The sunlight was too brightâ I squinted at my opened blinds, the filtered light washing over my duvet, cursing.
I was hungover. I was hungover for the first time, and the first time I was hungover was during my best friends parents party.
Why did that sound so lame?
Turning, I came face to face with a shirtless Ryder, and my voice lodged in my throat, eyes widening.
I admit I didn't remember much of last night, but please tell me I didn't sleep with my best friend.
I shook his heavy body, dismissing the thought that he wasn't wearing anything on his torso, hoping that he just passed out in my bed, and that we hadn't actually had sex. Because if we did, I don't know how I could tutor him again. Heck, I don't know how I'd tell him to get out of my bed.
"Ryder!" I exclaimed, shaking him more roughly.
He groaned and turned his head to face me, green eyes blinking at me groggily. "Finally you wake up," he muttered. "I got here at 10 and you were knocked out."
I breathed a sigh of relief, so I didn't sleep with him.
"Why are you here?" I asked, standing and stretching, moving to the shared bathroom for my sister and I, grabbing my toothbrush, shoving it in my mouth.
"I had plans for us," he yawned and reached over and grabbed his phone. His eyes widened and he shot off the bed immediately, pulling on his shirt and shoving his feet into his shoes clumsily. "Never mind, we have to go," he looked up at me with my toothbrush in my mouth, making no efforts to hurry. "I mean now Alice!"
I raised an eyebrow in his direction, but rushed back to the bathroom, spitting and rinsing my mouth before grabbing a pair of flats and my keys. "What plans do we have today that I'm not aware of?" I asked, meeting him in my hallway, looking back at my messy bed in my room in despair.
I hated leaving my room in a mess.
"We," he started, clambering down my stairs noisily, waving enthusiastically to my sister, "are taking a little trip to see my other best friend."
I hummed, furrowing my brow at my sister, it was a Sunday, what was she doing home? My head turned to the stairs and my lips tugged down, what was my father doing?
"Where is he?" I asked, dismissing those thoughts: my father was not my responsibility, Angelica was not my responsibility, I was my own responsibility.
Ryder looked back at me as he unlocked his truck. "Let's just say, yesterday was a bit too much for him."
I made a face, that makes two of us.
"So?" I prodded.
Ryder looked at me snakily, "Don't ask any more questions Alice!"
I climbed into the car, pursing my lips. "I'm sorry if I was just concerned about what we were doing today."
The car rumbled to life, and Ryder spoke, "We are going to a little coffee shop north of Santa Cruz, where Eros is adamant on releasing his frustrations."
"His frustrations," I repeated. Somehow, the idea of Eros releasing his frustrations didn't line up with a coffee shop.
Ryder laughed. "Eros lets go of steam like all of us," Ryder eyed me. "Like everyone but you, and, his method is much more different than I suppose you'd guess he did."
Instead of answering my questions, that only made more.
"Huh?"
Ryder ignored me, and instead tossed me his phone. "Guess who has a secret admirer?"
I picked it up, clicking it on, awing at the picture of the three of us that was taken yesterday, the three of us, we looked like we belonged together. "You," I teased, unlocking the phone with my thumb.
Best friends share everything, including Touch ID.
"Nope," he popped the p. "You wouldn't believe it, but Henry was very keen on you Alice," I looked over and saw the small grin on Ryder's face. "My little Alice, growing up. I can't bear it."
I felt my body sink into the seat. Eros didn't like how Henry came onto me yesterday.
And to be fair, I wasn't sure how I felt about Henry coming onto me either. It made me nervous, and he was so flirtatious it was repulsive, but was there any harm in teasing the idea? It's not like I was going to see him ever again.
"Henry was interested in me?" I asked.
Ryder nodded, "And he insisted that I give you his number," he winked. "Once you get past his exterior he really is a nice guy."
"Is he?" I replied dryly, sharing the contact with myself, deciding that a little flirting wouldn't hurt, besides, I needed the practice.
Alice Black: A little birdie named Ryder
mentioned you wanted me to have your number,
so here I am Henry Davidson. It's Alice Black.
Henry Davidson: alice black, the small girl that
had my attention the whole night,
i am pleased to be your acquaintance ;)
I smiled at the text, but refrained from replying, there wasn't a need and I wasn't trying to get myself too invested in a guy that I don't even think lived in California.
"Who are you texting?" Ryder asked, but I knew he knew the answer.
I humored him nonetheless, "Henry," I shot him a shy grin as my phone buzzed and I received another message from Henry.
Henry Davidson: it's relatively early, but i'd like
you to know, if you let me,
i'd take good fucking care of you.
My stomach tightened and I shifted uncomfortably in the car, the text making me feel uncomfortable. I didn't want to be taken care of, I could take care of myself by myself, and I didn't need any help with that.
"What does Eros do in coffee shops that, releases his frustrations?" I said airily, "take a few shots of espresso and get even more ahead on his school work?"
We finally exited the freeway, but Ryder didn't pay much attention to street signs or the fantastic view of the ocean, in fact, it seemed that he had traveled these roads many times before, and this was just one of many trips.
"He reads his poems."
