by Roth, T. A.
We disappear into the house where I make my rounds greeting her family. It feels like an hour before we settle in the kitchen. Her head is buried in the refrigerator, and a few seconds later, she pulls out a pitcher of my favorite drink. My eyes light up and she laughs.
"I needed a partner in crime tonight, and I knew you wouldn't drink with me unless I stocked your fav. Don't worry, I followed your recipe," she reassures.
"So are you going to tell me why you’re well on your way to being toasted an hour into your party?" She ignores my question, and instead, concentrates on pouring the red wine mixture into a glass of ice. I watch as she adds extra fruit to the top, just the way I like it. She hands it over, and I narrow my eyes at it.
"Taste it. It's good,” she says cheerily.
"Not till you answer my question."
She throws her head back and groans. "I'm gonna end things with Eli."
Aye Dios, not this again. I take a long sip of my sangria before giving her the reaction she's expecting. It actually is really good.
"Well?" she says frustrated by my lack of response.
"Well, what? You want me to talk you out of breaking off something that hasn't even had a chance to start. Go ahead, break it off with him." I take another sip and watch as she stares at me speechless. I'm using my one day of therapy to reverse psychology her stupid ass into reconsidering. I toss back the last of my sangria and shake my now empty cup in front of her face for a refill.
"That's it?" she asks, snatching the cup from my hand and refilling it. She slams it down in front of me, and I could see the lawyer in her wanting to challenge me.
"That's it," I say flatly.
"He's too good to be true, Ari." I'm not sure who she's trying to convince—herself or me. "Do you know he bought me a Michael Kors watch for my graduation present?" My eyes widen as she shows off the rose gold beauty currently adorning her left wrist.
"Wow," I say taking another sip of my drink.
"Yeah, who does that? We've only been officially ‘dating’ for like a week," she says throwing her arms up in exasperation.
"So let me get this straight. You're breaking things off with him because he bought you a nice gift." The girl is not making any damn sense.
"Yes . . . No . . . I don't fucking know. He said I mentioned liking it on someone at Ben's dinner the other night. I don't even remember saying anything about a watch." She pours herself a shot of Patrón. This conversation is headed nowhere fast if I don't get to the root of her issue. She's got a full bottle, and she's not afraid to use it.
"Okay . . . slow down," I say ripping the third shot from her greedy little hands. I toss it back before she could wrestle it back from me. My eyes water as the clear liquid begins to sting the back of my throat. With the bottle of tequila now secured behind my back, she begins to pace the length of the kitchen in a rambling tirade.
"I'm going to fuck this up. I don't know how to be someone's girlfriend, and now, I have to move. He's going to be on the other side of the country, and I'm gonna miss him. I'll be all alone two hours away from everybody. What if I slip and hook up with some random while I'm out there? I'm not good enough for him. He's already had his heart broken, and I know me. I'll end up breaking it again. Have you seen him? He deserves better. Why does he even like me? Oh, God. What if I fall for him, and he breaks my heart? What if I do everything right, and he meets some hot New York publishing bitch, and he leaves me for her and they get married and have hot little early reading babies?"
"Whoa . . . whoa slow down, girl. Breathe," I say with a laugh. I step toward her and grip her shoulders; she stops pacing and meets my gaze. "Breathe," I repeat. She nods releasing a shuddering breath. I take a few deep breaths and wait until she calms down enough to do the same. We're not big huggers, but after this freak-out, she definitely looks like she needs one. I pull her in for a squeeze, and she sighs.
"Feel better?" I ask.
"Sor . . . uf,” she mumbles against my chest.
"You can't live your life fearing the what-ifs. That's not living. We're human, we all make mistakes, and it’s what you learn in the process that makes all the difference. Will you intentionally try to hurt him?"
"No," she mumbles.
"Then stop sabotaging yourself and give yourself a chance to be happy. Does he make you happy?" I ask.
She looks up at me with glossy eyes and nods. "He makes me so happy, Ari. It scares me." I know the feeling.
