Count Me the Hours

I had just stepped out of the shower when Garrett called to tell me that he was already on his way. It was barely 6:30.

“Dammit,” I said to myself, tugging my jeans up my hips. “Whatever happened to men always being late?”

I was drying my hair when I heard my door open and close. I turned off the hair dryer and walked into my room, opening my mouth to greet him. Instead of seeing Garrett standing there awkwardly as always, I saw Mila sprawled out on my bed.

“Can I help you?” I asked, rolling my eyes.

“How was your day with Garrett?” she questioned, looking up from the screen of her phone.

“Fine,” I said hesitantly, wondering if she had a hidden agenda.

“Are you hanging out with him tonight too?”

“Yes. He's on his way now,” I told her before returning to the bathroom.

“Oh? What are you doing with your hair? What about make-up?” she quizzed, following me into the bathroom.

“Straightening it. Not sure yet. We're going to a party, so it doesn't really matter,” I said, running the straightener over my hair.

“Of course it matters! A party is hook up central! You could make him jealous somehow, then he'd really want you. And I think a push-up bra would work wonders for you.”

“I really don't care, Mila,” I informed her, my temper starting to run a bit short.

“Well, why not?” she pressed on. She pulled herself onto the counter, swinging her feet idly.

“Because I didn't come here to find love, to get a boyfriend, or to get laid. I came here to put on a fake smile and pretend that I'm okay with the fact that you're marrying the guy I dated for three years,” I spat at her before I could stop myself.

Her expression changed and she looked hurt. I let out a sigh but didn't apologize, simply because there was no need for me to do so. I finished straightening my hair in silence and Mila stayed put. As I finished my make-up, Mila looked over at me.

“You're not okay with me marrying John, are you?” she asked quietly.

I scoffed, closing my make-up case. “Why would I be? Why would anybody be okay with that? You've only been dating for a few weeks, how can you possibly be 'in love'?”

“I don't know, but we are,” she responded defensively. “I thought you'd be happy for me, Lu!”

“Mila, you and I both know that this entire wedding shit is just another reason for the entire world to revolve around you. You don't love each other, it's lust.”

“What would you know about it anyway?”

“Sis, I was in love with John for two and a half years. I know what I'm talking about.” To my relief, I heard the honk of Garrett's horn. “I'm leaving, so get the fuck out of my room,” I snapped at her, grabbing my bag and starting down the stairs.

“What's up with you?” Garrett asked when I climbed into his car, slamming the door behind me harder than I should have.

“Can you just drive?” I asked, my voice sharp as I fastened my seat belt.

“You got it,” he said, offering a smile.

As he pulled away from the curb, I cranked the stereo volume up, running a hand through my hair with a sigh.

“Are you okay?” he asked, minutes later, turning down the volume again.

“Yeah,” I said, staring out the window.

“Tell me the truth, Tallulah,” Garrett said firmly, easily seeing past my tough exterior.

“Mila thought I was okay with her marrying John. We just had a big argument about it and I really don't want to deal with her, or my mom, or John. I just want to go home,” I admitted with a heavy sigh.

Garrett glanced over at me and pulled into the turn lane. He pulled into a gas station and parked. Without stopping the engine, he opened his door and walked around to open mine. He leaned down to unbuckle my seat belt, so low that I could smell the spicy scent of his soap.

He pulled my wrist, tugging me out of the car. He wrapped one arm around my waist, the other around my neck, pulling me to him in a tight hug. He held me tightly for several minutes before releasing me, kissing my forehead as he did.

“You'll be okay, kid,” he promised, smiling down at me.

“You can't be calling me 'kid', I'm older than you, boy,” I joked, punching him softly in the stomach.

“I'm still taller than you. Kid,” he dared to repeat, ruffling my hair.

“I'm gonna punch you again,” I warned, raising an eyebrow.

“NO! Don't do that! It hurt so bad!” he yelled dramatically, taking a step backwards.

I laughed quietly.”I can make it hurt, trust me.”

He paused. “That's what she said,” he said with a smirk. We both burst into giggles.

Once we'd regained our composure, we returned to his car, still giggling occasionally. We returned to the road and after a quick stop at Starbucks, I was sipping on a iced dark cherry mocha.

"Do you really want to go home?" Garrett asked after a while.

"I do," I said, being honest.

"I don't want you to though."

I smiled over at him sweetly. "I just can't deal with their constant drama and chaos.

"Well, don't you dare leave in the middle of the night with no warning like you did for college. If you do, I'll hunt you down and drag you back," he threatened, not intimidating in the slightest.

"I won't," I assured him.

"Promise?" he asked, holding his pinkie out.

"I promise," I said, looping my pinkie through his.

A few hours later, Garrett and I had been separated at the party. Garrett had gone of somewhere while I sat at a table with a rather drunk Eric Halvorsen.

