Page 24 of Secret

“No, you should catch up.” He pushes a shot glass of whisky to me.

Seb is right, I would usually be wasted by now, but, for once, I don't want to. I am planning on being sober enough to be able to call Izzy later. Honestly, even if I'm just eighteen, I'mgetting bored with always partying.

“Come on, what the hell is up with you? You've turned down three hot girls tonight and had what–two beers?” Seb says with bloodshot eyes as he drinks another shot. Thankfully, he stops the shots to open a beer while I watch him, and then remembers he asked me something so we end up glaring at each other.

The answer I want to give him is, ‘no one compares to your sister, and I can't stop thinking about her,’ but I can't as I promised her one month; which I don't want to do. I want to tell everyone she is mine and kiss her when I want, but I will do anything for her. I'm crazy about her, and I need her happy. I can’t believe it’s only been a week since she dropped into my life.It feels like she has been here forever.

“Nothing's wrong, just not in the mood,” I say, finally moving my gaze from his and drinking some more of my second beer.

“Yeah, there is, what's up?” he asks, while looking up and down at the blonde that's rubbing a hand up his leg. He has been through countless women in the last two months, and Seb is always at every party. I know he is trying to forget her, but this isn't the way.

If I lost Izzy, and she moved away, would I be any better?I would go as crazy and broken as Seb is now. I know it is so much worse for him because he didn’t get to say goodbye, and five years was gone in a second.

“Nothing, but I could ask you the same question,” I say and regret it when Seb glares at me. I know what's wrong with him, but he hates to talk about her or even bring her up. I also know I shouldn't have said that to avoid my own issues.

"Nothing is wrong, Blake," Seb says sternly and carefully pushes the girl rubbing him away, looking down at the table.

She picks up her drink and walks away, but I don’t even glance her way as my attention is on my mate, who is seriously looking more fucked up.

“Fuck, sorry, mate. I shouldn't have said anything about her."

“It’s just, I can't stop thinking about her or where she is. Damn, I'm so fucking screwed up," he says loudly. I know he must be more seriously fucking drunk than I thought to even tell me that. He was terrible when he came to see me the day she left. I'll never forget having to see him destroyed like that. Fuck knows what I can do to help him.

I remember he said she left a note and wouldn't be back. Seb said it was his fault, but she wouldn't speak to him. I watched and helped as Seb spent the next two weeks asking all her friends where she was, or if anyone had talked to her, but it became clear she left everyone behind when her family moved suddenly.

"I don't know what happened with you two, but I am sorry she left,"I say carefully, not wanting him to start a fight tonight with me.

"I was a big idiot, that’s what happened. I ruined the best fucking thing I ever had. Five years, and I chucked it away, being fucking stupid," he says angrily and pours another shot before drinking it.

I run my fingers through my hair and sigh."Let's get drunk," I say. I know it's the only way to get him out of his thoughts. I have no idea what happened with him and Maisy to end their five-year relationship two months ago, but since then, he has been a mess.Drinking and partying seem to keep him from starting random fights. I can't let him fucking lose himself tonight by doing just that.

"Hell, yes!" he shouts, giving me a high-five, and we do just that.

Three long hours later, we are still at this damn party, but I'm calling a cab to get us back to Seb's. My phone blurs a little as I find the local taxi number.

"There you are, big boy," a female voice says behind me as I sit in the kitchen with Seb, who is watching a half-dressed girl dancing on the counters.

I turn, seeing Aimee. Even in my drunken state, I can't help but look at her and wonder why I ever touched her. Yeah, she is beautiful, but in that cheap, fake way that makes her fucking forgettable. Izzy is so amazing it makes me wonder why I ever touched anyone before her.

"Hey, thanks for the party. I’m just calling a cab, and we are going home," I say to her to make sure she understands I'm leaving. She was always a little crazy and clingy. I call the taxi while she stares at me, making me want to tell her to fuck off. As soon as I put the phone down, she is sliding up to me.

"Stay," she purrs and runs her hand down my chest. I quickly grab her hand and gently push her away.

"Sorry, no," I say and grab Seb’s arm, pulling him toward the door, which isn’t easy as Seb is as big as I am so he weighs a fucking ton. Seb is far more wasted than I am, and is hardly making it easy as he leans on me. The overwhelming smell of whisky on him is worse. I’m going to fucking kill him in the morning. He mumbles something, but I can’t understand a bloody word.

Fuck, he is heavy.

The cab finally pulls up twenty minutes later, and Seb is sitting on the ground looking at the sky. For fuck’s sake, I know I have to pick him up. I eventually do push Seb into the cab, wincing a little when he hits his head on the door. Well, it serves the fucker right. I tell the cabby the address, and then I check my phone hoping to text Izzy. The battery is dead. Fuck, I wanted to call her later, but I can't even text her.

When we finally get there, Seb is more awake–enough to walk himself–maybe the fucking whack on the door helped him. I take his keys to open the door for him. I watch as he goes to the lounge and sits in a chair, looking close to falling asleep straight away. I lie down on the other sofa in the lounge. There is no way I’m helping him up the stairs, plus it might wake everyone up.

"Thanks," Seb mutters to me.

"I'm your friend, man," I say with a groan, stretching out, and I know I don't need to say anything else. He is like a brother to me, well hell, they all are. There isn't much I wouldn't do to help them.

"Yeah, but I'm being kind of a shit mate right now,” he says quietly. “Damn, fucking Maisy," he adds with a long sigh, his head dropping back on the edge of the chair.

"I know you don't want to speak about her, but you can speak to me if you want," I reply, sounding like a girl, but I don’t know what the fuck to say to him.

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