Drunk

I woke up in the same fashion I did most mornings. In last night's clothes with last night's makeup caked and smeared on my face and half of my body hanging off the mattress with a pounding headache a dry mouth and a chill set in my bones.

I wanted to dig every blanket out of my closet and remain in bed all day but my stomach was screaming other plans.

I lunged myself from my bed and ran for the bathroom. Thankfully the door was right next to mine. I wrenched the door open and briefly took in the sight of Cammi's Brit from last night standing in the bathroom in a pair of Caleb's shorts obviously having just stepped out of the shower before I ran to the sink and immediately emptied the contents of my stomach into the sink having not been able to reach the toilet.

After a second I felt my hair being pulled from my face and a hand gently rest on my back. Immediately my mind flew to the many nights I had done the same for my mother as she drank through her divorces or after all those wild nights she forgot to act her own age or for Cammi after our graduation party or the night a few weeks after when the boy she had dated for the second half of high school dumped her to 'experience new things in collage'. I went out with her while she drank herself stupid crying and puking on a bar bathroom floor. I held her hair and listened to her drunken babbling into the commode before bringing her home tucking her in and leaving to key the bastard's car and slash his tires.

That is why the actions felt personal and something about this strange boy, whom I hadn't even spoken a word to last night or any boy at all for that matter thinking they needed to help me puke didn't sit right with me. It felt like a suffocating invasion of space.

"I don't know what you all do over in Britain or wherever the hell you're from but here in America we don't touch people we don't know while they puke and we lock the bathroom when we're in here naked." I snapped as soon as I was capable of speaking.

He held up his hands in surrender before grabbing a shirt and walking out.

I rolled my eyes at the door out of annoyance and rinsed the sink out before brushing my teeth and heading down stairs to attempt to manage my nasty hangover.

When I reached the bottom I noticed Cammi was standing by the coffee machine in her pajamas with all her wild haired hung over glory nursing a cup of coffee while Caleb was leaned against the counter shirtless and I assumed that had something to do with two shiny new rings in his nipples and the Brit was seated at the table eyeing me with an expression that looked as if he were in the cage with a wild animal terrified it might attack.

I glanced in the living room to make sure the two who fell asleep in the living room had let themselves out and was glad to find they did. I always got aggravated with left over party guest as once a guy I didn't even know slept in the down stairs bathroom for an entire day. It doesn't seem bad until about the third time you have to walk all the way upstairs to use the restroom.

I turned back to the kitchen and brushed past everyone and went straight to the coffee pot. I grabbed my favorite hangover mug out of the cabinet and the silver flask of whiskey next to it. After pouring the coffee I pulled out the chair across from the Brit who's name I either didn't get or couldn't care to remember. I set both the coffee and the flask down before dropping my head to the table with a smack.

"I'm dying." I announced to no one in particular.

I heard Cammi chuckle and pull the chair out next me. She set her hand on my back and sighed. "For someone who drinks like a fish you'd think you would be slightly less dramatic about a hangover."

I lifted my head up just long enough to glare at her before smacking it back to the table.

I could've slept there had someone not knocked on the door. "Someone get that." I mumbled after they knocked a second time. I felt a shift as Cammi left to get the door.

"Is she alive?" I heard Harry's long drawn out voice. I swear a sentence took him a year and I didn't know if I had the patience for it in my hung over state so I left my head down for another moment.

"She'll be fine. She just needs a moment." Cammi informed him.

Something annoyed me about the fact they were talking about me like I wasn't right there and my coffee was getting cold so I picked my head up off the table and grabbed the flask pouring about a shot into my coffee. When I looked up Harry was giving me a strange look.

I don't believe he should be looking at me weird. He looked homeless in a wife beater and sweats with some god awful thing tied into his hair that looked a mix of a bandana and a scarf holding his curls from his forehead. So I mirrored his expression right back.

"Is that alcohol you just put in coffee?" He asked me this like it was the strangest thing.

"The only quick way to cure a hangover is with alcohol." I informed him sipping my drink for emphasis.

He gave a slight chuckle shaking his head.

"Is that a scarf on your head?" I asked him tilting my head to the side and at this he laughed a little harder. "Something like that."

I took another sip of my coffee and turned my attention to Cammi's Brit as he spoke.

"Me and Harry were thinking of getting some drinks and maybe camping on the beach tonight. You all wanna come?"

I thought about the prospect of being drunk and stuck on a beach with the two of them for a second before opening my mouth to decline but Cammi beat me to it.

"Why don't we do it on the beach out in front of the condo? Then you guys could just sleep here." She suggested and I looked at her with wide eyes but hers were fixed on the Brit and that's when I noticed it.

