Just A Kiss

Chapter 8: AnnaLyn

I open my eyes to a barely lit, unfamiliar room. I furrow my brow and turn into my back. Still don't know where I am. I look to my right and see Jackson. My eyes widen and I fall off the bed, land hard on the ground, and hit my head on Jackson's dresser.

I groan and press a hand on my head. It feels bruised. Better than blood.

I suddenly feel sick to my stomach. I look around quickly, covering my mouth with my hand. I see a garbage can and run to it, puking in it. My head pounds and my vision isn't entirely clear.

I hear Jackson exhale and shift his position and I panick. I look down to see me wearing an old T-shirt that I don't recognize. What the crap happened? Am I dreaming? I couldn't be. Everything was too real.

I study my surroundings again, seeing my original shirt on the floor.

Guilt and fear hit me right in the stomach. I want to lay down and cry forever.

"AnnaLyn?" Jackson says and I run out of the room. There are cups everywhere. There's puke on the other side of the room. Someone's on the ground groaning. Someone else is on the couch snoring.

"Anna. Are you alright?" Jackson takes my hand. I look at him, seeing his bare chest makes me angry. I rip my hand from his grip. "Don't touch me."

"Just tell me what's wrong." He says, like everything is normal.

"Is this normal to you?" I ask, pointing to the room. His expression shows something of realization.

"I'm so sorry, Anna. I don't what happened." He says. He touches my arm, as if to test me. When I don't do anything, he pulls me in his arms and I cry.

"It's okay Anna." He says and I continue to cry and cry my confusion out.

I don't know how long it has been since I woke up, but I finally decide to go home, realizing my parents are probably worried or mad.

"Jackson." I pull my head away from his chest. "I better go. My parents thought I would be home at midnight, but obvious it's not midnight and they're probably mad."

Jackson nods. "I'll walk you up there." He takes my hand and starts walking to the other side of the huge room. I see the fruit punch and let go of Jackson's hand.

"What's in this?" I ask, stirring the liquid.

"It's just those lame Shasta Tiki Punch things."

"You have a lot. Can I take some?" I ask.

"Sure. I don't really care." Jackson says.

"Do you have like a pitcher or something I can put it in?"

"Oh yeah. Uh hang on." He goes upstairs and I smile. He comes back down a minute later with a pitcher and I pour some in.

"Thanks." I say when it's full. He leads me upstairs and out the door, then to my car.

"Thanks for coming." He takes my hand and pulls me toward him.

"Your welcome." I say and press a kiss to his lips.

***

When I pull into my driveway I get this insane gross feeling in my stomach. It's either guilt or I have to puke. I sit in my truck for a minute and then conclude that I just feel guilty.

I walk through the front door. Someone's cooking in the kitchen so I walk in and find my mom flipping pancakes. She looks up for a second and back at the pancakes.

"Good morning, sleepy head." She says, like nothing was wrong. Like I didn't just spend the night at some strangers house.

"Uh, good morning." I say back, realizing that I can get away with this if she thought I was just downstairs sleeping.

"What time is it? 10:30? Did you really sleep in that late?" My mom asks.

I laugh. "I guess so."

***