string bean | wilbur soot

14

I woke up in the morning to a throbbing pain in my head and a sickish feeling in my stomach. Did I really have a hangover from last night? Probably, I thought. I can't handle my alcohol much.

I rubbed my eyes until it felt more comfortable to open them. When I did, I felt very confused. I looked around. That's when I realized I had no idea where I was...

I looked at what I was wearing. I was no longer wearing the dress I had on last night; no, I was wearing a white t-shirt that was way too big for me, and sweatpants that were equally as big. All I know is that they definitely aren't mine.

Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. Did I go home with him last night? No, I couldn't have. I was with Carson and Travis. They wouldn't have let me go with him. Would they?

I sat up and looked around some more, this time for my phone which was nowhere to be seen. I groaned, running my hands through my hair. Where the hell was I? My head ached and my stomach felt as if it were full of a waving ocean.

I got up from the couch and stealthily crept into the next room, my feet becoming cold on the hardwood floor. I turned on the light in what seemed to be the kitchen and saw my phone plugged in on the counter. I quickly went over to grab it, looking through my new texts from Elena, Alyx, and even Wilbur.

Elena: Tell Carson to have you home at a decent time tomorrow!! Lol!

Alyx: Date didn't go too well I'm guessing?

Wilbur: are you okay?

Each of them was from either last night or early this morning. I don't know what Elena meant by Carson having me home because there was nothing before that... And Wilbur probably spoke to Carson, that's why he was asking. Alyx's was just a response to what I said last night. But I didn't feel like responding to any of them right now, at least not with this killer headache.

I decided to start rummaging through the cupboards to see if I could find something to decrease the pain I was in, such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen. It wasn't long before I soon found some in the cupboard next to the sink. Grabbing the pain killers, I looked at the time on the oven's clock; 8:30 am. I'm surprised that I'm even up this early. Better early then never, I guess.

I'm snapped out of my meaningless thoughts by a door opening. I dropped the pill bottle out of my hand and it falls to the floor. I quickly kneel down to grab it but when I get back up, I'm met face to face with a guy I've never seen before. Well, not exactly face to face. I'm pretty short.

"I- I'm sorry-"

"Who are you?"

We spoke at the same time. It took a minute before either of us spoke up again.

"I'm Vee," I mumbled, answering his question. "I'm sorry that I'm here- I woke up and I was on your couch. I know it sounds weird, but-"

He interrupted, "Oh, you're Vee." I nodded. "Oh, okay. Carson told me you'd be here, I guess I forgot. Do you need a glass of water with that?"

I followed his eyes to the pill bottle in my hand and nodded slowly. I watched as he grabbed a glass from one of the cupboards and filled it up with water from the tap. "So, you know Carson?" I asked, awkwardly. I was still pretty confused.

"I guess you could say that," he laughed as he handed me the cup. "It's not like I live with him or anything."

Oh.

OH. 

Yep. That makes a lot more sense.

"Oh. Okay. That makes things a lot less confusing," I chuckled. "I thought I just woke up in a random place if I'm being honest."

He smiled a bit. "Well, you most definitely woke up in a random place. I'm Noah, by the way. I don't know if you knew that or not."

I took the pill and washed it down with water and said, "I had no idea. I'm Vee, but you already know that."

Noah chuckled, nodding his head again. "If it's okay with you, I'm gonna go up to my room and unpack some things. I just got back from about a 5-hour flight from Boston, so... Just make yourself at home. Any of the guys should be up eventually."

"Any of the guys?" I questioned as Noah was walking out of the kitchen into the living room. I grabbed my phone and followed behind him. "I'm sorry, it's just my first time here and I didn't even know Carson had a roommate let alone..."

"Three. Me, Travis, and Cooper," he finished, picking up a suitcase he must have left by the door when he heard me in the kitchen. At least the other people who lived here are people that I already know of. "If any of them are awake when I'm up there, I'll let 'em know you're up."

I nodded slowly, looking at the oversized shirt I was wearing. "Sounds good," I said to him, deciding against asking him whether or not he knew who's clothes these were or where mine are. He nodded back at me and walked over to and up the stairs, carrying his suitcase with him.

Well. At least I know I'm not in a slaughterhouse now. And I think that I finally found my first real friends in Cali that aren't Elena. I smiled to myself and decided to finally text Wilbur back.