He sighs. “You’re welcome.” He starts to walk away and pauses. “I’ll get you some water and Advil to take. You’re going to feel like shit in the morning.”
“I already feel like shit,” I mutter.
He doesn’t comment. I hear him moving about the apartment and it isn’t long until he’s back in front of me.
“Take them—and drink all the water.”
I lift my arm and crack my eyes at him. His hand is extended with two Advil and the other holds a glass of water.
I take both and down the Advil. It takes a few gulps to empty the water.
“Thanks.” I set the glass down on the table.
“I’m going to bed. If you need anything, let me know.”
I nod and watch him leave, his bedroom door closing behind him.
I lie, staring up at the ceiling.
It reminds me of the times when I was kid and I’d lie in my room exactly like this. I used to wonder if things could possibly get worse.
The answer is yes. Yes, they can.
“Dude, you’ve been sleeping all day, get up.”
I groan and Joel kicks me into the back. I fall to the floor with a thump.
“What the fuck was that for?” I sit up and glare at him.
Afternoon sunlight streams through the windows and I blink rapidly from the glare.
“You’re hogging my couch.”
I chuckle. “You offered it.”
“No,” he corrects. “You asked to stay here and I said it was okay. I didn’t call you up and say, hey, Jace, want to have a slumber party?”
“Do you at least have some coffee?” I beg, rubbing my eyes. They’re burning from my contacts and I know my glasses are at home.
He nods. “Coffee coming right up.”
I slowly stand up, my body stiff and sore from the contortions I had to perform in order to sleep on the couch.
I sit back down and dig the heels of my hands into my eyes.
I have a raging headache but I think it’s more to do with the emotional stress than the amount of alcohol I had to drink.
I’m tempted to get on a plane and go after her, but I’m terrified if I follow her I’ll only push her further away.
Joel hands me a steaming cup of coffee.
“You look like hell,” he observes.
I chuckle and take a sip of coffee. “I feel like it too.”
I run my fingers through my already mussed hair.
“I’m more than a little pissed Nova didn’t tell me she was leaving,” Joel admits, sitting on the arm of the couch and tilting his head toward me. “We have a business we’re trying to build and she up and abandoned it.”