Nineteen

Chapter Twenty-Two

"I shouldn't drive home now," I say after I finish my third drink and reach for a water from a large bucket in the kitchen.

"I rode here with my friend, maybe he can drop you off when he takes me home," Link replies.

I really don't like the idea of driving myself home but I dislike the idea of riding with a stranger even more. I look at Clark who's definitely drunk, and I wonder how he's getting home.

"I'll be right back," I say as I stand to walk through the kitchen into the living room.

The music is loud in here, and there's barely any light to see where you're walking. I move through some of the crowd of drunken college students until I'm in front of Clark.

"How are you getting home?" I practically yell to him so he can hear me.

"I'm just gonna stay here tonight," he yells back.

That is not an option for me. I am not spending the night at a strange frat house.

He goes back to dancing with a blonde girl who is only in a pair of shorts and a bra.

"You want to dance?" 

I turn to see Ryan standing in front of me. I give him a look, "No, thank you."

"Why? Your boyfriend won't mind," he nods toward Link, still in the kitchen.

"I don't have a boyfriend, and I certainly have no plans on getting one tonight."

I start to walk away when he grabs my arm, it's still sore so I flinch a little.

"It's just a dance," he says.

As I try to pull away again, Ryan's arm is pulled back to reveal Collin.

"Get the hell out of here, Ryan," He says without any hint of emotion.

"Calm down, Dempsey, I was just asking the lady for a dance."

"And I said get the hell out of here," his tone is more angry now. He turns to face Ryan.

Ryan is bigger than Collin and they couldn't look anymore different. Collin is dressed in jeans and a black flannel while Ryan isn't wearing a shirt and his blonde hair is matted to his head with sweat.

Ryan looks at me and then turns to walk away.

I turn around and walk away without looking at Collin.

I don't know who he thinks he is or what he proves by constantly trying to defend me.

"Let's go," I say to Link when I get into the kitchen.

"Where?" He says, standing up from his seat.

"I'm going home, you can go or you can stay."

"You're not driving, are you?"

I'm practically running out of the house and Link is trying to keep up.

"I am." I say as I dig through my pockets for my keys.

"Jesus Christ," I huff after I realize I have lost them.

"I can't find my keys," I'm still patting my pockets.

"Let's go inside and look for them," He takes my arm and tries to direct me back into the house.

I sit on the porch while Link walks inside to hunt for the missing keys. There are a couple of people on the grass in front of the house, but they are too drunk to realize I'm even here.

"You need a ride home?" I hear from behind me.

I turn my head to see Collin standing against the door frame of the house.

"No, I can't find my keys.. Wait, how are you gonna give me a ride back? Your truck is at the campus?"

He smiles and dangles my keys from his pocket.

"Oh my god," I say as I stand, "You stole my keys?" I try to grab them from him, but he moves away.

"You left them on the counter, I grabbed them before someone else did." He holds them above his head, like I'm going to try and jump for them.

That's exactly what I do.

"Give them to me!"

"You're not driving home, I'll take you." He flatly says.

After a few minutes of failed attempts, I give up and say "Fine."

"Go get in the car, and I'll tell your boyfriend we're leaving."

He walks into the house, looking for Link.