tongue tied - jake kiszka

8.

The hotel room was small and crowded but I was pretty drunk already so I didn't mind. Posy had shown me the conjoined room that she and Josh were staying in and for a second I almost forgot that of course they would have their own room. The one we were all packed in held two beds and I was sure Danny and Sam shared one while Jake had the other.

Dawn was already sprawled out on one, her eyes barely open. She had managed to get very intoxicated from the time we left the lake to now. "Charlie." She whispered to me, motioning very drunkenly for me to come sit by her. I had managed to get her shirt back on her in the car even though she was completely hammered and was absolutely no help at all.

I sat down cross legged beside her, pulling my own big t-shirt around my knees. "Chaaaarlie." Dawn whispered again and I giggled at the fact that she was whispering like anyone was paying us any mind.

"Yes?" I asked, leaning down to hear her better. She attempted to raise her head up and place it in her hand but failed. "I think I'm going to sleep right here." She murmured softly, her eyes already starting to close again as she did.

The boys were all being very loud as they joked amongst themselves, pushing eachother around and drinking from their cups. I wasn't sure I could keep up with them. Posy had already given up, although she hadn't really cared about the drinks either way.

I looked back down at Dawn.

She was already passed out, her long blonde hair splayed out on the covers. Posy, who had been sitting on the other bed, noticed us, slowly getting to her feet to come join.

"She's asleep." I said, gesturing towards Dawn as if Posy couldn't see already. "Let's get her under the covers." We attempted to pull back the scratchy hotel sheets, struggling for a moment since she was pretty much dead weight, but finally got her covered.

"Wanna come with me in the other room?" Posy asked and I nodded my head in what felt like slow motion. I always thought I could handle my alcohol pretty well but I wasn't sure I could hang. These boys were absolute menaces.

I followed her to the conjoining room and I caught eyes with Jake as I went. His cheeks were pink and he was clearly drunk and I waited for him to smile but he just watched me.

Once we were in the other room Posy laid out across the bed and I flopped down on my stomach next to her, giggling like a little kid as I did. "I think," I began, "I think that you and I are gonna be good friends."

   Posy grinned over at me, rolling over on her stomach to match me. "What do you mean? I thought we were already bestfriends." She teased, knocking our shoulders together.

   "I wouldn't wanna take Jake's spot though." I said, sighing loudly.

   "Who's taking my spot?"

   I whipped my head around, a little too quick for my drunken liking, only to find Jake himself leaning against the doorway, Josh hovering close behind him.

   "Charlie is." Posy said all of matter of fact, throwing her arm around me and pulling me in close. She smelt like weed and sunscreen but it was oddly comforting and I snuggled into her arm, smiling stupidly over at the boys.

   "What if I wanted to be your bestfriend?" Jake asked, raising an eyebrow. Josh raised a hand, interjecting quickly, "Posy is mine. I don't share." He couldn't even keep a straight face as he said it and soon we were all laughing.

   Josh staggered over to the bed, kneeling down in front of us to kiss Posy, their open mouth laughter getting in the way. Jake was still propped against the doorway, grinning as he looked at me.

   "Come on, let's give the lovebirds their space." He said, jerking his head to the side, motioning for me to come with him. I looked back at Posy, who smiled at me letting me know it was okay.

   "I'll miss you!" She called out to me as I pulled myself off the bed. I couldn't help but let a smile spread over my face as I got to my feet.

   "Don't worry Charlie, we can share." Josh assured me, raising up his fist to dap me up, "I know Posy's cool as fuck." I knocked my fist against his before turning to go, my stupid grin never leaving my face.

   I was drunk but I knew that I liked them. I never really enjoyed someone's company before, never really felt like I was comfortable. Maybe that made me a bitch, but it also made me realize just how nice it was to finally not feel that way.

   Jake was still watching me as I slowly walked up to him, trying to maintain my balance. He placed a hand tentatively on the small of my back, leading me back to the other room and I let him. "You trying to steal my bestfriend?" He asked jokingly and I shrugged dramatically. "Maybe."

   "I'll let it slide." He said softly, "Just because it's you."

    I glanced back at him and he quickly removed his hand from my back, as though he was doing something wrong. I wanted to tell him it was okay, but I didn't say anything.

   The two boys were on the other bed, in what looked like deep conversation, but as we got closer I could hear the slur in the words as they discussed what food they wanted to eat in the morning.

   They didn't pay us any mind as we sat down on the bed next to Dawn who was taking up more than half of it. "I can sleep on the floor." Jake offered and I shook my head.

   "I'll take the floor."

   He gave me a look and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "You can have the bed. I'll sleep in the car or something." I assured him. I was trying to be a good friend. I'm sure Dawn would be ecstatic to wake up next to him in the morning, I didn't have to be sober to know that.

   We both glanced back at Dawn who, in that very moment, gave out a big yawn, stretched out, and proceeded to roll over, now sprawled out over the entirety of the bed.

   Jake looked back at me. "Car it is."