24. It Should Have Been You
Dillon had been placed in Libra's room for the evening and whilst he was sleeping Jack, Sophia and Libra were discussing what to do with him. Her heart was still beating way too fast for her own good and she assumed it would last throughout the night. Jack and Sophia were standing in front of her while she was sitting on their couch and tried to come up with a good plan.
"This is bizarre Libra," claimed Sophia and threw her arms up, "are you sure you're really going to help him?" Her arms were crossed over her chest and eyebrows frowning at Libra.
At first she had thought Sophia was angry about leaving Summer's party early but it became obvious she was more concerned about what Libra was doing with Dillon. Since Sophia knew the truth about what had happened on prom night it was understandable that she wasn't all on board. Jack, on the other hand, had no idea what was going on and Libra could tell he was getting annoyed not being clued in. She recalled reminding herself that Jack was someone she could trust and that he deserved to know the truth.
"Jack I think there's something I should tell youâ"Libra started only for Sophia to shake her head.
"Not tonight; Jack deserves the long version of this story and that can be done tomorrow. Right now we have to figure out what to do with him before he barfs in your bed, or wherever else he can reach."
"I hate when you two are talking as if I'm not here!" Jack exclaimed and went to the kitchen area and opened the fridge.
Sophia took a seat next to her friend and put her arm around her for comfort. This was not what neither of them had expected to deal with at college and now that they were Libra almost wanted to laugh at it all. Anyone who thought you could run away from their problems or past was wrong â it always caught up with you somehow. Dillon Holden had become the representation for that awful trauma but he had also become the one positive thing she took from it. Through all of this he had begun seeing her differently, the one thing she had prayed for in high school, and on some levels she had done the same with him.
"Are you sure that you're not too much over your head about this, Libra? I mean we could've called campus security and have them help him if this was only about doing the right thing â but this isn't all about that anymore is it?" Sophia asked softly.
Libra became frightened about what Sophia was insinuating and took a deep breath to calm herself down. She wished this was only about doing what was right as a citizen but it had become so much more than that. She had started to take an interest in him now and it seemed that he had done the same with her â to what she hoped was to both of their surprise. These feelings scared her to no end but it was too late to hide them now seeing as Jack, Sophia and Laura had made attempts to bring them out in the open for everyone to see. Libra would never admit to Laura what she felt but to her two closest friends it didn't seem like such a big deal â if not only just to vent.
"I guess it isn't so much anymore," Libra murmured as low as she could, "but right now I don't want to think about that, I just want to get through tonight and figure out the rest another time."
Sophia nodded and offered a comforting smile, "Then here is what we'll do; Dillon will take the bed and you'll sleep in my bed with me â Jack can have the couch as usual. You can go check on Dillon every now and then, if you'd like, and he can sleep his hangover of at our place â but as soon as he can stand up without assistance he is out of here. Alright?"
"Alright that sounds fair to me!" Jack said and motioned for the two of them to get off the sofa. "I'm beginning to think that I should just move in here until I graduate, I'm here more than at my own place."
"You're a good friend Sophia." Libra hugged her friend tightly before she headed to her own room to gather some of her things and to check on Dillon.
Dillon was completely passed out once Libra arrived in her own room. He was snoring loudly and breathing heavily with his mouth open. Quietly she pulled out a drawer and gathered some clothes for tomorrow and pajamas for tonight while listening to Dillon's breathing. She wondered what would've happened to him if they hadn't arrived tonight. He hadn't puked since he arrived here with them but what if Keith had left him in that bathroom all alone, what would've happened then? She got goose bumps at the thought and decided not to think about that anymore â it hadn't happened. Slightly less worried she allowed a smile to form on her lips and shut the dresser â a little too loudly. Dillon groaned and moaned in the bed and Libra turned around, afraid to have awoken him, and saw hos his eyes fluttered open.
"Libra," he said with a hoarse voice. "What the hellâ"he touched his forehead and sighed tiredly.
Libra rushed over and provided him with water with her shaky hands. She had expected for him to sleep through the night so they wouldn't have to speak when he was in this state. Libra might be the only girl from North Haven high who hadn't had any experience with 'drunk Dillon' but she didn't spend too long reminiscing about that â instead let him finish his water and put it on her nightstand.
"You were at a party tonight and got too drunk, or drugged for all I know, but you're fine now," she hesitated telling him where he was but knew it was vital information to him, "you're at mine and Sophia's apartment...in my room. Go back to sleep and we can talk more in the morning." She whispered the last part and did something she couldn't explain: briefly took his hand in hers.
An electric shock went through her body as she held his hand so she pulled back immediately and pushed the thoughts of him far back into her mind. Dillon closed his eyes and nodded at her statement, almost seemed calm when he found out where he was.
"When are you coming to bed?" He asked with slurring words and caused Libra to suck in her lips.
He was making everything difficult as he left tiny breadcrumbs of clues about his feelings for her. He wanted her to join him in bed yet had never truly exclaimed an attraction to her â why? For the first time Libra felt a sensation at the pit of her stomach, maybe even lower, and it scared her to a standing position.
"Good night Dillon." She whispered and fought every desire and need in her to sneak down next to him in her bed.
As she returned to Sophia's bedroom she decided not to think about Dillon for the rest of the night â but in her dreams she was doing exactly that. Dreaming of whatever would've happened if they had shared a bed â and if he wasn't drunk.
Libra had been sleeping less than 2 hours when she heard someone wander outside of Sophia's room. At first she had drifted to a light sleep for a few minutes, thinking it had been Jack, but when she heard the puking reflexes she knew it was Dillon. Tired and nervous she got out of her bed and wandered outside of the room, straight to the bathroom. The door stood open and Dillon was crunched down on the floor in front of the toilet, emptying his contents in a rapid speed.
Without saying a word Libra hunched down and put her hand on his back while she used the other to wipe his forehead with a drenched towel. Her mother used to do this for her whenever she had been sick as a child, never saying a word just simply being there. After he was finished Libra helped him flush the toilet and waited outside when he washed his face.
"I didn't borrow your toothbrush." Dillon mumbled when she walked him back to her room. For the first time since they arrived home Libra laughed.
"You wouldn't know which was mine anyway," she joked and watched him sit down on her bedside, "Let me go get you some water."
"Wait, don't go yet." He stated and placed himself lying down, "can't you stay in here with me."
"You need your rest tonight; I have to go back to Sophia now." Libra knew she had very little fight left in her and if he kept on begging her like this she would most likely obey him.
With soft steps she begun sneaking out of her room and hoped that by the time she reached the door Dillon would've drifted back to sleep. She heard him breathing behind her and pictured his chest going up and down while slowly being soothe to sleep by the movements, a shy smile formed on her lips.
"Hey Libra," Dillon slurred his words as if he was between drunk and dreaming and it caused her to turn around drastically, "Laura was supposed to be you." He whispered and then shifted to his side and begun snoring.
Libra became standing with her hand on the doorknob and her mouth half open. She decided he must be dreaming and had no idea she was really there, but now the shy smile had grown larger and she locked herself in the bathroom for a few minutes to calm herself down before returning to Sophia's room.
Laura was supposed to be her? What did he mean by that? She thought. Tired and confused she didn't have the chance to give it much thought before she drifted back to sleep herself.