Drunk

I can't tell you how long I had been staring at my phone when Zayn burst through the door.

"Stare a little harder and it just might spontaneously combust, mate." He remarked as I simply glared at his figure as it made its way straight to the fridge and retrieved two beers and chucked one to me. I tapped the top of it so it wouldn't explode when I opened it. He plopped down next to me propping his feet up on the coffee table before turning to me.

"I honestly don't know why you even want her to call you. She's the one that left without eve-" my glare was enough to make him change his direction. He shook his head to clear his thoughts before continuing. "Besides that's why I'm here now mate. All the way from England."

"You've been planning on coming out here since before me." I interjected.

He shook it off as if my point was meaningless. "Anyways I'm here now and I have just the cure for your woes." he grinned.

I sat back with a groan. I loved Zayn. He's been my best mate for years even after I left to come out to America a year before him we kept in touch. Which is rare. Also he did come out a month early when he learned I was in a state but god bless his best intentions he had a way of mucking things up even worse than they already were.

He just shook my reaction off and continued "I met this girl and she's totally fit and you know how cute girls they run in pairs. That means she probably has fit friends and she invited me to a party at hers tonight and you could find just the hook up you need to get on." He said all of this quickly in one breath and then grinned at me as if he'd solved all the world's problems.

I simply took another sip of beer and shook my head. "Not a chance in hell am I getting off this couch."

"It's been like three weeks mate." He pointed out as if the length of time mattered to me before tacking on "I've been here two weeks and I've yet to shag one American girl or attend one American party."

"What time?" I asked out of simple curiosity trying to calculate when I'd have the flat to myself to eat junk and watch Law and Order re-runs but he took this as acceptance of the plan and got up heading towards his room. He glanced up long enough to say "Be ready in an hour, and that means move. No offense mate, but you really need to shower."

I just sort of glanced down at myself still in my bathrobe from when I woke up this morning surrounded by beer cans and junk food. It was a pathetic sight. So I pried myself off the couch and went to get that shower.



It was about nine when we finally rolled up to nice condo on the beach and I couldn't help but be curious about this girl Zayn has found. Just as we were about to pull up to the curb a small piece of junk blue car zipped into the space we were intending on pulling into. Zayn backed up a little cursing under his breath and pulled in behind the small car. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the vehicle.

My attention was immediately pulled to the person that stole our spot and I watched as the door flung open and a leggy bird with long curly blonde hair stepped out cursing as she slammed the door.

She was obviously already a little too tipsy to be driving and she looked pretty agitated but my eyes where immediately drawn to her attire. She had sun glasses covering her eyes and she was in a man's shirt that hung just to her thighs. I couldn't help but assume she wasn't wearing shorts under it. I wondered to myself who shows up to a party like that.

When I looked to my left it was obvious Zayn was having the same thoughts as he observed the girl with raised eyebrows. We both shook it off and walked up the path to the house trailing behind the girl.

When we walked through the door rather than taking in the party my eyes followed the girl as she went directly for the stairs.

A boy who had to be younger than all of us was lurking on the stairs texting away on a phone. Probably texting his mum some bullshit excuse because lord knows he couldn't be legal. And when the girl paused on the stairs to acknowledge someone I watched as he slipped his phone to an odd angle no doubt to take a picture of whatever was under the man's shirt she was wearing.

In one swift motion the girl whipped around and snatched the phone from his hand effectively smashing it on the wall before handing the broken device back to him. "Go tell your mom why your phones broke." She snarled before continuing up the stairs.

I looked after her for a minute amazed and admittedly very curious. I wondered if she lived here as she obviously wasn't the girl Zayn was after. I realized I was being a creep after a minute and went to locate Zayn and some alcohol.

It didn't take long to find the kitchen where an ice chest full of ice sat on the floor and various bottles of alcohol accompanied by chasers and mixers where set out on the counters. I immediately spotted Zayn and a pretty girl with long brown wavy hair listening to a tall boy whom was talking very excitedly about something. He was obviously intoxicated waving his arms around with every statement.

