บท 28: CHAPTER 28
XAVIER'S POV
Was Hazel hitting my head again to wake me up?
Or was Olivia playing her drums?
God! Why does my head feel like someone's banging it. I try to open my eyes but the sun rays that flow in through the window didn't let me.
Was the sun always this bright?
Why is Olivia still playing her drums?
"I'm up Olivia! I'm up! Please stop playi-"
Olivia wasn't here.
Nor was Hazel.
Memories from last night came flooding back.
The party, Ophelia, Blondie, getting drunk, Ophelia, the conversation in the car.
Oh god! I told Ophelia about Nicole. That's exactly why I never drank. I could handle the nicotine. But not the alcohol.
The worst part about drinking wasn't the headache or the foul taste in my mouth.
It was never that.
Alcohol didn't make me forget. I never forget anything that happens when I get drunk.
I remember.
Everything.
The night of my sixteenth birthday was still fresh in my mind. All the relatives had just left and my mum went to bed after a hug. I remember drinking in my room all night. Hoping to forget the absence of my sister on the one day we had decided to spend together.
We had planned my sixteenth birthday party when I was 11. We were going to rent a limo with my friends, my sister and her friends. She wanted her boyfriend to be there too. But I remember telling her never to fall in love.
We were going to go to Vegas and come back without drinking one bit. That was a rule we had made for ourselves.
Never to drink.
And I did the exact opposite.
The next day was even worse. The awful headache along with the disgusting stench in my room wasn't as bad as the fact that I could remember every minute detail of the night before.
It felt like a sick joke that god had played on me. Thinking about it, this whole life felt like one.
That's the day, I learnt not to drink if I wanted to forget.
Smoking didn't help much too. I could still remember everything but the warmth in my lungs made me feel better.
I rubbed my head and pulled myself out of the bed. I took a quick shower to wash the stench off myself. Ophelia and I had made plans to go to school together. She was gonna pick me up in her car.
I still couldn't get the fact that I'd let Ophelia back in my life.
But coming to think about it, again, she never left, did she?
She never left my mind and I don't think she was leaving my life any time soon.
At least, till the time it continued.
"Xavier dear, come out for breakfast!"
Why is everyone yelling today?
I wonder if my mum knew how drunk I was yesterday night.
At least, I hope not.
I came out for breakfast and saw my mum holding a huge mug of coffee for me.
"Hey ma, so you know, huh?
She chuckled at me and handed me the mug. She patted my head like I was a little boy and then sat down to have her breakfast.
"Knew? Who do you think was sitting on the sofa when you thought it was your bed?"
I should have remembered that.
I quickly gulped the coffee down and grabbed a few cookies.
"So, where are the twins? Still asleep?"
I didn't like leaving for school without kissing them goodbye.
"They insisted on staying up till you return and I allowed them. But they were snoring 10 minutes later. Were completely knocked out after the monster chase around the house."
Olivia and Hazel deserved a better brother. They were the most caring sisters and I never felt that I did anything in return for them.
"Oh, let them sleep, then. Listen, ma. The drinking thing. It's not gonna happen again. It was a one-time thing and I promise not to get drunk again."
My mum just smiled at me and put her fork and knife down.
"A one-time thing? I know all about your sixteenth birthday. Your eyes were as red as my favorite shawl the next day. Yes, the one you gifted me. I am just happy that you're doing what boys your age do. Since you started working at that restaurant to support us, I always felt so guilty that I'd snatched your childhood away. But don't make alcohol a regular thing. Also, thank Ophelia for me, won't ya? That sweet girl drove you home safely."
Oh yes, wasn't she drunk too? I wonder how she drove us back safely. But I don't think I was going to share that little piece of information with my mum.
"Thanks ma! Also, you haven't stolen anything from me."
We continued having our breakfast in silence when my phone buzzed.
I'm outside, slurry boy.
It was Ophelia. I don't remember the slurring part.
Oh god! I slurred in front of Ophelia?
"Ophelia's here. I'll get going now. I don't have a shift today. So I can look after the twins. Don't stress yourself at the hospital today."
I kissed her forehead and then left.
I saw Ophelia waiting in her car for me. I opened the door and quickly slid into the seat.
No one could tell that Ophelia was hungover too. Except the tiredness in her eyes, she didn't seem to have a headache at all.
"Slurry boy, seriously? Find a better nickname for me if you don't want to call me by my name."
She smirked and then spoke.
"How does Zavy sound, slurry boy?"
She wasn't gonna let that one go, was she? We drove in silence and I shut my eyes for a few seconds.
The next thing I know, we are no longer on our way to school. We are completely off track. Instead of small buildings and other public schools, all I could see was empty roads and a few cars on the highway.
"Ophelia, this is not the way to our school. Where are you going?"
She removed her sunglasses from her bag and put them on. Without taking off that clever smirk from her face, she looked at me.
"Let's go find your sister, slurry boy."
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