If Only

Chapter 17

Austin's POV

I am pulled out a peacefulsleep by the sound of a loud and irritable voice. "SON OF A BITCH!" I open myeyes upon hearing the voice of Garrett. I sit up in my bed and stretch before looking down at Garrett who is still laying on my bedroom floor. "Morningto you too." I say with an amusing tone in my voice. "Too much light." Garrettsays trying to shield his eyes from the brightness of the sun that has filledmy room, "I knew I was forgetting something last night." I say as Garrett closeshis eyes looking like he is about vomit. "You okay Garrett?" Garrett shakes hishead, "I have a headache from hell and the room feels like it is spinning." I can'thelp but feel a little bad for him feeling like this but then again it was hischoice to drink last night. "I will be right back." I say getting out of bed asI quietly make it downstairs into the kitchen and open a cabinet that has myKatie hangover kit in it. 

Ipull out the kit and start going through it making sure to take just what Garrett needs but when I turn around again I run into Jonathan who is only wearing apair of black basketball shorts. "Care to explain why Garrett Huntsman is up inyour room?" I look at him surprised that he knew this information as Jonathanleans against the wall waiting for me to answer his question. "How do you knowhe is up there?" I ask which gets him to start quietly laughing, "I checked upon you last night when Katie and I got home because I heard about the incident thathappened, and imagine my surprise when I discovered Garrett Huntsman passed outon your floor." I just shrug my shoulders giving Jonathan an innocent smile. "Hewas drunk and starting fights with people, and before you get all big brother modeon me just know that if wasn't Garrett I wouldn't be here." Jonathan raises oneof his eyebrows almost like telling me to explain. "He saved me last night fromthe creep, I owed him and I thought that better him being drunk here than beingdrunk out on campus getting trouble." Jonathan crosses his arms over his chestand nods his head. "Fine, he gets a pass this time, but I think it is time thatI taught you how to fight." I give him a slight smirk as I walk pasthim and back upstairs where I find Garrett looking through a black bondedleather book and it takes me a second to notice what book he has.

"Thatis my journal." I say as I storm over to him angry and snatch my journal awayfrom him. "That is for my eyes only." I snap at him putting back on my headboardbookcase. "I was just trying to piece together the events of last night." I sigh annoyed at him already this morning as I hand him two Ibuprofenand a glass of water. "These will help." Garrett cautiously looks at me beforetaking the Ibuprofen and the glass of water. "You want a rundown of last night?"I ask and Garrett nods his head, "The last thing I remember was making my wayout of the frat house because I needed some cool air." I sit down on my bedpatting the spot next to me as Garrett reluctantly sits down next to me.

"Youstarted a fight with my friend Scotty who you ended up breaking his nose by headbuttinghim and you punched him in the stomach." Garrett starts laughing and I see agrin appear on his face. "That sounds like me, pick a fight wherever I can." I can'thelp but smile as he laughs, "I stepped in between you and Scotty and sentScotty to get checked out while I talked you into coming back here for thenight." Garrett sighs as he runs his hands through his messy hair as he looksat me with an intense gaze in his grey eyes, "You never put yourself that kindof danger, I can be very unpredictable when I am drunk." I nod my head making anote of that for the future. "You then stripped off your clothes and took a napon my couch." Garrett looks around the room and I already know what he islooking for, "Your clothes are downstairs on the couch and here are your cellphone and keys." I say grabbing his phone and keys off my nightstand andhanding them to him.

"Thebiggest event of the night is when you saved me from a creep who would havekilled me." Garrett looks at me with the same look for concern in his eyes. "It'salright nothing serious happened because you choke him out." Garrett looks awayfrom me and starts going through his phone checking on everything he must havemissed. "After that you came up here and passed out on my floor." Garrett lockshis phone and nods his head at me. "I guess I owe you for putting up with meand making sure that I didn't make an ass of myself." I place my hands on mylap knowing that I am going regret asking this question.

"Garrett,I wanted to talk about giving tutoring a try." Garrett turns his now dark greyeyes on me. "I know you told me that the next time I brought up that you wouldhurt me, but I think that you could benefit from this, and it might help you passEnglish class." Garrett looks at me with a complex look on his face almost likehe is trying to choose between good and evil. "I have a reputation on campus,and I can't have anyone knowing that I am failing English or even worse that Ineed a tutor." I know that most people feel like this at first but in the longrun they all are more grateful that they made the choice to get a tutor. "Howabout we come up with a specific schedule for you and we can meet any placethat you feel most worry free." Garrett looks at me with an unsure look on hisface and I can't believe that I have managed to find something that actuallyscares Garrett Huntsman. 

"Alright,I will give it a try, but only if you agree that if doesn't work for me that we willstop and never mention again." Against my better judgement, I nod my headagreeing with his terms because at least I have managed to get him to give ittry. "Put your number in my phone so I can text you with a time and place." Heunlocks his phone before handing to me and I put my number in. "There you go."I say handing him back his phone and I see him edit it as he gives me a name onhis phone. "Bookworm?" I say looking at with a puzzled look on his face. "It ismy nickname for you, and you should feel honored because I only give nicknamesto the people that means something to me." Garrett smiles at me before hestands up from my bed, 

"I should get back to frat house, but again you are lifesaver." Garrett gives me a weak smile as makes his way down the steps and I look over the balcony to see him put on his clothes before walking to the door. "Later Bookworm." He says without look back as he walks out the door and closes it behind him heading back to the frat house and no doubt going back to being the Garrett Huntsman that I have known come to know.