10.
It was 8.30 p.m when Rachel arrived at Kimberly’s place.
She had offered to come earlier to help her out.
“Hey girl!” – Kimberly greeted her giving her a hug – “Where’s your guy?” – she asked right away.
“He’s just a friend” – Rachel corrected her – “and he’s meeting me here later.”
“Right, a friend. C’mon Rach I know you. What do you have to tell me?” – Kimberly insisted.
“Nothing. Trust me I wish I had something.”
The party was a success. Kimberly had invited good DJ’s, the catering service was perfect and everybody seemed to be having a great time. The girls had the chance to catch up with older friends they had not seen in a while and dance together like they used to when they were younger.
Rachel moved away from the group and called David once again. He was supposed to be there two hours ago, but she had received a text message saying:
Don’t know if I can make it.
“Is everything okay?” – Kimberly asked seeing that something was wrong.
“I think I got stood up…“
Rachel was a person with good judgment and Kimberly could never understand how she always seemed to pick the wrong guy – “Well, you came here to party and that’s what we’re going to do” – she grabbed her by the arm and forced her on the dance floor. Rachel resisted at first but after a few minutes she was totally loose. Kimberly left her for a while and when she came back Rachel was laughing hysterically with a drink in each hand.
“How many of those did you have already young lady?” – she asked laughing.
“You told me to party!” – she replied loudly.
Kimberly tried to slow her a little bit but Rachel couldn’t care less. She was shaking it off to the beat and drinking anything they’d put in her hands.
Around 1 a.m Kimberly was talking to some friends when a guy walked in the room. She didn’t remember seeing him before and he seemed as he was looking for someone. She approached him.
“Sorry, can I help you?” “Kimberly?” – he guessed. “Yes, and you are?”
“Hi. I’m David. I was looking for Rachel” – he explained – “I got caught up at work.”
“Oh hi! She thought you stood her up…” - Kimberly told him – “I believe she’s outside” – she pointed.
David followed her. The backyard was huge and was full of people. The barbecue area had been transformed into a Bar and the pool illuminated with different color lights, it gave the place a nice touch. On the left side was the dance floor and the DJ, that’s where Rachel was. When Kimberly saw her she tried to distract David’s attention, but it was too late. He had spotted her too, dancing provocatively with two guys.
He thought about leaving, but for some reason he didn’t quite understand, he approached her instead.
“I see you managed to have fun without me” – he told her.
“David? What are you doing here? I thought you said you couldn’t make it” – she stumbled and her speech was funny.
“Are you drunk?” – he didn’t need her to answer. She was completely wasted.
“I’m just having fun! Plus, you’re late mister.”
“I can tell you really missed me” – he said ironically.
“C’mon, we’re waiting for you!” – screamed one of the guys to Rachel.
“Coming” - she said.
“Rach, why don’t you come inside with us?” – Kimberly tried to calm things down.
“I’m not going anywhere I’m having fun, come and join us Kim” – Rachel pulled her.
The guy put her hand on her shoulder and insisted – “C’mon don’t waste time with these lame people that don’t know how to have a good time.”
“Just give me a minute. Are you joining us?” – she asked looking at Kimberly and David while getting yet another drink.
“I really think you had quite enough for the night” – said Kimberley gently taking the glass out of her hand – “C’mon Rach it’s enough now.”
David was getting ready to leave when the guy came once again. Grabbing Rachel by her waist this time he pulled her to the dance floor while she kicked with her legs in the air yelling at him to put her down.
She managed to hit him so he put her down, but he held her arm. She asked him to let go and tried to release it, but he was holding too tight.
“Let her go” – David said firmly.
“Who do you think you are?” – the guy asked – “We’ve being putting up with her the whole night, don’t think you’re just going to come now and take her.”
Rachel was still trying to get loose, he was hurting her.
“Let her go” – David repeated.
The guy didn’t listen and the next thing Rachel saw was David punching him. The guy stumbled back and his drink flew up in the air as he landed on his butt.
David grabbed Rachel’s hand and without giving her a choice informed her – “I’m taking you home.”
Rachel was still upset for being stood up and tried to resist him – “I’m not going anywhere!”
“Stop acting like a child!” – he raised his voice for the first time – “what did you think would’ve happen if Kimberly and I were not there? Can’t you see those guys only want one thing from you?”
Rachel was ready to fight back but she didn’t even get a chance. Before she could even react projectile vomit was flying of her mouth.
“Let’s take her inside” – Kimberley said.
However, it was too late. Rachel lowered her head and kept vomiting, she just couldn’t stop. David held her and pulled her hair back.
When she finished he put his jacket around her shoulders and he simply said – “Can we go home now?”
Rachel nodded embarrassed.
“I’m going to get her stuff” – Kimberley said.
David dragged Rachel inside and let her seat on the couch.
“Here” – Kimberly handled him Rachel’s purse and the car keys.
“Do you think we can call a cab?” – he asked – “I don’t think taking her home by bus in these conditions is such a good idea.”
“Don’t you drive?” – Kimberly asked.
“I do but I don’t have a car” – he said.
“Take hers” – she said – “That’s why I gave you the keys.” “I don’t know I…”
“Look, Rachel trusts you, and I can tell you care about her. So just take it, she will thank you” – she insisted.
“Okay.”
Kimberley helped him put Rachel in the car. He could swear it took her less than two seconds to fall asleep. His head was running a thousand miles a minute and Rachel’s condo never seemed so far. When they finally got there he was unable to wake her up so he lifted her in his arms and carried her inside.
Reaching her condo, David went straight to her bedroom and dropped her in a chair. He went to her closet and picked out some short shorts and a tank top then he went to the bathroom and got a wet towel. Gently he unbuttoned her dress and pulled it off carefully. With the towel he cleaned off the vomit residues on her body and face. He dressed her in the clean clothes and laid her carefully on the bed.
He cleaned his own shirt that had not escaped the vomit either and sat on the chair watching her sleep peacefully.
It was almost 8 a.m when he woke up. His neck was sore and he had a killer headache. He checked on Rachel and went to the kitchen to grab something to eat. He wanted to leave, but had to make sure she was okay.
Rachel tossed and turned in her bed. Her head was killing her and she didn’t remember the last time she had felt so sick. The sunlight coming from the window was burning her eyes and only with great effort she was able to get up. She wasn’t exactly sure what had happened the night before. She remembered going to Kimberly’s party, but had no recollection of coming back. She dragged herself to the bathroom and washed her face, she looked terrible. She heard someone in the kitchen and went to check it out. It was David. What was he doing there on a Saturday morning? She was confused. Had something happened and she didn’t remember?
“Good morning” – he said unemotionally when he realized she was there – “drink this” – he ordered handling a tall glass of tomato juice.
“Thanks, but I really don’t feel like drinking. I don’t feel good” – she complained.
“It’s called a hangover” – he said – “and this will help, so drink it.”
If something had happened between them it hadn’t been good because David was definitely in a bad mood.
“Here” – he said pointing to her cellphone – “You should call Kimberly, she was worried.”
“Where are you going?” – she asked when he walked to the door.
“I’ve spend the whole night babysitting you and making sure you’d be okay. I think my job is done for today.”
Rachel wanted to stop him but had no idea what to say. Plus her head was hurting so bad that she could barely think so she let him walk away.