Broken

• Chapter 85 •

The uneasy feeling doesn't leave my body, no matter how many drinks I pound back. I feel uneasy and paranoid, like someone's watching me. There's a pit at the bottom of my stomach that won't go away. I look around frantically. But everywhere I look, everyone is minding their own business.

"Yo, are you okay?"

"Huh?"

Adrien frowns, "You're acting weird."

"I'm fine. Sorry," I shake my head, "This is great," I offer him a smile.

He returns it, "I like your hair a lot more like this, by the way."

My heart sinks just a little, I grab a lock and stroke it self-consciously, "Oh... Really?"

He nods, "You should style it every day."

"Right..." hm.

"So anyway, as I was saying..." Adrien continues on his rant about fitness techniques, but my attention is averted behind him.

"Gin and tonic, double," Ashton demands.

He's been at the bar for the past hour, and he's been drinking... A lot. He glares at me drunkenly and rolls his eyes, taking more shots. What the hell is this boy doing? Does he want to drink himself into a coma?

Thirty more minutes go by, and I have no clue what Adrien is ranting about now. Ashton is getting wasted like I've never seen before. What the hell is he thinking?

"Wanna dance?" Adrien breathes on my face.

I shake my head, "I don't dance."

Adrien shrugs, "Okay. Well, I need to take a breather."

I clench my jaw and roll my eyes, knowing exactly what that means, "Cool."

"You okay?"

I sigh, "I'm fine."

"Okay... I'll see you later," he kisses me before he darts towards the rooftop of this club.

I make eye-contact with Ashton as soon as Adrien leaves. He's frowning like crazy. What the hell is his problem? He turns back to the bartender, "Can I have anotherr shott?" he slurs.

I groan and march up to him despite my better judgment, "Ashton."

He rolls his eyes at me, "What do you want?"

His English is barely coherent, but I can make out the words. "The hell are you doing? Testing how many drinks you can get in your system before dying?"

"Nope! I'm just kissing a douchebag," he slurs, then exaggeratingly frowns, "Oh wait nooo that was you."

I press my lips together, "What's your problem?"

He shrugs, "Nothing."

I don't think Ashton has ever been this drunk before. He's acting like a child. He goes to grab another shot, and I smack it out of his hand.

He gives me a shocked look, "What was that for?"

"Enough. You're drunk off your ass."

"No I'm nott I'm fine! Yoooo can I have anotherr drinkk?" he waves a lazy arm to some bartender, and I dismiss him just as quick.

"Ashton!"

Ashton's head snaps back to stare at me. He looks confused, and kind of scared. He looks like a little boy.

"What the hell has gotten into you? You're better than this," I motion towards the pile of empty cups.

He rolls his eyes. "You don't fucking know me Clementine," he sneers.

I clench my jaw, "I would if you weren't such a dickhead!"

"Fuck off," he turns away from me and waves his hand to get the bartender's attention.

I huff and pull him by his sleeve. He stumbles and tumbles, but thankfully, he's too disoriented to fight me as I pull him through the crowd. "Can you let go of me? Where are you taking me?"

I ignore him and stop in front of Aya and Hana, eyes roaming the club. "Guys, have you seen Kate?"

Hana's eyes dart between Ashton and me frantically, "She just left with Dustin..."

What? I roll my eyes, not caring enough to ask why.

"Okay. Well, I'm out of here. I have to take him home, he's as drunk as a skunk."

Aya and Hana nod, but don't dare make a comment about this scenario. "Um, if Adrien asks... I wasn't feeling well and I left, okay?" I cringe as the words come out of my mouth. I feel guilty, but Adrien would throw a dramatic and completely unnecessary soap opera.

Aya smirks, "You got it."

I roll my eyes at her and drag Ashton out of the club and into the crisp autumn air.