Starlight

Chapter 21: No

"Oh jeez. Do you want me to drag him out of the way?" Eric offered.

"No, it's okay. I'll deal with him. Thanks, Eric. I'll see you around, yeah?"

"Yeah, sounds good. Night, Evie." He said while walking back down the stairs.

"Night."

I looked at Jai who was sleeping in a sitting position with his back against my door. Bastard. My mature decision to apologize and offer a clean slate was dissolving fast. I unlocked the door and threw it open. This resulted in Jai falling backwards and his head smacking the floor. He jolted awake and looked around confused.

"Wha- Evelyn! You're back!" His words slurred together.

The fucker showed up to my door step drunk.

"Why are you here?" I used a business like tone.

"I wanted to see you. Y'know I'm a real shit a lotta the time. I'm not a shit round you. Well I mean, I was. But fore that I wasn't a shit round you. I just wanted t- why're you lighting candles?"

I had stepped over him and started lighting the lanterns and candles I'd set up around my apartment for the month.

"The powers out," I answered him simply.

Jai was still sitting in the doorway with the door propped open. He looked out to the hallway lights that were on.

"No, it's not," he sounded like an obstinate child.

"It is in here. Get off the floor."

Jai listened to my command but just barely. The second he stood he wobbled slightly. He wasn't just drunk he was fucking hammered. He made his way into my apartment and plopped onto the couch. Literally plopped. He tried to sit but he lost his balance in the process.

"Let me see your phone," I held out my hand.

"Why d'you want it?"

"I'm calling someone to come pick you up. If I found out you drove here I'll personally kill you myself for the greater good."

"That's mean," Jai muttered to himself as he pulled out his phone and handed it over.

It was dead. Because of course it was. I'd been charging my phone at work while I danced since I had no power to charge it here.

"I didn drive, y'know. I was gonna but then I heard your voice pop in my head. Iss been there a looooot lately. Your voice."

"That's nice. Tell me someone's number who can come pick you up."

Jai rattled off some number that I quickly typed into my phone. I pressed call but it rang twice before going to voicemail. I never pick up calls from numbers I don't know either. I'll just send a text.

*Hi, I'm with Jai right now. His phones dead and he's hammered. He needs a ride and he gave me your number.*

I didn't even have time to slide my phone back into my pocket before I felt it buzz.

*Address*

A little dickish but at least it's right to the point. I texted my address and told them to come up to my floor. There's no way I'll be able to get Jai down the stairs by my self.

"D'you hate me now?" Jai looked at me with the saddest puppy dog eyes I'd ever seen.

I sucked in a deep breath before blowing it out all at once. "No, I don't hate you."

Jai's face instantly broke into a humongous grin and he yanked me towards him for a hug. Since I was standing and he was sitting his arms were wrapped around my hips and his face was buried in my stomach. What a little shit.

"S'not enough. I wanna hold you," Jai declared.

A little shriek left my lips when he yanked me forward. I tried to brace myself for the fall but that just resulted in me on Jai's lap straddling him. His arms moved around my waist and he pulled me into him. I sighed as I let him guide my head to rest on his shoulder. He leaned his cheek against my temple.

"I hope you know you'll be getting a serious tongue lashing from me the next time you see me." I grumbled.

Jai only hummed in answer. I'm not sure how long we stayed like that but after a while there was a knock at the door. I tried to move out of Jai's arms but he only grunted and held me tighter.

I sighed once again before yelling, "It's unlocked."

The door opened and Jason walked in.

"I'm going to fucking kill you," I told Jai through clenched teeth.

"Why, what'd I do?" His fucking puppy dog eyes were back.

"He won't let me go," I told Jason without looking at him.

Jason walked behind the couch and smacked Jai on the back of the head.

"Oww, the hell," Jai complained.

"Get up, we're going home."

"Don't wanna. I'm staying with Evelyn," Jai protested as he squeezed me tighter.

"I'm not fucking around with you. Get up." Jason was already losing his patience.

"No."

"Jai, it's time for you to go home. You're brother came all this way for you," I tried to use a soft tone since Jonas just seemed to be riling him up.

"Finneee."

I breathed a sigh of relief and slid off his lap. Jason walked around to the front of the couch, so I walked around to the back. He grabbed Jai's arm and helped yank him to his feet. They started moving for the door with Jai's arm slung over Jason's shoulder before they stopped abruptly.

"Evelyn," Jai called as he held his hand out for me to take.

I walked over to stand in front of him. I made sure I was off to the side and not within arms length of Jason.

"What's up?" I asked Jai who's hand was still stretched out.

"I wanna hold your hand while we walk."

"I'm staying here tonight," I explained.

"Then I am, too," Jai declared.

"Jesus Christ," Jason muttered before speaking up. "Jai, move your ass."

"No," he declared once again.

Only this time he emphasized it by yanking away from his brother and sitting on the floor.

"I swear on my god damn life, Jai. I will knock you the fuck out and drag you out if I have to."

"Am staying with Evelyn," Jai crossed his arms.

"She doesn't want you to, asshole! She asked me to come get you for a reason. Stop being a fucking prick and move."

Jai's eyes slowly moved towards me, "you don want me to stay?"

Fucking hell. Why did that devastated look on his face make my stomach ache. I've learned this lesson before. I don't need to learn it again.

"No."