𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞

A L E X A N D E R

"C'mon, Rat. Let's get you home." I sigh, sliding my hand around Reed's waist after she almost trips over her own feet and takes a bite out of the floor.

"My namesreed," She slurs, gripping onto my t-shirt tightly and I thank God that her nails are short because of the way she digs her fingertips into my abs. I make eye contact with Farris and gesture with my head towards the door.

He keeps his hands off of her, heeding her request for personal space when it comes to him, but it doesn't stop his arms from reaching toward her before pulling back at the last second. I toss him my keys. "Open the door would you? I'll get her in." I tell him and ignore the way his mouth gapes open and closed like a fish out of water.

"Yeah." He grumbles, watching my every movement. Rolling my eyes, I lift Reed into my arms, one under her knees and one under her shoulders, and put a knee up on the backseat so that I can get Reed inside. I'm pretty sure she's passed out at this point, which makes me chuckle.

"Lightweight." I tease as I sit her up against the car door so that I can put a seatbelt on her and she stirs awake enough to try to snuggle her head into the corner of the door. Backing up, I shut the door gingerly so as to not make too much sound and disturb her, and make my way to the driver's seat.

The car is silent the whole ride to the dorms, other than the quiet music playing over the radio. "That guy was such a good dancer," Reed mumbles and when I look in the rearview mirror, I see that her eyes are open the slightest amount. Farris's jaw clenches in my peripheral vision and I stifle a smile that gets harder to contain as she keeps talking. "I thought for sure he was going to invite me home with him but the funniest thing happened." She says, and although her tone is amused, the way that she's glaring at Farris leads me to believe she's sobered up enough to start an argument.

"One minute we're dancing and the next...poof. The guy got spooked by something he saw. Wonder what it could have been?" She says drily but directs her gaze out the window and I know that her question was rhetorical.

"Probably for the best," Farris says offhandedly and I stiffen. Uh oh. One glance at Reed tells me that was not what she wanted to hear, if anything.

"You would say that Mr. Cockblocker."

"Don't tell me you would have actually gone home with that guy." He scoffs.

"You know what's so fun about being an adult? Whether I wanted to or not, that would've been up to me." She sticks her tongue out childishly but he doesn't laugh, the way that he's facing her without saying a word tells me that they're having some kind of staring contest.

"Next time, I'll be sure to give the guy the go-ahead. Maybe even slip a condom into his pocket." He continues to dig himself deeper and I know that he's had too many drinks tonight.

"That's enough. You two sound like children. Reed, don't taunt him.  Farris, don't butt your big head into things that damn well don't involve you." I sigh, thankful to be pulling into the parking lot for our dorms. "Go ahead without me," I say to Farris, more as a command than a request. He does, albeit sulking the whole way.

Reed may be able to speak, but her motor functions are dangerously compromised and I still have to help her into her own dorm. When we get inside, it's late and I'm surprised to see that the lights are off and the room is empty.

"Lay down, I'll be right back." I lead Reed to her bed and go to get her a couple of Ibuprofen and a glass of water to leave on her bedside table, tossing her a package of makeup wipes and going through her bottom drawer for a set of pajamas. "Alright, I'll leave you to it," I tell her and she nods.