I made myself a drink with a lot of vodka and a little orange juice. If I was going to make it through the night I needed at least a buzz. When I finished I walked over to Zayn and he smiled and introduced me.

"This is Cammi." He gestured to the girl next to him giving me a pointed look that said she was the fit American girl he had been on about and I had to admit she was pretty. Next he pointed to the boy they had been speaking to "and this is her brother Caleb." He smiled at me and I opened my mouth to introduce myself but was swiftly cut off.

"Where is he?" The girl from earlier demanded. I noticed she had changed into her own clothes. She was now in denim shorts and a baggy shirt.

Cammi simply pointed to the cabinet next to the refrigerator and I was slightly confused until she rushed over to it and retrieved an entire bottle of Jack Daniels immediately screwing the top off and taking a swig before returning to the group.

"I take it didn't go to well, huh?" Cammi asked the girl with raised eyebrows.

The girl let out a drunken giggle that I swear could cure cancers. She seemed in a much better mood. "Not in the slightest." She said shaking her head before continuing. "He wouldn't give me my clothes back Cammi! I had to walk through the lobby of his apartment and drive all the way here in his T-shirt and my damn undies!"

I was sitting there dumbfounded, feeling completely on the outside of a conversation I didn't understand but I couldn't tear myself away. I couldn't stop wondering what the hell they were on about and why she was so comfortable talking about the walk of shame in front of two complete strangers but she appeared to not have a single fuck to give and I think that was what was most interesting about her.

Cammi just rolled her eyes as if this was usual before finally introducing Zayn and referring to me as his friend since she had interrupted me telling them my name. I expected some look of realization to sweep her features once she noticed she had been speaking of her escapades in front of total strangers but she simply completely by passed any acknowledgement to Zayn and turned straight to me. She took another sip of her jack while her gaze raked up and down my body clearly and unashamedly checking me out.

She smirked before asking "You a Brit as well, yeah?"

I chuckled slightly before responding. "Yes. I'm Harry."

She furrowed her brows and scrunched her nose slightly in the most adorable way. "Are you stoned or do you always speak that slow? Is that like a British thing?"

I noticed at this point just how much Jack was missing from the bottle. Realizing she was past the point of tipsy and well on her was to slushed I let out a full laugh this time shaking my head. "No love, I'm not stoned." I replied before adding. "I actually get that a lot but it's just my voice."

And I'm sure she only took note of my first two words because she turned straight to Cammi with her mouth in a perfect O. "The Brit just called me love." She informed her as if she hadn't just witnessed it and I saw Zayn chuckle while Cammi just shook her head.

With this the girl grabbed my wrist before announcing she was going for a 'joe'? and 'taking the Brit with her.'

I stumbled out of shock for a second before finding my feet and moving slightly faster to keep up. She moved across the kitchen to a pair of sliding glass doors opening them to reveal a large porch that sat on the beach. She led me to the rail and handed me the bottle of Jack.

She responded to my raised eyebrows with "You don't look drunk enough."

I smiled slightly "What if I said I didn't want to be drunk?" I asked her eyebrows still raised.

She reached in her pocket revealing a pack of cigarettes and a small lighter. I cringed almost wanting to inform her that they killed but I already knew enough of her to know she wouldn't care in the slightest. She brought the cancer stick to her lips and held it there one hand flicking the clipper of the lighter and the other shielding the flame from the wind. She inhaled the smoke and blew it out slowly watching it curl into the air before opening her mouth to speak again.

"I'd say you're lying. Drunk is the very best thing to be." She responded simply as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

To this I simply shook my head with a small chuckle but took a big sip of the Jack anyway. She was a lot to take in the best possible way. I couldn't help but wonder how she was even standing much less forming coherent sentences. That's some tolerance she must have built up.

"I never did catch your name, love." I said throwing the 'love' in there simply because of how she reacted to it earlier.

"Kingsley." She offered but before I could respond I was interrupted.

