Something Ends, Another Begins

Cameron's P.O.V.

"I can walk fine on my own, thank you very much," Ali protested as she stepped out of my car and I attempted to hold onto her waist to prevent her from stumbling.

"Okay, go ahead," I told her as I watched her try to walk up to her front door, knowing very well what was going to happen. Sure enough, Ali didn't walk three steps before tripping over her own two feet. Fortunately, I caught her right before she hit the ground. "Ali, you can't even walk a straight line."

"It's not my fault," she slurred. "My feet got in the way." She wrapped both of her arms around my neck as I held onto her waist, leading her up to her front door. "And I could walk a straight line perfectly."

"No, you can't," I replied. "You're drunk."

Ali gasped dramatically at my comment. "I am not drunk. I'm one-hundred percent sober. You're the one who's drunk."

"Yeah, okay, Ali. I'm drunk." When we reached the front door, I asked, "Do you have your keys?"

"Nope," Ali replied. "They're still at Christie's. I would've gotten them if you hadn't been so pushy and impatient and practically dragging me out of the house like a crazy person."

I rolled my eyes. "Where is the spare key?"

"How should I know?" Ali shouted, irritated. "I've never had to use it."

"Okay, lean on this," I said as I pushed Ali against the wall so she wouldn't fall while I tried to look for the spare key. It didn't take me long until I slid my hand above the door and found it.

Just as I was unlocking the door, I heard Ali groan, "Cameron, I don't feel so good." I turned to her and she looked very sick, clutching her stomach.

"You're gonna be okay," I told her as I held onto her again and walked with her inside her house. As I shut the door and turned on the lights, I asked, "Where's your mom?"

Ali didn't reply at first since she was too busy flopping down on the stairs, as if she were lying on a bed. "She's somewhere in Vermont visiting Grandma." Ali told me this while I read a note written by her mom in the kitchen that basically told Ali she'd be gone for the weekend and to spend the fifty dollars left on the counter on groceries only. "Cameron, please don't leave," Ali whimpered, still sprawled out on the stairs. "I don't want you leaving me with some other stupid girl in a short dress and heels."

I watched her, confused as to why she would say something like that. "I won't leave," I assured as I walked over to her.

"Good," she sighed before slowly standing up. "I'm gonna go lay down," she mumbled. She attempted to go up the stairs but that didn't go over well. She couldn't even walk one step without tripping and falling back down on the stairs. "Ow!" she shouted.

I tried not to laugh as I rushed over to her and helped her back up. Ali started laughing and mumbled to me, "I fell."

"Yeah," I replied as I lifted her up and carried her up the stairs. I asked her where her room was and, for a split second, she looked confused and tried to work out the answer to my question.

"Oh," she said, enlightened, and pointed down the hall to my left where there was only one room.

Once we were inside her room, I gently set her down and turned on the light. I've never been inside her room before so I took a second to scan the area a little bit. As I was scanning the room, Ali started to make her way to her bed.

"Cameron," she said softly, "I'm so tired." She threw herself on her bed and started to make herself comfortable. Not knowing what to do, I just stood awkwardly at her bedroom door. I couldn't leave yet, though. She was still completely wasted and I needed to keep an eye on her.

My phone suddenly started beeping and I quickly pulled it out of my pocket. I saw that it was Jenny calling me. "Hello?" I said.

"Hey, Cam," Jenny replied, "come to Ali's driveway. I'm here with her car."

I hung up the phone and said, "Ali, I'm going to be right back, okay? Stay right here."

"Okay," she said slowly.

I quickly ran downstairs and out the front door. I saw Jenny getting out of Ali's car. Jenny tossed me Ali's keys as she started walking towards me. I then saw Zachary pull up behind my car. He got out of his car and started walking towards me and Jenny."How is she?" Jenny asked.

"Not well. She's your typical drunk teenager. It's nothing I can't handle, though. She'll be alright," I replied.

"I just don't understand why she would let herself drink this much. She's always been smart about alcohol and stuff."

