Page 53 of Before I Loved You

PAUL

RIP Paul Weston.

An animalistic groan leaves me as I stretch out on my bed, slowly blinking open my eyes, carefully avoiding the sun peeking through the partially closed blinds. I twist to my side when I’m hit with a familiar scent. Honey and apples. My eyes bolt open.

I smother my nose into the pillow beside me, inhaling that familiar scent: Sarah’s scent.

But why am I smelling her on my pillow?

And why am I still in my clothes from the night before?

Slowly, I sit up, rubbing my pounding head with the palm of my hand, fighting the nausea invading my stomach.

What the fuck happened last night?

Knock. Knock.

Fucking hell. I grip the side of my head as the knocking sound reverberates back and forth inside my skull like there’s a goddamn tennis match going on in there.

“Come in,” I say gruffly, my throat hoarse and raw. Maybe Nate can clue me in as to what the hell happened to me last night. But it’s not Nate who pokes his head inside my room.

“Hey.” Sarah grins, walking toward me. I think I’m too stunned to speak or completely forgot how to because I’m sitting here like a silent idiot. “I brought you something for the headache I’m sure you have.”

She holds out a couple of pills with a bottle of water.

“Thanks.” I take the pills and eagerly swallow them down, hoping for a reprieve from my headache.

She sits on the edge of my bed beside me, rubbing her thighs nervously. “How are you feeling?”

I sit up straighter, rolling my neck side to side. “To be honest, I’m not sure.”

“Do you remember what happened?” she asks.

Do I?

I had been in such a funk for the past few days that when I heard the Kappa house was having a party, I decided to go, even though I’m not usually a frat house party kind of guy. Scratch that; I’m never a frat house party kind of guy. But my head had been so overwhelmed, playing Sarah’s words to me repeatedly on an endless loop, that I just needed a break, an escape from my own head.

Maybe I tried to escape a little too hard.

“I remember going to the party, but the rest is a little hazy.” I squeeze the back of my neck, feeling ashamed to admit that. “I don’t think I’ve ever drunk that much in my life.”

Just the thought of alcohol has my stomach churning.

She nods, looking down at the comforter where her index finger traces a circle. “You called me,” she says matter-of-factly.

“I did?” Why don’t I remember this?

“You told me you weren’t feeling well and that…you didn’t know who else to call.” She bites her lower lip, dropping her shoulders. “I went to get you and texted Nate for help. And when I got there…” She pauses, her hand suddenly clenching into a fist beside her. “A girl was sitting on your lap.”

I sit up in a flash. “I don’t remember that. Sarah, I swear—”

“I know,” she says reassuringly. “She was taking advantage of you in the state you were in, and it made me so fucking mad.” She shakes her head, her whole body slightly trembling. “I told her to get off you, but she wouldn’t listen. So I kind of…threw her off of you and ended up pulling out her hair extensions in the process.”

My eyes widen. “You did what?”

“I had no choice,” she quickly spits out. “I’m not a violent person, but I couldn’t let her…” She blows out a deep breath. “Well, obviously, the bitch wasn’t happy with that, and she went to hit me, but Nate showed up right in time to stop her.” She finally looks at me with a little smirk. “Don’t ask us how we got you out of that house and into your bed. Let’s just say you owe Nate big time.” She lets out a little chuckle. “I stayed here with you for a few minutes because you asked me to, but when you fully passed out, I left to give you some space.”

Doesn’t she know that space is the last thing I want from her?

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