Vault

Eighteen

I swear I got hit by a truck. I woke up to the sun shining through my windows. I groaned as I pulled the blanket up over my face to block out the light. Who the hell let me drink so much last night?

I finally moved the blanket and sat up slowly. It felt way colder in the room than normal. I looked to the window and saw it open. That's weird, why would someone open the window?

I was still in my dress from last night and my makeup had smudged all over my face. I groaned from the spinning in my head. Geez, why does anyone ever drink alcohol? This feeling is so not worth it.

I washed off all of my makeup and pushed up all of my hair into a ponytail. I looked at myself in the mirror, taking in how much of a mess I look like.

I changed into some jeans and a t-shirt, needing to be comfortable so I could try to kick this hangover as much as I could. I sighed as I slumped my way down the stairs and collapsed onto the couch. I lightly ran my hands over my forehead until I heard the front door open.

"You're awake," Chris smiled when he saw me on the couch, "we didn't expect you to wake up any time soon."

"Don't ever let me drink like that again," I sighed.

"Don't worry," Chris laughed as he handed me a coffee, just the way I like it.

"Where's Jimmy?" I asked.

"He'll be inside in just a second, he's on the phone," Chris smiled, "how'd you sleep?"

"I don't remember," I shrugged, "did you tell Jimmy about Karl? I heard you guys talking in the club last night after Karl kissed Jessie."

"No," Chris shook his head, "not yet. He asked though."

"Well don't tell him, please. It doesn't matter anymore," I sighed as I played with the edge of my coffee cup, "I mean I guess it doesn't change anything if you tell him but I don't think there's a point."

"Ava, if you care about him, it matters. If you want to be with him, it matters," Chris insisted.

"No it doesn't," I shook my head, "because he doesn't care about me to want to be with me."

"Your feelings are important too," Chris sighed.

"Not when they're the only feelings. Chris, as much as I do care about him and want to be with him, he doesn't want the same things with me and I need to accept that and move on," I shrugged, "I decided to ignore my feelings and when I was ready to embrace them it was already too late. That's my fault."

"Ava," Chris looked at me sympathetically, "it's not your fault, it's no one's fault. Karl is being a moron and like I told you before, I don't know what he's doing. I have no idea why he and Jessie kissed and I can't come up with a reason why they would, but it didn't mean anything."

"Oh, so if he had kissed a different girl, it still wouldn't mean anything? Chris, of course it means something. Unless he's walking around kissing different girls every other day," I pointed out.

"No, in all the time we've known him, I've never seen him kiss anyone to be honest," Chris admit.

"That's exactly my point," I sighed, "he wouldn't kiss just anyone and that's why it doesn't matter anymore."

Chris looked like he was about to say something else, but he stopped himself when the front door opened. Chandler and Jimmy both walked in holding bags of food. Thank god, that is what I need right now.

"Hey, how do you feel this morning?" Jimmy asked as he sat next to me.

"I'll manage," I shrugged, "once you give me that food."