Black Keys

We arrived at the club and soon all had drinks. Thinking I would be able to have a few drinks and handle them, I got a WKD while the others had coke. After my first, Claire went to get another round. She brought back our drinks before taking Jordan hers while she was talking to Pink near the DJ. When she came back from taking Jordan’s drink to her, I was obviously swaying slightly having not drunk properly for months. I know had another drink in my hand.

“Lauren, are you drunk?” Claire laughed.

“Not yet.” I smiled.

“Shot game?” Claire asked me, I nodded. Jonathan and Alex pulled their seats around the table joining in.

“1, 2, 3.” Alex said. We knocked back our shots before sucking on a piece of lemon.

When Jordan came back only Claire and I were left in the game after Alex and Jonathan gave up after their seventh shots. Claire and I were currently on our thirteenth.

“What are you two doing, what happened to not drinking?” Jordan said, pointing to the shot glasses and bottle of vodka that was now empty.

“Well what happened to them calling us every day! I think we deserve a bit of fun.” Claire slurred as Jordan pulled us up.

“Where we going?” I quizzed.

“Home, you two are going to have a hangover in the morning.” Jordan said.

“Forever true, over here was it a good night. You all look beautiful tonight, Claire you have changed your hair colour does Joe like it? Alex, Jonathan do you date these two girls?” The paparazzi shouted.

“It was an amazing night.” I slurred.

“Shit! I forgot to tell Joe.” Claire said suddenly.

“Are you and Joe dating Claire?” A pap asked.

“No, Lauren and Claire are single. Joe is our driver.” Jordan covered the mistake while Claire dialled a number.

“Hello.” She slurred into the phone.

Jordan snatched the phone before talking into it.

“Yes, we are ready to be picked up now thank you.” And then hung up. Our driver pulled up minutes later.

We got into the car, Jordan still holding Claire’s phone while I leant my head against the cold window of the car. She defiantly wasn’t happy. Alex and Jonathan were getting dropped at their hotel. The ride home was quite, only once inside the apartment did Jordan begin to rant.

“I can’t leave you alone for two minutes can I? You were so lucky the paparazzi believed that story Claire. Don’t call Joe until you are sober.” She handed Claire her phone back.

Claire collapsed onto the couch while Jordan turned her anger on me. “I hope you have a hangover in the morning!”

Once Jordan had, had a go at me, I wandered up to my room where I collapsed onto my bed, falling into a deep alcohol educed sleep.

I awoke to my phone buzzing on my bed next to my, grumbling, I felt around the bed for it as the previous nights events whirled around my hung over mind.

“Hello?” I said groggily once I found my phone.

“Why did you do it Lauren? After what happened the last time you got drunk as well.” Kevin said, I could hear the sadness in his voice.

“I don’t know, I guess I thought I could handle the drink still but I couldn’t and then we done a shot game with Alex and Jonathan and I just kept drinking until Jordan came and made us leave. Im sorry.” I ranted, taking a deep breath once I finished.

“I just don’t understand it Lauren. I guess I cant control it though. Just please don’t do it again. You girls are on all the gossip sights this morning. Joe’s annoyed because Claire told everyone they’re dating and you both got drunk and Jordan’s annoyed, she’s already been on the phone to Nick.” Kevin sighed.

“Im sorry, I don’t plan on doing that again. Claire didn’t mean to tell the paparazzi about her and Joe. They were asking if Joe likes her hair and she said something about forgetting to tell him and they just got it from that. Tell him to ease up on her with that. And ill go and say sorry to Jordan.” I mumbled.

“Ok, well ive got to go, ill talk to you in a few days or something. Bye.” Kevin said.

“Bye, I love you.” I said, but Kevin hung up just as I said I love you.

During the next few months, I spoke to Kevin maybe once a week for ten minutes if I was lucky while Jordan spoke to Nick everyday and Claire spoke to Joe twice, both times ending in them shouting down the phone to one another. Alex and Jonathan have been coming around a lot, constantly apologising for letting us drink at the party. Claire and Jonathan have gotten a lot closer while Alex and I are a lot like old friends that have seen each other again after a long time apart, we are close but aren’t that close.

Today, the boys are coming back. We’re going around to see them once they’re home. Claire’s been nervous all morning, afraid that by seeing Joe they are just going to argue while Jordan’s completely ecstatic about seeing Nick and im not unsure how to be because Kevin and I aren’t really like normal anymore, at least we haven’t been.

After 2 hours of waiting, Jordan got a text from Nick telling her that we could go over and see them now. We left the apartment, Jordan going straight to the driver’s door while I climbed into the back and Claire got into the passengers seat. I fiddled with my hoodie sleeves the whole ride there. When Jordan pulled up, she cut the engine, climbing out instantly as Nick came outside, pulling Jordan into a hug straight away.

Claire and I walked inside, staying right by each other, going to the kitchen where Nick said Kevin and Joe were sat. We walked in, in silence. Kevin looked up, his expression unreadable as we walked in. I smiled at him shyly standing by the door while Claire stood next to me, feeling just as awkward.

“Hi.” Kevin smiled warily after a moment of silence.

“Hi.” I said back quietly.

“Do you want to come upstairs so we can talk?”

“Sure.” I muttered, following him out of the room.

When we reached Kevin’s room, he walked in, sitting down on the bed. I stood by the door awkwardly.

“Im sorry.” I muttered after a moment’s silence.

“For what?”

“Getting drunk.” I said in almost a whisper.

“Don’t worry about it.” Kevin said, almost as quietly as I had.

Things were a lot different between us than the last time we had seen each other. Gently, I pulled the earrings he brought for me out of my ears, sliding them into the pockets of my jeans. Before I could speak again, I heard shouting.

Claire and Joe’s voices echoed around the house. I turned on my heel, running out of Kevin’s room and down the stairs just as Claire ran out of the house, tears pouring from her eyes, the keys for our car in her hand. I ran behind Claire, taking the keys from her hand just as she climbed into the driver’s seat.

“You cant drive like this, move to the passengers seat.” I instructed.

Claire did as I told her, strapping in as I started the engine, tears still pouring from her eyes. Seeing her like this made me want to cry but I stayed strong, keeping the tears from my eyes as I began driving home. We both slid on our sun glasses as we left the Jonas’ drive way to stop the paparazzi seeing our eyes, Claire’s tears stained while mine were beginning to water.