Last Night

Part 16

My phone woke me. I reached over groggily and picked it up to answer.

I coughed, but my throat was still dry. "Hello?"

A frantic Emily replied back. "Nicole! What happened?"

"What do you mean?" I pulled my left hand to my face and dragged it down to my chin in an attempt to rip away the sleepy haze over me.

"I've been texting you all night, and you didn't answer a single one. Have you been drinking again? Do I need to come over?"

I blinked up at my ceiling and pulled the phone away from my ear. She was so loud even without being on speaker phone. The light from her picture illuminated my arm and I saw a deep bruise on my wrist. My phone dropped onto my chest as everything clicked in my brain.

"Nicole? Nicole? You are, aren't you? You're drinking again. That's it. I'm coming over."

"No, no. I'm fine." I cut in, now wide awake and not needing her to snoop around with my fresh injury. "I just forgot my phone in the car and started gaming. That's all. I completely forgot about it until I went to bed. Don't worry so much. You just saw both me and the apartment, right? I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

"Look, I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine. I really wasn't drinking. I don't want to drink after what happened last time. Just give it a rest, okay? What time is it now anyway?" I sat up, pushing the covers off and saw that I was in a different shirt, not one of mine.

"Sorry, you just really scared me earlier today. It's quarter after eleven. I've been trying to reach you for hours."

I shook my head, but regretted it the moment everything spun. "Wait, you saw me like seven hours ago. Why are you freaking out? I've gone off the grid for longer than this before. What's going on?"

"Nothing, I was just concerned. You know, wanting to check up on my bestie to make sure everything's okay. Who did you say made breakfast for you again? It bothered me that you never told me. I just wanted to thank them if I see them."

With my eyes closed, things began to settle out again. The short-sleeved button-down smelled familiar, that woody herbal smell. It was definitely Ian's.

"Hello? Nic? You there still?"

"Sorry, yeah. Um, it was Roberta. Sorry, I have to go to the bathroom. Can I just call you tomorrow?" I carefully stood up and wobbled over to the doorway of my bedroom. Why did I keep waking up in different places than where I fell asleep? Did I sleepwalk back down here? I needed to check on Ian, to see if he was okay.

She was quiet for a few seconds. "I guess. Just give me a call if you need anything. Anything, okay?"

"Yeah, I will. Don't worry so much. Get some sleep. It's way past your bedtime, old lady. Night." I gripped the door and balanced myself while I waited for her goodbye and hung up. Stuffing the phone into my pocket, I looked around my apartment. Everything was as it had been before I rushed out after him. I glared up at my ceiling and whispered. "I hope you're okay because we need to talk."

~

I knocked gently on his front door, but it slowly swung open since he'd broken the lock earlier. There was no response so I whispered his name.

Still nothing.

My heart pounded against my chest. I flipped on the lights in the living room and the couch and kitchen were empty. With deliberate steps, I walked over to his bedroom door. Pushing it open hadn't allow much light in so I pulled my cell out and flipped the flashlight on.