Caught in the Unexpected

Chapter 5

Unwasted Grayson

Laurabelle seemed surprised to see me, and it occurred to me that she didn't know why I asked for Trenton's address. "Are you okay?" I asked. Only, she was too far away to hear my inquiry. Laurabelle just stood there frozen on the porch with some guy who asked, "who's that?" She introduced me to Blane, and him to me. We shook hands, both of us too formal in our greeting. Laurabelle looked from Blane to me, then back again. Contemplating something behind her eyes.

"Blane, I still don't feel well. It's why I've been outside. You should go back to the party...have some fun. I'll see you later, okay?"

In reply, Blane hugged her. Too long. "Okay, feel better, Babe," he said before returning to the party with barely a hesitation too drunk to care that Laurabelle was left alone on the porch. Alone with some guy who showed up late to a party he wasn't even invited to.

"What are you doing here?" Laurabelle looked utterly bewildered.

"Well, you weren't having fun, and I...I was home...alone, just twiddling my thumbs." But, the real story—the one I didn't tell her—was...that I rushed over because I thought she'd end up getting wasted. And the idea of her being touched by some drunk guy at a party made me sick. My thoughts didn't progress beyond that. Meaning I had no plan once I got here.

Should I stay with her at the party? Should I leave now that I knew she was okay? Should I sit on the porch with her until the early hours of tomorrow? Would she let me touch her?

Laurabelle reached out her hand answering my most important silent question. I gave her my hand in reply, and she smiled as she pulled a surprised me down the porch steps. It never occurred to me until that very moment that she'd want me to whisk her away.

Laurabelle was feverishly texting when I got into the car. She mumbled something about telling Shanna where she was going. I let out a breath—one I hadn't realized I'd been holding and waited for her to finish. Laurabelle was still texting when she asked me, "since when are you the boredom police?"

I cringed. "Well, the idea that you might be drunk gave me the nerve to come over...I didn't want you getting into any trouble."

"What? You think I'm drunk? That's why you're here?" Laurabelle's cheeks reddened, then she turned away.

"Wait..." I started the car but didn't put it in gear. My hands gripped the steering wheel, and I was the one who waited. Waited for her to get out of the car, run back to the party. Waited for her to yell at me and call me a jerk or worse. Waited for the right words.

"Why would you think that?" She whispered.

"The 'my friends are drunk and making out' comment...but now I see first hand your lack of drunkenness."

"Okay...?" Laurabelle's face showed more contempt than her voice.

"Are you going to make me say it, Kansas?" Was it crazy I felt a need to rescue her from people she'd known longer than me? 

"Make you say what?" She asked. This girl could not get on my wavelength to save her life.

"Okay, Laurabelle...truth is...I panicked. Because the thought of you being at a party with a bunch of drunk guys made me crazy. Plus, if anyone's going to make out with you...I'd like to be in the running." I laughed. She didn't. "Geez, Kansas, are you mad at me?"

"I'm not mad," she paused, "I don't know what to think. I mean, it's sweet of you to come for me, but...," she stopped.

"Well, I wasn't coming over here to make out with you, Kansas. I just...I just didn't want you making out with someone else. But I can clearly see you have your wits about you. Which means you wouldn't make out with anyone...unless you wanted to."