16| Memory
"Emma," I exhaled.
"Yes, Nathan?" she grinned.
"You've had me stand here while you dance for over an hour. It's almost 2 o'clock in the freaking morning." I took a deep breath, "Can we leave? Kendall and Brandon are long gone."
She's drunk, by the way. She's wasted. She's gone off the hinges. Did I mention she's drunk?
"We're leaving," I said, grabbing her hand.
"But why?" she whined.
"Because you're wasted and I'll have to take care of you, come on," I groaned. She clicked her tongue, linking her arm with mine and resting her head on my shoulder as I walked us to my car.
"Need any help?" Jack asked, stumbling around with his friends.
"I'm sure I'll manage," I glared at him. He went off, laughing with his friends like the airheads they are while I put her into the passenger seat, buckled her in, and then went to my seat, starting to drive her home.
Once we got there and I dragged her out.
.. my lord. By the time we got to her porch, I knew there's no way she can walk further than this.
She is knocked out senseless. "Your keys?
" I asked. She mumbled something but it wasn't audible, nor did I expect it to be.
I hesitated but put an arm around her waist. I tucked her hair behind her ear, shaking her face slightly, cupping her jaw.
"Hey." She opened her eyes, groaning and grunting. "Your keys?" I repeated.
"They're in my purse," she mumbled.
I took her purse off her shoulder and looked through, taking out her keys and putting it back on her shoulder.
I unlocked the door and pushed it open, putting the keys in my pocket for the time being.
"You're gonna be real quiet, you hear me?
" She mumbled something again but it's confirmation enough.
I bent at my knees, put one arm under her legs, the other under her back, and scooped her up. I closed the door as slowly as possible with my foot and led her upstairs. "Left or right?" I whispered.
"To the left, to the left," she sang.
I rolled my eyes, "Which way is your room?" I clarified.
"To the right, to the right," she laughed. I shook my head, walking to the right, and pushing the door open with my back. I closed it with my foot and set her up on her foot. "Whoa, woozy. I'm still woozy," she slurred, tripping over air.
"Walk me through it, how do I take care of you?" I asked, holding her by her waist. I'm getting frustrated now.
"Bathroom," she sighed.
I took her in there and hoisted her up onto the counter. "Now?"
"Take off the heels, then the earrings," she said, leaning against the wall.
I took off her heels, placing them on the floor by her vanity, then leaned in closer to take off her earrings.
I was looking at her the whole time. I've never done this for a girl before.
Settled her in, tucked her in, taken care of her.
Never.
"On the counter," she said, scratching her neck.
I shook my head, chuckling, leaving them on the counter.
"Mm," she looked around in confusion, "Hair tie," she said, pointing to one.
I grabbed it and she leaned forward, putting her forehead down on my shoulder.
I straightened her up, gathered her hair, and put it in a ponytail cause that's all I know how to do.
I only remember it from the memory of tying Chloe's hair once or twice. "Makeup wipes," she sang. I grabbed the packet that read 'makeup wipes' and grabbed one. "You'll need another one, I like my face extra clean," she said, smiling to herself.
"Okay, Em," I sighed. I started with her eyes, they seemed to have the most makeup on.
"Be gentle," she said warningly. I gently rubbed her eyes till as much makeup as I could see was off and then used up the other wipe on her skin. I handed it to her at the end and she blindly and very aggressively rubbed her eyes clean. "I thought you said to be gentle," I laughed.
"I need to wash my face," she huffed. I stepped back and pulled her down, holding her hair while she blindly washed her face.
"Don't open your eyes, it'll burn," I said, watching her in the mirror.
"Towel," she said, extending her arm, hitting her hand on the wall. "Ow." I smiled, handing her the towel which she dried her face with. "Counter," she said, patting it.
"Good god," I sighed, hoisting her up onto it once again.
"Toothbrush."
I applied the toothpaste to it and handed it to her.
She almost put it in her eye. "I'm just- okay, you're not doing that," I said, taking it from her.
I brushed her teeth for her. I've known this girl for a week.