I folded my arms against my chest. "About what?"
Ryder shrugged, "The time before, his life in Virginia. His parents, sometimes it's about this town, sometimes it's skewed and no one really knows what he's talking about."
"Oh," I looked out the window, as the quickly passing small town we were in. "Is he a good poet?"
Ryder shrugged again, "I don't know Alice, I don't really listen or read to other poetry besides his, I respect what he does and the fact that he feels safe enough to share this with me, I would never tell him his poetry is bad."
I hummed, "I don't think there could be a bad poet," I admitted, "we all have different things that matter to us, we all relate differently to different metaphors, and we're all on our own journey. Poetry allows for those feelings to be released, and I've always admired poets, to be honest, I've always wanted to go to..." I trailed off, realizing what Ryder dragged me into.
"We're going to a poetry slam aren't we?" I said tiredly.
Ryder grinned, and nodded enthusiastically, "This is number eight Alice! Three down, ten more to go!"
He pulled into the parking lot of a rugged looking coffee shop, it's exterior reflective of the 60's, weird and spunky, and oddly mesmerizing.
"I hate you."
Ryder hopped out of the car, slamming his truck door, practically skipping to the coffee shop in excitement. "No you don't!"
I crossed my arms followingâ this wasn't how I expected to spend my Sunday. I had expected to make myself a late breakfast, edit a few papers, email a few teachers, not attend a poetry slam, especially when I hadn't eaten anything!
Ryder was already at the cashier by the time I walked into the coffee shop, and turned to me as he heard the bell above the door ring. "I got you a hot chocolate and a blueberry muffin is that okay?" He said, handing the cashier a crisp twenty as my eyes traveled the high ceiling of the coffee shop, the long windows and the retro colored booths, scattered tables, and a small stage in the back where a group of people were huddled.
Ryder returned to me, handing me my food. "Thank you," I said softly, biting into the blueberry muffin gratefully.
He cocked his head, and led me to the group of people around the stage, and my eyes landed on a happier Eros.
He held a leather bound book, finger's free of rings, in fact, he hadn't even worn his lip ring today, even his hair was messy and drifted onto his forehead in blonde curls. He was relaxed here, happy even, an expression that I didn't often see on Eros.
Eros' eyes snapped to mine, and they hardened.
"What's she doing here?"
The happiness from him, faded.
I felt myself shrink back, farther behind Ryder, but with a light shove, I was in front of Ryder, and shyly smiling at the rest of the group: two guys and one girl in addition to Eros.
"Everyone, this is Alice, one of Eros and I's friends!" Ryder said enthusiastically.
A girl with pink hair smiled at me brightly. "I didn't realize Eros even had friends," she laughed, and a man wrapped his arms around her.
I frowned.
"Tessa," he sighed. "Eros isn't as antisocial with us as he is with Ryder, is he?"
Ryder chortled, "He's even worse."
"I'm right here," Eros complained, crossing his arms against his broad chest.
Tessa ruffled his hair, albeit awkwardly as he not only towered over me, but he towered over everyone here but Ryder and the boy with Tessa.
"You know we love you Eros," she cooed, and pulled me to a chair, her smile radiating, and I returned my own small smile. "Alice, I hope you enjoy our poems!"
I nodded, and she returned to the group, Ryder taking a seat next to me, and Eros approaching us apprehensively, eyes locked onto mine, and I suddenly became aware of the small frivolous things, like me not combing my hair this morning or even brushing out my eyebrows, me arriving in pajamas I had thrown on after last night.
After Eros and I shared a lot more than just a dance.
"Don't fall asleep on me again Ryder," his focus shifted to me. "I hope you enjoy Alice," his voice was softer, delicate even.
We weren't going to talk about last night. We weren't going to discuss the fact that he was jealous of Henry, that under the pretense of being drunk, we shared many of our own secrets that we would've never said aloud if sober.
We were going to wash away that night just like how we washed down that alcohol.
He turned and walked to the stage, where a mic had been set up. He was the first to go, and he stood shifting from foot to foot as his long fingers riffled through his notebook, pausing on a page as his finger trailed down it's contents.
"I had written this, this morning. At 4AM to be exact, after a few startling encounters with an even more startling girl."
I felt my cheeks heat, saw Ryder's surprised eyes on Eros, "He met a girl last night?" He whispered excitedly.
I didn't have the heart to tell him.
Lifting the mug to my lips, I took this opportunity to avoid Eros' gaze and calm my flaming cheeks.
He spoke again. "It's called Night."
"Night time reigns
dark and gloomy
mysterious
and hidden
and perfectly wonderful.
the darkness does not last forever and I
feel the sun rise.
Day breaks over
bright and happy
easy
and profound
and delicately ruinable.
It will only take the hint of night to taint the
perfectly wonderful
day."
I lifted my eyes, and find Eros staring at me, blue irises seeping into my soul, his words staining my mind like blood.
I swallowed.
This was not how #8 was supposed to go.
â¾
i'm not a very good poet, haha, if you noticed how awful it was, please don't point it out because, trust me, i know!
but ya know, my bb eros is the most fuken adorable puppy, as usual.
all my love <3