More Than This

9- Matt

Song of the chapter - Rebel Yell by Billy Idol

Leaning against the hood of Pete's car, because leaning against my own car was out of the question, I took another long drink of whatever crap beer the guys had on hand. I was still nursing my ego, I guess, after Amber jumped in April's car and drove away. She hardly fucking waited for the bitch to come to a complete stop before grabbing the door handle and wrenching it open.

She had run away from me.

The look on her face when she saw my emotions, the ones I had finally lost control over, told the whole story. I had scared her. I must have looked murderous to cause her to step away from me the way she had. I had asked her what was going on, if she wanted me to go with her, but I could feel it building inside. The anger. I couldn't keep a handle on it, my head screaming that she had promised to stay with me, that she didn't have the right to leave.

When she looked up at me, starting to say something, her mouth fell open and her eyes went wide. That was my first clue that I had lost it. At that point, there was no way for me to pull it in. The monster was back.

Gritting my teeth, practically baring them like fangs, I cursed and said "fine, leave." Then I turned my back on her, not wanting to see how my words affected her. Not wanting her to see any more of how her leaving was affecting me.

But mostly, the reason I turned away was to show the rest of the partiers, the ones whose motions had stopped and whose eyes had turned towards Ambers little display, that I was in control. That I was still strong, despite losing the girl everyone knew I wanted.

So I continued to guzzle the shitty beer, letting its bitterness feed my own. Then I had another. And another. Until the party became fun. Until the darkness in my eyes faded, became blurry. I drank until someone dared to finally ask where Amber had gone. Until I was only able to reply "Amber who?"

***

My pounding headache woke me up. It sat right behind my fucking eyes and beat the shit out of my skull.

Damn cheap ass beer.

The hard stuff never left me feeling this bad. Truth was, though, I don't think I'd ever had as much as I consumed the night before.

Slowly, I brought my hands to my face and rubbed my eyes, my forehead, hoping to stop the pounding. No luck. I opened my eyes, only to have blinding sunlight kick the headache into high gear.

Shit. Bad fucking idea.

I turned over in the bed and bumped something.

Holy fuck! Not something, someone. I had no memory of hooking up. In the split second after realizing there was a person in my bed, I looked around and realized I wasn't in my house. Or even in one I recognized.

I looked back at the girl, thank god it was a girl because apparently I had been pretty fucked up, and the likely suspects ran through my mind. Ambers name popped in first, which caused me to laugh at my own stupidity. She would never allow a drunken hook up. Then I thought of Courtney, which forced an audible groan. I had finally gotten her claws out of my skin, sleeping with her would only start that shit back up.

Then an arm flew across my chest as she shifted in the bed. Delicate, deeply tanned skin greeted me as I finally dared to fully look at her. My gaze followed the arm until it met with a shoulder and dark brown hair spread across a mostly bare back. Still no recognition, but relief that it wasn't Courtney almost stopped the rolling in my stomach. I tried to recall who I had seen at the Lot with brown hair, but I couldn't think of anyone specifically.

Shit.

I squirmed out from under the arm and tried to get out of the bed. Luckily I wasn't completely naked, still wearing my boxers. Unluckily I couldn't find the rest of my clothes. My head turned back to see if they were on the bed, which is when the girl turned over, still sleeping, and I saw her face.