Take Me Away (7 page)

"How much did you drink?"

"Ummm," she starts to say, before throwing up on my lap. Awesome.

"You didn't throw up on me," I tell myself.

"Yep," she hiccups, “I did. And I'm about to again." She turns her head back into the toilet and empties everything in her stomach into the bowl. Her body shakes and I take her hair in my hands again, moving it out of her face. "Thank you." She says before throwing up again. As disgusted as I should be, I'm actually worried. I rub her back as she continues to puke and finally after a few minutes, she lets out a breath and sighs.

"Do you have a hair tie?" She raises her arm and I roll it off her wrist to tie her hair up. "Don't move. I'm going to wet the washcloth again." She groans and rests her face on the toilet. Running cold water over the washcloth, I place it on her neck and grab another to wash her face. Her eyes are closed and she looks peaceful. I look around the bathroom and see her puke on the floor and my leg. Cleaning up the mess, I go back to her. After wiping her face and arms, I pick her up and take her to my room.

“Treston, is she okay?” Katy asks, pushing Gavin out of her way.

“Yeah she’s good, but she’s wasted and I don’t want her alone. Can you change her into my clothes and put her in my bed?”

Her brow rises, “In
your
room? In
your
bed?”

“Did I stutter?”

“No,” she pats my cheek, “But are you sure? I can have her sleep in Gavin's room with me.”

"I'm sure, Katy. Get her changed into my clothes and let her rest. She's really drunk and I don't want to move her."

"You got it," she winks.

“Let me know when you’re done with Peaches and I’ll come back in.”

“Peaches?”

“Yeah.” I turn around, close the door and wait in the hall. The nickname fits her. I mean, I love peaches. The fruit is sweet and when ripe, it melts in your mouth. I wonder how my Peaches tastes?

Wait, mine?

Katy walks out of the room, looking at me and Gavin. “She’s good. Are you sure she can stay in your room?”

“I’m gonna stay with her.”

“Okay,” Katy smiles, “Let me know if you need anything.”

Giving Katy a hug and telling Gavin I’ll see him in the morning, I walk back into my room and sit on the edge of my bed, looking at her. She looks like an angel sleeping on my bed. I push her hair out of her face and feel a sudden comfort. It’s been so long since I’ve had a girl in my room, on my bed, in my space.

I once knew what love was. It was the best feeling, knowing someone cared about you and you cared about them. Then again, love can be taken away from you like that. In the blink of an eye, your whole life changes. Some people can survive, but not me. You don’t survive the heartbreak I’ve been through. You can’t. The way she made me feel, the way she kissed me and lit my body aflame, no other woman could do that. Nothing would ever be okay and since the day I lost her, I’ve been on auto pilot. I go through the motions of school, the game I love, home, parties and errands, but nothing feels real anymore.

Though talking to and hanging out with Zara is okay for me. She’s not someone I want to avoid.

“Sleep Peaches. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

CHAPTER 8

ZARA

MY STOMACH GROWLS AS I RUB MY FACE WITH my hands. Drinking the night before practice isn't a smart idea, especially since it's summer and we're in North Carolina. Luckily, the air conditioner is on and the room is cool. I hate sleeping when it's hot and sticky.

Ignoring my internal clock, I try turning over when I feel an arm around my waist. My eyes slowly open as I feel warmth all over. Sunlight streams through the sheer curtains as I move from my side to my back. My eyes fully open when I feel the arm squeezing me and the other arm pulling me backwards.

No. No. No. What happened last night?

Slowly turning my body to face whoever is holding me, I gasp quietly. My eyes go wide and my mouth drops open. The blanket isn't covering his upper body and wow his body is...no words.

Staring at his strong chest and broad shoulders, savoring each moment and memorizing his body, my mind spins when I realize it’s Treston I’m in bed with. Holy shit, he’s built like a sex god. My heart races in my chest. I want to touch him, but I hold back. Slowly taking in his defined abs and perfect V, I bite my lower lip and let out a soft whimper. Images of how he might look…down there…come to mind. I quickly cover my eyes and lecture myself to not be a pervert.

