The Neighbour

nine

It was about 11:30 pm when I heard Liv outside fumbling with her door. She was home earlier than she said she'd be, leading me to worry something had happened. As I approached my door to go and see if she was okay, I realised it was my door she was fumbling with.

The door burst open and Liv stumbled in. She immediately noticed me. "Mitch? What the hell are you doing in my apartment?" She was clearly drunk.

I laughed. "Liv, this is my apartment. What the hell are you doing?"

She looked around for a minute, realising her mistake. "So it is."

"Come on, you." I moved towards her and guided her into my living room. "Let me get you some water. Sit down." She did as I asked and sat on the sofa.

Entering the kitchen area, I filled a glass of water and gave it to her. She sipped it slowly and mumbled a 'thank you'. She set the glass down on the end table before speaking. "I don't feel so good. Can I go to the bathroom?"

I nodded, gently helping her up and walked with her to the bathroom. As if on cue, upon arrival in the bathroom, she threw up. I held her hair back while she vomited into the toilet bowl. When she was done, I asked: "You good?"

"Mhm." She muttered, before throwing up some more. "Okay, now I'm good."

Laughing, I once again helped her up and led her back to the sofa. I put a bucket on the floor next to her, just in case. I also grabbed her a shirt of mine to sleep in. While she changed, I got her some wipes so she could take off her makeup. 

Once she was decent, I sat down beside her, placing a blanket over her bare legs as she wiped her makeup off. "So," I could finally ask what happened. "How come you're home early?"

She began telling me about a guy who gave her a joint and then started kissing her. She said the only way she escaped was by leaving when he went to get a drink for her. I did my best to hide my true feelings: anger and jealousy. It was clear what his intentions were, and it made me feel sick. 

I asked her if she realised what he was trying to do. She said she did, and that's why she left. And then she said something I'll never forget: "I wished it was you."

I didn't know what to say back, but I couldn't just say nothing. "I wish it was me too." I confessed.

She looked up at me. "Really?"

I wanted to kiss her. So badly. But if I did, I would've been no better than the guy at the party. "Yeah." I shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"That's why you were acting off earlier!" She cried. "You didn't want me to go to the party."

I shrugged again. "Wasn't my place to tell you what to do."

"I offered for you to come with me." 

"It's complicated." I mumbled.

"Do you like me?" She questioned.

I thought about what to say. Obviously, I did like her. But she was still drunk, would she even remember this in the morning? If I confessed my feelings now and she didn't remember when she woke up...that would suck. 

"Well?" She pressed.

"Yeah, I do." I admitted. "I think you're amazing. Any guy would be lucky to have you."

She blushed. "See. And I like you. So what's complicated?"

"I'll tell you one day. You should sleep." I ended the conversation before it went any further.

Getting up from the sofa, I switched the living room light off, said goodnight to Liv and went into my bedroom. I stripped to my underwear and slid into bed. 

Knowing that she was sleeping just outside my bedroom door made it hard for me to get to sleep. I wanted her to be in here with me, but I didn't want to take advantage of her when she was in her current state. 

Eventually, I got to sleep after what felt like hours of hoping and praying she would remember this tomorrow morning.