Lavender

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Holden's text reads 385 Lexington Ave, followed by a tiger emoji, a tongue emoji, and waving emoji. I can't help but laugh at his drunkenness and plug the address into the map's app on my phone. GPS says taking the bus and walking will take twenty minutes. To know where I am going and what to expect, I search the address using google and see it is a bar near the downtown area. Has he been there this entire time? He's been gone for several hours. Was he drinking for that long? I'm surprised he didn't call me from the hospital after getting his stomach pumped? Why would he drink for such a long time after being arrested, thus risking doing something idiotic and illegal again? Isn't he afraid of getting arrested and given a stricter punishment than staying in the local jail overnight?

A million questions flood my mind, but I know none of them will be answered. Not when he is this drunk. He keeps sending me random emojis that make no sense. I entertain him to keep him talking to me and from making another mistake that he will regret come the morning time.

When the bus comes to a stop, I thank the driver before walking onto the sidewalk. Car horns blast in the near distance and a few people talk loudly as the walk past me, headed to the nearest club even though it's only Thursday. But they're in their twenties and most likely don't have to think about getting up at six in the morning like I do. Thinking about the fact that I have to get ready for school in less than seven hours stresses me out. I put my focus on the map program and let it lead me down three blocks and around the corner. Retail shops line the wide street and two taxi drivers argue on the other side of the road. I follow the blue line until the phone says I've arrived at my destination. I look up to a bar with a neon lights reading: Lee's Drunken Bar.

Clever name.

I wrap my hand around the door knob and start to pull it open, but stop, hearing the rowdy noise of drunk patrons and a football game. I close the door and lean against the misty brick wall tagged in graffiti. Hopefully, Holden didn't do this one too. I pull out my phone and start texting Holden. I'd rather not go inside a bar and be surrounded by drunk people.

Lavender: Outside.

Holden: Cominggggg

As I wait for him to come outside, I look around for his car and find it at the end of the block. I will drive him back to his house and head back to my dorm to catch up on some sleep, though something tells me I won't be able to sleep tonight.

The chipped wooden door bangs open and Holden stumbles out.

"Purple?" He drawls out and squints in the darkness.

"I'm right here." I push away from the wall and walk over to him. I can smell the stench of various colognes and cheap alcohol from where I am standing. His white shirt is wrinkled and there's a drop of red liquid on the collar.

His bloodshot eyes meet mine and his face splits into a grin. "You actually came for me." I don't miss the shock in his voice or the way he blinks rapidly as if he can't believe I followed through my promise. It hurts he's so shocked, but to be fair, I was the one who ran away. He's justified in disbelieving I'm being brave and sticking around when he actually needs me.

"I said I would. Is that blood on your shirt?" I pick at the cotton shirt and stare at the crimson stain.

"I got into a tiny fight with a few guys," he admits.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" My hands go to his face and I turn it from side to side, checking for more injuries, but I only find a shadow of a dark bruise under his left eye and blood on his mouth corner.

"No, mom, I'm fine." He laughs.

"This isn't funny, you are hurt."

"I will live to tomorrow, please calm down." He chuckles and wraps one hand around both of my wrists and pulls them away from his face.