How To Save You

Step Thirty: You Understand

I grabbed a bottle of vodka and took a large gulp. It burned my throat on the way down, but at least it warmed my chest back up. I was half sure I couldn't even feel anything anymore. The week has gone by slowly, each piece of homework draining me of my little energy. Ms Walker received frequent visits of Adri with her father tagging along, but Adri was determined to ignore me.

All I knew was what I could get out of Ms Walker, which were barely coherent ramblings. Apparently Vincent was staying at their house, and Adri hadn't forgiven him, but she was putting up with him. Why couldn't she put up with me? This was ridiculous. She could spend time with the man who left her family, but she couldn't forgive me for abiding Ms Walkers wishes?

I slammed the vodka bottle down, running my hand across my mouth. Music was blaring from the speakers - some loud dubstep. I was surrounded by couples grinding on each other. The party was out of control, with people vomiting in corners and all bedrooms occupied. I was surprised the cops hadn't arrived yet.

I stumbled forward, my vision blurry. I tripped up and I snorted with laughter, as I landed on a sofa with tiger stripes.

"Eli?"

"Oh shit," I said.

I looked up and saw Naomi, dressed scantily in a tight black dress with white sparkling heels. I wasn't drunk. Just a little tipsy, maybe. It meant that I didn't really have a filter and so she crossed her arms, in anger.

"Don't do that," I said, "you're blocking the nice view."

Her mouth dropped as she realized what I was implying. Well, I was a guy after all. What did she expect? If she was going to put her chest on show, it was a bit of a tease to cover it up now.

"You're such a jerk!" She hissed.

I shrugged and smirked. It wasn't a nice smile, it was a lazy grin without emotion. It was just the curling of the corner of my right lip, my eyes cold and calculating. I wanted to feel something. I wanted to forget Adri.

Naomi was an opportunity.

"So?" I breathed, leaning forward.

Her eyes widened as our faces came into close proximity. She was pretty, her dark skin glittering with makeup. If course, Naomi wasn't Adri. She wasn't as effortlessly beautiful, or as destructive. I decided that I was glad that she wasn't Adri. Naomi wasn't a poison; I could recover from her. In fact, she was an antidote to Adri. The taste of her lips made me forget Adri's stormy eyes.

"What are you doing?" She squeaked.

I let my thumb trace the outline of her plump lips, "don't you want me to?"

"I thought you hated me," she whispered, her eyes suspiciously bright.

Oh god, I didn't have the time or effort for this. I withdrew my hand and collapsed down at the other end of the sofa. I took out my phone, ready to open up flappy bird. Maybe alcohol would improve my scores - I'd never gotten above twenty. It was the game of the devil, I was telling you, of course all things bad for me, were addicting. I liked the dangerous obsession they brought.

"What're you doing?" Naomi demanded, leaning in close to me.

"Playing a game, duh," I rolled my eyes.

She stiffened, visibly offended. I didn't care. It wasn't as if I hated Naomi, it was just that she wasn't my friend anymore. She was absolutely nothing to me but a pesky fly, constantly whining for my attention. I couldn't deal with her emotions right now, when I barely had a grip on my own.

"I hate you!" She yelled, "you don't care about anything other than your precious Adrienne!"

"Not true," I contradicted her.