"Well, then go clean your happy, Michael Kors watch-wearing, drunk ass up so we can get back to our men."
"Thanks, friend."
She pulls me into a hug and before walking out of the kitchen to clean up, I ask, "What the hell is an early reading baby?"
She laughs. "You know like that one video on Facebook." I shrug, still not knowing what the hell she's talking about.
"There's this viral video of an eighteen-month-old baby who can read. He has all these flashcards spread out on the floor and the dad calls out different words and the baby goes over, picks up the card with his chubby little fingers, and hands the dad the right word every single time."
"Okay, I'll look it up while you clean yourself up. Hurry. I don't want you to miss out on your chance to have your own early reading babies."
After the argument Ari and I had earlier, I’m glad to be able to get my head on straight and catch up with Eli. He graduates in a few days and leaves for New York the day after. I still don't understand why he's going along with this plan. I know this isn't what he really wants to do with his life, but the need to please his father has been instilled in him for so long he doesn't know any other way. I've never asked what he would have chosen for himself if given the chance. Too afraid that putting that seed of doubt in his mind would only make it harder. He's more than a friend, he's my brother, and he knows I'll have his back whenever he needs me.
Vonne's dad and brother come over and join us as we crack open our second round of beers. The girls follow and seem to have a little bit more sway to their step than when they walked in. Ari's cheeks are flushed, and she's wearing a silly grin, letting me know she's buzzed.
"Hi,” she says, wrapping her arms around my waist and kissing my cheek.
"Feeling good?" I ask.
She nods and pats my chest. "Yup."
I chuckle and tighten my grip to keep her steady. "Looks like it. So what were you two up to in there?"
"A little of this, a little of that," she says smiling.
She looks happy, and whatever Vonne did to help lighten her mood is okay with me. Even if it means I have to keep her from falling over now.
I look over at Eli, and he seems to be doing the same thing. Vonne's silly grin matches Ari. She's currently swaying on Eli's lap like a drunken marionette, and he's struggling to keep her from falling. He's completely unfazed by his predicament, and I smile. It's been a while since I've seen him this whipped over a girl. If he can't have his choice of career, maybe having the choice in this relationship will be good enough to keep him happy.
We spend a few hours hanging out at Vonne's. We’ve danced and chatted everyone up. Vonne’s family is just as easygoing as she is, and you can tell they adore Ari and treat her as one of their own. Vonne and Ari share a teary good-bye before we leave. They vow to talk every day and to visit each other as much as they can. Eli and I remind them it's only for two months and she'll be down next week to attend Eli's graduation. They passed being buzzed about an hour ago, so the point we're trying to make on these drunkards is moot. They probably won't even remember saying good-bye.
I leave Ari with Eli and Vonne while I pull the car around. Trying to get her to walk back in her condition does not sound like anything I feel like attempting tonight. I pull into the driveway as Eli walks the girls toward my car. The tears have stopped, and they are now walking arm in arm giggling and singing I have no idea what.
"What the hell are they singing?" I ask Eli with a laugh.
"I don't know, dude. One minute, they were
crying, and then the next, they were laughing. I thought I heard Vonne mention something about the Jonas Brothers. Now, they're singing some song about bugs," Eli says shrugging.
Even completely inebriated, she can sing.
"You gonna break that up?" he asks as we lean against the car watching the girl’s slow dance. The tears have started again.
"We'll give them a minute." He's right; as I listen closer, they are singing about bugs.
It takes a few minutes before they notice us watching. They giggle and drunkenly walk over. Ari wraps her arms around my neck and sighs contentedly.
"Dance with me," she says with a sigh. She looks so damn adorable, and I can't deny her even though there's no music. She begins singing again, and this time, I realize she's singing about being bit by the lovebug. The few lines that she sings talk about being hopelessly in love with someone. She presses her cheek to my chest as we slowly rock back and forth. After a while, she stops singing and hums out the rest of the song. When her humming slows and her body becomes more lax in my arms, I know it's time to go.
"Let's get you home. You ready?" I ask.
