March 18, eight years ago
Bright. Too bright. Room spinning. Nauseous stomach. The need to pry my tongue off the roof of my mouth. Prayer for quick death.
It can only mean one thing.
The mother of all hangovers graced me with her presence.
It’s to be expected after all the drinking last night. Green beer, green whiskey, green tequila. I’m not sure if the green dye wasn’t partially to blame for the worst hangover I’ve ever had. Coach would kill me at practice later if I didn’t decide to do it myself if this feeling doesn’t go away.
I vaguely remember the events last night. The only thing I’m not sure of is how I got home. Normally I would rely on Etta or one of my teammates to drive me, but since I wasn’t thinking and let the drinking games get away from me last night, I cannot be sure of much of anything.
Etta was in Austin with her sister celebrating their belated birthday, opting to take advantage of spring break to ring in their twenties. Baseball kept me here, but luckily, we didn’t have a game today.
Forcing my eyes open, I looked at my nightstand to check the clock. It wasn’t even 9:00 a.m.
“Do you feel okay, Baby?” a syrupy sweet voice asked from the doorway. I cringed at the word baby. I always hated when girls called me baby. Total turn off.
Turning my head too quickly, making it threaten to explode, I focused my eyes on the woman dressed in my t-shirt, only my t-shirt. Fuck. There goes rule number one.
“No.”
She giggled. “I brought you some water and some Advil.”
“Thanks.” I gingerly sat up and took both items from her, noticing I still had on my jeans from last night. After downing half the water and the pills, I really looked at her. Victoria, a girl who represented ten percent of my sexual history. I sort of remember that she was at the bar last night. “I guess you drove me home?”
“Yes. You were pretty out of it.” She sat on the bed and placed her hand on my chest. “I took care of you all night.” I think she was trying to be seductive. It wasn’t working. In fact, she, combined with the vicious jackhammer currently taking up residence in my head, were both an intense turn off.
“Thanks, but you don’t have to stay anymore. I’m sure you have better things to do.”
She moved her hand down my chest to my waist. “If there’s you, there is nothing better to do.”
Shit.
I grabbed her wrist and politely removed her hand from my body. “Victoria…”
“Do you know I can’t stop thinking about our night together?”
Double shit.
“I’m flattered, but…”
“It was the best night of my life. I can’t stop thinking about you. That’s why I am glad we ran into each other.” She lowered her head, and she smiled. It was kind of creepy. I had to suppress the urge to shudder. “I want more. You might have passed out on me last night, but you won’t say no to this now.”
She took off my shirt. Yep, she was naked. All I could do was an open mouthed stare, too shocked to move.
She grabbed her obviously enhanced breasts and thumbed her abnormally large nipples. “Like what you see, Nate?” She ran her hand down her stomach to between her thighs. “It can all be yours.”
Seriously, what kind of girl does this?
I jumped up off my bed and threw what I hoped was her dress from last night at her. “Get dressed, Victoria.” I walked out of my room and slammed the door.
Of course, Etta took this moment to walk in the door.
“Oh, morning, Nathaniel. I didn’t expect you to be up yet. One of the trainers called in sick, so Jackson called me last night and asked if I could fill in today. The drive didn’t take as long as I expected, so I thought I’d come home first and change.” She put her keys in the bowl. “How was your St. Patrick’s Day with the guys?” She turned toward me. “Wow, you really look like shit. Rough night?”
Victoria, who was fortunately dressed, jerked open my door, and came toward me, shaking her high heel in my face. “Did you seriously just turn me down? After what I did for you last night?” She put on her shoe. “I drove you here, practically carried you from the car, watched over you all night to make sure you didn’t die Hendrix style, and you turn me down?” She put on her other shoe. “No one’s ever turned me down.”
“I appreciate what you did for me last night, but I told you when we met that I wasn’t looking for a girlfriend. And I haven’t changed my mind.”
“Why would you be looking for a girlfriend? You already have one.” She waved her hands at Etta. “Although I fully understand why you would prefer to fuck me,” she looked Etta up and down disgustedly, “and not her. You go ahead. Play house with her, because you surely will never be fucking me again.”
“I think I already made that clear,” I returned.
She stormed out of the apartment and slammed the door. I stared at the door for a full minute.
“And that is why I don’t bring girls home.”
Etta snorted and covered her mouth. I saw tears fill her eyes.
“Oh my God, Etta, if she upset you…”
She removed her hand from her mouth and waved it at me. I could tell why she was crying – she was laughing too hard. She bent over holding her stomach.
“That… that was some funny shit right there.”
“I’m glad I can entertain you.” I moved to the kitchen to grab a Gatorade, kinda hurt by the fact that Etta found my situation so friggin hilarious. She followed me.
“No, Nathaniel. You don’t get the joke. That was the bitch in my Anatomy class who rubbed it in my face that you two had sex.” She scrunched up her face. “Why would I care what she says?”
“It’s just one of the reasons why I…” I paused. Shit, I almost said it. “…am glad we’re friends.”
She stared at me for a minute, completely blank expression. “Yeah, as fun as this was, I need to change and get going.” She went into her room. “Eat some toast, Nathaniel,” she yelled. “Carbo-load before practice, and drink some water.” She came out from her room, pulling her shirt down. I got a flash of lace from her bra and her bare stomach. That was more of a turn on than Victoria completely naked. “I’ll see you tonight. After your bender, you need a quiet night in.”
She just gets more perfect every day.