What Love Hasn't Conquered

911

Someone please call 911

Tell them I just been shot down

and the bullet's, in my heart

And it's piercin through my soul

Feel my body gettin cold

Somone please call 911

The alleged assailaint, is five foot one

and she shot me through my soul

Feel my body gettin cold

~Wyclef and Mary

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Alina's POV

I'm startled awake in the middle of the night by the buzz of my phone. I look around Kate's dark living room and try to recollect what happened these last few hours. In waves my memory begins to come to me. I look beside me and reach out to touch the body lying in the bed. I expect to see Josh but Stephanie rolls around to look at me. She looks around for a brief moment and then she too jumps awake.

"What happened last night?" Her voice is a low whisper as she continues to look around the room.

"I don't exactly remember." I try to think hard enough for something, anything, to come back to me. Then, I remember something:

I remember Stephanie's friend and the guy he brought with him showing up. The two of them came in and tried to seem cool. Stephanie and the other guy went outside. I remember hearing them speak loudly but not loud enough to be considered yelling. I remember Stephanie storming back into the house and her friend running down the hall after her. Angel and Kate sighed and popped a bottle of champagne. I had a glass, no, five glasses.

Stephanie stirs beside me as she reaches for her phone in the dark room. The screen lights up her corner of the room and shows the smeared makeup on her face. I move in and look closer at her face. "Have you been crying, Stephanie?"

She looks up and me and vigorously rubs under her eyes with the back of her hand. "Yeah. Don't worry about it."

I continue to search my memories:

Josh didn't drink with me, but Stephanie's friend Oliver did. We both drank our glasses and then...

I gasp and Stephanie jumps. She stares down at her phone and then up at me in horror. "You kissed Oliver!" Her voice is still a whisper, but it's harsh.

The scene crashes into my brain. I did kiss Oliver, and Josh saw. He stormed out and I didn't even stop him. I was as bubbly as the champagne itself when everything happened.

I look down at my phone to find multiple messages from Josh and a few missed calls. Stephanie watches me silently, but through angry eyes. I open the messages and read them to myself.

How could you do that to me. I was standing right there.

Being drunk is no excuse, A.

I'm going home. Don't follow me. I won't blow your cover.

Be safe. I love you.

Even after I had done something as awful as kissing someone in front of Josh, he still forgives me. He still tells me to stay safe and that he loves me. He still protects me.

Stephanie moves from the pull-out bed and goes into the kitchen. The light from the refrigerator lights up the living room for a brief moment until she closes the door. A second later the bed dips a little as Stephanie places her body back against the mattress. I decide to listen to the voicemail Josh has left me as well.