Page 27 of Built to Fall
“I need to find my friends,” I tell him, trying to push out of his hold again.
“Meredith’s with Braxton, Eden’s hooking up with some guy in the guest bedroom, and Kara is dancing with Jack. They’re all accounted for and not going to be leaving anytime soon.” When he sees my face fall, he sighs and relents, “I’ll text Braxton and have him let them know.”
Then, he continues carrying me through the house. Grant pushes the door open and sets my feet down on the porch before leading me out into the cool night air.
“I’m taking you back to your apartment,” he repeats, like I’m too drunk to understand what’s happening. “I’m the only one who hasn’t been drinking, so I’m your only option.”
“Do you have a savior complex or something?” I take a deep breath, steeling myself. “I didn’t ask you to do this.”
He glances down at me, his jaw tight, but his face unreadable. “Yeah, well, someone has to, and clearly your pickings are pretty slim.”
My chest tightens. I’m sure he doesn’t mean anything by it, like all his other comments, but it still hits where it hurts.
I’ve made the wrong choice before, and once was enough. Once was enough to ruin the idea that trusting someone to do something for me wouldn’t cost me in the long run.
I want to argue. I want to throw every bit of frustration I’ve been carrying at him. But I’m too exhausted, knowing I should feel too humiliated by the situation to put up a fight anymore. So, I stay quiet as he walks me to his car—some type of Aston Martin—the tension thick between us as he drives me back to our apartment building.
CHAPTER SEVEN
LINA
Iwake up to sunlight stabbing through the blinds like it has a personal vendetta against me. My head is pounding with drums and cymbals—the whole marching band all at once—while my mouth tastes vaguely of regret and whatever filled my red Solo Cup last night. I blink a few times, trying to piece together where I am. My ceiling. My room. Thank God.
My shoes are off. My phone’s plugged in. There’s a bottle of water on my nightstand, next to my stack of Greek mythology books. I definitely didn’t put that there. I waswaytoo far gone to have any helpful foresight.
Grant.
It hits me all at once. His steady arm around my waist last night. His low voice and teasing as he carried me through the house and to his car. The way he set me in the passenger seat of his car and brushed my hair off my face, his calloused hand rough against my skin while he laughed lightly at how much of a mess I was while I tried to act like I wasn’t seeing double.
I remember bits and pieces. Mostly how drunk I was and that I was still somehow able to give him shit the entire way back to my dorm. At least there’s that.
Sitting up slowly, I take in my surroundings while slowly reorienting myself to the brutal headache that woke me up.
The National Geographic posters that Kara and Meredith jokingly hung above my dresser allow me to easily recognize the room, along with all of my textbooks scattered on top of it.
My phone buzzes with a text right as there’s a knock at my bedroom door. I don’t get a chance to check it before I hear Eden’s voice.
“Lina?” she calls from the other side of the door, way too chipper for how early it is. “We’re doing Sal’s for breakfast. You’re coming. You owe me for leaving me to deal with Kara and the boys last night.”
“Sounded like you were a bit preoccupied with a boy of your own,” I call, still not getting out of bed.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” She knocks on my door again. Louder this time. “Get up! Let’s go!”
I groan, dragging myself toward the door, wearing only a tank top and shorts. I have no idea how I got into these clothes. I’m choosing not to think about it because I’d rather not know if Grant has seen me fully naked.
“You’re the worst,” I tell her dramatically as I open the door.
“You say that, but here you are. Alive. Dignity slightly dented, but alive!” Her cheeriness is beginning to grate on me. “And you’re going to breakfast with us. If you guys are going to keep calling methe mom of the apartment,then I consider reviving your hungover asses my responsibility.”
“Let me put clothes on first.”
“Hurry up!” Eden pushes past me into the room, her ponytail swaying with the kind of pep all of my energy wouldn’t be able to conjure at the moment. “We have to pick up Mer from down the hall.”
I’m confused as I pull a sweatshirt over my head and sweatpants up over my shorts. “Meredith lives here.”
Eden doesn’t even pause as she heads out into the living room, throwing me a smirk over her shoulder. “Yeah, about that…”
I follow her out of our apartment and down the hall, just in time to see her raise her hand up to Braxton’s apartment door.
