YVETTE'S POV

Rita stumbles out of the party, evidently wasted. Well, I guess having a legitimate conversation wasn't going to happen tonight then.

"Where we goin?" she slurs.

I take her by the arm and navigate her towards my car. She climbs into the passenger seat and I start the engine.

"You're wasted as fk. Let's get you home."

I lean over her to pull the seat belt on, but later decide against it. She may need to lean out of the window and throw up later.

"I'm not drunk."

I ignore her and she starts playing with the radio stations in my car. Rock music starts to thump throughout the neighborhood and she grooves along, taking swigs of the bottle as I drove.

I turn the music down and she starts to burst into tears. Okay…so she's the weepy drunk kind of girl. Interesting.

"Sorry, the music's getting too loud."

"I need to puke," she sobs.

I pull the car over and she hobbles out before throwing her guts out on the pavement.

"Great."

She climbs back in and closes the door.

"Feel better?" I ask.

We're a few blocks away from hers.

"Yes!" she shouts, suddenly on the high again. My ears hurt.

"You are a good friend, Monreal. Very good friend! I love you!" she shouts. Wow. She's completely wasted.

"Okay," I laugh, stopping outside her place. I cross over and help her out of the car.

"I mean it! You're so nice and funny and genuine…"

She leans her body weight on me as we struggle up her porch.

Her mother sees us coming and holds the door open.

"Thank you for driving her back," Mrs Volky says as I semi-carry semi-drag Rita up her stairs and on to her bed.

I tuck her in and take the scotch away from her.

"Sleep it off, Volky."

"I loooooveee you Monreal… for real…" she laughs at her own joke.

I switch the lights off and head back downstairs.

"Rita say anything about liking anyone?" her mother asks as I come downstairs.

"No…why?"

"The last time she got this drunk was when a boy she liked didn't like her back."

I chuckle softly. Interesting.

"No, she hasn't mentioned anything. Sorry."

"Don't apologize! Thank you for taking care of her."

I nod and excuse myself. I wonder what that means for us…

The next morning, Katie pays me a visit.

"What did you do this time?"

"Err…what?"

"What did you do after you and Rita left together last night!"

"I just drove her home because she was completely wasted? Like a good friend?"

Honestly, I was a little sick of Katie accusing me of doing things that I didn't do.

"Well, she needs a place to stay now because her mother threw her out because she confessed to having unreciprocated feelings for you."

"And that is my fault because?"

"When she's that drunk, you don't drive her home. You let her crash at my place. Or yours!"

"How am I supposed to know? I'm not her best friend. Screw you, Katie."

I slam the door in her face.

I watch Katie drive off before calling Rita.

"Hey! Thanks for sending me back last night."

"You need a place to stay?"

She hesitates for a few moments.

"You heard?"

"Your best friend just made a scene at my place, so yes, I heard."

She sighs.

"I…Look…"

"If you can't have a real conversation about it, then keep your feelings in check because I have no time for your games, shrimp girl. It's honestly getting a little old."

I can tell that she's taken aback by my harsh tone. I'm a little surprised myself.

"Let's just talk in real life. I'll come by your place in a little bit, is that okay?"

"Yeah, just try to be sober this time."

She lets out a long breath and hangs up on me.

Now…we wait.