She nods, and I clear my throat to get Vonne and Eli's attention. Vonne has Eli pinned against my car, and if I didn't know better, she looks like she may be trying to eat his face. I give them a few minutes and use the time to get Ari safely buckled into the passenger seat. I slam the door hoping to get their attention.
That does the trick, and they break apart a little embarrassed.
"We're gonna get going."
"Okay, thank you guys for coming. Will you tell Ari to call me?"
"Will do," I say, and she gives me a quick hug. Eli shakes my hand with a pat on the back.
"I'll see you next week then?" he asks.
"Wouldn't miss it. See you then."
Ari sleeps the whole ride home. I park in my usual spot, and she begins to stir when I open the car door. I unbuckle her seat belt, and she opens her eyes with a sleepy grin.
"You okay to walk?" I ask. She nods and shifts in her seat, placing one leg out of the car and then the other. She attempts to stand and gives up.
"Need some help?"
"Please," she says lifting her hands to me. I lean in and wrap her arms around my neck. We stand slowly making sure not to hit the top of her head.
I'm grateful that the walk to her front door is a short one. I kick the car door shut behind her and shift her body so we're standing side by side. My arm is wrapped around her waist, and we take slow steps toward the finish line.
Luckily, she seems to gain her balance the further we get, and we reach the front door without incident. She's giggling as we walk down the hall, and the sound is infectious.
"Why are you laughing?"
She turns to me and wraps both arms around my neck. "I live with a boy," she says with another giggle.
"Do you? Who is he?" I walk us over to her dresser and remove her pajamas from her top drawer. She leans in and begins to kiss my neck.
"A very hot and sexy boy," she whispers between kisses.
"Let's get you changed," I say pulling away a little. She narrows her lust-filled eyes at me and pulls at the hem of her sundress, removing it in one swift move. She unclasps her bra and tosses it on the floor next to her dress.
"Done," she says looking up at me. I close my eyes in an attempt to keep from attacking her.
"Let's get you into bed." Trying to wrestle pajamas on her now will probably be a bad idea.
"Now, we're talking," she says crawling under the sheet. She makes herself comfortable and pats my side of the bed. I strip down to my boxers and crawl in beside her. Her body shifts on top of mine, and she wastes no time crashing her mouth onto mine.
I kiss her back and begin to think of anything but her writhing body on top of me. I can't sleep with her while she's drunk. I'd feel like the biggest douchebag in the morning, but damn if she's not making it almost impossible to deny her.
She pulls away breathless and lays her head on my chest. Her breathing begins to slow and I kiss the top of her head thankful she's the one slowing things down.
"Get some sleep, baby. I love you," I whisper.
"Hmm . . . I'm glad you don't look like him," she mumbles. The fuck?
"Like who, babe?" I ask before she falls into a deeper sleep.
"Your uncle." She sighs.
The sound of my cell phone ringing startles me out of a deep sleep. I scrub a hand over my face afraid to open my eyes. My head feels like it's been trampled by a stampede of wild horses. Even if I could reach my phone, talking seems impossible. My mouth is as dry as the Sahara. I lick my lips in an attempt at some moisture. What the hell did we drink?
I remember the glass of sangria then wrestling a few shots of Patrón out of Vonne's hands. She refilled my glass a few more times then everything gets a little fuzzy. Did we sing the Jonas Brothers? Ughhhh . . . even thinking hurts.
My phone rings again, and I remember it’s Sunday. Dammit, it's probably Alba calling to bitch at me. My parents torture her and don't let her eat until I've gotten there. I crack an eye open and realize I'm almost completely naked. Bits and pieces of last night come flashing back; one of them is attacking Ben. Speaking of which, I finally crack both eyes open cursing my own name. He's not in the room with me. I move to get up and notice a bottle of water and two Advil sitting on the dresser. I unscrew the cap off the water and quickly drink like my life depended on it.
"Morning.” Ben’s voice sounds from behind me. He startles me, and the water goes down the wrong way.
