I woke up the next morning with the worst wine hang over I had ever had. After Mikhail had left I decided to finish the bottle by myself. After various drunken calls to Alice and Rosalie I had pasted out on my bed.
My mouth tasted stale and dry and I imagine my breath could peel the paint off a car. My temples throbbed and my vision blurred as I stumbled into the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror and a stranger was looking at me. She had deep purple bruises under her eyes from exhaustion, her lids were puffy from crying, and mascara was smudged all over the place. If I was pretending to be a raccoon, it was a pretty close call.
Dipping my entire head under running cool water in the sink I let it clear my head, if only slightly. I tried to let Mikhail's words wash down the drain with the water. I wrapped my hair in a towel while I brushed my teeth to remove any leftover wine residue. Then I hopped in the shower. It finished waking me up and I felt a lot better.
I walked to the kitchen and took out the Advil. I took one and drank a large glass of water. The majority of hangover symptoms are from the dehydration due to the alcohol so I rehydrated as best I could. I poked my head back into my bedroom to check for my purse and I saw Maurice lying on my bed with all four feet up in the air. I smiled and walker over to him.
"You saved me last night, you know?" I rubbed his belly and he opened one yellow-green eye to look at me. When I scratched a little harder and closed his eye again and seemed to smile. His purr was loud enough that I didn't have to press my ear to his side to hear it. I dropped a kiss on his nose and continued my search.
I found my purse behind my couch. I must have thrown it in frustration when I couldn't find my cell phone last night. I picked up my phone from the coffee table and scrolled through the recent calls list. I had been drunk and upset enough to call Angela Webber, my best friend from high school. She didn't answer but I hadn't talked to her in years. I wasn't even sure the number was up to date. I sighed and plugged my phone in to its charger.
I walked back to the kitchen and drank another glass of water. I wanted coffee but it would just dehydrate me more. I opened the fridge and found a rather old bottle of Gatorade. I grabbed it and took a few swings. Lemon did not go well with the taste of my toothpaste but it would have to do.
There was no way that I could write a cohesive article today so I pronounced today 'I'm too hung over to work and my life is in the shitter' day. It fit perfectly. Maurice padded into the kitchen while arching his back with a yawn. I scooped him some breakfast and even gave him a treat. I couldn't remember much of last night but I knew that I was glad to have Maurice with me.
The night before.
Mikhail closed the door behind him. I huffed out the breath I had been holding and released Maurice. He stayed by my side winding around my ankles in comfort. I grabbed my wine glass and down the contents in two gulps. Stomping into the kitchen I poured another glass.
"Who does he think he is? I've known him for a week… fucking prick!" I grumbled to myself as I paced. I was even to upset to put on music. I was upset enough to swear.
Twenty minutes and five glasses of wine later I was on my cell phone.
"But Alice, listen to me! He sat on my STOOP and waited for me for a frickin' hour and a half! HE's crazy!"
"Bella, it does not mean he's crazy. It means he's nervous and needy. There is a very large difference."
"The –uck he is! Nervous my assss." I slurred into the phone.
"Are you drinking?"
"So what if I am? A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. And this girl has gotta finish the rest of this Pinot Gregio because that ass crack of a douche decided to screw up my life!"
"Bella, I think you're over reacting and the wine is not helping. He just told you how he felt. He didn't even ask you for anything in return."
"It's 'cause I kicked his ass OUT. Ba-bye motha fucka! Good riddens. Ah!" I tripped over my ottoman but managed to save my wine.
"Are you ok?" Alice asked patiently.
"Yeah, I even saved my wine!"
"Honey, go to sleep. It will be better in the morning."
"M'kay. Night night."
"Goodnight Bella." She hung up. I finished another glass of wine, refilled my cup and then I immediately called Rosalie.
"What? Bella? Hello? What's wrong? Are you ok?" a half asleep Rosalie mumbled into the phone. I could hear Emmett on the other end asking who it was. "It's Bella."
"Is she ok?"
"I don't know. I've only been on the phone with her for five seconds. Hold your horses. Bella? What's wrong?"
"Shhh you're sleeping. I didn't want me to disturb you sleeping, that's bad. Go back to sleep."
"Is she ok?" Emmett asked again.
"She's plastered! Bella, sweetie, how much have you had to drink?" I stood out of the chair and stumbled back to the bottle.
"About three quarters now."
"Three quarters of what?
"A bottle of Pinot Greg. The good stuff."
"Well why are you drinking, alone, in your apartment, at 2 am on a Wednesday?" I had to think for a minute to remember way.
"Fucking Mikhail confessed that he's obsessed with me. He was waiting, at my apartment, when I got home tonight. How creepy is that?" Rosalie started to laugh relaying the story to Emmett.
"Bella?" Emmett's voice came over the phone. "Do you want me to kick his ass for you?" I smiled even though he couldn't see me.
"Gee, thanks Em, but I think a broken ego is all one guy can take in one night."
"Ok, well Rosie and I are going to go back to … ah… sleep… now so we'll see tomorrow ok?"
"M'kay." I clicked 'end' and polished off another glass. I scrolled through my contacts looking for someone to call. I press 'send' over Angela Webber's number but it went straight to voicemail. When it was time for me to speak I just hung up.
The rest of the night is a complete mystery since the entire bottle of wine was gone this morning. I vaguely remember dancing to the spice girls in front of my window… but that could have been a dream.
