Page 72 of Missing Pieces
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I ignored Easton’s texts all night. I needed to think. I needed to figure out what the hell I was doing in White Creek. I needed to get the things Ivy said to me out of my head. I never thought she could be so cruel. But I couldn’t blame her. I wasn’t being fair to anyone here. I needed to be honest with them all. But I needed to be honest with myself first. And if I were being truthful to myself, I did want to stay. But I was scared. I feared the consequences of my actions because they have led down the wrong road before I couldn’t face it again.
My head started to hurt from thinking and trying to create a new plan for my life. After ten minutes of thinking about what I should do, I turned to thoughts of me hating myself, I opted for the easy way out and opened a bottle of wine.
Three Taylor Swift albums, one and a half bottles of wine, and a pint of ice cream later my pity party finally felt like a good time. I poured the rest of the wine into my glass and began dancing around the living room crooning the words to “Bad Blood” when my phone began ringing. I ignored it as I broke out into the dance moves and collapsed on the floor laughing out loud. My phone rang for the fifth time. “Motherfuckers, just leave me alone.”
I turn the music down and pick it up not even looking at the screen as I answer, “Hi you have reached Harper’s cell” —burp— “cell phone. She is currently too busy to speak with you and explain why she should or shouldn’t stay in this town where everyone loves her more than she deserves so please leave her alone while she decides if she should stay and love you all in return…” I laugh at myself thinking I totally pulled off an answering machine when I hear talking on the other end. Fuck, I didn’t hang up.
“Are you fucking drunk?” I cringe at the voice. Why the hell is Drew calling me?
“Sober as a baby,” I laugh into the phone.
“What the hell does that even mean?!”
I’m glad the alcohol has dulled my mood or else I would be screaming at him. “Well since babies do not consume alcohol, I’m as sober as a baby.” I break out into full-on laughter as I lay back on the floor.
“Are you high?” Drew asks. “I don’t even want to know.”
“Then why call me if you aren’t calling to check up to see if I am sober. Seeing if I am happy and merry or sad and miserable?”
“What did you tell your lawyer?” He growls into the phone.
I reach for my wine glass. This is not the conversation I want to have. I want more Taylor Swift. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” And I really don’t. The wine might be fogging my mind, but I have no idea what I could have told my lawyer that would piss Drew off.
He barks back, “You are going down for this, Harper.”
“Yeah okay, I’ll go down swinging,” I laugh and start singing, “I’ll be your number one with a bullet.”
“You are out of your mind!” he howls.
I just continue singing, “Now we’ve got problems, and I don’t think we can solve ‘em.”
With that, he hangs up. I’m too drunk to even care what it was about, I just shrug it off, crank up the tunes, and chug my wine.
Not even five minutes later someone starts pounding on my front door. I try to ignore it and sing-a-along even louder to T-Swizz. Poe starts barking in the backyard. I lazily stumble toward the back door. “Poe! Quit your barking. Get inside!”
Poe doesn’t listen at all and starts running around the backyard. “Dumb dog,” I mumble. Just as I go to shut the sliding door a large hand stops it. I scream and nearly drop my wine glass.
Nearly.
I saved it!
I cheers myself and take a sip for not spilling, completely forgetting about the hand that blocked the door.
“How drunk are you?”
His voice fills my arms with goosebumps as he steps inside the house, the smell of sandalwood and motor oil filling my senses. And why does he always have to come in through the backyard. I should really put a lock on that gate. Wait, that means I would have to stay here.
I laugh hard at all the thoughts in my head turning to a scrambled mess. “Sober as a baby.” I really think people should start using that phrase more often.
“Huh.” He shakes his head as he grabs for my wine glass.
“No way. You don’t get to take this from me. This is my lifeline tonight.” I turn away from him and make my way to the kitchen to open a new bottle. I struggle with the stupid bottle opener. Why do they make these things so hard to use?
“Babe, come on.” His hand grabs the bottle opener from me and sets it on top of the refrigerator so I can’t reach it. I make a show up chugging the rest of my glass as he just stares at me with his arms crossed over his chest. I humph in triumph as he grabs the cup while shaking his head and wraps an arm around my waist. “You will be throwing up like a baby come mornin’ if you drink anymore. And I don’t think Summer is gonna want you to have a puke bucket at your table at the wedding.”
“It doesn’t matter, I’ve been uninvited.” I try to pull away from him, but he just holds me tighter, his breath caressing my ear, sending chills down my spine.
“I don’t know what happened today. And I won’t ask. But you weren’t answering my texts and Summer said I should check on you. Clearly, you’ve had a bad day. So I’m going to take you to bed,” he says as he scoops me into his arms. “And make sure you feel alright in the morning.”
The comfort of his arms destroys any thought I had of fighting with him. I did not want to see him tonight, but as I lay my head on his shoulder, I can’t help but feel glad he came.