BREATHE FOR ME

Chapter 11: Knowledge Is Power

Maddie doesn't ask about Friday night and I'm glad. Instead, she respects my space and tells Mom that I decided to come home early because it was 'super lame'. And that's that.

On Saturday, I wake up to three messages.

Hey sexy, thank you for looking out for me last night. Julianne took me home with her and let me know what happened. Last time I play with the green stuff for a while ;) Wanna meet up on Sunday? We can grab some pizza... xx

-May

I reply to May, agreeing to meet up. I could really do with some pizza right now...

Hey Gen, just letting you know that I got May home alright. She'll be fine after I get some food into her system. Just letting you know that if you wanna talk about the night at all, I'm here for you.

-Julianne

Great, so someone told her about the awkward situation with Morgan, Lorrie and I. Urgh. 

I'm sorry for last night, we need to talk.

-Morgan

As soon as I've finished reading her text, a cold feeling eases its way into my stomach. The last thing I want to do right now is talk about last night's events but at the same time, I feel sorry for Morgan. She didn't do anything wrong. If anything, she was looking out for me, trying to keep me in the loop. Before I can stop myself, I press the call button and wait to be connected. After a few very long, tedious rings, she picks up.

"Gen?" Morgan sounds rough, most likely recovering from her hangover. Lucky for me, I didn't drink enough to get one.

"Hey Morgan. I, um, got your text." I say, trying to figure out what I'm meant to say in this kind of social situation. Go with your gut. "I was wondering if you'd like to come around to mine today and talk?" Anxiously, I bite at my nail.

"Yes, of course. I didn't know if you'd want to talk or not, I'm glad. Are you sure you want to do it at your house?" she sounds relieved, I can hear her exhaling down the line.

"Yeh, it's cool." I stop biting my nails and look at the clock. It's already one in the afternoon. "You can come over whenever. Bring your bikini, it's too nice to be sat inside." I say, already beginning to feel relieved as well.

"I'll be twenty minutes?" she says hopefully.

"Sounds good." I say, hanging up and rolling myself out of bed. First thing's first, I need a good shower.

......

"Firstly, I need to apologise to you, to your face, for outright putting you in such an awkward situation with Ren. I know that must've been so horrible for you, especially being new and all. I really am sorry, you didn't deserve it." Morgan says half an hour later.

We are both lazing around in the hot pool, bikini-clad, sipping on Gran's raspberry iced tea. In any other situation, this would be lovely. Mom and Gran have left us to it, delighted that I have another friend around, but keep coming out to check on us, asking if we need anything. As soon as Morgan stepped into Gran's apartment, she was flooded with compliments from the pair of them, obviously trying to make my friend feel at home. At first, she seemed embarrassed by the two of them making such a fuss about her but after a while, I could tell that she was feeling the love.

"Secondly," I cut in before she can continue to rain her apologies on me, "you don't need to apologise for anything. You haven't done anything wrong except look out for me. You may have been a little obnoxious about it, but you were very drunk. I don't blame you at all. You were only answering my question anyways." Taking her long hand, I give it a squeeze under the water before letting go. "Seriously, no apologising."