Unforgettable

Part 14

Natalie

Bright light spills in from the window beside me, my eyes slamming closed at the suddenness. My head feels foggy, and I groan loudly before rolling over in my bed. I nestle my head into my pillow, breathing in its familiar smell.

Wait.

Hold on.

It doesn't smell like me. It smells... woodier almost... this can't be mine?

My eyes flick open, adjusting to the light before I glance around the room.

Holy shit.

This is definitely not my room.

I struggle out of bed, before looking around at anything that could potentially give me a clue as to where I am. Picture frames, names written on belongings... anything.

Or, nothing.

This room is spotless, with nothing strewn on the floor or dirty clothes hanging off of helpless chairs.

Where the fuck am I?

I wonder this aloud as I cross to the other side of the room, opening the door quietly before shuffling out. I walk into a small hallway, before heading down it, in the direction of a soft clattering sound. I round the bend, coming into a small kitchen area. Hearing my noise, Casey lifts his eyes from his coffee machine, a smile coming to his lips.

"Hey Nat, how'd you sleep?" he asks, short laughter bubbling out of his mouth as I look around the room, puzzled. Why am I at his place? I remember getting to the club and dancing for a bit before my mom called. I remember being pissed at her, and going back out to my friends and getting a drink. Or a few. To be honest, I can't remember when I stopped drinking, the whole second part of the night seems like a blur.

"Uh, hey, Casey, pretty good actually." I reply slowly, watching as his eyes run down my body. I look down at myself, and almost bolt out of his apartment at what I'm wearing. I don't know where my dress went, but I'm currently dressed in just a t-shirt. A long t-shirt, but regardless, still a flimsy t-shirt. I look back up at Casey, a smirk positioned on his face as he leans against his kitchen bench.

"Coffee?" he asks as I walk over to sit on one of his bench seats. I normally wouldn't, but I think I need it this morning. I nod, running a hand through my hair only to realize it feels like something of a birds nest. Great.

Casey places a few pieces of toast into his toaster as I wallow in regret across the small room.

"Um, sorry Case, but... why am I here?" Casey laughs as he brings 2 coffee cups over to where I'm sitting. He takes a seat beside me, fiddling with his cup before he responds.

"Well, what do you remember, let's start with that?" he asks me, raising an eyebrow as he takes a sip of his drink.

"Uh, not much to be honest. I mean, I remember getting there, to the club last night, and then seeing you and the others. I remember having to take a call from my mom, and then... I guess I drunk away the fact that my mom called. And now I'm here, although I'm not sure how that happened." I reply, taking a sip of my own mug. I choke on the bitterness slightly, but still manage to swallow the abundance of liquid in my mouth. Casey laughs softly at my reaction, before returning back to the story that was Last Friday Night.

"Well, to refresh your memory, you drank alot, and everyone else was going home, but you refused to until you got one last dance. So, I offered to stay with you until you had had your dance, because I knew I wasn't getting you out of there otherwise. Then, after we left and got into my car, you sort of... got really emotional at whatever your mom had said to you. And then, by the time we got to campus I realized I didn't know where your dorm key was, and you'd passed out so I didn't want to wake you. And, I also thought you probably shouldn't be alone at your dorm incase..." he replies, scratching the back of his head awkwardly as he relays the last part of his recount.