She's His Everything (He's My Body Guard Sequel)

(19) The Morning After

My brain pounded behind my skull. My body felt stiff and I tried desperately to regain my consciousness but there was still alcohol in my blood forcing me to rest. Waking up drunk was always the absolute worst and I don't know why I allowed myself to drink so much. I needed a long hot shower, and six Ibuprofen, and greasy food to soak up the rest of this alcohol. A new set of problems arose once I became more aware of my body starting to wake now.

Where am I? How did I get here? Why is my hand wet? So many thoughts were barreling through my head I hadn't realized there was a person flush against me. I flinched when I felt the body beside me breathing heavily still in deep sleep. Who is that?! I startled myself enough to open my eyes sitting up entirely too quickly immediately regretting it when every part of my body ached in protest. 

"How's that head?" A male voice hoarse and deep with sleep asked playfully awake now from my sudden movements. I squinted my eyes open covering my bare body with the bed sheets suddenly incredibly self conscious and aware. I visibly relaxed seeing it was Jackson beside me and not a complete stranger I'd picked up along the way, until visions of last night flashed back to me. My cheeks heated up and I'm sure they were as red as a cherry tomato. "Good morning..." Jackson added trying to break the uncomfortable air chuckling, sitting up slowly beside me his hair sticking in every direction. We both smelled heavily of liquor and cigarettes and I wanted to brush my teeth ASAP. 

His lower half was under the sheet I was desperately clinging to trying to hide my dignity. I didn't know what to say and to be completely honest I was afraid I had terrible morning breath judging by the taste in my mouth. "I need a fucking cigarette." Jackson mumbled stumbling tiredly out of bed flashing his bare tush pulling up last nights distressed jeans and a hoodie that was strewn on the ground in the corner of his messy room. He whistled to Kato who was steadily licking my hand, the reason it was so wet, and took him outside with him leaving me utterly confused and guilty. 

The questions began filing in again as my brain worked overtime trying to understand what I'd done last night. How could I have slept with Jackson? Rayner and I hadn't even been broken up an entire week! What the hell was wrong with me? How would I ever confess this sin to Rayner? I never meant to sleep with Jackson!

You weren't protesting last night.

I shook away my unruly thoughts trying to remember everything but it was incredibly foggy and I had too much of a headache to search my memories. I seriously need to shape up. I am on a self destructive path of no return. I couldn't take many more nights like this. I attempted to run a hand through my disorderly hair, my fingers getting stuck in the knotty rats nest on top of my head.

I kept the navy blue sheet wrapped around me tightly with a vice grip as I walked cautiously to the living room and peeked out the window seeing Jackson sitting on the bottom stair smoking while Kato ran freely around the small patch of grass down there. I slumped onto the couch wondering what this meant for Jackson and I. I decided I wasn't ready to face him and hurriedly hid in my bedroom going straight to the shower needing to cleanse myself. I shampooed my hair immediately feeling the tangles loosen between my fingers. I lathered my body in soap washing away Jackson's touch with it. More thoughts racked my mind, I'd never been so confused in     my life.

A small knock on the bathroom door startled me from my contemplative moment but I didn't say anything. I felt the cool air waft in as Jackson opened the door despite my non answer.   "Hey Tor... Are you okay?" I heard the shift in his voice. Was I? I felt like I'd done something wrong, but at the same time I wasn't all that guilty. "I swear I didn't mean to take advantage of you, I was just really fucking drunk I-" I peeled back the curtain staring at him with an amused look on my face finding it hysterical that he thought he took advantage of me. He just smirked at me dropping his head down to look at the ground. "I'm sorry." He brushed the side of his nose with his thumb nervously. "You're not mad at me are you?" Jackson looked up with his lashes still playful but searching my eyes for any sign of resentment. I shook my head shyly unsure of how to talk to him now that he'd seen me naked. "Then what's wrong?" He was so concerned it made me giggle which had him even more paranoid about what I was thinking. "What?" He laughed obviously freaking out internally by my silence and disregard of his questions.

"Shh." I shushed hiding behind the curtain once again too cowardly to face him just yet. "Tori!" He whined clearly wondering where we stood just as I had been. "I don't know what to say!" I exclaimed finally laughing unable to control the grin on my face or the giddiness in my voice. I heard him shuffling behind the curtain and I bravely peeked out again seeing he'd removed his hoodie, shirtless once again. "What are you doing?" I was a bit frantic now afraid he was thinking of coming in here with me. "It's hot in here with all the steam." He shrugged but had a look of being caught on his face. He one hundred percent was thinking about crashing my shower. "No way Jose!" I scolded him pointing a wet finger at him hoping he'd catch the hint to get the hell out of my bathroom while I was still in it with a bare butt. He bit his lip giving me one last smirk scooping up his hoodie from the ground in defeat and exiting my bathroom.

I relaxed back into the warm water trying to think but I was feeling so many confusing emotions. I was battling internally between what was logical and what was spiritual. Logically I should feel terrible about last night but spiritually I had absolutely no regrets. I finished my shower thinking everything through and when I got out I dressed quickly towel drying my hair and left my bedroom in search for Jackson. We needed to have a serious talk about last night.