Nineteen

Chapter Eleven

"You alright?" His words bring me out of thought.

"Uh, yeah I'm okay. Sorry."

His hands are rough. He crosses them together as his elbows rest on his knees.

This kitchen suddenly feels smaller than it was, and everyone in the house seems more quiet.

It feels like its just Collin and I.

"Let me get you a drink," He says.

"I don't drink. Well, I have never drank, not that I don't. I don't know if I do." 

I'm babbling.

He just laughs and says, "Well, I'll just surprise you."

He returns from the other room with two cups in his hand.

I look in the cup and it's a blue liquid that smells sweet.

"You don't seem like the type to drink beer," He says.

He's right. 

"Thanks." I say as he hands me the cup.

I take a drink and it is sweet. It's okay, nothing to be overly excited about. But I take another drink. And then another. Followed by another.

When, what feels like hours pass, I'm here with Collin laughing and carrying on about what some girl is wearing and how I've already had three drinks.

I glance at my phone to see that is been about an hour.

"I gotta go find Clark." I say as I stand up.

"Let me go with you." He takes my hand as we walk through the crowd.

I want to pull away, but I don't.

His hand is rough and fits perfectly into my hand.

He smells like the car air fresheners that smell like a man.

Damn, am I drunk?

I see Clark on a couch with a girl and some guys I assume is his friends.

One guy is shirtless and wearing a pair of jean shorts, and he's raking his eyes up and down my body.

"Collin, who's the nice piece of tail you got with you?" the guy says.

Before anyone can respond Clark says, "I'll beat the shit out of you if you touch her. Knock it off, Ryan."

Collin's hand hardens in mine and he gives Ryan a glare.

"I'm just kidding. She looks like a lovely young lady," he says as he reaches his hand out for me to shake.

I do not like Ryan, I can already tell.

Clark looks at my hand in Collin's and I quickly jerk it away.

Clark stands and says, "Lets go outside, alone."

I follow him through the crowd and I can feel Collin's eyes on me until I pass through the door.

"Are you trying to babysit me?" I laugh to him when we reach the yard.

"Are you drunk, Emory?"

"Are you, Clark?" I can't help but grin. 

"Stay away form Ryan, he's a sleezebag. He'll take advantage of you."

"Okay.. dad," I bust out laughing and he joins me.

"Okay well, I've got my eye on you," he pushes my back until we're both walking back toward party.

"Oh, and I see you have made a new friend."

As he says that I notice Collin standing on the porch waiting for me to walk back in.