Keep You Close - HO

•18•

I walk into my apartment for the first time in ten days. I thought I would feel relieved to get back here, but honestly? I feel underwhelmed. I miss Haz.
I lay on the sofa, looking out the window at the setting sun. I'm already lonely and it's been two minuets. I pull out my phone, my thumb hovering over Harrison's contact. I sigh, clicking out of his contact and into Alice's. I hold the phone to my ear, and it rings only twice before she answers.
"You're not dead!" She exclaims and I laugh.
"I'm home now. Want to come over?" I ask.
"Yes and I expect you to tell me everything going on." She says.
"That won't be a problem. I need to talk about it anyways."
We chat for a second longer, and hang up. I love Alice, and I'm excited to see her, but to be honest I can't help but feel really sad. Tonight might not be very fun for her but I know she won't care. After a bit there's a knock on the door.
"Come in!" I call.
Alice walks in, a huge smile on her face.
"Oh my god I missed you!" She exclaims.
"I missed you too." I say.
"So? How'd it go?" She asks as she sits down.
I start to feel sadness, thinking about how I fell in love with Haz all over again, just to loose him again. She can tell it's not good news, and pulls me into a hug.
"It's gonna be okay." She says quietly.
"No it's not.. I lost Alex because he loves me, and I lost Haz because he doesn't love me. Everything is going wrong."
She frowns, letting out a sigh.
"Alex will be fine. He will get over it. He's Alex, and he loves you even more as a friend. You're not going to loose him." She explains.
"I hope not." I say.
We spend the rest of the night talking, and then inviting Maggie to come over too. It's been a while since we've all been together. The only thing that could make this perfect is if everything could be okay between Alex and I. I just know it can't be right now.
We break out the drinks, completely letting ourselves go as we take shot after shot. Slowly I start to feel less and less depressed, and more and more carefree.
I reach for my phone, and Maggie quickly snatches it from my hand.
"No drunk texting." She says.
"I wasn't going to text anyone." I say.
"Promise?" She asks.
"Promise." I say and she hands me back my phone. "I was gonna call someone!"
I quickly run to the bathroom, locking the door behind me as they both chase after me.
"Kylie don't you dare! You'll regret it!" Alice calls.
I scroll through my contacts, finding Tom's contact and clicking the call button.
"It's just Tom." I say back, and a groggy voice answers.
"Kylie? Is everything okay? It's one in the morning." He says sleepily.
"You can tell Haz that I'm amazing, I have boys lined up for me and he'd be lucky to have me!" I say drunkenly into the phone.
"Kylie you're drunk." He states. "Are you safe? Do you need a ride home?"
"I'm locked in the bathroom at my house I'm fine." I say.
"I- why are you locked in the bathroom?"
"Because Alice and Maggie are up my ass like always." I mutter.
"We can hear you!" The girls call from outside the bathroom door, once again wiggling the door knob trying to get inside.
"Drink some water and get some sleep. Goodnight Kylie."
The call ends, and I frown. I drop the phone from my ear, locking it and shoving it into my pocket. I open the door, and they both give me disappointed looks.
"You're lucky I didn't break down the door." Alice says.
"I want to go to a bar. Let's go to a bar." I suggest.
They look to each other, obviously debating whether it's a good idea or not. I'm not super crazy drunk, but I want to be. I just want to have fun and forget everything.
"Yeah alright." Maggie agrees.
"Yay!" I say excitedly.
I slip on some shoes, and grab my bag to go. None of us are dressed very nice but who cares, we're just going to get drunk and that's it. Alice calls us a cab, and we walk outside to wait.
I state at Haz's contact once again, but click out of it and onto Michaels.
Kylie: awake? Meet at the bar on Lincoln street.
Our cab arrives, and we get inside, telling the driver where to go.
Michael: I'm gonna be honest, I'm in my pajamas half asleep, but you're cute to ask me so I'll be down in 15.
I smile to myself, happy that he's coming. We get to the bar, and I instantly head straight towards the tender to get some drinks. I don't know if I'm depressed, stressed out, or what. All I know is I feel off and I want it to go away. Insert alcohol.
"Tequila." I say to the girl.
"Rough night?" She asks, pouring the liquid for me.
"Very."
Soon Alice and Maggie join me, drinking a lot lighter than I am.
"By the way I invited Michael." I say.
"You didn't." Alice groans.
"I did."
My phone buzzes and I grab it, checking the text.
Michael: I'm here, where are you?
Kylie: up at the bar.
I turn around, seeing Michael standing across the room. I put my hand up, waving to him so he can see where I'm at. Alice looks over, her mouth dropping slightly.
"Oh my god he's hot." She says.
"Told you." I giggle and he makes his way up to the bar.
"Hey." He smiles, giving me a side hug which felt more than uncomfortable.
"Hiiii." I slur slightly, grinning up at him.
"Ah, I see you've had a few drinks." He laughs.
"Only a little." I say. "This is Maggie, and Alice."
"Lovely to meet you two, can I buy everyone a drink?" He asks.
"Definitely." Alice smiles.
Michael starts ordering a few drinks and Alice leans over to me.
"Oh my god I love him." She whispers.
Michael is pretty great, and cute, and polite, I think I could really end up liking him. If I just wasn't so head over heels in love with Haz. I just need to be open to something new.
"What are you doing out so late?" He asks me.
"Bored." I shrug.
"Well I can think of a few ways for you to have some fun." He smirks.
______
A couple hours pass, and at this point I'm exhausted, drunk, and a complete mess. Alice is blackout drunk, stumbling around the bar talking to random guys, and Maggie desperately tries to round her up as she calls an Uber.
"I was thinking.. maybe you'd like to come to my place?" Michael asks me, his hand resting on my thigh.
"I would love to come and meet your dog. You have a dog right?" I stumble over my words a bit.
"No, I have a cat though." He says and I cringe.
"You're a cat person?" I ask.
"Are you not?" He asks and I shake my head no. Haz would have so much fun teasing me for being with a cat person. We always make fun of cat people.
Maggie finally got Alice back to the table, setting her down and making sure no alcoholic drinks were within her reach.
"I'm gonna go with Michael." I say.
Maggie looks between us both, her brows scrunched together.
"Kylie I think you should go home-"
"It's okay, he's a cat person, he's harmless." I slur and he laughs.
"Okay.. just call if you change your mind." She says, grabbing the overly drunk Alice and helping her out of the bar.
Michael and I walk out, and he holds my hand to steady my walking as I stumble slightly from intoxication. He opens the car door for me, and rounds to the other side.
"Pick a song." He says, connecting his phone to the Bluetooth and handing it to me.
"You think I can read right now?" I laugh hysterically.
"Pop or rap?" He asks.
"I can rap." I say.
"I've gotta see this." He laughs, putting on a song.
And so I rap the rest of the way to his house, and not very well at all. He just laughs the whole time, joining in at some parts with me. He pulls his car up to a home. It's really nice, not anywhere near as nice as Haz's but then again he doesn't make nearly as much as Haz does.
We walk through the doors, and his hands are instantly on my waist, pulling me into a sloppy rough kiss. He grabs me, laying me back onto his sofa and he rips his shirt off, reconnecting our lips. I kiss him back, not really caring what happens tonight.
"You're gonna be so much fun." He grins.