Chapter 11

All Downhill from Here

"Ugh, where is it?" Emma mumbled to no one in particular, fumbling with putting her clothes back on in the dark in the crumby old van. They didn't say much, she looked at Jay uncomfortably and quietly. She couldn't help but notice Jay was acting so different and strange. He took another swig. Finally she cleared her throat to get his attention and announced to him, "I should go."

Jay shook his head and stuffed his thoughts but still was silent. He finally looked at her eyes; they were glassy, she smelt of alcohol and bonfire cinders. She was in no condition to go home to her parents. He had a feeling this is an all night ordeal. Finally he spoke, "You're plastered, you should sober up before you go home."

Emma managed to get wasted from the gulps of 100 proof whiskey, Peter's brandy and her two mixed drinks but still not drunk enough to pass out. She could barely find her clothing strewn all over the back of the van, so Jay helped her. Jay was used to drinking and could handle more than her.

He was concerned but still bothered by these feelings despite everything he bit the bullet and Jay decided he had to help her home but he wanted to maximize the time they're spending together so she'd sober up. It was late, about 12:30 nearly 1 which was around the time she typically leaves. So he did what anybody would do in this situation and hoped she'd say yes, "You hungry? I'll drop you off after we get food. Deal?"

Emma hesitated debating with herself, finally able to make out where her shoes were in addition to her other clothes, but she couldn't deny she had worked up quite the appetite. "Deal," she told him with her hands modestly across from her chest turned around not facing him as she attempted to put on her bra, "turn around would you?"

"Please, like I haven't seen them before." Jay rolled his eyes and Emma made an annoyed face and did what he was told. He walked behind her and passed her the rest of her dress which was now wrinkled on the shag carpeting by the mattress and her pink victoria secret panties.

She asked him rhetorically, "So what?" before she managed a hushed, "Thank-you." Emma eventually weakly leaned on Jay as he led her to his car. They arrived at McDonald's to get the food because he wanted to make sure Emma ate in the drive thru.

Emma confessed to Jay she hadn't eaten that day so the alcohol and a few chips from the party was the only thing in her stomach. Emma opened up her clutch bag and saw she didn't have any money because she forgot she spent money on a cab to Bennett Park from Peter's place, "I would say I'd pay for my own but could you spot me?"

"Sure whatever. You don't have to pay me back or anything."

"You sure?" He acknowledged her and then she added another shy, "thanks."

As they pulled up to the speaker Emma couldn't help but notice she was at McDonald as she saw the sign when they pulled up, "One thing I guess I should mention is I don't eat meat." He was visably annoyed, "I know, I'm sorry."

"I'm sure there's something you can eat here; they're the only place open."

The speaker made Emma jump when they said, "Welcome to McDonalds may I take your order?"

"Yeah I'll have a Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal, with a coke and she'll have a large fries," he turned to Emma and she mumbled, she'd want a sprite.

Jay paid and they decided to park in the lot after he got the food and drink, "Emma foods here."

She jerked herself awake. She was in and out of it. Jay was somewhat annoyed and had a hard time resisting the urges to confront her and drop her off at her house and wash his hands of her for real but he didn't want to just leave her to her own devices, not in that condition he learned his lesson from Amy; who was another binge drinker. Amy suffered alcohol poisoning and could have very well passed from it, she was lucky she surivived despite having to get her stomach pumped but it didn't stop her from drinking again. They didn't end up going to her house in the end because it was getting late and she told him she's convinced Manny is gonna hate her and didn't specify why he was somewhat relieved Emma wasn't a mean drunk.

As they ate, they largely ate in silence. They didn't talk about the fact they had sex, in fact they didn't talk about them at all.

Emma wasn't comfortable with the silence and mumbled on about Manny being mad at Emma for not sticking around the party but said that the party was a bore. Emma wouldn't shut up about it but when they were eating in the car Emma kept apologizing and said she feels like she's living two lives - which is a fair assessment she didn't mention Sean but she mentioned, as she slurred, "How did you know that Peter is shit?"

"So you finally worked up the courage to talk to him?" He felt some residual jealousy he tried hard to hide but it came out in his tone.

Emma concluded with, "It doesn't matter. You were right. You are smart."

"Sure, Em. I know when the alcohol wears off you'll be gushing over him in no time."

"I promise you I won't." She giggled, shaking her head, "thanks again for dinner I forgot to eat. Sometimes I do that."

