The Lodge in the Forest

After a few hours had passed by Dana finally woke up and managed to pull herself into a sitting position and lever the tumbler of water on her bedside table into her lap miserably. Oh man. This was why drinking was a bad idea. Why did she never remember this!
She felt sick and hot, her mouth dry and her eyelids sticky with sleep and old makeup. She couldn't imagine what she looked like. As long as Holden didn't...oh my god...Holden! Last night! What happened?
She remembered a kiss, but to quite honest she couldn't put a name to the face. The redhead allowed herself a small sip of water, praying for it to stay down. She hadn't...she hoped she hadn't done anything stupid. Something she might regret. She did remember being in the shower and being really upset. And then waking up alone in her own bed. That had to be a good sign...right? She willed herself to swallow down more water. What time was it? Was everyone up or was it only her that'd gotten crazy drunk? How embarrassing...She rubbed frustratedly at her aching temple and willed herself into next week. Away from alcohol and deep into her books. She didn't think it was possible to want to be back at college but right now she would give anything to be in her dorm room and not waiting for...yep, Jules to walk in. The blonde - it was still weird to think of her as one - was supporting a large glass of water and some pills.
"Dana! I didn't think you would EVER wake UP!"
"Me either." Croaked the redhead, then pressed a hand to her mouth in shock, "Oh my god. I sound like an 80 year old man!"
"Think of it as sexy-gravelly not...gross gravell-look, what happened last night with you Dana?"
Dana stared at her friend, blue eyes dazed and uncomprehending.
Jules sighed and dropped the pills onto her palm.
"Take these." Dana obeyed without question.
"How come you aren't like...dying."
"Marty." 
"Huh?"
"He made me get YOU out of the shower at 3 am and put you to bed."
Dana groaned, hands over her face.
"I'm so sorry." She said after a moment, spreading her fingers and peering at Jules through the gaps, then lowering them onto her lap, "I don't - remember what happened. Well, entirely..." Her lip caught between her teeth and she grimaced at Jules, who so far hadn't said anything encouraging like she'd hoped. 
"I was upset," she carried on quietly, "I was..." she tried to pinpoint certain moments in her cloudy memory of the night, "Sat with you guys...someone kissed me, I think - I don't remember who - and I went and sat in the shower for some...reason...and then I woke up in my bed." 
Jules looked like she was having an internal debate, her lips pursed, brow furrowed in concentration. Dana finally snapped.
"Oh for pity's sake Jules just... tell me what I did!"
"I don't know! Marty hammered on my door at 3 o'clock this morning saying I had to get you out of the shower. That you were upset or something. He looked pretty shaken like something had happened between you..."
Dana's mouth dropped open as the realisation dawned.
"Wait...are you saying I kissed MARTY?"
Jules threw up her hands.
"I dunno! He was pretty bummed out about something. And come to think of it, he does like you an awful lot."
"B-but it's Marty, I mean-."
"I know that Dana but he's still a guy. Maybe you gave him the wrong impression. Why else were you guys in the shower together?" 

Dana gulped down some more water desperately, as though this might trigger the memories to magically come back to her. The kiss was worrying. Marty? Really? I mean, out of everyone he was the least likely candidate for her...affections. Wasn't he? Now that she thought about it, she did remember Marty being with her last night. Scrunching her eyes she could see his face, blurry but concerned and...wet? Oh yeah. The shower. So Marty had come to make sure she was ok - that made sense. She had been upset...she remembered a wine bottle, drinking it under the warm spray. She remembered being angry. Irrationally so. Poor Marty. He probably thought she was insane.
And there was him trying to do the right thing.
But she didn't remember kissing him. At least, not in the shower...
"Dana. Are you alright?"
The red haired girl opened her eyes reluctantly and frowned at her friend.
"Just trying to...remember. I think Marty came to check on me and I pushed him away. That must have been when he decided to wake you. I feel terrible, Jules, he must think I'm crazy."
Jules put her hand on Dana's shoulder firmly.
"Dana, you were upset. And it's Marty we're talking about here. He's probably forgotten all about it." The blonde mimed smoking a spliff complete with some dramatic fluttering her eyelashes in mock ecstasy. Dana giggled weakly.
"I hope you're right."
Jules grinned and stood.
"Ready to join the living?" Dana nodded sheepishly and slowly heaved herself out of bed, cringing at the mess of wet clothes under her bare feet as she tottered to her closet for a clean towel and found, to her embarrassment, that she used them to clean up her own vomit which was both resourceful and...disgusting. She looked up but Jules had left. She couldn't walk out there looking like death warmed up. Shame she didn't have a choice. Checking her pyjama pants and t for any unfortunate stains she was making some sort of attempt to order her hair and wishing that she had brushed her teeth when there was a knock on the door. Feeling her stomach somersault she had a brief moment of panic when Marty said on the other side.
"Dana...open up."
Then she felt white-hot with shock and froze, a million and one replies coming to mind but nothing seemed appropriate for something she didn't entirely remember happening. There was a deadly silence. The red head heard the man shuffle around, sigh. Call her name tentatively again. This wasn't fair, she had to talk to him. She breathed in and out slowly and padded to the door, opening it even as her heart was thundering. The boy looked dishevelled and tired, face pale and eyes bloodshot but clear. No pot this morning then. When his eyes met Dana's he smiled half-heartedly.
"Hey..." Dana began, trailing off when she couldn't find the right words, "About last night...I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to...y'know...I was upset about..." Her words dried up but her eyes pleaded with him, huge blue and slightly swollen from crying.
Marty was immediately filled with remorse and any anger he felt towards her began to fade.
"Dana, it's ok..." He had an urge to hug her but fought it with a customary arm pat, "It's all...in the past." He wiggled his fingers to represent the dissipation of the event and grinned, trying to cheer her up. Dana felt relief at his words even though she didn't want to. Then her mouth decided to carry on of its own free will, as she clutched his shirt sleeve determinedly.
"It's not that I don't like you Marty," the blonde blinked, and put out a hand to interrupt but she carried on, "It's just...I'm dealing with a lot of stuff right now. I-I'm not ready to jump into anything. Well, not yet anyway." She smiled lopsidedly and Marty just stared at her, not quite sure what he'd just witnessed. He let out a surprised bark of laughter and shook her elbow to reassure her.
"That's...absolutely...fine?" Smile like you mean it.
"Thanks Marty." She swayed on the spot looking so relieved she was almost catatonic. Damn her expressive eyes. She almost looked like she wanted to...no, that wasn't possible. Marty stood, hand on her arm, feeling the feverish warmth of her skin through her t-shirt, feeling oddly like they were on the brink of something. Like something was going to happen. Then Dana appeared to re-focus, her hand dropping from his shirt to tuck her hair behind her ear as she looked at the ground and back up to his face. He pulled his own hand back and opened his mouth to depart but she spoke instead, worrying at her lip in a very...distracting way. Wait. What was wrong with him?!
"Um...I'm really sorry I bother you like this but uh...do you have a towel I could borrow, I uh...I don't have one that's uh...clean." She flushed scarlet. It took him a moment to process the request and he nodded one too many times.
"Of course," he swept his arm towards his room, "After you my lady."