The attachment eyes. Cammi had this look she got in her eyes that meant I'd be cleaning up a mess soon. I loved her but she was gullible and no matter how many times she was screwed over and let down Cammi always clung to the hope that there was someone out there for her. The look she gave this guy when he invited us to hang out you would think he asked for her hand in marriage.

"I'll pass. I got some place to be." Was all Caleb said as he grabbed his toast from the toaster and left the room.

I looked after him for a moment wondering what that was but was distracted from my thoughts when I heard Harry clear his throat and I turned to look at him with my brows raised.

"What about you?" He questioned almost shyly and I have to admit shy Harry was almost as cute as drunk Harry.

I shrugged. "Maybe."

And as he opened his mouth to speak we all heard a key turn in the lock in the silent house. Harry looked confused probably wondering who else could live here. I just groaned and put my head back to the table.

"... No. It was terrible. Listen, I just got to Kinny's. I'll call you back." My mother was rambling goodbyes on the phone as she let herself in. It took her a moment fumbling with her bags and phone before she removed her sunglasses and surveying the two boys in the room.

"Oh! Hello." She started with a bright smile. "I didn't realize you girls had company."

I lifted my head from the table giving her a look of pure death. "Well mom, maybe if you like called or even knocked..." I trailed off.

My mother was never one to take a hint. She propped herself in a seat right between me and the Brit and I watched the curious look on Harry's face as he watched her.

"I'm Kingsley's mother." She introduced herself with a dimpled smile that mirrored mine. "Loraine."

"Zayn." Cammi's Brit introduced himself saving me from having to ask Cammi later.

"Harry." He introduced himself with a broad smile and a short wave.

My mother looked straight at me and mouthed 'wow' not so conspicuously and Harry chuckled and shook his head.

I rolled my eyes as Cammi stepped in to change the subject. "How'd your date go?" She asked curiously.

With this my mother sighed dramatically slumping back in her seat. "Oh, it went just terrible!" She huffed. "We got out of the car at the restaurant and I dropped my phone and when I reached down to pick it up he grabbed my ass! Like not a slight brush, a full on grope!" She exclaimed waving her hands for emphasis.

I glanced up at Harry to see him with his hand over his mouth trying to suppress a laugh while me and Cammi let ours flow freely. This was a common occurrence. My mother had the worst of luck with men.

"Oh god." Cammi said shaking her head at my mother's misfortune. "What'd you do?"

"Well I sent Mac the code and he called me saying his cat died. It was terrible. I'm positive he knew I was blowing him off but he deserved it damn perv." She said shaking her head. "But that's what it is and I brought Georgia Rule and a ton of candy thought we could have movie day." She said reaching into her unnecessarily large purse and producing our favorite movie and a ton of junk food. "Your friends can join." She offered sweetly.

Zayn smiled at her before standing. "We wish but we were just leaving. Harry here's got a class in an hour." He explained.

My mother turned her attention to Harry and beamed. "You're in school?" She questioned.

He looked down and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Not exactly." He responded. "I teach an art class in the city."

I wondered why he looked so awkward, maybe even a little embarrassed, when he told my mother of his profession. Last night during our little game he seemed so happy in what he did. His eyes lit up animatedly as he explained to me all the workings. I couldn't help but assume it had a lot to do with the way his parents saw the way he lived his life as a sharp downgrade from their expectations and it was sad to me. My mother had always been proud and supportive of everything I did. Whether it was studying in college or cutting hair at the Chop Shop. I guess I was luckier than some.

"Oh, how interesting that must be!" My mother gushed. "I've always wished I had a talent like that."

The perfect smile that crossed Harry's face was priceless.

"I love it." He responded with the same light from last night in his green eyes. "We really have to go but it was nice meeting you Mrs..." He trailed off waiting for her to fill in the blank.

"Oh just call me Loraine!" She waved him off.

"Well it was nice meeting you Loraine. Bye everyone." he said with a small half smile and a wave as he headed for the door and Zayn followed after saying his goodbyes.

The second the door shut my mother turned to me with wide eyes. "Jesus, they don't make them like that in America. I bet their dads-"

"Mom!" I cut her off before she could even finish. Cammi just giggled.

The rest of the morning and well into the afternoon went along pretty quickly watching movies and eating junk food with my mother while she huffed over her perpetual bad luck in the romance department before it was time to get ready for the boys to come back around and we all but had to throw her out ensuring her - yes it would actually be weird if she tagged along. But eventually she went on her way to get drinks with her friends.

I took a quick shower leaving my hair to dry into its natural curls before throwing on a light blue bikini and a white strapless cover up. I didn't bother with makeup that would just get ruined so I grabbed a beach bag and a towel to head down stairs and stock up on alcohol.

When I reached my cabinet and opened it I frowned realizing me and curly had pretty much demolished my Jack so I had to settle for cheap disgusting Taaka Vodka. Just as I went to reach for the bottle there was a knock on the door so I let it be to go let them in.