"Good morning,” I choke out.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I thought you would have heard the front door," he says striding over. He kneels in front of me, and his hair is mussed and his gray shirt is wet with sweat.
"It's okay, it just went down wrong. Where'd you go?"
He stands and kisses my cheek. "For a quick run. You didn't get my note?"
I look over and the note is tucked under the two Advil. "Sorry, I just woke up, and when I saw the water, everything else was a blur."
He chuckles and starts to remove his shirt. "How are we feeling, party girl?"
I place my hands over my face and groan. I never binge drink like that. "How bad was I?" I ask completely embarrassed.
"Hmm . . . Let me see. Before or after the Jonas Brothers concert you and Vonne put on?”
"Oh, God." An image of Vonne and I slow dancing and singing “Lovebug” comes flashing back. It was one of our favorites, and we used to dream of finding boyfriends to sing it to. Although, secretly we hoped Joe and Nick would sing it to us one day.
"I'm so sorry,” I say giggling nervously. "Was this my handiwork, too?" I wave a hand over my naked torso, and he grins.
"Yeah, you were a woman on a mission, and I wasn't about to wrestle some clothes on you."
"Oh, the struggle," I say sarcastically, trying to stand on my unsteady legs.
"It's definitely real," he says pouting. I crumple up his note and toss it at him. My phone begins to ring again, and he fishes it out of my purse and hands it to me.
"Answer that. I'm gonna jump in the shower. Join me if you want, and I'll wash out that bedhead of yours." I smack him in the arm, and he takes off into the bathroom chuckling.
I pick up before the last ring. It's Alba.
"Hello?"
"Please tell me you guys are on your way. I'm fricking starving, and Mom and Dad are keeping me out of the kitchen until you get here."
I brace myself. "Umm . . .”
"Oh, hell no. You're flaking and didn't even call."
"I'm sorry. I went to Vonne's last night, and she was stressing out about leaving and we started drinking. I just woke up."
"Blah, blah, blah . . . I'm handing you to Mom." I hear her fumble with the phone and tell my mom what's going on. She tells someone to move, that I'm not coming over, and that she’s eating. She's violent when she's hungry.
"Mija.” My mom gets on the phone.
"Hi, Mom. I'm sorry I didn't call earlier. Vonne and I had a little too much to drink last night, and I feel like crap."
"It's okay. You know your sister gets rowdy when she's hungry. If you're feeling better later, maybe you and Ben can come over for dinner. I'm making enchiladas."
My stomach rumbles; those are my favorite. "Okay, sounds good. I'll call you later. Love you, Momma."
"Love you too. Get some rest and lay off the booze," she says with a laugh.
"Ugh . . . Not a problem." I end the call, take the two Advil Ben left for me, and walk over to take him up on his offer. The shower is still running, and I brush my teeth quickly before stepping inside.
He's facing the spray of water, and I take a few seconds to enjoy the view. Small rivulets of water fall down his sculpted shoulders and back. Not being able to stay away much longer, I wrap my arms around his waist and press my naked body against his. He releases a moan as my hands wander across his chest. He wraps his hands behind me giving my ass a squeeze.
"Everything good with your parents?" he asks.
"Yeah, Alba is pissed, as usual, but my mom is fine. She invited us to dinner if I'm feeling up to it later."
"I can whip up something if you want to just stay in and rest," he says.
"That sounds great," I say resting my chin on his shoulder
He turns away from the water and crushes me in his arms. The smell of his bodywash always drives me insane, so I take advantage of having him this close and run my tongue up his neck.
"You smell yummy. Maybe I'll just stay right here," I hum against his skin.
"I don't want you getting sick, so I think you should eat. Let's get you washed up so I can feed you." He cradles my face and kisses my lips, and I quickly try to deepen it.
"I'm serious, babe," he says pulling away. I pout, and he leans in to nip my bottom lip.
"Turn around so I can wash your hair." I do as he asks because if I stare at his naked body any longer, I'll pretend I'm deaf and defile his fine ass.