The tall lad from earlier, Caleb I believe, all but flung himself on the rail next to her. "Ashton's here Kenny he says he's finally gun' pierce my tits." He slurred and by the look on Kingsley's face I assume this has been a long time coming.

Without another word she took another drag from her cigarette before tossing it and following him. She got half way to the door before glancing over her shoulder and throwing me a simple wave.

After a moment I walked in and set the bottle of Jack that was still in my hand on the counter before heading into the living room where a crowd had formed.

I spotted Kingsley and Caleb immediately in the center of the crowd on the couch. She was sitting on the back of the couch with a leg on either side of Caleb holding both his hands as he sat in the couch. A very tan heavily tattooed lad was kneeling in front of him with a needle and some things that looked like clamps.

I made my way to lean against the wall by the stairs and watched on since Zayn nor Cammi where anywhere to be found. I couldn't help but notice how even though Caleb there was getting his nipples pierced Kingsley still seemed to be the light and center of the room. Something about her was just captivating.

I was watching so intently I didn't realize there was now a girl leaning against the wall next to me so unnecessarily close until her arm brushed mine. I turned giving her a polite "Hi" and she continued to apologize as if it were an accident. She was fit enough with a small waste and long black hair but something about her smile made me feel uncomfortable. Like she could see me naked just by looking at me.

"Amber." She introduced herself sticking her hand out but I kept my gaze forward fixed on Kingsley and Caleb pretending I didn't see it out of the corner of my eye. I simply replied with "Harry."

I was hoping she would get the hint and move along and I'm not sure if it worked or not because someone squealed her name from across the room and she took off towards the source.

I watched her leave for a second before returning my attention to Kingsley only to see she was watching Amber as well but with a full on glare. I briefly wondered what that was about before Caleb's yelp redirected my focus to his situation as the boy I assume to be Ashton was sliding a stud into his right nipple. I cringed and my own body ached at the sight but Kingsley just giggled and told him to man up.



It was probably only around two in the morning when everyone had left except for Ashton who was passed out in the recliner and a girl I didn't know who was asleep on the second couch and Kingsley whom was somehow still going. Holding the now more than half empty bottle of Jack attempting to sweep up a glass she had broken in her drunken state, barefoot. I had stuck around till the end seeing as I was Zayn's ride home but neither him or Cammi had ever showed up again.

I was grabbing my car keys to leave when I noticed her. "Let me help." I offered.

She jumped back grabbing her chest. "Jesus, I thought everyone left."

I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm kind of Zayn's ride home and I was hoping he'd turn up but I'm not willing to search the rooms for him." I responded awkwardly as I took the broom from her and started to sweep the shards.

She hopped on the counter and took another swig of her jack before nodding in the direction of the stairs. "He's up there with Cammi." She smirked "He won't be out tonight."

I laughed "I figured." I was dumping the glass in the trash and about to grab my keys to leave when she stopped me.

"Drinking game?" She asked.

I gaped at her for a second before gaining my composure. "How are you even standing?" I asked.

She hopped off the counter and grabbed two shot glasses before turning to me and answering. "The trick is to drink really slow. It's not fun to be sloppy drunk. It's fun to be just the right amount of drunk all night long. Plus I know my limits and get lots of practice." She flashed me a dimpled smile before pulling me back out onto the porch and sitting at a table. I sat across from her and watched as she lit a cigarette and filling both glasses to the brim.

"Okay." She began rubbing her hands together and passing my glass to me before setting the alcohol in the middle. "It goes like this. I tell you something about myself and you say true or false. If you're right I drink and if you're wrong I drink and vice versa. Got it?"

I simply nodded.

She sat there for a second contemplating before speaking. "I'm twenty." She stated and I automatically said false assuming she was using something as easily mistaken as age to get me. She smirked and simply told me to drink.