I opened the door to Harry with a huge dimpled grin plastered on his face and a full bottle of Jack in his hands.

If there had been a way to my heart it would've been Jack.

He had ditched the scarf thing and pushed his hair back from his forehead with product. His plain white V-neck was tight enough to see his tattoos underneath them and his black swim trunks hung low on his hips.

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously while extending the bottle to me. "Since I drank a good bit of yours last night and all..."

Cute.

"Thanks." I said taking the bottle from him and placing it in my bag relieved about not having to suffer through a bottle of Taaka.

I let them both in and directed them to the couch before going up stairs to find what was holding Cammi up.

When I walked into her room without knocking it was obvious she was in a panic. She didn't even notice me for a second as she continued throwing things out of her closet in a blind rush in search of something.

I took a deep breath before clearing my throat to make my presence known and Cammi spun around sharply to look at me relief washing over her face. "Oh Kinny, thank god you're here! I can't for the life of me find my black Victoria's Secret cover up and I'm literally on the verge of having a-" I held my hand up to cut her off before she started hyperventilating right in front of me and walked straight over to her bed bending down and running my hand along the carpet underneath it until my hand hit the familiar lace. I snatched it from the floor before standing up and tossing it to her.

She looked at me in awe for a second. "How did you-" she started before I cut her off again. "I watched you throw it there last week when we came back from that pool party."

If there was one thing I had it was an impeccable memory. Even completely shit faced me never forgot exactly what happened the night before.

"What are you freaking over anyway?" I asked even though I pretty much knew the answer.

She looked at her shoes for a minute before looking back up at me. "He's British Kinny." She said as if that was the answer to anything and everything.

"So is everyone in Britain." I stated.

"But not everyone in California." She replied in a sing song voice brushing past me to the door.

I rolled my eyes and followed her down the stairs to where the boys were waiting.

I grabbed my bag and headed straight for the doors to the back porch as Cammi signaled for the boys to follow. We led them to the opening in the small gate surrounding our porch and down the few steps the ground.

It's only a short walk to a decent spot and me and harry stop and lay towels out while Zayn and Cammi set their bags down and head straight for the water. Harry lays back on his towel as I sat cross legged on my own and pull out the bottle of Jack. I took a swig before offering him some.

We sit in silence like this for a while passing the bottle back and forth before I feel the familiar warmth in my stomach and buzz in my head.

"What's London like?" I asked Harry with a sigh as I fell back onto my towel and turned my head to face him.

"Cold and rainy." He responded a small smile playing on his lips. "The exact opposite of here."

"I'm going to go there one day." I informed him smiling to myself. "And maybe Paris and Italy. I've never left California but I'm going to and I bet I'll like it all the same as you like California."

"I'm sure you will." He stated turning his face back to the sky.

We sat there in silence for another moment as he watched the clouds and I watched him. He had one arm underneath his head and the other resting on his stomach rising and falling with each breath he took.

"Zayn really fancies your roommate." He informed me with that same small smile he seemed to always wear.

"Brilliant." I grumbled with a roll in my eyes.

"You act like it's a bad thing." He said turning so he was on his side with his elbow propping him up so he could look down at me.

"Yes because when that-" I gestured to Cammi and Zayn sucking face in the water not far from us. "Goes bad I'll be cleaning up the mess and fighting the urge to set fire to his house."

Harry's eyes got wide for a second as he formed a response. "For starters, his house is my house so keep that in mind." He chuckled slightly. "And secondly, who says it'll go bad?"

"Common sense and logic." I stated.

To this he just shook his head. And laid back down but I wasn't finished yet so I sat up crossing my legs and looking down on him as I took another long swig from the bottle of Jack.

"How long had it been since your last girlfriend Harry?" I asked.

"'Bout a month ago." He replied sitting up and taking the bottle from me taking a long drawn out sip before setting the bottle between us and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Did you love her?" I pressed to get to my point.

He looked a little taken aback by my bluntness blinking a few times and taking another long sip. "I did."

"Then why did it end?" I asked and he looked down at his hands for a minute absently playing with his fingers before looking back up at me and taking a deep breath.

"I'm not even sure honestly." He shrugged reaching for the bottle. "Just woke up one morning and she was gone. Her and all of her shit. I called a few times - or forty and she never did answer."

"My point exactly." I stated matter of factly. "If love can up and leave like that why bother?"

To this he gave me that same small smile showing just his right dimple slightly with his head still hanging he looked up at me from under his lashes and shook his head. "Because sometimes it doesn't just up and leave and sometimes even when it does it's worth it." He said this like it was simplest thing in the universe to try and miss and to be let down and drug through the mud and multiple divorces and start overs like all of this would somehow be worth it if just one person decided to stick around.