I walked back into my bedroom and dressed for the day. Even if I wasn't getting work done didn't mean I couldn't so something. I slid into my favorite worn jeans and pulled on a fitted shirt. I slid my feet into flip-flops and grabbed my purse unplugging my phone. I needed to go grocery shopping.
It wasn't a far walk to the grocery store, but climbing three flights of stairs with arms full of groceries was terrible. I pulled my sunglasses out of my purse as I neared the store. Outside wasn't bright enough to hurt my eyes in my weakened state, but the fluorescent bulbs inside were blinding.
I grabbed a little cart and mentally checked through my list as I walked down isles. I didn't want to buy too much since I had to carry everything back alone. I stuck to the bare necessities.
A short boy who seemed to have just reached puberty was ringing up my food, as well as checking me out. His eyes seemed incapable of looking at my face they were glued to my breasts. I crossed my arms eventually and then he finally looked up. I slid my debit card through the machine and tried to exit quickly. I felt slightly violated by that boy's eyes.
I rushed from the store so quickly I ran into a warm wall right outside. Or so I thought since I could barely see around the bags in my arms. I didn't realize it was a person until he started to laugh as I dropped all my groceries.
"Bella! What are you doing here?" Jacob stood holding a helmet under his arm. His other was holding one of the bags I had dropped. He must have caught it since nothing seemed to be leaking or broken.
"Well, I was grocery shopping and you just caught me at a high point. Walking home really is exhilarating." He laughed again but didn't move to hand me back my bag.
"Would you like some help?" I sagged in relief.
"That would be fantastic."He smirked and took the other bags out of my hands and led me to the street.
"Bella, I would like you to meet my baby." Sitting at the curb was a beautiful motorcycle. It was black and glossy with a streamline body.
"Wow," I felt my mouth drop open. Jacob's grin widened. Before I knew what was happening he stowed the food in the saddle bags and swung a leg over. His powerful thigh strained in his jeans and I felt myself blush was I inspected his incredible body.
"Are you going to stare at me, or are you going to go for a ride?" He tossed me his helmet and revved the engine. I stuffed my head in and climbed on behind him. I molded myself to his back and grasped him around the waist. The vibrations of the bike hummed down my legs and into my toes. It was amazing.
Jake grinned over his shoulder one more time before he kicked in the kickstand and we were off. I felt myself laughing with delight as this powerful machine launched us into traffic. Jake's muscles rippled under my touch. There was no other way to face it, Jacob Black was ripped. He hid it well in his suits and slacks, but in jeans and a t-shirt he bulged in all the right places.
I licked my lips unconsciously. His scent was delightful. He smelled of sawdust and motor oil. Very manly. I hadn't even noticed where we were going until I vaguely heard Jake as a question.
"What?" I yelled over the wind as we sped down the street. He met my eyes over his shoulder for a second and smiled pulling over.
"I asked where you lived."
"Oh," I was surprised at my own disappointment.
"I'll help you put your food away, and they we can go for a real ride." I cocked a brow at his innuendo but he played dumb with laughing eyes. "I meant without fear of melting ice cream. Really
Bella, get your mind out of the gutter." He gave me a wolfish grin and I blushed. That is exactly where my mind had been the entire ride. "So, where do you live?"
"I live over on Spruce." He nodded swiveling back around. I noticed through our entire exchange I hadn't let go of his waist. My fingers didn't want to unlock. We were only two clocks over from my apartment so I spent the time relaxing my hands. When Jake pulled over again, this time in front of my apartment I could release him.
He grabbed all the bags himself being quite the gentleman.
"So Jake, what kind of bike is that?" I was honestly curious. Charlie was anti-motorcycles in every sense of the word but I was always fascinated by them.
"It's a Suzuki Bandit. It's a beauty right? I feel so alive when I ride; it's just so… exhilarating!" He dumped the bags on my counter and sat at the table. His eyes were bright with excitement as he talked about his bike. I smiled as I put things in their place.
Maurice sauntered into the room while Jake went off on another story about old bikes he had. Maurice first wound around my legs and then walked over to Jake. Without stopping the story Jake picked up Maurice and started scratching all the right places. Maurice sprawled in his lap, immediately in love with this stranger. I was surprised. Maurice generally liked very few people, but Jake had won his heart in two seconds flat.
"So what's this fella's name?" Jake questioned as Maurice stretched to his full length. He barely could curl up in a ball on my lap without spilling over the sides, but he could sprawl on Jake and have room to spare.
"This is Maurice, one of the most important men in my life." I cooed at him as I crouched and scratched his head where it was resting on Jake's thigh. I glanced up and Jake and we were very close together. I cleared my throat and stood. "Would you care for a beverage? Or something to eat?"
"Actually, I was planning on taking you out. I wouldn't want to eat all the food you just bought in one sitting." Jacob declared while setting Maurice on the ground and patting his flat abs. I was staring intently as his stomach wishing for a glimpse of beautiful russet skin when Jake started laughing again. "Jeez Bella, way to make a guy feel like a piece of meat! I have eyes you know! It's not my fault that my incredible good looks make you want my body." He started laughing again and ruffled my hair. I blushed again.
"You wish," I countered leading the way from the apartment and back to the bike. It still stole my breath to see it sitting there, like a beast waiting for prey.
"Yeah, actually I do." Jake grinned plopping the helmet over my eyes before straddling the bike. I climbed on behind him again and we were off.
We left city limits faster than I thought possible but then open road stretched out in front of us. I slid my butt and forward as possible and held on to Jake with my thighs so I could throw my arms out like wings. Jake just smiled and sped up.