfriend. She is my business." Chris smirks in repossessed.

Darren scoffs and wraps his arms around me as my knees crumble beneath me. He pulls me towards the exit of the room as the walls spin around me. I don't know where we are going anymore.

Darren opens the door and slams it shut once we are both out of there. "What the hell were you thinking, Ciara?" He asks as we walk down the hall.

I can't answer his question. I am focusing too hard on my feet. If I stop thinking about what I am doing, I'll forget how to walk. I don't want to forget how to walk.

"Ciara?" He asks again. "Answer me!" He stops in his place and releases me, sending me tumbling to the ground: hard.

My lip begins to quiver. I am going to cry. I just can't help it. All of this is too much. What is happening to me? I can't walk. I can't focus. I can't think straight.

I can't seem to do anything right now.

Darren reaches down and lifts me off of the floor. "You are worse off than I thought. I'm sorry." He says as he lifts me over his shoulder and continues carrying me outside to the car.

He opens the passenger side door and sits me down in the seat before buckling me up and lowering the seat back so that I can lay down.

He sighs and stands out of the car. "Ciara? Can you hear me?" He asks calmly.

I nod. I can hear him. I just don't know if I will be able to respond with words if he asks me a question. The words in my brain are jumbled.

"What happened back there?" He asks, waiting for me to answer him.

I shake my head. "I don't know." I really don't. I can't remember much.

"Did he hurt you? Did anyone hurt you?" He asks a more direct question.

I shrug. "I don't know." With these words, tears flood out of my eyes uncontrollably. I can't stop myself from sobbing.

I don't know what upsets me more: the fact that I can't remember what happened to me in there or the fact that I got myself into that mess in the first place.

Darren sighs and walks in a circle next to the car. He grabs his face and tugs at his hair in frustration. "How can you not know?!" He asks angrily, shoving his face into the car.

I shake my head. "I don't remember anything before waking up and calling you. I can't remember anything."

Darren shakes his hand and gets into the drivers seat. "I'm taking you to the police station."

"No." I protest. "Please. I'm fine. I just want to go home."

Darren shakes his head. "I'm taking you to the police station so we can report this. It needs to be reported!" He argues with me.

"I just want to go home. Please just take me home, Darren. Please." I beg. I want to sleep in my own bed so I can get rid of this disgusting feeling inside me.

I close my eyes and listen to Darren sigh. "Fine." He gives in to my requests and starts the car.