Closing my eyes, I force myself to think about what happened last night. God, I cannot believe I did this and I don’t remember. I shut my eyes tighter and keep thinking. Flashes of moments come to me and I vaguely remember being in the bathroom with him. We were in the bathroom, okay, so he saw me puke. Great!

He holds me tighter. His nose is in my hair, breathing me in. “Don’t leave,” he mutters, “Please stay with me. You can’t leave. I need you.” My head whips to his. What the hell is he saying?

“Stay with me,” he mumbles in his sleep.

Quickly I move out of his arms, covering my face with my hands, “Treston.”

“What?” He looks at me with one eye open. The blanket moves off his chest, showing off more of his chest and amazingly sexy body. Oh my. Oh my. “Peaches, are you okay?”

I nod my head. “Okay, good.” He flops back on his pillow.

“Treston?!”

“What?”

“What happened last night?”

His eyes open again, staring at my face and body. My cheeks heat up and I can’t look at him. I have to look away. “Nothing happened. I promise. I wouldn’t take advantage of you especially since you’re a virgin.”

VIRGIN!

Oh.

My.

God.

I told him I was a virgin. There’s no way in hell I can ever show him my face again. This is bad, so bad! How could I be so stupid? And how embarrassing!

"I told you I was a virgin?" I gasp, wanting to bury my head in the bed and never leave.

“Stop,” he tells me. “It’s nice to know you aren't a skank."

"Oh. Well, it's still embarrassing."

"Well," he begins to say, "Jackson may have let it slip when you guys broke up."

Yep, I'm going to kill him. I can't believe he'd let that slip! It's personal and it's not like I want people to know.

"Stop thinking and be proud of that fact." He turns his body to me and takes my hand, "Can I ask you to do something for me?” I nod. “Don’t get drunk without me. I don’t like knowing what would have happened if I wasn’t there to protect you.”

“I’m not yours to protect, so you don’t have to worry, Treston. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that you were there for me, but don’t stop your fun so you can babysit me.” I’m not sure what else to say. Part of me feels gross being in his bed. I mean he’s
The King;
surely he’s had this bed used multiple times with different girls. “Why did you let me sleep in your room? I could have crashed in one of the empty rooms or something. I probably ruined your chance at hooking up with someone.”

His hand caresses my cheek. Using his forearm he sits up, sitting in front of me, and takes my hand with his other hand. “No one’s been in this room. I haven’t shared a bed with someone in a while, Peaches. And I
want
to protect you. You can push me away or fight me on this, but it's not going to work.”

“My name’s Zara.”

“I know.” His finger slides from my cheek down my arm. My eyes flutter closed and I let out a sigh. "Are you going to fight me on this?"

"I won't. Happy?"

"Very. So, what's the plan for today?"

I throw my arm over my head and wish I could go back to sleep. I'm not looking forward to practice today. Coach Kaler's going to murder me. “Sleep, practice, sleep."

"Sounds about right," he answers, moving to his back.

"I’m going to see Katy and Gavin. See you in a few?”

“Okay.” I watch him tuck his hand under his pillow, but his eyes are on me. I can't tear away from his penetrating eyes. His stare's making me weak. I want him to look at me like this each time.

Heading down the hall, I see Jackson’s bedroom door practically open. When I go in, there’s someone in bed with him. I let out a gasp and he opens his eyes. We look at each other, neither of us moving or saying anything. I move away from his bedroom door and run downstairs. That is not something I want to see early in the morning.

I run back to the house and up to my room. Taking off the sweatpants and white tee shirt, I go take a shower letting the warm water fall down my body. I try not to think about how I felt waking up in Treston's arms or that I'm really falling for him. The way his eyes looked at me, it seemed like he stared into my soul, and was tearing me apart just to put me back together.

