Addie’s POV
I wake up in my bed the next morning with e serious headache. I don’t remember getting home. The last thing I do remember is sitting on the beach, feeling nauseous and talking to Michael. I kind of remember riding in a car again? Maybe? Not really sure if I dreamt it though. When did I get home?
I hear a knock on the door, and then, without my approval, the door opens.
“You awake?” Aggie’s voice rings in my head.
“Not so loud” I say, slowly sitting up. She is leaning on the doorframe, wearing yellow pyjamas with giraffes. I have the same, except mine are blue with dolphins.
“How much did you drink last night?” She asks, taking a bite from a sandwich.
“One bottle of wine, I think? I don’t really know.” I say, and then “When did I get home? And how?”
“Calum brought you” She says, studying me.
“Wh-what?” I stutter.
“Well apparently you got drunk with Michael, and he called Calum, and he called me to tell me to unlock your door, and then he brought you here” She says. “It was around 2am maybe. Mom is going to kill you”
“Shit” I swear “Did she see that I’m drunk?”
“Well if she didn’t see it, she most certainly smelled it. You should really open a window” She says, walking towards my window and pulling it open. The air is refreshing. “But, you’re in the clear for the time being. She is working today.” She says, walking over to the door. I nod.
“Okay” I say, and I suddenly remember I am still mad at her. “Close the door on your way out” I say coldly, as I walk in my bathroom.
I take a long shower, scrubbing my skin to rid the smell of alcohol from it. When I am finally done, I put on sweats and a sweater, and go out of my room to get some food. I hear voices from the living room. Male and female. Great, Aggie brought all her friends that hate me home.
I start to make my way to the kitchen when I hear two voices coming from there.
“Was it good?” The male one says. I peek from behind the wall, and recognise Marissa and Stephen standing on my kitchen tiles.
“It was okay.” She says, spreading butter on her toast.
“Better than me?” He asks, and she smiles and hits him with her elbow.
“Shut up.” She says, still smiling.
“You have to compare” He says, smiling back at her. “What did you guys do?”
“Just…normal stuff.” She says and then turns to face him “Can we talk about this later?”
“And you won’t leave out any details. I need to know what not to do.” He says, and they both laugh, leaving the kitchen. After they’ve disappeared pass the hallway, I go in the kitchen and make cereal. Then I retrieve in my room, and turn on my laptop. I scroll through tumblr for an hour, then decide to do Art homework.
As I’m drawing a siren, my phone starts to ring.
“Hello?” I answer.
“Helloo” I hear Michael voice on the other end.
“How did you get my number?” I ask, smiling.
“Well you were paranoid yesterday that you lost your phone, and made me call you to realise that your phone is in your pocket” He answers.
“Oh” I say, and then feel incredibly awkward. “Sorry that I got so drunk yesterday” I say after a beat.
“It’s okay.” He says. I can hear the smile in his voice “Are you feeling better?” He asks.
“My head is throbbing” I answer.
“It hurts so bad that you can’t go out?” He asks.
“Nothing hurts so bad to keep me under the same roof as Marissa and her friends” I say. I hear his laughter through the phone.
“Well, you’re in luck” He says “Can we pick you up in 10 minutes?”
“Who’s we?”
“Ashton, me, Elena, and Luke, if he decides to wake up” He answers.
“Sounds good.”
“Okay, see you in 10” he says, and we hang up.
I put on blue jeans and a t-shirt. I see my shoes by the door, so I put them on as well. I decide not to appear in front of Aggie’s friends, so I send her a text that I’m going out. And then I finally leave and lock my door.
I walk to the front of the house, and see Calum going towards mine. I want to avoid him, but it’s too late, he saw me.
“Hey” He says.
“Hi” I say, looking back at my house, expecting Marissa to come out at any second and kill me because I’ve exchanged a polite hi with her boyfriend.
“You feeling better?” He asks, putting his hands in his front pockets. His jeans are ripped at the knee and I almost have the urge to sew them back up because that hole is bothering me.
“Yeah” I lie. “Thanks for helping me last night” I say, not sure what exactly happened.
“It’s no problem” He says.
And we stand there awkwardly for almost 30 seconds, when we both hear Ashton’s loud car.
“You’re going with them?” He asks. Is that hurt in his voice?
“Yeah, Michael invited me.” I answer, not really sure what he expected.
“Oh” He says. “Well, have fun.” I say. I don’t know why I don’t tell him about the conversation I over-heard. But then I remember it’s none of my business. I shouldn’t get involved or care about their relationship.
Ashton’s car stops in front of my house and the back door opens. I walk to it, and Calum follows. Is he coming too?!
