The Friend Zone

Chapter Four: That Went Downhill Fast

Taylor and I stayed until closing time at Appleebee's, long after my dad had gone to turn in for the night, he had to hit the road at six the next morning. 

"Tay, we need to go," I said, checking the time on my phone, "They're closing in ten."

"One more drink," he said, setting his glass down on the counter.

"Taylor, we need to leave and you need to stop drinking," I snapped, "And I need to get home, I play again tomorrow."

"Tess, I'm fine," he said as the bartender brought him another drink, "I'll call a cab."

"We're leaving," I said, pushing the glass back at the bartender and grabbing Taylor's hand.

"Mind if I stay with you again?" he asked, rubbing his eyes as we walked back to my car, "I really don't want Kayla knocking on my door when she gets up at the crack of dawn."

"Fine," I groaned, "But don't tell her you were with me."

I couldn't help but feel bad when I got back in my room after I took a shower and saw him passed out sleeping on my bed. He had a lot going on and instead of being mature and talking to me about it, he'd just drink and pass out on the couch instead of actually dealing with whatever it was he was going through. It wasn't the first time he had done it and I knew it wouldn't be the last either, but I always felt bad, like I wasn't a good enough friend for not asking him what was the matter before he got to the point of being totally miserable.

"You're such an asshole," I laughed quietly as I crawled in, shoving him over to the side and making sure he had access to the bucket I had put under the bed, "But I guess I'm stuck with you and you're my asshole so I have to put up with you."

###

I woke up the next morning with the sun shining way too brightly through my window.

"Morning sunshine," Taylor smirked, looking down from his phone.

"How the hell did you get up before me?" I asked groggily.

"It's noon," he replied.

"Why's your arm around me?" I asked disgustedly as I sat up.

"That's how it was when I woke up," he replied, immersed in the game on his phone.

"Sure," I said, rolling my eyes and shoving his arm away, "You smell like alcohol and grease."

"Probably because I drank and ate like three orders of fries last night," he laughed, "You know you love me."

"Occasionally, when you don't smell like booze and grease," I replied, shoving him nearly off the bed so I could get up.

"I smell like booze eighty percent of the time, you love me more than twenty percent of the time," he smirked, snaking his arm around me once again to hold me off from getting up.

"Yeah you should probably get a hold on that," I remarked, "It's frowned upon in college sports when you drink before game day."

"I won't drink before game day, don't worry Mom," he smirked.

###

We smoked Norbert that night, winning the game 6-1 and I had two goals once again. This time, I decided to go out the back door and not even bother to walk through the lobby and watch Kayla have her hands all over Taylor in a vomit inducing sort of way. The only thing worse than Kayla was Kayla all over Taylor, it made me want to gag myself.

"Want to go out?" Whitney asked after I'd laid on my bed for about ten minutes after getting home.

"Why?" I asked, "I played two games this weekend, I really just want to lay in bed."