Miss Braxton: Home and Away Fanfic

Chapter 14

As soon as I woke up from a sound slumber, I was instantly hit with a sickening, stomach-churning feeling. Everything hurt. My mind was a foggy mess, my sinuses all might as well have been crammed with cotton wool and every one of my muscles were aching so bad that I worried I might have been trampled by an elephant in my sleep. The worst thing about waking up from unconsciousness? Remembering everything that had happened the night before...

Last night's antics caught up with me fast. Although it was a bit of a blur, I remembered more or less everything that had transpired and knew instantly that I'd taken things way too far. I'd fought with Anya, got caught up I a police chase, kissed a River Boy and puked all over my brother's car. I didn't think I could bare the embarrassment or guilt of it all.

Annoyed with myself and the mere contemplation of facing the day ahead, I buried my face in a pillow and muffled a bearish groan. I shouldn't have drunk so much. I shouldn't have gone to Mangrove River. Hell, I shouldn't have even left school in the first place! Unable to bare stewing over it, I overcame the discomfort and forced myself to shamefacedly slink out of bed and hole up in the bathroom. After all, a shower was the best remedy for a hangover.

When I was on my feet, I noticed that Kyle had left a glass of water and some painkillers for me on the bedside table. I recalled that he'd been the one to help me into bed, by washing off my makeup and getting me to drink water and ordering me to sleep on my side, so that if I was sick again, I wouldn't choke on it. He had stayed with me most of the night, talking me to sleep with anecdotes. Trying to let this thought comfort me rather than make me feel downright mortified, I drank the glass of water and took the painkillers before moving on into the bathroom.

When I caught sight of myself in the mirror, I got the shock of my life. There were bruises and cuts all over me. My wrist had swollen and the skin around it was tender and warm to the touch, clearly sprained. My lower lip had been split by Anya's knuckles and the area surrounding it was tinged in a pink glow. Tired, dark bags looped my eyes and my hair was a jungle of blonde frizz. I was still wearing Brody's leather jacket and my white dress from the night before, so I hung the jacket up and threw the dress into a washing basket.

After the shower I felt a thousand times better, but still groggy. I smelt and looked a whole lot better too. After throwing on some clean clothes, I decided it was about high time I went out and faced my family. When I strolled into the kitchen, I instantly recognized Kyle and Phoebe making coffee and tea by the counter as Heath was hunched over the table, gobbling down a fry-up breakfast. Meanwhile, Harley was on a fold out baby play-mat that had been placed on the floor and was on his back, giggling to himself as he reached for the colourful, musical soft toys and rattles dangling over him. Other than them, it came as a surprise that no one else was around. Darcy and Josh must have already gone to school and Bianca probably had done too. The fact that my new surfboard was leaning up against the wall all by itself led me to assume that Brax had taken his and gone for a surf early this morning and since Ricky was nowhere to be seen, I guessed that she had more than likely tagged along to take photos or something.

When I came in, Heath was mopping up the last bit of egg on his plate with a triangle of toast, He chose to look up and notice me just as he was shovelling it into his mouth.

"Hey! Look who dragged themselves out of the gutter!" He called joyously, grinning smugly at me and succeeding in getting Kyle and Phoebe's attention to settle squarely on me. I swear I wanted to punch him for it. "Have a nice night's sleep did you, trouble?"

Kyle didn't hesitate to stand up for me. He fired his older half-brother a stark look. "Heath. Don't."

"What? I'm just making her feel as welcomed as I'd make anyone else in her situation." Heath answered, still smirking like a muppet. "Oi, Alex, I'm going to the fridge. Want me to grab you a beer while I'm there?"