We went on like this for a while. I learned that she cut hair at a store called 'The Chop Shop' for a living and that her parent where never married. I learned that she had her first taste of alcohol at thirteen when her and Caleb stole wine coolers from the fridge during one of her mom's parties and that she went to college but dropped out after only three months as it was 'stuffy and miserable and just not her thing' and I told her about how I also dropped out of college in favor of moving to America and that I made my living off of painting selling a few here and there but mostly teaching an amateurs class in the city and how my whole family was back in England and even though they kept up the pretense of keeping in touch the only one who really wanted to was my sister as my parents were still very disappointed in me leaving college and using the fund I had saved to come here.

These where small things that most any one knew but I was completely engrossed in our little game. I found myself hanging on everything she said over analyzing whether it would be true or false. I found myself wanting to know all the little details she would offer me.

This is why I'm not quite sure when we gave up on the shot glasses and started drinking straight from the bottle and this is why I'm not sure when reaching across the table for the bottle became such a bother my chair wound up next to hers so close our knees were touching.

She was leaning on the table with her Chin resting on her palm. "I want to kiss you." She stated simply.

"True." I grinned watching as she took a slow sip studying me carefully.

I was a little taken aback by her guts and I stared at her for a second trying to decide what to do but I didn't have to react because she set the bottle down and leaned forward not hesitating for a moment before pressing her lips to mine. I sat shocked for a minute before my brain processed to tell my lips to move. She brought her hands up my neck and allowed my tongue entrance to her mouth. The kiss was fast and urgent and sloppy like most drunken snogs are. She tasted of Jack and menthol cigarettes and though I hated both they tasted right on her lips.

I moved my hands to her hips and she shifted to sit on the table bringing me with her as I stood in between her thighs gripping her hips. I moved my tongue with hers wanting to feel every inch of her mouth while rubbing small circles on the exposed skin by her hipbone where her shirt had slid up. I felt her hands tug at the hem of my shirt and I when I didn't remove the clothing her hands ventured to my belt buckle and I grabbed both her wrist in one hand brought them up and held them against my chest leaving my other on her waist.

She looked up at me with her brows furrowed and I took a second to put my words together carefully but the alcohol I had consumed through the night had my head buzzing and my heart was still racing and my breath still lost from the short moment we were connected. My breath was coming out slightly ragged.

"We're both drunk Kingsley." I told her calmly letting go of her wrist. "And were outside on a porch for Christ sake." I added with a slight chuckle.

She grinned that dimpled smile I liked so much before standing up. "I do live here you know. My rooms up stairs." She informed me before wrapping her arms around my neck and pushing up on her toes to press her lips back to mine but before she could I put my hands firmly back on her hips and pushed her down flat on her feet.

"You're slushed Kingsley." I reiterated what she seems to miss or simply ignore the first time. She hid it well but her slight slur and sway hadn't gone unnoticed on my part even in my drunken state. I'd slept with drunk girls before and something about Kingsley told me she did this all time and one more wouldn't affect her in the slightest but I didn't want that. As strange as it was I wanted to have an effect on her. I didn't want to be another drunken bang and awkward goodbye in the morning. Regardless if this ended up meaning something or not I wanted to drag it out a little longer. I wanted a little more time to be around her and to get to know her. I felt like rejection was something she didn't hear often and if nothing else I wanted her to remember me as the one who wouldn't.

I waited for that look that girls got after being turned down to sweep her features. That look that means they're questioning their selves and your motives and the embarrassment of having put their selves out there and failed but she just laughed slightly and shook her head glancing at the ground then back at me.

"Your respect is adorable curly but you should know I can handle myself and if anything I would be more worried if I were doing this sober." She headed for the glass door before turning back to me with a bright smile. "I'm going to bed. It's the second door on the right if you change your mind if not the couch is yours."

I stared after her for a second in awe before walking inside and weighing my options. I was sobered up for the most part and I had good faith I could make it home. Plus the prospect of sleeping on a couch with two more people already passed out in the room and one of them snoring loudly wasn't enticing in the slightest. I didn't think I could be here much longer and resist the urge to go find Kingsley's room upstairs either so I sighed or grabbed my keys from the counter.