Biology||Josh Richards

3.8

When I wake up the next morning light breathing is present on the back of my neck and Josh's arm is draped at my waist.

My head is pounding and my stomach is growling of hunger. I lean on my elbows to balance myself and try to sit up. I grab my nearly empty water bottle from the nightstand and take the last sip but not being very pleased with the warmness of it.

Well, now I know that I'm a lightweight.

I fall on my back to the softness of his plush bed.

I try to fall back asleep but fail from the pain from my dose of alcohol.

"What time is it?" I hear a voice mumble next to me. I barely remember anything from last night, only snippets.

"7 am," I inform him, looking over at his black alarm clock reading the glowing red numbers.

"Let's go back to bed."

"I can't" I admit.

"Why not?" He sits up, rubbing his eyes so he can look at me clearly.

"I have a headache." As I say it, his arm extends around my shoulders while his other is around my chest as he pulls me to lay in the crook of his neck. His chest was bare, allowing me to admire his muscles.

"Do you want Advil?" He asks quietly. I nod.

He lays me back down before standing up and walking into his bathroom. He opens the mirror door cabinet and pulls out a slim bottle and a small paper cup, filling it with water.

"Thank you," I open the bottle and take out two small pills and taking small sips of water after each one.

I hand him the bottle and empty water cup before laying back down and cradling myself.

"I have to go home," I explain to him. He nods and we both stand up and give each other a simple hug along with a slim kiss on the cheek. "See ya later," I wave after collecting my stuff and walking out of his front door.

My father doesn't wake up until around 10 am while my mother wakes up around 6 although doesn't check my room until 9.

I had time to sneak through my window. I don't know if Austin and Hailey had told my parents the truth or lied for me, I hoped it was the second option, or if they were awake by the time they were back at my house anyway.

Climbing up to my window from the garden ladder, I was thankful enough to find it unlocked.

"Thank god your back," I hear the brown-haired girl said.

"Yeah, sorry, I got so drunk last night. I barely remover what happened." I explain, shutting, and locked the window once I was secure. "What'd you tell my parents?"

"We told them that you fell asleep at Avani's after dinner and slept over but we weren't comfortable staying at a stranger's house and that's why we came home." She smiles. I lean onto her air mattress and engulf her.

"Yeah of course,"

"God, you're such a live saver," I tell her in awe. "Where's Austin?"

"Asleep, obviously," she says in a duh tone and rolls her eyes in a joking way.

I nod, dropping my dirty clothes on the floor.

"Nice hoodie, who's is it?"

I bite my lip to hide my smile and hope that she can't see the heat of my cheeks.

"Is that Josh's?" She squeals a little too loudly to the point where I have to cover her mouth with my palm.

"Shh" I shush her and she glares at me before swatting my hand away.

"So it is?" She whispers and I nod biting my lip.

"Yeah..." I laugh and so does she.

"How long have you known him?"

"Well, I didn't actually get to thoroughly meet him until a month or two into school but we've "known" each other since freshman year," I explain to her, putting air quotes with my fingers around the word known.

"Oh... so you two are very close?" She asks, emphasizing 'very'.

I nod, sliding my legs under the covers of my bed and hoping to fall asleep for a few more hours.

When I wake up, it's nearly 9 am and Hailey is no longer sleeping on her air mattress.

Where'd she go? I question.

I stand up out of bed, my hair tangled, my face greasy, and my shorts twisted the wrong way.

I quickly switch my shorts the right way before not bothering to get my phone and walking down to the guest room to find it empty.

When I reach the kitchen, after nearly falling down the stairs, I make my way to the kitchen where I hear faint chit-chattering.

"Hey, sweetie," my mother greets. "When did you get home?"

Austin and Hailey were both dressed nicely yet still casual, completely ready for the day to begin.

"Oh yeah..." I glance at Hailey and she glares at me again. "I was going to stay at Avani's but I had a nightmare and decided to come home in the middle of the night." I make up a quick excuse, which I've always been good at because I've learned from sneaking people in.

"Why didn't you call? I could have come picked you up so that you weren't alone on the streets at 3 am?"

"Oh no, it's okay mom. Avani drove me home." I assure her. She nods and gives me a small hug before taking her mug of coffee to the living room.

"I see you guys and my mom have been getting along?" I acknowledge as I fill up a glass of water.

My head was still pounding but not as much as it was before I took the Advil.

"Yeah, she's great," Austin says with excitement.

"So what's the plan for the day again?"

"Oh yeah, well we didn't go to Toronto yesterday so let's go today, shall we? If we leave by 9:45 we should be able to make it back in time for Thanksgiving dinner." I nod, running up to my room and leaving them downstairs.