Steel Ethereal

Ch. 11 Apartment and the Reputation

Rob

"Over... Over this way, Robby Poo."

Charlie's voice is slurred even more than it was an hour ago. Her feet struggle to cross the ground even with me holding her near limp body.

We were in a building much different from the one I found myself in. Charlie's building was clear across town. It wasn't too difficult to find as Charlie felt the need to drunkenly blurt out the directions every step of the way. Her loud voice in my ear gave me a small headache.

She wound up sick in the alley across the street from her building. I held her arm over my shoulder and tried holding her hair up. I was lucky not to be caught in the crossfire of her voided stomach.

When she was done, I fixed her pretty auburn hair as much as I could. It had not gotten dirty, but I tried my best to keep it out of her face. She took deep breaths as if she'd never breathe again. I patted her back gently, not saying anything.

Luckily Charlie lived on the first floor of her building, which did not have an elevator

Charlie's hand sloppily reached to her door and unlocked it in the same way I did my own. By touch alone.

"Alright, in we go," I say, trying to keep my inebriated companion from tripping over the open door.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." She stammers.

"Sure you are, Charlie. Here, where's your bed?"

"Over there, stupid. Where else?" She groaned, managing a humorous tone. She cracked up laughing at her own words and I had to pull her up as she went limp again. I worried she'd fall asleep and begin snoring.

Her apartment was near pitch black. As we shuffled across what I assumed was her kitchen, I heard the sound of bottles and plastic wrappers being knocked over.

I gently kick her bedroom door open. Through the room illuminated buy the orange streetlights outside, I spotted her small twin bed. I led her to the bed and carefully laid her down.

Before I could retreat from her bed side, she somehow found the coordination to leap up and wrap her arms around my neck. She giggled ridiculously and pulled me onto the bed with her. She was warm and the smell of alcohol was thick on her.

"Stay the night, you damn cutie," She whispers in my ear. Her lips drift down and graze my neck sloppily and I break free from her, trying not to laugh. I stand up and lean over her bed.

"Maybe when you're not on the verge of puking again. Plus, you look like you're about to fall asleep." Maybe if she were sober I'd give in, but now, she isn't herself.

"But I'll have common sense and common decency at that point." She said seriously.

I snickered and left the room to Charlie's kitchen. After some effort, I found the switch and flipped it on. One of the two bulbs above flickered on but faded in and out.

Her kitchen was a mess. There were packages for food and dirty dishes on almost every surface of her counters.

I fished around and found an empty cup. I filled it with water and returned to Charlie's room.

"If you don't have any condoms, at least bring me another drink darling." Charlie said in a sultry voice as I entered.

I stifled another laugh.

"Oooo, what have you got me?" She asks upon noticing the cup in my hand.

"Ehh, I found a clear liquid in a bottle..."