Someday The Waves ✔ *Wattys15 Winner*

Chapter Eighteen

I've got a hunger twisting my stomach into knots,

My brains repeating if you've got an impulse let it out,

But they never make it past my mouth.

The Sound of Settling - Death Cab For Cutie

. . .

Friday evening, late August

Dodging phone calls from Noah wasn't how I'd planned on spending my Friday evening, but then again I hadn't anticipated that the side effects of drinking would last so long.

Thankfully my stomach had stopped churning by the time the sunlight had faded, and a cold shower had at least made me feel more alive and more human than when I'd been curled up in my bed, battling the suffocating heat and the threat of throwing up again. But still I felt shitty.

Noah had called on the hour since midday, and each time I ignored them. Really I didn't want him to catch onto the fact that I was in the midst of a major come down nor did I want anyone to interrupt my much-needed sleep.

Maybe I'd under estimated just how concerned he was because the knock at the door frightened the life out of me as I panicked and dived behind the couch, hopeful that I wouldn't be seen.

"I know you're in there Scarlett." I heard him call, his dark silhouette visible behind the porch screen. "You're behind the couch right now."

Silly me had forgotten to close the blinds in the living room and Noah had a perfect line of sight right into the bungalow.

His voice was urgent and serious. "Can you just let me in please, it's too hot to be out here."

There was no time to check my hair or put on different clothes, no time to look refreshed and ok because he had caught me. Slowly I lifted myself up and begrudgingly made my way over to the door, unsure if I even had the energy to unlock it, my hands shaky and my balance still off.

"Why haven't you answered any of my calls?" Noah asked, looking me up and down with a small frown. "We were supposed to meet at the Diner, remember and I've been waiting there for over an hour."

Honouring our weekly tradition had been the furthest thing from my mind but I knew that I'd let him down, and I felt bad. Disappointing Noah wasn't a consequence I had expected, but red wine always had a way of complicating matters.

"Sorry." I choked out. "Forgot."

"Are you okay? Your eyes are all blood shot and your wearing the same clothes from yesterday."

"Just didn't feel well. Stayed in bed. Slept." I knew I wasn't being very forthcoming with him but frankly I couldn't deal with the twenty questions or interrogation. I didn't want to have to explain my reckless behaviour.

Walking over to the kitchen counter, Noah placed down two large brown paper bags, and I saw the tops of two straws poke out. He'd bought the Diner to me.

"You look hung over."

"I'm not."

Shaking his head, with a wry smile he said. "I know that look, I've been there before Scarlett."

There was no point in arguing. He knew I was lying.

"Maybe I am. So what."

"So, I'm wondering why and how you ended up like this, I dropped you back and you said you were tired. How did that turn into a boozy night?" His eyes were wide and his cheeks flushed.