Habits Of My Heart

Part 3

What A Time

I regain consciousness as I feel a cool towel being pressed against my forehead. I try and force my eyes open yet they're extremely heavy. My hearing is muffled and my head is pounding so hard I can feel it in my eyes.

I finally manage to part my eyelids and I immediatly focus on Alex's slightly bruised and bleeding face.

I open my mouth to speak but my tongue is dry and it comes out as more of a squeak.

"Oh my god, Alex, your face."

I groan as I try to learn forward and trace his cheek as he winces.

"Sorry." I say as I look away from him.

My head is still spinning and my eyes are seeing doubles.

"Its okay, it just stings."

"Thank you though. For saving me from that guy. I don't even want to think about what would've happened if you weren't there."

Looking around I realise I'm laying on the bathroom floor, slightly sticky but I feel safer than I did in the garden.

I dart my tongue out in an attempt to wet my dry lips but there's no moisture in my mouth.

I focus on the window that I opened earlier, thankful that I did as the cool breeze hits my skin, helping to pull me out of my haze.

"How do you feel."

"Like shit, my mouth is so dry and my head is throbbing. I'm really sorry about that guy and your face, does it hurt much?"

I sit forward and further examine Alex's purple cheek and busted lip.

"It doesn't hurt too much, only when I touch it. I should really be the one apologising."

He looks down at the floor averting my gaze as I furrow my brows in confusion.

"What for?"

He stays quiet so I gently lift his chin up towards me.

"For leaving you out there on your own. I should have known better. I'm sorry." Alex sighs

"You don't have to apologise, you barely even know me. Plus, you came back and knocked the shit out of him. Most people I know would have just left him. "

He frowns and attempts to look downwards but my hand hasn't left his chin so his eyes stay locked on mine.

"I know but I still shouldn't have left. I knew you were drunk and there's always creeps at a party. I just left you there."

"Alex you've just met me, you have no obligation to protect me. I'm okay. It's okay."

He smiles weakly at me as I stroke his cheek. What am I doing? I'm never this nice to people but Alex is different. I've only known him for a few hours but I feel such a strange connection with him. I don't want him to leave my side. I'm not sure what it is about him that has made me feel this way but something about him is different, special. I think I'm going to be eternally greatful for him beating up that creep earlier.

I meant what I said earlier, I really don't want to think about what he would've done.

I pull my hand away from his cheek as I realise how intimate this moment has gotten. We break eye contact and he clears his throat.

"Um, where are you staying?"

"What?"

"I mean... I just want to make sure you get home okay."

I chuckle at the word 'home'. My mum would no doubt kill me if she saw me like this. I usually crash at my friends houses or just walk the streets all night, living through my high. The first option isn't possible and the second doesn't seem too appealing today. All I can say is that my home is not my home anymore, it never will be.

Alex nervously laughs with me,he no doubt probably thinks I'm fucking crazy for cackling over the word 'home'.

"What's so funny?"

"You said home. No fucking way am I going home." I say with a cheery tone.

"You aren't staying here right?" Alex questions with a more serious voice.

I shake my head and turn to lean against the bathtub. We're both sitting in this cramped room, somehow comfortably close to eachother.

"Where are you gonna stay? If you, uh, don't mind me asking."

Alex stands to wet the towel again and leans down to place it back on my head.

I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know where I'm going to stay."

"You can stay with me."

I scoff and laugh until I realise his face hasn't changed.

"You're being serious? Are you sure, we only met like 3 hours ago."

He nods. "Yeah, only if you want to, I just want to make sure that you're safe, it's the least I could do."

I smile back at him. "That'd be nice actually, thank you."

"No problem. Hey, um, can I ask you a question?"

"Didn't you just ask me one?" I giggle and he smirks.

"Go ahead."

"It's kinda personal so don't answer it if you don't want to, but, are you just drunk? I know it's none of my business but you seem like you're on more than alcohol. "

I purse my lips and run my tongue along my teeth. My head has started to pound again and I want to tell him that it's only alcohol but for some reason I can't force myself to lie to him.

"No, I'm not just drunk."

"What else have you had?"

I sigh and bite my lip. Do I really want to continue this?

"Weed. I smoked a joint in here about 10 minutes before you came out and sat with me in the garden. I had some of this weird tranquilliser shit earlier, I think that's what knocked me out, that and the booze. Pills were being passed around downstairs earlier. I haven't had any yet but I've got some just in case I wanted any later. If the fact that I'm basically a fucking drug addict means you have to take back your offer for me to stay that's fine."

"No, no of course not. I'm not judging I was purely curious. But it's not good for you, you know."

"Yeah that's kinda the whole point."

"Look I know we only just met but we're still two drunk strangers in a bathroom so we can stay in here and talk if you want."

"Not that I don't want to have a heart to heart conversation with you, I just think we should pick a better setting." I remark and laugh whilst looking around the room and lifting my clammy hands from the sticky floor.