“Well well, look who decided to show up” He says, to Elena in the front seat.
“Hey Calum” She says, and gives him a hi five. I get in the back as he talks to her.
“Are you ditching us for Marissa?” Michael asks. He is incredibly loud, my head is going to explode.
“Fuck off” He says, smiling.
“I know you did last night” Ash says, and everyone erupts into laughter, including Calum. His cheeks are red and I feel very inappropriate to laugh. So I don’t.
“Calum” We hear someone from my front door. I turn and see Marissa. When she sees me, her whole face changes. Why does she hate me so much?!
“Coming” he says, to her, then turns to us “Call me later” He finally says, and walks away. Marissa is still glaring at us, at me.
“Hey Marissa, what’s happening?” Michael says, leaning to the window over me.
She doesn’t answer. She walks in and Calum just waves at us. His eyes swiftly glance to me, but before I can read his face, he turns away and closes the door behind him.
We drive off.
Michael’s POV
She looks really uncomfortable.
“Is the whole gang at your house?” I ask her.
“Gang?” She mocks, smiling.
“I’m trying it out” I say and smile back.
“I think so. Not sure though. I only saw Marissa and Stephen, but there were others so I’m guessing yes” She says.
“Is he seriously still with her?” Elena turns back towards us.
“Yes” I say. “It’s exhausting. She’s exhausting.” Elena laughs and so does Ashton.
We drive to some random diner Elena felt nostalgic for, and we sit in a booth. I slide in first and, because Ash sits next to Elena, Addie sits next to me. Our knees bump and our arms almost touch. The waitress comes and Elena orders some sandwich, and so does Ash. I order french fries because I’m always in the mood for fires, and Addie doesn’t order anything.
“You sure?” I ask her, but she just nods.
“What are we doing tonight?” Elena asks, clapping her hands together.
“I don’t know, you wanna go on a date?” Ash asks Elena. I burst out laughing, and hear Addie’s cute laugh as well.
“Okay” Elena answers, her face default.
“That was smooth” Addie comments, and he and Elena laugh.
“Wait, so you’re ditching us?” I say to Ash “First Calum, now you. I’m disappointed in you” I shake my head, but still smiling.
“Calum’s a moron” Ash comments, but before he can continue, Elena interrupts.
“And you’re not?” She says, turning towards him, her eyebrows raised.
“Shut up” Ash says to her, and then continues “And I haven’t seen Elena in four months.”
“True” She says, pointing towards him.
“Okay, fair enough” I say. “What are you doing later?” I ask Addie.
“I’m not going on a date with you” She says mockingly.
“Darn it, Mickey got rejected” Ash says, imitating a southern american accent, which is incredibly bad, i hope he never does it again.
“Ha-ha, funny” I say, ruffling her hair. “I was gonna invite you to go out with me and Luke, but I’m having second thoughts.” I say and she laughs.
“Where are we going?” She asks in between laughs.
“We? I’’m sorry, I don’t remember inviting you” I say, and she sits with her back straight.
“Okay, okay, sorry. I’ll wait” She says, and starts to look at the ceiling, her face is adorable.
“Hey Addie” I whisper after almost half a minute. She turns towards me. Her eyes are open wide, and jade green. “Do you wanna hang with me and Luke tonight?”
“Wow that was so out of the blue” she says almost immediately. I start to laugh “Yeah, okay sure”
Carry On Wayward Son starts singing, and Addie fishes her phone out of her pocket, and answers it.
“Hello” She says. “I’m with some friends” pause “Okay okay” another pause “Fine! I’m coming” she then hangs up and turns to us “I have to go. My mom is going crazy”
“No, but we just got here” Elena says.
“I know, I’m sorry” Addie says. Her mom is probably mad at her because she came home drunk yesterday. I wonder if she knows that Calum actually brought her in. She probably does.
“I’ll drive you, come on” I say, extending my hand in which Ash drops his keys.
She stands up, apologising one more time, and then I follow her outside.
“My mom’s gonna kill me” She sings while smiling.
“Just nod and agree with everything she says, and then apologise” I say, as I get in the driver’s seat, and she goes around the car into the passenger’s. She laughs at this.
“Do you have a licence?” She asks, as I turn the engine on.
“Technically no. But I do know how to drive, so no worries. ” I answer and drive out of the parking lot. I didn’t lie. I do know how to drive. Just not Ashton’s car.
It’s of to a ruff start.
“Ah yes, you are such a talented driver, we’ll be there, what, thursday morning? Maybe, if we’re lucky, even wednesday night?” She jokes, putting on the seat belt.