"Lulu,' he said, sounding very whiny.

"Yeah, Eric?" I asked with a sigh, looking over at him.

"You're really pretty," he told me, taking another swig of beer.

"Thank you," I responded awkwardly.

He stepped closer to me. "You're funny and sweet. You have a nice butt and rack too. I want you to have my babies," he said, all of his words slurred together. "I'm gonna kiss you now."

All of a sudden, he leaned in and I leaned away. His lips landed on my chin. I let out a very awkward laugh and tried to push against his shoulders.

"Whoa there," someone said as Eric was pulled away from me.

"Kenny!" Eric roared when he realized who had pulled him away.

"Hey dude," Kennedy said with a quiet laugh.

"Bro, you are so cock-blocking me right now!" he whispered to Kennedy, not so quietly. "We were just about to find a room and everything."

"Sorry, buddy," Kennedy apologized, clapping him on the shoulder. "But, I'm gonna take Lu off your hands for a bit, 'kay?"

"Okay," Eric said with a quiet sigh. "Bye, Lulu."

"Thank you," I told Kennedy, laughing as I stood up.

"I got yo back, girl," he told me with a nod, attempting to be gangster. "Want to dance?

I smiled, looking at the make-shift dance floor. "May as well."

Kennedy took my hand and we found a spot near the front. With a quiet laugh, he put one hand on my hip, the other on my waist.

"This is so awkward," he said after two songs.

"Yeah," I agreed with a laugh.

"Time for drinks?"

"I think so," I said, nodding.

He took my hand again and guided me through the crowd toward the kitchen. He handed me a cup and as I took a drink, I said Garrett. He waved to me, nearly falling over as he did.

"Oh dear," I said with a sigh, putting my cup down and walking towards him.

"Hey Tallulah!" he said excitedly as I approached.

"Hey Gare-bear. How many have you had?"

He started to count on his fingers before giving up and simply saying, "A lot."

I couldn't help but laugh as I held out my hand. "Keys," I demanded.

He sighed before fishing through his pockets and dropping his keys in my hand. I frowned, pushing his hair off of his slightly sweaty forehead.

"Be good," I told him before he headed back to the beerpong game he'd abandoned.

"You're like his mother," Kennedy joked when I returned to the kitchen.

"Just a considerate best friend."

Twenty minutes later, Kennedy had run off and I was left sitting on the porch. I heard the sliding glass door open and Garrett walked out onto the porch. He sat down beside me on the lawn chair and rested his head on my shoulder.

"You ready to go?" I asked after a moment's silence. He nodded wordlessly and I sighed. "Can you walk?"

"I think," he said, standing up. He could stand, but seemed to wobble. I pulled his arm over my shoulder and began the journey out to his car.

I managed to get him into the backseat and as I drove, I could hear him snoring softly. When I pulled up to the curb at my house, I was faced with the dilemma of getting Garrett out of the backseat, up the driveway, up the stairs, and into my room.

"Garrett," i hissed at him, trying to figure out how I was going to do this thing. He didn't react in any way.

I sighed, crawling into the backseat, starting at his feet. I hovered over him, smacking his cheeks lightly.

"Garrett, wake up!"

He groaned quietly, trying to roll over. I stopped him, hitting him a bit harder. Finally, he opened his eyes, slowly but surely.

He stared up at me for a moment before running his fingertips over my cheek.

"Hello beautiful," he said with a charming smile.

"Hey stud," I returned with a quiet laugh. "Time for you to get to bed."

"Where are we?" he asked, struggling to sit up as I crawled out of the vehicle.

"My house. We're having another sleepover," I told him as I helped him get out of the car. He simply nodded, putting an arm around my shoulders for support as we started up the driveway.

By the time we reached my room at the top of the stairs, I basically threw Garrett and his dead-weight onto the bed. I groaned, stretching out my back. I changed out of my jeans and tank top and into sweats, and by that time, Garrett was already out.

Rather than letting him sleep in his clothes, which reeked of booze and smoke, I tugged his jeans down his hips and his shirt over his head. To make it less awkward for the both of us in the morning, I managed to get him into a pair of basketball shorts.

I flicked off the lights and crawled into bed.

"Tallulah?" Garrett whispered after five minutes of darkness.

"Yeah, Garrett?" I asked with a sigh. I rolled over, hoping he'd pass out again soon.

"You're beautiful," he told me, his words a bit slurred.

"And you're drunk, sunshine. Now go to sleep."

"You take such good care of me. I don't know what I'd do without you."

It would have been very sweet to hear that if it hadn't been induced by the alcohol.

"You'd be just fine without me, now it's time to go to sleep," I said, rolling over again.

I heard him take a breath to respond, but only sighed and wrapped an arm around my waist tightly. I waited until I heard his breathing even out before I let myself fall asleep.