Chapter 9

The clock across the room read 8 and the first rays of sunlight were creeping into the room. Frozen with nerves, I didn't want to turn around. If I found Ren behind me… what would that mean? What would happen? Would she be angry? Had she been drunk? Of course she had! That was the only explanation for her, of all people, to engage in… this. This thing which I unfortunately had almost no memory of. Certainly no memory of Ren considering I apparently hadn't recognized her. Had we spoken at all last night? Or did we just hop straight into the sack? What could be said now? What would I tell Louis? Ah, who cares what I'd tell Louis… What could I say to Ren? And then yet another question entered my mind: What if it wasn't Ren? What if it was just someone with the same ring? It wasn't one of a kind or anything. It was perfectly possible. But what were the odds? If I moved, would she wake up? If it was Ren, I didn't know if I wanted to wake her that way. Her potential reaction was a complete mystery to me and I found myself terrified of the possibilities.

My head throbbed, a combination of the thoughts barraging me at the moment and the hangover. I don't know how much I'd drunk the night before, but I was paying for it now.

What to do? What to do?

The girl behind me stirred, rolling away from me.

Next thing I know I was moving out of the bed, gathering my clothes, and dressing. I still hadn't looked at the girl, still hadn't confirmed her identity. But the clothes scattered with mine were recognizable to me. So I'd felt quite confident that it was Ren, I simply wasn't positive. Fully dressed, I was prepared to leave. Maybe she wouldn't have any more memory of what had happened than I did, maybe we could pretend it never happened. My hand rested on the handle, part of me wanted to leave without confirmation, feeling it'd make me a little more innocent. A stupid assumption.

I turned back and walked over to the bedside, inhaling deeply.

It was Ren.

The thought of staying, of waking her, briefly crossed my mind. But it left as quickly as it had come.

I reached down and pulled the covers over her exposed body. Brushing a lock of hair out of her face, I kissed her forehead lightly, and then I left.

Every step of the way I was tempted to turn back, but didn't. The number of guest bedrooms in Twitty's house was obscene. And it seemed couples were stumbling out of every room. All the guys grinning madly and girls either angry or goo-goo eyed like she'd found the love of her life.

Two guys emerged from one room, holding hands. It made me feel good to see another same-sex pairing present.

I managed to slip out of the house quickly, unnoticed by Twitty, who I was sure would question me if he found me still here. He knew Louis had gone, and it would look understandably suspicious if I'd stayed all night. He'd know I hadn't stayed alone. Of course, for all I knew someone had entered the room and seen the two of us lying there before I woke up.

My head still throbbing, I resolved to take care of the Louis situation before going home. I refused to put it off any longer.

He lived a few blocks from Twitty, so it didn't take long before I arrived at his house.

Nervously I pushed the doorbell, and a few seconds later Mr. Stevens opened to door. "Hello, Tawny, Louis told me the good news last night."

"Oh," I didn't know what to say.

"He got home pretty late, Tom brought him," he started, gesturing her to enter. "Clearly he'd tried to sober up before coming—but I was young once too, you know."

I smiled and nodded.

"He's so excited though, it's really great. You're the only one who can shape him up, I think. Get him to take things seriously."

"Where is Louis?" I asked.

"Oh he's still in bed. It's a Saturday—he probably won't be up until 2 at earliest probably."

Of course, I knew that. But I needed to get this done before Ren came home. "I need to talk to him about something. It's important."

The tone of my voice wasn't hiding anything and Mr. Stevens knew it. "Listen, Tawny, don't do this to him now. You just got back together, give him a chance. I know he's a bit immature for you, but he loves you."

He loves you. Why?

"I…I don't love him, Mr. Stevens… I'm sorry."

"Why would you say yes to him then? You girls don't know what it's like for boys… the lengths we go to, to win you over."

"I went to the dance with him as friends. He asked me in front of everyone, I didn't want to humiliate him."

"But you've no trouble doing that now?"

"I'm in love with someone else?"

He smiled, a little maliciously. "You think you can do better than a Stevens?"

"No, I don't."

"Then why try?"

"Because… I know I can do better than Louis Stevens."

He suddenly burst out laughing. "You have a crush on Donny? Tawny, that's never going to happen. He's in Texas and he's got a serious girlfriend. You'd be too young for him anyway. Honestly, I'd never have guessed."

"No," I said, feeling moved by a force outside of me. "I can do better than Donny Stevens too."

"Me?"

"What? No."

The smile fell from his face. "Ren?"

I didn't say anything.

Just then Ren stumbled in through the front door, holding her head.

"Get out of my house," Steve snarled at me.

"I.."

"Go. Now."

Ren entered the kitchen, startled to see me. I hoped to God didn't pick up on it.

"Tawny…what are you doing here?"

"She came to talk to Louis. But she's leaving now."

I turned and walked to the door.

"Hey, Tawny," Eileen greeted me as she came down the stairs and headed into the kitchen. "Ren, where were you last night? Louis came home, but you didn't. That's never happened before."

I closed the front door behind me and ran home. Wanting more than anything to be alone in my room.

A/N: Ah yes… it seems one of you shares my mind. 