Page 81 of You Float My Boat

The pair of us stared down at Oz, still not moving. The snoring was continuing at its steady rate and there was absolutely no indication he was awake, or even semi-conscious.

Brooks leaned into me, ‘You heard that too, right?’

‘Oz?’ I tried, ‘Osbourne, what happened?’

I was beginning to think we had both imagined him speaking when his lips opened a fraction.

‘You’re right. That’s what happened.’

‘What?’ Brooks’ eyes sliced to mine holding just asmuch confusion, and let out a loud snort. ‘Yeah, he’s definitely still drunk if he thinks you’re right.’

‘Shut up.’ I shoved him, focusing back on the lump. ‘Oz, mate, what happened?’

‘Girls are the worst.’

‘Did something happen with Kate?’

He opened his mouth a little wider – Brooks and I held our breath, waiting to discover the cause of our inebriated housemate and also maybe a little from the smell, because it was very likely we could get drunk off his breath. But then his eyes flew open along with the distinct, and unmistakeable sound of a gag.

‘Move,’ Oz managed to grunt, and sprinted to the bathroom faster than I knew a human could move.

‘Ugh.’ Brooks’ hands flew up to cover his ears from the sound of violent retching, and I caught his chest heaving.

‘Go and get him some water,’ I ordered, before I had two housemates puking on me.

The speed he left rivalled Oz.

‘And message Coach to tell him we’re not coming.’

I slowly made my way to the bathroom while also praying Oz had managed to throw up in the toilet and not all over the floor. Best friend or not, it was far too early to be dealing with his puke. Thankfully, he’d taken that into account.

I found him slumped against the wall, his entire body limp with his cheek pressed into the cold wall tiles. His eyes might have been closed, but his face was so ashen that the pain etched on it couldn’t have only been from his hangover. No matter how head-splitting it was.

He looked like someone had died.

‘Mate, what happened?’

It took him a moment to answer. I realized I hadn’t seen his eyes properly before he ran to the bathroom, because there’s no way I’d have forgotten the state of them. Red, bloodshot, brimming with tears spilling down his cheeks, too fast for him to brush away.

‘Kate and I broke up,’ he choked out.

‘Oh mate …’ I eased down on the floor next to him, leaning against the side of the bath, ‘I’m so sorry. Is this all because of the Boat Race?’

‘Because of my fucking life, and the baggage I come with. She doesn’t want another six years of having to deal with me,’ he snapped out through loud sniffs while clutching his head, ‘instead she decided to rip my fucking heart out.’

I inched closer and put my arm around him. ‘I’m so sorry, Oz.’

His reply was too incoherent to make out. His head dropped down onto my shoulder just as Brooks finally reappeared with a large bottle of water and his eyebrows raised in question.

‘Kate broke up with him.’

‘Oh mate. I’m sorry,’ he replied, putting down the bottle of water and dropping onto the floor next to us. ‘I’ve told Coach by the way, I think he bought it. But we cannot leave this house today.’

I nodded in agreement. Thankfully it was a Tuesday, a light day for classes. I might get a chance to catch up on all the work I’d not been doing.

‘So, what happened with Kate? Breaking up’s a bit extreme.’

Oz gave another big sniff, drawing his hand under his soggy nose. I got up and found a fresh facecloth for him to use instead.

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