Running Scared

Chapter 2:

“Jessica... Jessica...” I felt someone shaking me. “Jess... Jessica!”

My eyes flew open before I could process. The light hurt like crap the short time my eyes were open. My head pounded like no other. “What?” I groaned.

“You have to help me clean. Your house is a pit and your mom just called to say she landed and will be here in less than an hour.”

“Crap!”

“Exactly. Now get up, I don't care how hung over you are. You have to.”

“I don't remember much from last night...”

“No shit. You drank a fourth of the bottle of vodka over the course of an hour and went insane. On the bright side you were the highlight of the party.”

“Oh goodness...” I let my hand slide down my face as we walked down the stairs.

I peeked through my fingers as I looked at the mess. Mel was right, it was a pit. Solo cups were everywhere, food was on the floor, and furniture was crooked. And I didn't remember a thing. I handed her a trash bag and took one for myself from under the sink.

We scurried all over the house picking up food and scraping off food from the floor. Outside, we both had to carry the empty keg into the trash can. I covered up the evidence with the other trash bags and I double checked it before I closed the lid.

When all of the visible evidence was rid of, Mel sniffed the air and wrinkled her nose.

“We need some candles or some air freshener.” She sniffed the air again. “Actually both.”

I ran off to grab the candles and air freshener. Mel helped me spray and light candles all around the house until it covered the smell of beer and puke. Gross. By the time I heard Mom's car pull in the drive, the house smelled like flowers, we both looked like we had a normal sleepover, and I took ibuprofen to help my pounding head. No more drinking for a while.

“Knock, knock, knock.” Mom called from the laundry room.

“In here!” I yelled from the living room.

I heard the roll of her suitcase across the floorboards and the dump of it on the tile. Two seconds later, two arms wrapped around me.

“Hey sweetheart.”

“Hi, Mom. I missed you.”

“I missed you too. Oh hi Mel!”

“Hi Mrs. Martin.”

“What have you girls been up to?”

Mel and I exchanged a glance. “Oh... nothing much.” I said wryly.

“Sounds fun. But if you don't mind I'm going to take a nap. I have jet lag like crazy. How about all three of us go to dinner? I feel like it's been a long time since I've seen either of you two's beautiful faces.”

“Sounds good, Mom. Sleep well.”

Her arms left my shoulders. I listened to her footsteps die away before I let out my breath I had been holding.

“Whew. That was close!” I laughed.

“You're telling me! We did a pretty good job cleaning up. Looks better than before.”

“Yeah. Good thing too. She'll think I cleaned it for her homecoming.”

“Oh now you get the credit?”

“No... I'll tell her you helped... if she asks.” I grinned at Mel and changed the TV to CSI.

Mel elbowed me in the side and quieted as we watched the show.