Back to You // Bradley Bradshaw

Chapter Thirty-Two

The next morning, Haley felt like she had been run over by a freight train. There was light peeking in some through the windows, but the curtains were still drawn shut. She looked around the bedroom and then her eyes landed on Rooster next to her in the bed. He looked like he had been up for a while, he was dressed and scrolling on his phone.

"How bad was it?" Haley asked, not sure she wanted to know. She remembered most of the night, just not after she and Rooster left the pool. That was where she had no memory. She rubbed her eyes tiredly. She did remember vaguely some comments about how hot he was, which made her cringe.

Rooster handed her two pills and a bottle of water, which Haley accepted. "You got a second wind when we got upstairs. Lots of rambling, you refused to put actual clothes on for a little bit and you finished the night by throwing up a few times." He answered.

Haley took the medicine and drank the water. She groaned and pulled the comforter over her head in embarrassment. She had on pajamas so she imagined at some point she had given into that over her swimsuit. "Please don't tell me you were there for the vomiting." She said from under the safety of her comforter fort.

"I held your hair out of your face," Rooster told her and Haley groaned again. She appreciated that he was there for her but she was also mortified. She tightened her grip on the comforter, holding it down even harder.

"I'm never leaving my fort. Haley Skye Seresin died today from embarrassment and she is never to be seen again." Haley responded. "She is buried under this comforter. Rest In Peace."

"I've seen you drunk before, Hales. It isn't a big deal." Rooster said as he pulled the comforter back, revealing her underneath. Haley tried to pull it back over her face but he kept it down. "And you've seen me throw up from drinking. It happens." She had seen him drunk once or twice. It didn't happen often and she hadn't since they were at the academy. Haley didn't get drunk often either, but she knew he had seen it too.

Haley sighed. "But I wasn't your girlfriend then." The dynamic change in their relationship, going from friends to this, made it feel more embarrassing since it was a more intimate position. Rooster didn't seem to think it mattered. Haley could tell he was being sincere about the entire thing. She also hated knowing Jake had been right about doing the shots and everything else. She wasn't going to admit that though.

"If we're going to be together, this won't be the last embarrassing thing for either of us. And we can laugh about it later." Rooster pointed out, as Haley buried herself under the comforter again. Rooster laughed a little at her burrowing yet again. "Babe, seriously. Don't worry about it. And no one else saw any of it." He added and Haley peaked out at him.

That was a relief to Haley. Sabrina seeing anything, she wouldn't have cared, they had seen and heard plenty from one another over the years. But it was a good thing Jake hadn't seen any of it. He'd never let her hear the end of it. She moved to get up out of the bed. She didn't feel as bad as she would have thought overall, but knowing she had thrown up was probably why. She finished the water that was left in the bottle. She sat it aside to go recycle later. "I'm going to go shower. I still fully intend to go out today." Haley told Rooster. It may be a slow day, but she was planning to go.

"Need help with that?" Rooster asked with a grin.

Haley laughed. "I've had enough help, but thank you." She answered. She padded off to the bathroom to get ready for the day and hopefully wake up more. She showered and brushed her teeth. She felt cleaner at least, which was a positive. Haley got dressed and headed downstairs to join everyone else. It looked like they had made breakfast. She was surprised to see Rooster and her brother talking.