Swallow

Chapter 1.50:

Riley's head was buried in the toilet by the time I caught up to her. I scooped her hair back out of the line of fire just in time for her to unleash a round of clear, vile-scented liquid into the toilet. I raised my head towards the ceiling to avoid looking at the contents. I didn't want to end up sitting next to her, battling over who got to throw up next.

She collapsed down onto her butt on the floor and wiped at her mouth with my borrowed shirt. 

I sat on the edge of the bathtub and brushed my tangled hair from in front of my eyes. I waited there for a few silent minutes with my knees on my elbows and my hands clasped, watching her concentrate on steadying her breathing.

Riley's face contorted in complete agony and she clawed at the bottom of her stomach. She raised herself back up on her knees and was right back at it again. I stood up and leaned over her to pull her hair off her shoulders one more time before it ended up soaked in vomit.

Riley was heaving hard, but nothing else was coming out. No matter how hard her body worked for it, there was not a single drop left in her stomach.  

I felt terrible for her. My head had been submerged in some pretty unpleasant places during bad binges. Watching the way her body jerked reminded me how painful it could be. My insides had attempted to turn outside multiple times. There was no feeling more awful than trying to throw up something that wasn't there.

The sound of the front door opening downstairs hit my ears as soon as I squatted down behind her to comfort her. The timing of the unwelcome intruder couldn't have been worse.

"Hey Ezra, you here?" JD yelled up the stairs.

Shit.

For once, I actually wished it was Aiden who came through the door instead of JD.  It would be a lot easier to deal with this situation if it was him. Since Aiden already knew Riley and I slept together, I wouldn't have to tiptoe around as much. 

With JD, that wasn't going to be an option. I was fucked.

Riley's head popped up and she looked like she was being lined up in front of a firing squad.  She wasn't alone in her trepidation; my heart was thudding inside my chest too.  JD couldn't see her in this state.  He would demand an explanation and I didn't want to volunteer one. From the expression on Riley's face, neither did she.

We had to decide on some story that would work. Preferably one that didn't result in JD deciding that he needed to take her home or to a doctor.  I would fight anyone, including JD, if they attempted to take Riley away from me before I was finished with her. I wasn't ready to let her go anywhere yet.

"Is Ry still here? My mom is freaking out. She hasn't heard from her all day." JD's footsteps were on the stairs on his way up towards us. I stood up and inched backed away from Riley before he got to the top step. I had to play it off like my role in her current condition was completely innocent.

What could I tell him that he would believe?

The hamster in my brain started turning the wheel and the light bulb popped on. It was dim, but it was there.

Riley had been drinking heavily last night and JD passed out early on us. He didn't know how bad she did or didn't get after he went to bed. For all he knew, her weak stomach could be a consequence of overindulging the night before. JD wouldn't even hesitate to believe it because of her past history with bad decisions involving alcohol.

It was perfect.

I never thought I would be this thankful for Riley's inability to hold her liquor.

"Yeah, she's here. She's hungover." I forced the words out and cleared my throat to cover my nerves when he stepped in the doorway.

"You look like shit Lil Bit, no wonder you haven't talked to Mom." JD leaned his head in and watched his pitiful little sister slumped over the toilet bowl. Her body was frozen with shock as he stared down at her.