Page 64 of Relentless

The gossip would spread like wildfire at their small school, especially since it involved the pastor’s daughter. Thinking about everyone whispering about their intimate moment made Harper’s stomach churn, and she felt the contents of her stomach rise into her throat.

“I’m going to go find Delia,” she choked out. Bracing herself, she stepped into the hallway.

The party guests had dwindled, leaving a clear path through the darkened rooms of the house. She searched through those who had passed out in the hallway, and knocked on the doors of the bedrooms.

There was no sign of her friend.

Going through the kitchen, she noticed Tommy on all fours swiping up a puddle of sick with what appeared to be one of his mother’s white tea towels.

“Tommy?” Harper inquired. “Have you seen —” she gagged. Holding firmly to the doorframe, the room swayed around her.

“Just leave me alone, Harper,” Tommy whimpered. “My parents are going to murder me.”

The loud music was still blaring from the speakers. Her eyes strained through the dim lighting at those who had coupled up around the living room.

There, she finally spotted her best friend.

Delia was on the sofa, leaning heavily on the shoulder of a boy from the senior class.

Harper’s nose scrunched as she quickly summed him up. The boy wasn’t even remotely cute or popular, and she couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her best friend,

At this rate, poor Delia will never find someone like Chet, with sparkling teeth, all those strong muscles and —

She felt her stomach heave.

This time, there was no hope of choking it back.

Clenching her lips tightly shut, she threw her hand over her mouth. She forced through the teenagers blocking her path to the front door, and staggered onto the lawn. Barely making it out in time, she retched into the beautiful flower bed belonging to Tommy’s mother.

The screen door slammed behind her as Tommy’s voice rang out in dismay.

“Notagain.”

Harper wiped the sour remnants of vomit from the corners of her lips, and noticed the sky brightening over the roofs of the neighborhood houses. Panic pulsed through her as she checked the time. Her father was an early riser, priding himself on getting up before the sun. Every minute that ticked by would make it more difficult to sneak back into the house undetected. Stumbling back inside, she knelt beside Delia and gently tried to rouse her.

“Hey, wake up,” Harper said, giving her a shake. “We’ve got to go.”

Delia rolled over and pushed her hard with the palm of her hand. “Go away, Harper,” she complained. “Your breath stinks.”

She wasn’t wrong, but there wasn’t time to waste.

Her heart beat a little quicker as she strategized. Even if she could hoist Delia to her feet, she knew neither of them were in any condition to drive. She bit the side of her lip hard as her frantic gaze landed on Tommy’s home phone.

With a heavy sigh, she picked up the phone and pressed the soft buttons.

“Please, Maeve,” she quietly pleaded. “Please pick up the phone.”

Relief washed over her when she heard her little sister’s voice on the other end of the line.

“Maeve, it’s me,” Harper said, trying not to sound as panicked as she felt.

“It’s late, Harp,” Maeve whispered.

“I — well,” Harper stammered. She took a deep sip of air, quelling her pang of guilt. Maeve held so much faith in her to do the right thing. “I had a little too much to drink.” She winced, letting the truth tumble out.

“Are you okay?” Maeve asked. Her concerned voice had not a single tinge of judgment. For some reason, it made Harper feelworse.

“I’m okay,” Harper answered. “I just don’t know how I’m going to get home.”

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