Unexpected

Gabby the Thorned Rose

I stir slightly in my sleep, still in a dream state. Upon shifting into another position, I'm blinded by a searing headache. I groan, clutching the side of my head. Ever so slowly, I begin to sit myself up using my elbows.

"You're gonna need this." I hear a familiar voice say, only it's much deeper and raspier than I'm used to.

I squint my eyes open, seeing a hand holding a couple of round pills in front of me. I take them without question, throwing them to the back of my throat. The other hand holds out a glass of water and I take that too, chugging it in it's entirety. After contemplating my life and the choices that led me to this painful morning, I take in my surroundings.

I'm in a bed, but it's not mine. Standing beside me is Austin, his hair ruffled and a grogginess still apparent in his gaze. He notices me looking around and says, "Alex gave you his bed. We all slept in the living room."

"Why-" I begin to question this, then memories of last night begin to flood in. Elijah, Robert, then, oh god. Austin.

Things start to get hazy after Austin and I's encounter in the bathroom, although I'd prefer it if my memory would start to flicker out before then so I wouldn't have to relive it. I vaguely remember taking another few shots afterwards, bruised by my second rejection of the night no doubt.

"What happened after we- actually, nevermind that. After that, I took a couple more shots. What happened then?" I ask him, dodging what happened between us for now.

"You- wait. You drank even more? No fuckin' wonder. God, Gabby." He breathes out, tousling his hair absentmindedly with one hand.

"Well, uh, you got sick. I will say though, I've never seen someone be so efficient about it before. You had your hair tied back and the toilet flushed before any of us could come help." As he describes the series of events, I'm not the least bit surprised. Muscle memory probably kicked in, I've gotten drunk by myself on so many occasions that I've got it down to a science. Only thing I missed it seems, is the part where I force down water and carbs before passing out so I can get through the morning after rather painlessly.

"After that though, you knocked out and I carried you in here. We decided it was best you had a bed to sleep in." He says, adding more items to my list of embarrassing moments last night. I allow more of Austin and I's exchange in the bathroom to play in my mind, and wince from regret. But if it weren't for Austin doing what I least expected, I'd have a lot more to regret this morning.

"Listen," I sigh, looking to his tired hazel eyes warily. "Last night you said I'd thank you, so here it is. Thank you."

"I know you think I'm a shit head, but I'm not that much of a shit head. I wouldn't have wanted it to be like that anyway." He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, having difficulty looking at me as he says this.

"Not that it would've been very worthwhile, I've never..." Austin catches my gaze as I trail off, and it's my turn to be self conscious.

"You? I find that almost impossible to believe." He says to my admission. I chew on my lip nervously, unsure of why I told him that.

After a few moments pass and I don't go on to say anything else, Austin's eyes narrow with the realization that I'm being serious. "You would've been okay with that being your first time?"

"When I was drunk, yes. Now, not as much. I wish I could just get it over with so it doesn't feel like this big thing anymore, but it's never been the right moment or the right person. I don't want to regret it, but I'd settle for neutrality at this point." I say, and I can almost see the gears working in his head. Again, I don't know why I told him any of this. Something about being around Austin makes me uncharacteristically chatty.