"It was most likely that asshole Rick who convinced her to drink for the first time," I said, getting irritated at just the thought of him.

"Ew," Jenny exclaimed, "Ali was with Rick? Christie didn't tell me that. Why would Ali want to be with Rick?"

"I have no idea."

"I'm not surprised Rick was involved," Zachary stated. "I had gym with the guy sophomore year and he would always brag about getting a girl drunk, screwing her, and then leaving before she sobered up. The guy is really a tool."

"Oh, great," I said to Zach. "Now I have an even bigger reason to kick his ass."

"Cam, I don't think that is such a good idea," Jenny said. "You were already suspended for getting into a fight. Ali's a smart girl, she's not going to go near him again. Don't worry about that jerk, just worry about Ali and make sure she gets better."

"She's right," Zach said. "He's not worth it, man."

"Yeah, I guess," I sighed.

"Well, we better get going," Jenny said. "We promised Christie we would help her get everyone to leave and then help her clean the house. But, listen, tell Ali to call me and Chris tomorrow."

"Alright, I'll tell her," I said. After Jenny and Zach drove off, I walked back inside Ali's house.

After I closed the front door, I heard Ali yell, "Cameron! Is that you? I need help!"

I quickly ran upstairs to Ali's bedroom. "Whoa!" I exclaimed, startled, and quickly closed my eyes and turned around. Right when I entered Ali's room, for that brief second before I shut my eyes, I saw Ali laying down in front of me wearing only her bra, underwear, and pants which were down to her knees. "Ali, w-what are you doing?" I stuttered, my voice getting a little high-pitched.

"I can't take these damn pants off," Ali groaned, frustrated. "Can you please help me take them off?"

Now this is when I knew Ali was drunk beyond belief. The sober Ali would make me wait outside her house whenever she would be changing clothes. There's no way in hell Sober Ali would ask me to help her change out of her clothes. I wondered if Ali was just testing me and, if I did try to help her, she would slap me senseless.

"Uh, you know," I said, still covering my eyes, "I think I'll just wait out here."

"No," Ali cried, "you need to help me! They won't come off!"

"Ali, I know you really wouldn't want me to help you with...that."

I heard some ruffling around and I suddenly felt my hands being torn from my face. Ali was now standing in front of me. Still in her bra and underwear. I avoided eye contact by looking up since she tightly held my hands in her own. "Cameron," Ali said, "stop being so immature! I'm not going to get mad at you or anything. I'm asking you for help. Come on, it's not like I'm naked."

I sighed heavily and reluctantly let Ali pull me to her bed. I decided to be mature and grown up about the situation and not let the image of Ali in her bra and underwear take over my mind. Thankfully, it didn't take long to get Ali's pants off, but it was extremely and dreadfully awkward.

Once the whole pants situation was over with, I quickly gave Ali a t-shirt and pajama pants that I found lying on her chair. "Thank you, Cameron!" Ali exclaimed, a little too cheerfully. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that she had both hands behind her back for some reason. She then groaned out of frustration. "Now, can you help me unhook my bra. I can't do it." Was she serious?

"Are you kidding me?" I said out loud to The Big Guy Upstairs, not caring if Ali heard. I then turned to Ali and, while leading her to her bathroom, said, "You know, Ali, you're gonna have to figure that one out on your own. I'll be right out here. You just get changed." Once Ali was inside the bathroom, I closed the door behind her and waited in her bedroom. I sat on her chair and thought about how Josh would be the perfect guy to take care of Ali in this situation. Hell, if Josh were still here, Ali wouldn't even get drunk. Before tonight, my definition of taking care of a pretty girl who happened to be drunk would be to make-out with her. Then, I realized that's exactly what Rick was trying to do with Ali. I almost felt sick at the thought that I actually used to be on his level. It made me so angry to think that Rick was actually intending to go all the way with Ali. She's so much better than him and she's so much better than getting drunk at some party. She doesn't deserve to be used at a party just for one night and then tossed away in the morning afterwards.

