Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with any of the corresponding counterparts that are incorporated under the logo of Drake and Josh and or Nickelodeon.
I regret to inform you...
-I can't write for long considering he'll be home soon, but I'm starting to worry. It's not like I ever ment for anything to get this out of control. I never ment to hurt the people I did...and the people who haven't been hurt but soon will. It's just that I can't take it anymore, I really can't. Things, well, life in general, hasn't gone my way lately and I'm begining to wonder is it worth it all. I've got to jet, he's home now and will be up questioning things, actually me, about all this soon.
Drake.
Drake quickly shoved the black journal into his guitar case and picked up the fender. He played a few chords, putting on his I'm-concentrating-don't-bother-me face back on. His heart was pounding and he could tell this chirade wasn't going to hold long with Josh. Josh could always see through him, so much so it scared Drake so sleep in the same room as him.
"Brotha, you've got a lot of explaining to do." Josh stormed as he threw his backpack onto his bed, proceeding to climb the ladder to Drake's.
Drake swallowed hard. He'd done some pretty low things in his lifetime, but this was the lowest of all, Drake knew that. He also knew that no ammount of words, explanations, or empty 'I'm sorry's' was going to make up the all the thing's that he'd done.
"Josh...I can't begin to explain." Drake began.
(three months earlier)
Josh sat quietly at the small desk in his and Drake's room. Focused on the tiny computer screen, Josh's eyes darted back and forth across an e-mail, that had been left open by his brother.
-Drake, man, Scotties parents are out of town, you totally have to come over. He's having a killer party. They want you guys to play some music. Oh plus there's hott college girls.
-Trevor.
Josh read and re-read the letter. Drake had gone to a party with college students there. Josh knew that his step-mom and dad would have never let Drake go if they knew college kids would be there, without chaperones. Josh sat in the chair debating about telling his parents about Drake's party.
Meanwhile...
Drake needed a quite place to warm up and tune his guitar. He seriously had second thought's about this party the instant he had shown up. When Drake had walked in the front door, there were couples making out, practically at fourth base, in the front hallway, more couples on the trashed sofas. There were puke stains on the carpet, and the whole place reeked of pot and alcohol, plus Scottie was nowhere to be found.
Drake strummed a few chords on his acoustic guitar. This party was pretty lame, even for something Scottie's level. He stood up, his head hurt and he didn't feel so well. The drink he was given tasted a little odd, and he was sure that someone had spiked it. He debated on just ditching the whole thing anyway, his band was nowhere in sight.
"Dra-ake, mannnn, thissss, sshhhit is aw-SOME!" A pretty wasted Trevor slurred as he stumbled on his way over.
"Trevor, you're drunk." Drake exclaimed as he quickly put his guitar in it's case and went over to help his friend.
"Ye-AH, I know, isssn't awwwwe-SOME!" Trevor repeated, he had just managed to spill the remaints of his drink on Drake. After Drake helped him up.
"WhOOOOOPSSSS, Dra-aKE, spilt some on ya." Trevor garbled as his face turned a few shades lighter and a little more green.
"Trevor, you okay?" Drake questioned, feeling a little nauseous himself.
"I'll be..." Trevor began. He'd just thrown up on the floor infront of Drake. Drake's face contorted in disgust. Compelled by his friends need he grabbed his guitar case and made the quickest escape to the door, towing a rather incompetent Trevor behind him. Drake was just about at the door when Trevor passed out, the weight of him was to much for Drake to carry so he slung him down on the pink, beer stained couch, five feet away from the door. Guitar in tow, Drake ran through the house looking for a familliar face to help him get Trevor home.
Drake headed towards the upstairs, figuring Scottie, or someone else he knew might be hiding up there. At the top of the staircase he saw a girl that he knew from school. She was sitting on the top stair, her head in her hands. She was wearing dark denim jeans, pink converse, a white button down sweater with a pink cami underneath. He didn't know her well, she was kind of un-popular, and from what he could tell, she didn't want to be at this party more then he did.
"Claire." He asked, swallowing his pride, no one else would know that they'd ever talked.
"Huh?" She questioned looking up at Drake. He could tell that she'd been crying, tears stained her face, and there were more welling up in her brown eyes.
"Claire, can you help me?" Drake pressed again. He needed help and he didn't care from whom it came from, just as long as they were sober enough to do it.