Putting on shorts and a white v-neck tee, I slip on my flip flops and head back to the guys’ house. I don’t want to be alone and need Katy. There are so many things going on in my head.

Knocking on Gavin’s door, I hear Katy, “Come in.” I open the door and plop down on their bed. “Good morning sugar,” she smiles.

“Morning. So,” I flip on my stomach and see the both of them looking at me. “Care to tell me how I woke up in Treston’s bed or how Jackson’s with another girl already?”

“What?” Katy shrieks. She looks at Gavin and he shrugs, “You saw him?”

“Sure did. It's not something I want to see again," I groan.

"You’re overreacting, babe.”

"Maybe so, but it's weird.” I laugh, covering my face.

“And about Treston,” Gavin answers. “Baby girl, you got wasted last night and he took care of you.”

“Did he change my clothes?”

Katy raises her hand, “Nope, that was me. And nice pink lacy thong,” she winks at me and again I cover my face. “Didn't think virgins had those kind of undies." My eyes go wide and I'm about to kill my best friend. "He was worried about you. Kinda cute.”

“He was? Why?” I sit up on the bed and roll my eyes. “He doesn’t have to be worried.” It bothers me that Treston feels as if he has to babysit me. I’m a big girl. Sure, I got wasted last night and I threw up and ended the evening in his bed.

“Well ladies, I’ll leave you two here so you can chat.” He leans over and kisses Katy on the lips. “I’m going to check on Treston.” He winks and gets up to leave.

“You’re so lucky. He adores you.”

A smile appears on her face. Actually more of a smirk, a mocking smirk. “Stop smiling,” I mutter, pulling the covers to my face, looking at the ceiling and wishing I could take back last night. I turn back and look at Katy, “Why are you smiling?”

“What? What’s there not to smile about?”

I roll my eyes, not wanting to think about Treston. “I don’t like him, if that’s what you’re trying to hint at.”

“Mmm hmm, I’m sure,” she winks, flipping on her back. "That's why your face is all pretty and you have on cute clothes. You're so not trying to impress anyone."

“I’m not! Come on, he’s
The King
and he’s a man whore. I know what I’m doing and keeping him as a friend is the best thing. I don’t need girl’s hating me or anything and I definitely don’t need the distraction. There’s no way I can have feelings for him! I’d be scared that he’s going to hurt me and things will end badly. Friends, that’s all we’ll be. “I mean he probably doesn’t do relationships anyways so what’s the point?”

Saying that hurts more than it should. I know I sound crazy, but waking up next to him is something I want to always do.

“I love how you aren’t answering me!”

I hear her sigh, “I don’t know what you want me to say, babe. You know how he is, but think about it. Since the both of you have been hanging out, have you seen him with girls? Yeah they come up to him, but he tells them to leave. At parties, he's with you. Pretty much all the time he's with you, so there's nothing to worry about."

“Yeah, you're right." I think about it and see what she's saying. He's been with me and fighting off the skanks who want his attention.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you.”

“What?” I roll to my side and look at Katy, waiting for her to tell me whatever she has to tell me.

“Since the guy's are practicing a different time than us Treston’s going to keep helping Coach at least once a week so get used to it."

Do you know the feeling you get when you think your heart has stopped as well as your breathing? Like you’re dying? Because right now I am sure I’m going to die and never get to experience what it’s like to play for Duke.

Katy and I stay in Gavin’s room a little while longer before venturing downstairs for some much needed coffee. Jamie’s at the table with her hands on her head.

“Rough night?” I ask, taking the cup from her hands and sitting down.

“You have no idea. What time’s practice today?”

“Three,” Katy answers with a bagel stuffed in her mouth, “Gonna be a kickass workout, so y’all better not be hungover!”

“Stop yelling,” Jamie whines, “My head feels like it’s about to explode.”

I finish the rest of her coffee and get up to get more. Waiting for the coffee to brew, I pick up an apple from the counter, but it falls out of my hands. Leaning down to pick it up I feel someone staring at me.