Chapter ten: Pillow talk (Ellie's POV)

It was past midnight and I had been sitting in this same spot, on the floor, leaning against the wall, staring off into space. By the end of the game, I was drunk enough. My capacity was full, I was done, no more drinking for me. 

Ashley and Nathan disappeared after their kiss, Spencer was somewhere else, Brett was with Zach and some other guys from the team, I was sitting alone. 

What's that song? Lonely, I am so lonely, I have nobody, on my own. Isn't it? 

"Hi," someone spoke up. 

I looked up and saw Isaac. "Hi," I smiled. 

"Are you planning on just sitting here the entire night?" he asked, sitting beside me. 

"Maybe," I laughed. 

"You should go mingle with some people," he sighed, leaning his head against the wall. 

"I don't like socializing," I mumbled. 

"Really? Hmm," he said while sipping on his beer, "Well, enjoy the party." With that, he gave me a smile, stood up, and then left. 

I closed my eyes, and let out a sigh, opening them up to see Steven standing in front of me. He used to be in my English class, I don't know what happened to him. I haven't seen him in a while. 

"Hey," he grinned. 

"Hey," I replied. I wasn't too friendly with him, never had been so it was a little weird. Unlike Isaac, he doesn't have that friendly vibe to him, I've always thought he's a dick because I would always see him messing around and causing trouble between people, I don't like people like that, who cause trouble for others. 

"Ellie," he nodded. 

"Steven," I said mockingly. 

"Can I ask why you're just sitting here by yourself?" he asked. 

Why is everyone so concerned about me sitting alone? 

"I just want to," I shrugged. 

"Right," he said before sitting down beside me. Suddenly, I wanted to get up and leave but that would be a little rude, maybe I'll leave in a minute or two. "I haven't seen you in a while," he stated. 

"Yeah, you're not in my class anymore so..." I trailed. 

"Glad you noticed," he chuckled, "Would you like me back in that class?" 

He's horrible at flirting. Like just horrible. 

I just laughed awkwardly while he continued chatting up to me. After around ten or so minutes of just sitting there and listening to him talk, I thought it was high time I got up and moved. 

"I should probably find my-" I turned to face him, regretting it almost instantly when he kissed me. Within a second, I knew what he was trying to do and I pushed him off almost immediately. 

"What are you doing?" I asked in confusion while scooting away before pushing myself off the ground. 

"Oh, come on, Ellie," he laughed while standing up as well. I watched in confusion, waiting for him to explain what the fuck he just did. "We get along, let's have a chat, come with me." He took my hand and began leading me to the staircase. 

"Um- I'm sorry, I uh..." I trailed off. 

"Come on, Ellie." He started tugging a little harder and I began getting pissed off and panicking a little. 

"I said no, okay? Let go, please," I said through gritted teeth but he wasn't going to budge. There weren't that many people down here in this room, everyone had gone out to the backyard and the pool. "Let go, Steven!" I yelled. "Steven, I said no!" I screamed. I could feel the tears stinging my eyes, that's how scared I was of nobody hearing us. 

I was trying so hard to slip out of his grip but he just kept tightening it. I could feel my wrist bruising under his touch and we were almost at the stairs. "Steven, I said-" I stopped talking when Zach showed up. 

He was coming back in here to get to the kitchen and get a beer. I would have screamed his name if it wasn't for the threatening hold Steven had of me. 

Please, look over here, Zach. 

Bless him. 

He saw us and began walking over. "Let go. She said let go," Zach sighed. 

Did he hear? 

"We're just messing around, no big deal," Steven shrugged. 

"From the looks of it, she doesn't want you anywhere near her, so I suggest let go." 

Steven scoffed in response while shaking his head, "Come on, Zach. I know what I'm doing." 

"Then you know it's fucked up. Let her go," he repeated. 

"What are you gonna do about it?" He let go of my hand and stepped forward, trying to intimidate Zach but it didn't work very well considering Zach was taller and broader than him. 

"You don't wanna know," Zach chuckled. 

"Maybe I do," Steven dared. 

Idiot. 

Zach looked at me and I began tiptoeing out to get Brett, Nathan, Spencer, Isaac, or someone for help because this was no doubt going to get really messy. The last thing I saw before I ran out into the backyard was Zach winding up his fist and swinging right onto Steven's face. 

I came running back in with Brett, Nathan, and Isaac. Spencer came in a little while later, he probably heard what was going on and all of them started trying to break the two up. 