“Ha-ha, very funny” I say, and drive off. As we stop at the traffic light I say “You were pretty wasted yesterday”
“About that” She says, looking down at her hands “I’m really sorry. I normally control the amount of alcohol I consume.”
“It’s fine” I say smiling “And I’m sorry that I had to call Calum to help because, well, I was pretty drunk myself, and plus, I didn’t know where you live”
The light turns green and I step on the gas pedal.
“I just don’t want to cause problems between Calum and Marissa” She says, still looking down, as my phone starts to ring. I take it out and look at the caller ID.
“Speaking of” I say, as I answer “Hello”
“Can you talk?” Calum says. He sounds a bit out of breath.
“Yeah, what’s up?”
“Where are you?”
“Driving Addie home. Why?” I say as I look at Addie. She is picking her nails.
“Come by mine when you do, okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll be there in a minute” I say and turn at his street. Well, his and Addie’s. I park the car in front of Calum’s house, and turn off the engine.
“Thanks for the ride. Sorry I had to leave early” She says as we get out.
“It’s no problem. I’ll call you” I say before I can stop myself. But she doesn’t react, just nods. And then she waves, and walks towards her house. I watch her go, as her dark hair sways behind her. She opens the door, and doesn’t even glance back.
I call Calum and he comes outside.
“Aren’t we going in?” I ask.
“My mom’s home. We can’t talk like normal people.” He says, walking to the car. I hand him the keys because he has a licence and if we get stopped, it won’t be that big of a deal. I enter the passenger’s seat.
“What’s up” I say, opening a window.
“Marissa is driving me crazy” He says, turning the engine on, and driving off.
Addie’s POV
I enter the house and immediately hear my mom from the living room.
“Adelaide, get in here” She says. The house is empty and quiet and I am glad that Aggie and her stupid friends won’t whiteness this.
“Yeah mom” I say, taking my shoes off.
“We need to have a chat” She says. “Sit” She points to the armchair opposite her. I sit. Let’s just get this over with. “What you did last night is unacceptable” She starts.
I nod, and look down at my hands. I don’t really remember anything. I just know that Calum helped me get home and that’s it.
“You need to start acting more responsible. This whole attitude of yours needs to stop” She says. I immediately force down a comeback and just nod, as if I am agreeing. “I understand that you are a teenager, and your rebellious phase is upon us, I get that. I was once a teenager as well, not that long ago” Here we go, now she’s going to compare me to young!Her and ughhh “But you need to control yourself. You can’t drink until you can’t stand, especially here, where you’re new and anyone can take advantage of you” She says. I nod again “And I really don’t understand why you aren’t hanging out with Aggie’s friends. I met them, they just left, but they seem like a very friendly, and safe group of people” This time I don’t swallow my comeback.
“Safe?! I understand mom that you’re just being a concerned parent, and I agree with you, I make a mistake, I didn’t control myself, but don’t tell me that Aggie’s friends are safe and friendly. One of those assholes tried to rape me the first night me and Aggie went out. So no, I really don’t want to hang out with her group of shitty friends. Most of them hate me, so I rather not be in their presence at all” I say and stand up to leave. I always get the urge to cry when I am arguing, especially with my mom.
“What?!” She almost shouts, as I start walking away “Come back this instance. What’s this about raping?!” She says, following me, trying to keep her voice calm.
“Yes, I went to the bathroom, and Chris and his two friends, who are also apart of her group of nice and safe people, dragged me in a room.” I say. Great, the tears are coming on.
“Oh Addie” My mom says, and hugs me. “I’m sorry. I was just worried.”
When she lets me go I say “And for the record, my friends are actually nice, and make sure I get home safe, and unlike someone’s, they know what consent is.” I say, and walk to my room. And now I’m crying. Ok.
Calum’s POV
I drive to the nearby park, and park the car on the parking lot. But I don’t get out, and neither does Mikey. We’ve been silent the whole way here.
“So what’s up?” Mikey asks, turning towards me.
“I can’t, I can’t anymore…just no” I say, not able to form words. Mikey stares at me, waiting to go on. And I blurt out “I think you’re right about Stephen” I say. He lowers his head. I expect him to say something like ‘I told you so’ or ‘You should’ve listened to me’ or ‘I knew it’, but he doesn’t
“I’m really sorry, mate” He says, and looks at me again. And I know that he really means it, which is even worse, because he confirmed it and I feel a lump in my throat.

Notes

Sorry I am late with this update. I had some stuff going on. Sorry for the spelling mistakes and bad sentence structure. Please comment, rate and subscribe. Enjoy :)