And I'm brushing her teeth for her.
I gave her water in a cup, she rinsed and then turned to me.
"Lotion."
"Which one is that?"
"The pink and white one," she said, closing her eyes. She's probably fighting to stay up right now.
"What do I do with this?"
"You act like you've never put lotion on. Put one dot here," she pointed to her cheek, "And here," then the other one. "Then here." Her forehead. "Here." Her chin. "And here." Her nose.
I did that and then rubbed it in as gently as I could. "Now?" I sighed, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.
"Lip balm," she sang, laughing at nothing.
"Jesus Christ, Emma," I laughed, shaking my head, swiping the lip balm on her lips.
"I like your laugh. It's pretty," she smiled.
"Thanks," I said, pulling her down.
"Let the hair down." I did. "Pajamas."
"Closet or dresser?"
"Closet."
I keep mine in my dresser but okay. I grabbed a shirt and a pair of plaid, Christmas pajamas. "There." I handed them to her.
She was sitting in her bed, sipping on her water bottle like she was a little baby. "Help," she mumbled.
I stiffened. "How do I help with that? You gotta do this one on your own," I cleared my throat, leaving the pajamas by her legs.
She rolled her eyes, sticking her hands out, asking to be picked up. I didn't pick her up but I helped her stand up. She turned her back to me. "Just unzip me," she sighed, rubbing her eyes.
"Don't do that," I said, pushing her hand away and taking her into the bathroom.
I put the clothes on the counter and pushed her hair to one side, slowly unzipping the dress.
She's drunk. If I accidentally pinch her, she'll scream till people in Paris can hear her.
"Okay, done. I'm going outside," I said.
"No, no, no," she grabbed my hand, talking like a child.
She's a literal baby when she's drunk. Just turn around.
How in the world does that help? If I look left, I see the mirror.
We're standing back to back now. I can see her in my peripheral vision.
So I closed my eyes. I heard her shuffle before she fell against my back.
"Emma," I groaned. She straightened herself up but started sniffling. "Are you crying?"
"No," she sobbed.
"Are you naked?"
"No." I turned around, looking at her. She had her pants on but only a black lace bra at the top. I took a breath.
Patience, patience, patience.
"Why are you crying?" I asked.
"I'm so short," she said, looking at herself in the mirror.
"My god," I mumbled, seating her on the counter, standing between her legs. "Now you're taller than me," I said, wiping her cheeks.
She's still crying. "I keep putting my head in the armhole," she mumbled.
"If you stop crying, I'll give you Pop rocks." And she immediately stops crying. Wow. "Give me the shirt." She handed it to me and I pulled her arms through first, then pushed it over her head. I pulled her hair out and threw it over her shoulders. "You're all done, ta-da," I said sarcastically.
I stood beside her rather than between her legs and sighed, holding my head in my hands, my elbows on the counter. I felt her running her fingers through my hair. I grabbed her hand and stopped her, looking up at her.
"I like your hair," she shrugged, continuing to do it. "By the way, I emptied out half the attic. You can crash there now," she mumbled, staring at me.
"You have a good memory, even when you're drunk," I chuckled.
"You should smile more," she said.
"Noted. Can I put you in bed? I have to get home," I sighed.
"Just crash here, it's almost... I don't know, it's too late," she shrugged. She put her arms on my shoulders and I pulled her off, walking her to her bed.
I was at like... let's just say 0 with Emma before tonight. We were 'friends' but we weren't really, we didn't know anything about each other. We still don't, but we just went from 0 to 100 really quickly.
She's so comfortable with me, it surprises me. And she makes me... happy. I forget about what happened when I'm with her, I forget all the sadness and weight that sits on my shoulders. I just see... her.
"Sleep on the floor."
"Ouch," I scoffed.
"I've got a twin bed," she groaned, "You won't fit."
"Then I'll go home," I chuckled.
"Mm, no," she said, grabbing my hand and pulling me down to sit beside where she lay. "You stay here till I doze off. And then uh... then bye-bye."
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