Nathan and Brett were pulling Zach back while Spencer and Isaac were pushing Steven out towards the front door. Steven appeared to be bleeding pretty bad, Zach had a few cuts and bruises forming. 

What the hell did I do? 

"All right, the party's over let's head out!" Ethan announced while getting people out through the back door so no cops were called and no one got in more trouble. Once Steven was out, Brett pulled Zach aside. Into a different room to talk to him and calm him down. 

"Are you okay?" Ashley rushed over to me. 

"I- uh- yeah, I'm- um." I just didn't have words. 

She pulled me into a hug almost immediately. About ten minutes later, I was still standing with Ashley, she was still holding me in a side hug when Brett and Zach walked out. Brett seemed reassured and Zach was now calm. 

He pulled his keys out of his pocket and walked right up to me, not sparing a glance or a word to anybody else. "I'll drive you home." 

I didn't want to say no and then piss him off or cause another scene so I hugged Ashley before following him out. 

"You okay?" Brett asked, walking with me. 

"Yeah, thanks for helping," I said. 

"No problem," he said before hugging me and then going back inside. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

I was about to get out of his car when I realized I left my keys at Isaac's house. "Shit," I sighed under my breath, leaning my head back. 

"Aren't your parents home?" he asked. "My dad isn't, I don't know about my mom, I don't want to wake her up though," I huffed, "Can I like go through your window or something?" I suggested. 

"Are you kidding? I am not letting you do that," he shook his head. 

"I can do it," I argued. 

"You are clumsy, you will fall and break something, can you just not come up with stupid ideas right now?" 

I didn't push it any further, his patience was running short tonight. "I'll just call my mom, it's fine," I said while grabbing my phone. 

"Where's your spare key?" he questioned. 

"My dad lost it," I mumbled while dialing my mom's number. Before I could press the 'call' button, he snatched my phone. 

"Don't be dumb, just let her sleep. You can take my room," he said before getting out of the car. 

I stayed inside, thinking about it. 

I could make it through the window. 

He opened the door for me and held out a hand. I stared at him slightly shocked and amused. "Don't even say anything," he shook his head. I bit down on my bottom to keep the laugh in and placed my hand in his, allowing him to help me out. 

We went inside and quietly made it up to his room. 

"You know your way around the place, let me know if you need anything," he said before turning around to leave. 

"Um- I need clothes," I cleared my throat, hesitant to ask. I used to take his t-shirts and hoodies growing up and he would literally bully me for doing that. He hated giving his clothes to people. All the guys do, I don't know what it is. 

"T-shirt or hoodie?" he asked while opening his closet. 

"You'll actually let me borrow one?" I inquired. 

"You said you wanted something to sleep in." He gave me a pointed look. 

"Whatever is fine," I shrugged. He tossed a t-shirt at me and a pair of shorts which I caught. 

"I can't believe you took this back before leaving, you could have left it with me, wouldn't have done you any harm," I scoffed while letting my hair down before sitting on the edge of his bed to take my heels off. 

It was an old t-shirt that I had worn many times.

"Why would you want to keep my shirt?" he asked, walking around and over to me. 

"Because it's comfortable," I shrugged while leaning down to unstrap the heels. 

He kneeled in front of me and smacked my hand off while clicking his tongue in frustration before he unhooked the heels and put them aside for me. I could do nothing but stare at him as he did that. It was like when we were younger. He used to tie my laces for me because I didn't know how to tie laces for the longest time. 

"Thank you," I said awkwardly. 

"It's just habit," he shrugged. 

"I'll go change," I said before escaping into the bathroom. I washed my face and changed before stepping back out while rubbing my irritated and sore eyes. 

He was sitting on the bed but stood up to leave when I stepped back into the room. "Call me if you need anything, night," he said before heading out. 

I got into his bed which had an intoxicating amount of his scent. I lay on my side, wide awake replaying tonight's events in my head. I started tearing up again and while I didn't feel that upset, but I felt the tears pouring out consistently. 

There was a knock before he poked his head in. "I forgot to get my charge-" He stopped talking when he walked over to the nightstand on my side and saw me. He sighed and put his phone on the table. "Do you want me to leave?" he questioned. 

I simply shook my head while wiping my cheeks dry. 

"Do you want me to stay?" he asked and I nodded in response. He hesitated before getting in bed beside me, his back facing mine. 

"Zach?" I called out after a moment of silence. 

"Yeah?" he asked. 

"Thank you for tonight, you saved me." 

"Anytime." 

That was pillow talk. Just not that kind.

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Chapter ten

Next chapter: Hangover

I made this chapter a little longer for ya'll <3