My thoughts were interrupted by the familiar sound of someone throwing up. I rushed to the bathroom door and knocked three times. "Ali, can I come in?"

It was silent for a couple seconds before I heard Ali groan, "Yes."

I opened the door and found Ali sitting in front of the toilet (I was also relieved to see that she was now wearing her t-shirt and pants). One of her hands was clutching her stomach while the other hand was holding onto the bathtub next to the toilet. Her face looked really pale and she was breathing heavily. I made my way over to her and sat down next to her.

"Cameron, my stomach really hurts," Ali said quietly as she shut her eyes, looking pained.

I nodded knowingly and said, "Yeah, I know exactly how you feel." I paused and added, "Maybe you should take tonight as a lesson; don't ever drink more than you can handle."

Right after I said that, Ali quickly leaned over the toilet bowl again and threw up some more. I was quick to hold her hair back and made sure not to look directly in the toilet. After she was finished, I gently rubbed her back and asked, "A little better?" She slightly nodded her head in response. "Do you feel like you have to puke more?" I asked. She thought for a couple seconds before slowly shaking her head 'no'. "Okay, let's get you to bed." I said as I flushed the toilet and grabbed her hand to gently pull her up. While we walked back to her bedroom, I gave her a couple of breath mints.

Ali didn't let go of my hand until we reached her bed and she laid down. I covered her up with blankets and grabbed the trash can near her computer desk and placed it near her bed in case she needed to throw up later on. I turned off the light and walked back over to her. "Are you feeling okay now?"

Ali smiled up at me and nodded. "Yeah, thanks to you." She grabbed my hand again.

I stood looking at how we were practically holding hands for a few seconds before telling her, "Okay, Ali, I'm going to take off now. I want to be home before Liz gets off her night shift."

Ali gave me a sad look and held onto my hand a little tighter. "Please, don't go yet," she said. "Can you please just stay here with me for a while? At least until I fall asleep."

I sighed and looked at the clock which indicated that it was one o' clock in the morning. Liz wouldn't be leaving the hospital until two o' clock and it usually takes her a half hour to get home. I looked at Ali and I nodded. "Okay, I'll stay for a little longer." I grabbed an extra pillow from Ali's bed and placed it on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Ali asked me, looking at the pillow on the ground.

"I'm going to lay down," I said slowly, as if it wasn't already obvious.

"Don't lay down on the ground. Lay here next to me. It will be just like that one time I slept over your house."

I hesitantly grabbed the pillow and placed it back on Ali's bed. I then slowly climbed into bed next to her and she covered me up with the sheets. A couple of seconds later, I was surprised to see Ali wrap her arm around my waist and rest her head on my chest. I was practically frozen and stiff, not knowing what to do.

After minutes of silence, I heard Ali very quietly say, "You're such a good guy, Cameron." She wasn't looking at me, but I know that's what she said. I didn't know how to respond to that, so I stayed quiet. "You're so nice," she continued, "and funny and I'm really glad we don't fight anymore." I was still silent, waiting to hear if there was anything more she had to say. "And for the record," she said, now looking up at me, "even though we put each other through hell over the years, I never really hated you."

She didn't wait for a response from me and I don't really think she was expecting one. She just said what she had to say and resumed resting her head on my chest. I was confused because I've actually lost count of how many times Ali would angrily scream at me and tell me she hates me over the four and a half years we've known each other.

I found myself still pondering over what Ali told me when I looked at the clock and realized it was two-fifteen in the morning. I looked down at Ali, who was now fast asleep. I slowly and gently moved her head to lay on her pillow and I was careful getting out of bed, making sure not to wake her.

I wrote her a quick note to read in the morning basically saying that I took her home and to call me whenever she wakes up. I looked at her again before I left and carefully brushed a piece of hair off her face. Then, without thinking, I bent down and gave her a brief, gently kiss on the forehead before walking out of her room, down the stairs, out of her house, and towards my car.

It's been a long night.