The Middle | ✔️

Chapter 43

Jamie

My eyes flicker open, and the first thing I feel is my pounding headache. It's so god damn sunny today. Why? Why is the sun actually hitting my fucking face right now? It burns! I need to close my curtains. But, those aren't my curtains. And this isn't my bed. I'm in Jay's house, the palace. 

I sit up slowly, rubbing my temple and exhaling. I'm thirsty as fuck too. There's a bottle of water and a couple of aspirin on the bedside table beside me, I don't waste any time. Shit, my contacts are glued to my eyeballs - which will happen when you fall asleep with lenses in - and I'm still wearing my shorts and the top I had on at the beach last night. I already know that my make-up is a mess, I don't need no mirror to confirm that. 

I get out of the guest bed and stand up, trying to ignore my headache as it intensifies at my movements. Why did I stay at Jay's last night? Why did I drink an entire bottle of wine so quickly?

Oh, right. Because Noah and Will are roommates, and I hate everyone. 

And oh holy fuck, I made out with Shaun Campbell in a cave. 

What the hell is wrong with me!?

I exit the guest room, and make my way down stairs. I don't bother checking Jay's quarters, or the main ground floor kitchen, because I already know where he'll be. His parents are away, he's home alone, and I am seriously hoping he took my dog over here after we got back from the beach last night. 

I exit the house through the patio doors, cursing the sun for being so bright today, and I see Benji sniffing around by the trees at the far end of the garden. Jay is sitting on the edge of the pool with his feet dangling over the side into the water, he's wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and he's drinking coffee and smoking a cigarette. It is a nice day for such outdoor activities, much to my annoyance. 

"Hello, friend." I say as I pad over to him barefoot, my voice is croaky. I need more fluids.

"Hello, friend." He echoes my words and looks up at me. "Rough?"

"Yes." I sit down next to him and dip my feet into the pool. "Was I a total bitch last night?"

"Not at all." He says, stubbing his cigarette out into his ashtray. Benji has come over to me now, so I pet him as he lovingly licks me on the face. "But we thought you could use a night away from your place, Joel brought Benji over here."

"Why don't I remember any of that?" I ask, a little worried. I remember everything from the beach, I wasn't that drunk - was I?

"You practically passed out as soon as we hut the road, I thought you'd wake up when I carried you upstairs, but you didn't. I had to shake you to make sure you were still alive." He laughs and I smile at him. "I knew you weren't dead when you mumbled 'Fuck off!'"

"Thanks, dude." I say with a small smile. "So, I wasn't a dick?"

"No, you weren't." Jay says, before looking at me seriously. "Not to us at least, but you fucked off on your own after Noah and Will talked to you. Where did you go?"

"The caves." I answer. He doesn't need details. 

"I figured as much." He says. He knows I like the caves at the beach, and he would have known I just wanted some time to myself after my nice chat with Will. "Archibald told us what he told you. He's a dick. He should have told you that he's Noah's roommate sooner. But, I gotta say, Jame. I honestly don't think you have any reason to be annoyed at Noah. He said he didn't know, and Will backed him up. John, Zach and the girls didn't know either. This is totally on Will." 

I sigh, because I know Jay is right. As annoyed as I feel towards Noah, in the light of day, and after some time to process and sober up, I know that I have absolutely no valid reason to be mad at Noah. But, I explain my rash response to learning about him and Will being roommates anyway.