Jay hated how cute she was and he resented her smile and how she could be smiling at a time like this. He asked her, "A lot on your mind?"

She nodded, "Of course, I went from spending years thinking I'm one person and now," she hiccuped and burped, "look at me. I'm hanging with you, eating McDonalds like one of the cooler kids I never knew or was tight with? You know?" Jay tried to suppress some embarrassing chuckle but she had a point. He couldn't stay angry with her for long, or at all.

"I'll admit Emma you're one cool girl."

"I'm cool." She laughed somewhat manically, and hiccuped again. "I aint cool but you are."

"I am?" He faced her sipping his soda, "I'm an expelled drop out apparently I'm the definition of cool. Who knew?."

"You know something," Emma managed to get serious for a moment, "You're the only one who gets me, I mean really knows me the real me."

"I like the real you." Jay admits, "like I said you're a cool girl."

"I like," She then whispered, "oh crap."

"What's wrong?"

Suddenly she is interrupted by projectile vomit. At least she had enough awareness to open the car door to let it out. Jay leaned over and offered her a napkin. She took it and they rode to Jay's in silence once again. Jay couldn't help but wonder what she was going to say next.

Emma recalled she said at least I didn't get blackout at the party in a sing-song slurred voice. She was sort of being flirtatious, not able to keep her hands to herself while he was driving but Jay rebuffed her advances knowing well she wasn't in the right headspace. In the time between the advances and home she fell asleep and was passed out. He knew she was breathing and that she was okay but not well enough to go home as they pulled up to her place.

He was exhausted but he bit the bullet and lifted her and carried her inside and he knew he wouldn't be sleeping tonight.

Jay was kicked out of his parents house and his dad bought him the apartment to be out of his hair and out of his way - they don't have the best relationship and his mom is dead and he remarried. Jay still is hurt and upset by Emma's brutal rejection the night before and her dismissing him the way she did but he could no longer stay mad at her in her condition.

He sort of feels responsible for her being that drunk so he decided he would take care of her even if he's not happy with her right now.

He put her in his bed whilst he took the couch in the living room.

He stayed awake just in case she needed help. She could barely stand and he knew he didn't want to take advantage but the thoughts did cross his mind to want to hold her but he didn't want to cross a line and respect boundaries. In the time spent awake he did a lot of thinking which helped. He thought about how he felt somewhat guilty and responsible for how they even began in the first place. He couldn't really stay mad at her and decided to make some coffee early in the morning so he'd be okay to face Emma but he lowkey expected her to sneak out before if he managed to wake up. It was just as if he had closed his eyes he heard movement in the bedroom but waited for her to come into the living room.

She rubs her eyes and is in pain. He asked her, "Hangover from hell I assume?"

She wordlessly nodded sitting down and cupping her head in her hands before looking across from her at him yawning, "How come you didn't come to bed?"

"You don't remember much do you?" She shook her head, "probably better that way."

"You weren't kidding with that 100 proof whisky." Emma told him with a wry smile. "Last thing I remember was the van and drinking after well you know and I think the drinks I drank last night caught up to me."

"I must say you're a funny drunk Nelson. You get handsy."

She snickered with a hint of blush to her cheeks embarrassed, "Any highlights?"

"I made pancakes." Jay changed the subject and put them down in front of her, "I would've made eggs and bacon but I figured you'd want something else. Way to tell me after we were in line at the drive thru about you not eating meat."

"Pancakes are great." They sat down at the kitchen table and they had breakfast with one another. She could actually keep the food down. He gave her something for her hangover headache and some water.

Emma decided to text her mom and tell her she spent the night with Manny even if that wasn't true so if she woke up and didn't know where she was she had an alibi. Emma thanked him and he asked, "What for?" and she said "You know why, thank you. I should get going. I don't want to worry my parents." and she went home. Emma comes home and breathes a sigh of relief as she collapses on her bed unnoticed.

She got a good look at herself and smirked at her reflection before she rolled over on her stomach. She lifted up to grab her sock monkey to snuggle and noticed that Jay had left a mark upon her neck she whispered under her breath, "Fuck, and she quickly dashed to her vanity to grab cover up to conceal it quickly. She admired her work and flopped back onto her twin bed. Last thing she wanted was someone seeing it. She was fortunate she didn't have work today at the salon so she could relax and get rid of the remnants of her pounding headache. She finally closed her eyes and began to relax.