The Summer of '98

(6)

"Listen to me for a second please."

I swivelled towards Leroy and almost collided our foreheads, misjudging the distance between us. He moved back a little and gripped my shoulders from the driver's seat, forcing me to meet his stern expression.

"Do exactly as I say when we get inside. Understand?"

I nodded with a broad smile which seemed to concern him more than anything. He winced but attempted a reassuring smile.

"Listen to what I say, okay. The last thing that we need is my Mom phoning your parents to tell them that you're smashed."

That was a sobering thought. Figuratively anyway. I was still as drunk as I was before he dropped that truth bomb.

With a loud sigh, he pushed open his car door and I followed behind him, squinting as the porch light flicked on. He stopped dead in his tracks and I walked straight into his back with a humph. He laced our fingers together and pulled me along, opening the door and shoving me inside as fast as he could.

I didn't talk, but I did walk toe first into the hall table, knocking a vase of flowers onto the tile floor with an ear-piercing shatter.

My blood ran cold as I stared at the mess on the floor. The image wouldn't stop moving and the longer that I stared at the ground, the more I stumbled. Leroy reached out and wrapped an arm around me as his mother appeared from the living room in her robe and slippers.

"What's going on?" She stared in alarm, her gaze moving between the shattered vase, myself and her son who gave her a sheepish smile that looked so cute and adorable in place of his usual stoic stare. "Is she drunk?"

"No, no." Leroy gave me a small pinch and straightened us both up. It didn't hurt. But he was communicating that he needed me to get a grip. "She's just tired. Super tired."

It was like I had no control over my own limbs. My feet moved without permission and I couldn't keep upright, no matter how hard I tried. Eleanor folded her arms across her chest and gave us a knowing scowl.

"I was drugged," I blurted, immediately regretting the lie as Leroy sighed with exasperation. "I mean — what?"

"Leroy Lahey!" she scolded. I didn't want this to happen. I felt terrible.

"It's not his fault Mrs Lahey!" I stammered and almost fell into the table again. Leroy tightened his hold on me and kept me tucked into his side. "I just — I didn't know how much I could handle. I'm a light weight. I only had two!"

"You're holding up four fingers."

"Oh."

"Take her upstairs, I'll fetch some Advil," Eleanor instructed her son. "And I'll need to clean this up."

She stared at the vase with her hands on her hips and I winced, a piece of ceramic crunching under my foot as I stumbled forward.

"I'm sorr—"

My words were cut off; instead, what came out was a violent and powerful vomit, coating the vase, the floor and Eleanor's slippers.

It had been so abrupt that I didn't even know it was coming. I slapped a hand across my mouth and burst into tears. I was so embarrassed as she stared at her feet with her mouth agape. This was definitely the worst way I could possibly have started the summer. She would send me home tomorrow, for sure.

"Upstairs," she pointed upwards and spoke with a low and strained voice.

Leroy didn't hesitate for even a moment and helped me climb the stairs as fast as I could manage. He didn't talk a lot as he sat me on the edge of the bathtub in the bathroom. I watched him as I sniffled. He gave me a new toothbrush with toothpaste on it and helped me stand whenever I had to spit. He ran a flannel under the hot faucet and wiped my face, neck and chest, his brows remaining furrowed as he focused.

When we made it into the spare bedroom, I sat on the edge of the bed and let him unbutton the cropped tank top that managed to avoid getting vomit all over it. Despite how drunk I was, my heart still fluttered as he slipped the straps down and pushed it off my shoulders. The entire time, his stare didn't go lower than my shoulders, his eyes fixed on mine and I was far too mesmerised to break the contact. He collected the night dress that I had left folded on the pillow and pulled it over my head.

"I'm sorry," I muttered as he pulled the bed covers back and helped me settle in.

"Don't sweat it," he mumbled with a soft smile. "Get some sleep."

It didn't take long before my lids were fluttering closed. I was drifting off but I could hear the hushed voices of Leroy and his mother a few moments later, a low dispute of some sort taking place.

"You can't sleep in here. I told her mother that you wouldn't share a bed."

"She needs to be watched so that she doesn't die in her sleep Mom. Come on."

"Leroy, I can't go bac—"

"Mom, she's drunk as hell. What do you think I'm going to do? Have sex with a barely conscious girl who can't even stand on her own two feet? Have a little more faith in me."

. . .

"Alright fine, the door remains open!"

"Yeah fine. Whatever."

"Where's Noah?"

"With Cass."

"Ugh."

. . .

I thought I had drifted off to sleep again until I felt the mattress dip and a firm, warm frame slid in behind me. Soft fingertips brushed the hair over my shoulder and a soft kiss was placed on the nape of my neck. "Sleep well."

He settled down and dropped a hand across my waist, his soft sigh fanning the back of my head. I wanted to return the sentiments. But it felt like my mouth had been glued shut. I couldn't move, I couldn't talk. I just laid, feeling as though the room was spinning as I drifted out of consciousness.