"Uh, sure." She said discreetly trying to dry her face and compose herself. The single coolest guy in school had just noticed her for the first time in her life, she didn't want to seem any more of an un-cool freak in front of him.
"Thank you so much." Drake offered in advance. "Follow me." He added as he turned down the stairs. Claire following him. He lead her over to the couch where Trevor lay, flat out, next to a non-coherent couple making out. He turned around to see the shock on Claire's face. This kind of party wasn't really her scene and he couldn't help but wonder why she was even here.
"I need you to help me take my friend home." Drake stated as he grabbed Trevor's and pulled him up off the couch. "Grab his other arm and support his weight over your shoulder." he instructed Claire, who did so ardently. "Can you drive?" He asked Claire. She nodded in approval.
The two carried Trevor out to her car. She drove a white Jeep wrangler. The top was off, and he couldn't help but envy the laid back, beachyness to her car. They placed Trevor in the back, which was quite a task considering the height of the car and the fact that it had no rear doors.
After they laid Trevor down in the backseat Claire climbed into the drivers seat and fumbled through her black purse for her keys. It was obvious how nervous she was. Her heart was racing, Drake Parker, the most popular guy in her class and probably in the whole school,was sitting next to her in her car, not making fun of her as his crew normally did.
"Where does he live?" She questioned not looking at Drake, but looking strait ahead at the road infront of her.
"Grossamer Circle." Drake replied as he ran his hand through his hair. It was probably way past his curfew, he'd probably get grounded, but that was the least of his worries. He had to find a way to get Trevor home without his parent's finding out.
"Nevermind that."Drake stated suddenly realising that there was no possible way to do that. The Sanders had a security system and you needed not only a key but a password to get into their house. "Shit." Drake cursed, knowing full well he couldn't take Trevor into his house alone. Josh would wake up, or Megan, or worse, his mom was probably waiting up for him.
"He can stay at my house." Claire whispered softly. Her parents weren't home, they wouldn't be for another few weeks. They'd gone to Cape Cod in Massachussets to vist their friends there. "My parent's aren't home and they won't be for another week." She added quietly.
"You wouldn't mind if I stayed with you?" Drake asked. "You know Trevor might freak out if he woke up alone." He added. He didn't want Claire to get the wrong impression.
"I don't mind." Claire replied. The only problem was she minded, she minded a lot in fact. Once again here was the coolest guy in school, asking to stay at her house, overnight.
"Good, I'll call my mom and tell her I'm staying at Trevors overnight. She thinks I'm there anyway." Drake spoke to no one in particular. He wanted to get away with this. He didn't want to get grounded again. He took his cell phone out of his pocket as Claire started the car. He dialed the number his heart racing as he pressed each number. He knew he left the e-mail open on the computer, he knew that Josh or worse Megan had probably read it and knew where he was this whole time.
"Drake, is that you?" His mother questioned, a stearn tone in her voice.
"yeah." he stated cooly.
"Drake, it's 11:45, that's 45 minutes past your curfew. You should have called 45 minutes ago if you were going to be late or if you were going to stay over at Trevors." She screamed. Drake knew that Claire could hear every word. She was polite enough to stay silent, Drake thanked her for that.
"I'm sorry mom." Drake appologized, not really meaning it.
"You better be. So what is it, you staying at Trevor's or comming home?" Mrs. Parker questioned a stearn, I-mean-business tone in her voice.
"I figured I'd stay at Trevor's, I'd have called you earlier, but we were rehearsing." Drake lied, he knew his mother could read right through it.
"That doesn't cut it Drake. It's the ninth time this month you've broken curfew. Drake you call or you come home is that understood?"
"yes ma'am."
"We'll discuss your punishment when you come home. I want you here no later then noon. Is that understood as well?"
"Yes ma'am." Drake confirmed as he hung up the phone. He placed his head back against the seat and sighed. The effects of whatever was in his drink were beginning to wear off and he just felt beat. His head was throbing and his mind was racing. He'd never felt this crappy in his life, except for the day his father died, but that was a different kind of crappy.
"Why were you at that party anyway?" Drake asked Claire.
Claire blushed, she had never wanted to go to that party anyway, her brother forced her. She thought of a lie to tell Drake.
"I just wanted to be cool for a minute." She muttered, knowing it was a likely lie, one that Drake would buy.
