She'll Get Over It (A Jesse Rutherford Fanfiction)

34

Valentina:

"I did something bad." Nicole bursts out into drunk laughter. 

"Me too," I murmur, lips still buzzing. Jesse and Lee have gone their separate way, thank god. I didn't know what to say to Jesse besides "not here". I'd pushed him away but walked alongside him back to our table. 

I'm sure he thought I was pissed. I wasn't even sure what I was feeling. Lee was my best friend, and had this been anyone else. I shake my head, trying to clear the thought. Nicole and I make it to our apartment and I help Nicole collapse into her bed. "Don't you want to wash your face?"

But she's already asleep. I gently tug the halo headband off her head and leave it on her bedside. I'm dead tired as well, but I know I need to wash this color off my hair before the ends get too crunchy. 

I shower with the hottest water I can stand and close my eyes while I shampoo. I think of Jesse's body pressed against mine, the softness of his hair in my fingers. Fuck. Were I listening to someone else describe doing this to their best friend, I'd tell them they were an asshole. So what did that make me?

I fall asleep with wet hair and wake up to Nicole throwing up at noon. She cuts work and I play nurse and we're lounging in the living room. "Don't mention vodka to me ever again," Nicole moans with her arm tossed dramatically over her head. 

My phone vibrates with a message. 

Lee: I'm absolutely hungover to my core, I seriously feel like I'm dying

Lee: You and Jesse are so responsible I hate you 2

I bite down on my cheek and lean back. At a loss for words, I'm afraid I'll say something and Lee's bullshit radar will go off, and then she'll already be onto me. "Can I tell you something?" I have to absolve my guilt with someone. And Nicole would understand, she's been listening to me all along. 

"Just one moment, I have to...bathroom." Nicole strides to the bathroom, and I hear the toilet flush a second too late to drown out the beginnings of another vomiting session. Maybe this is a sign to not say anything. My phone rings, and it's a number I don't recognize, but this number has been calling me a lot lately. 

"Hello?"

"Valentina?" I dig my nails into the couch as I hear the familiar voice. This voice used to make my stomach squeeze into a ball, whisper to me goodnight over the phone or in person, and also belongs to the person I thought I was going to get married to. 

"Cody?"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jesse:

Lee is throwing up again. I sit in the living room and watch her walk to the kitchen. "Maybe I should drink some more to soothe my"-

"No, absolutely not!" I scroll through another row of movies on Netflix. "Eat something." I am trying to be a supportive and caring boyfriend even if all I can think about is kissing Lee's best friend. I rub my forehead, thinking of Valentina's warm body pressed against me, her lips wet and cherry scented.  

"Jesse, I'm fucking hungover as shit. Do you think I want to eat something?" Lee stands next to the television, hands on her hips. 

I lick my lips. "How about a burger? Or a burrito? Or maybe some"-

Lee rolls her eyes. "Are you even fucking listening to a word I'm saying? Jesus." Her tone is snappy. 

I hold up both hands. "Fine, forget I said anything."

"If you're so hungry, go get something. I'll just wait here." She stretches out onto the couch across from mine, digging her head into one of the cushions.