Mike’s voice rang in my ears. I groaned as I shifted onto my side. My body felt as if it were made of lead. Like the marrow of my bones was filled with the stuff. With every sharp breath of air I drew through my nose, more of my night came back.
The hot shower. Sleeping in Mike’s hotel room.
Rae constantly bombarding me with questions.
“Fuck,” I grunted.
The burp that came up my throat was rancid. It made me grimace and forced me out of bed. It felt like I was going to be sick. The floor underneath me tilted, trying to knock me off balance. I heaved myself out of bed and fell against the wall before the sound of scrambling was heard. All the sounds around me meshed into one as my arm lifted itself into the middle of the air.
Before coming down around something.
“Come on. Toilet. Now.”
I groaned. “Shut up. Your voice sucks first thing in the morning.”
Mike snickered. “Pretty sure that’s the hangov--fuck. There you go.”
My stomach ejected its contents as I fell to my knees against the hard floor. I groaned in pain before tears rushed the back of my eyes. I couldn't remember the last time I got so drunk it made me sick. Holy hell, puking was a terrible sensation. It felt like my body was being ripped apart. Limb from limb. My ribs felt as if they were trying to break through my skin. The pain behind my eyes mounted, as if it were trying to squeeze my eyes from their sockets.
What the fuck was coming out of my nose?
It’s my brain. I’m melting. I’m dying.
“Your nose is bleeding, dude. Hold on.”
Water ran and the toilet flushed. My heaves became dry as I sat back on my haunches. Something cold landed underneath my nose and I flinched. Someone’s hand clapped against the back of my head.
“Holy fuck, that hurt.”
Mike sighed. “Don’t move away. You’re really bleeding good, man.”
I sighed as I sat there, with the stench of vomit filling the air. Why the hell had I gone to that party last night? Hell, why the fuck did I come on this trip? I should’ve known Rae better than that. I should’ve known she would have wanted to do this alone. I mean, we’d been together almost a year. One year come next month. How the hell did I not know her better than this?
Maybe that’s why we’re not working out.
“All right. It’s finally slowing up. How’s your head feeling?”
I laughed bitterly. “That a serious question?”
Mike snickered. “I’m trying to figure out if you need breakfast, or another four hours of sleep.”
“Fuck, no food. Definitely no food.”
“Coffee? Water? Excedrin?”
I sighed. “All three?”
“Done, done, and double done. Except, maybe not something that thins the blood. Your nose is uh… well, yeah. Let’s just say if it starts up again, I’m taking you to a doctor.”
“Got it.”
I opened my eyes for the first time that morning and the world didn’t tilt. The pain in my stomach slowly subsided, but it only made room for the pain in my chest. My hand flew to my pec. I gripped it as the emptiness washed over me. How the hell could something so miniscule feel so death-defying? I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. I wanted to storm into Rae’s room and demand the answers she hadn’t given me yet.
And yet, the rest of me wanted to lie back in bed and fall asleep for a few weeks.
“Okay, well. Yove got two choices. You can hang out here while I take a shower, or I can get you back to bed before I take a shower. What’s it gonna be?”
I cleared my throat. “The last thing I need this morning is to see your dick.”