"Oh." Drake whispered. He knew how cruel his so called 'friends' were to her. It wasn't like they were really Drake's friends. They only cared and would continue to care about him, as long as he stayed attractive and played guitar. It was only last week he was in the middle of a group of girls who were bad mouthing Claire, calling her a slut, a whore, teachers pet, and many worse things. It hit him now how almost untrue it all could be and how evil girls could really be to one another.
"I'm sorry for what my friends say to you." Drake appologized, being the bigger person. Hell Claire deserved it with what she was doing for him now.
She looked at him. He sat there, his head back against the seat. He was wearing dark jeans, a Ireland soccer jersey, and his jean jacket. His eyes were closed and she couldn't tell if he had sincerly ment what he was saying or not. She mumbled an 'umhum' to his appology. Taking the hint that she didn't accept he turned to face her and apologized one more time.
"Claire, I really am sorry. I just realized what kind of crap they were saying." he half apologized half pleaded.
She turned to face him, their eyes meet. She could tell he was honest this time. She didn't need to see it in his face, or his eyes. He'd given her a second apology and that was enough evidence for her.
She pulled up in front of her house. She lived in a modest two story, white, cape inspired house. Nice place Drake thought as he gazed up at the white house with red shutters. There was a wrap around porch in the front with a bench swing in the left hand corner. A brick path led from the driveway to the porch. It was lined with small azaleas and various bushes. Two lemon trees graced both sides of the deck.
Claire pulled into the driveway and parked the jeep in the garage. She turned on the light and unlocked the door. Both heaved Trevor out of the car, he let out a groan of complaint.
Together they carried him upstairs. Claire's house was just as modest and homey inside as it was outside. It looked like a house you'd find in a country living magazine. They entered through the mudroom which had workboots and rainboots neatly piled underneath a mammoth coat rack. Underneath a small window lay a basket of dog toys and kid toys.
Claire led them through a small hallway to the back staircase. They walked up the staircase into a gigantic rec room of sorts. It was painted blue and had dimmer lights in the ceiling. A red sectional sofa was placed infront of a mid sized tv. A day bed was built into the wall underneath a window that took up the whole wall.
"We can put him underneath the window." Claire said as they walked over and placed Trevor on the bed. "I'll go get some blankets. The bathroom's through that room and to your left." She informed Drake as she walked into the room she'd just indicated the bathroom was to the left of. It was obvious that it was her room, Drake soon realized after he'd followed her in to use the bathroom.
It was painted dark pink. There was a small desk underneath a metal and cork board. Her bed was a full sized bed and was covered in a white, fluffy comforter, with many pillows, all various sizes and different shades of pink. Ranging from red to white.
Claire opened up her closet and pulled out two blankets. She walked out of her room and placed one on Trevor. She'd known to keep him on his side incase he threw up again in his sleep. Drake had already told her he'd done it once at the party. She left the other blanket on the back of the couch for Drake.
In the bathroom Drake washed his face and leaned over the sink and examined himself in the mirror. He didn't recognize the person he saw in the reflection. This Drake was someone he didn't know. He had turned into the careless Drake, the party Drake, and he wasn't sure that he liked him. He bent his head down holding back the tears that were forming. He had to change his habits and he had to change them now. His life was heading down the gutter fast and he knew it. He barely kept a D average, his actions were hurting people who didn't deserve it, and his friends were all slowly wasting by him.
He walked out of the bathroom and sat down next to Claire on the couch. He took his jacket off and threw it over the back. The two sat there in an akward silence for a few moments. Drake pinched the bridge of his nose, his headache worsening.
"You want advil or something?" Claire offered, her mother had frequent migranes and she knew the signs of a headache well.
"That'd be helpful." Drake admited as he lay down on the couch.
Claire got up and went into her bathroom and grabbed two advil and a glass of water.
"Here." she said as she handed Drake the water and the two pills.
"Thanks." he replied as he sat up and took them.
Drake grunted and placed his head down on Claire's lap, almost instantly falling asleep. She reached behind her grabbing the white flannel blanket and placed it over Drake's sleeping body. Her face flushed. The hottest boy, the boy she'd had a crush on since Freshman year of high school was sound asleep on her lap. She smiled contently. Maybe everything does happen for a reason she thought.