RUTH❌

32. the disaster

The only thing I could hear in the room was the saccharine sound of her humming in her sleep.

Thinking back to the 15 minutes beforehand was mind-whirling. A few drunk shenanigans, slowly slurred words -- the fast ones too --- and Jennie was completely out of it. Passed out cold in my arms from the influence.

I placed my hand on her head. It contained the only traceable heat left on her body, reassuring my bothersome breath that the girl was still alive.

My next move was simple. She didn't need to be sleeping on my lap, she needed to be in a bed. A warm, comforting bed, which ended up being mine. I lifted her up bridal style and carried her up the stairs to my bed. When I laid her down on it, her head was still warm to touch.

Now tucked under my covers, the sleep pooled on her eyelids even more. She seemed to have lightly smiled from the solacing bedsheets...or maybe I was imagining that.

Minutes have gone by and I'm still here; leaning against my bedroom door with nothing to do except stare. I continued to stare at her closely, asking myself the same questions over and over again.

She's insane,

But you love it,

Why do you love her so much?

It was then my consciousness clicked in, allowing me to realize how creepy it was to be eagle-watching her sleep like this. I shook my head at myself, then fled the room. Downstairs became my next-next move.

The empty glass bottles painted on my floor caught my attention before I could rush past into the kitchen. I grabbed a plastic trash bag and forced it apart as if it was nothing. Each bottle was swooped up with the quickness until there was none left on my floor.

I better get paid for this.

Tossing the bag to the side, I then went inside the kitchen as planned and sat down near the dinner table to think.

Earlier this afternoon, I was heedless about what Jennie said to me.

"Just know I'm staying at your place until I am ready to go back."

No. She can't live with me, or maybe, I can't live with her. A two-day stay is enough to drive me insane, and I don't mean that negatively.

I mean she drives me insane. Nuts. She confuses me.

I've been friends with her for as long as I can remember and I have never been this muddled. It feels like our friendship is not even a friendship. It feels like it's something...different. So different that I need my space from her before the feelings grow stronger.

Do you even love her like that? Do you?

I sighed, in need of a drink.

The night was emerging, causing me to yawn while opening the fridge to grab the first liquid I saw. A cold bottle of water with its duplicates surrounding it.

I poured it down my system till the bottle was half empty. It only helped with my thirst but didn't help pull my mind off of the topic.

Where is she to go then? When she said she was done with her home, I know she meant it, and I can't just kick her out either, she'll hate me. Then again, her mother exists too.