27. Pike
Icatch myself from falling out of the back door, steadying myself against the frame, and look into the sea of partygoers. There are even more people here this year than last, and I barely recognize any of them.
“Pike!”
Aspen is at my side, and I grin happily at her. “Hey, sexy,” I murmur, blinking and happy to see her. “At least you’re here.”
“How much have you had to drink?” she whispers. My eyes widen at the brazen accusation.
“What?” I gasp, putting a hand to my chest. “It’s Lily’s birthday! I would never…” I catch the disbelief in her eyes. “Okay, maybe I had a couple of beers to take the edge off.”
“I’m getting you some coffee,” she sighs, taking my arm. “Come with me.”
I don’t argue as she leads me back into the house, but I look longingly toward the event. “I want to see Lily!”
“You don’t want her to see you like this, do you?” Aspen challenges, and contrition washes over me. I hang my head and allow her to take me toward the kitchen island and plop me down on a stool.
“What has gotten into you?” she demands, starting up the percolator. I stare at her mournfully across the marble-swirled countertop, dropping my heavy head in my hands.
“It was accidental.” The words are a slur. “I hate crowds.”
An expression of sympathy crosses over her face, but it’s fleeting. “There are kids here—and your neighbors and friends. These people like and respect you, babe. You need to go sleep it off.”
Burying my face in my hands, I moan. “I can’t miss Lily’s birthday party! There’s a present! It’s something I made!”
“Pike!” she growls, the frustration in her voice mounting.
“You are so beautiful, you know that?” I murmur, dropping my arms onto the counter, my eyes closing.
“Oh, no, you don’t!” she snaps, hurrying over to me. “Let’s go. Upstairs.”
Lazily, I open my eyes again and look at her. “Are you coming with me?”
The back door opens and closes.
“Thank God!” I hear Aspen sigh. “Help me get him upstairs. He’s loaded.”
“Pike?” Caden gawps in shock. “No way.”
There’s silence, and I open my eyes again to see Aspen gesturing at me as Caden stands over me.
“Holy shit… Pike, what’s going on, man?” the concern in his voice is palpable. “You never get drunk… and today of all days?”
I raise my head and smirk at Caden. “As if you don’t know.” I wag my finger in his face. “You know! You know what’s going to happen!”
“Why don’t you tell me?” Caden asks patiently.
The smell of coffee makes my stomach churn, a steaming mug suddenly in front of my face.
“Drink it, please,” Aspen begs, looking out the sliding glass toward the party.
“I want to see Lily!” I growl, trying to stand.
Strong hands set me back in place.
“You’re not going anywhere like this but back to your room,” Caden says flatly. “But I want to know why the hell you’re in this state to begin with. This isn’t you.”
Shame overwhelms me, and I look at Aspen’s concerned but disappointed face.
“YOU KNOW WHY!” I yell.
“All right,” Caden says firmly. “We’re taking him upstairs.”
He grabs one of my arms, and I resist him, but Aspen whispers in my ear, “Please, Pike, think of Lily. It’s her special day.”
“I am thinking of Lily,” I moan, dropping my head miserably. “They’re going to take her. We’re going to lose her!”
“He’s out of it,” Caden sighs. “Help me get him out of here, Aspen, before the guests see him.”
“Who cares about the guests?” I mumble, but when Aspen takes my other arm, I don’t fight her. I’m suddenly insurmountably sleepy. “We’re going to lose her.”
“Shh, stop saying that,” Aspen urges me. “You’ve had too much to drink.”
“No one is taking her from us,” I slur.
“You’re damn right,” Caden concedes. “And when you sober up, we’ll talk about it, all right? But for now, you need to get your head on straight.”
“My head is on straight,” I argue, but I can’t be sure if I say the words aloud or not. I can barely see as I’m led up the stairs.
I have no idea how long it takes to make it up to my room, Caden and Aspen flanking me. Their voices fade in and out of my consciousness, my feet stumbling several times in the walk. Eventually, I land face-first in my unmade bed. I hear Caden say something about letting me sleep.
“I want to see Lily,” I mutter one last time before the world around me goes completely dark.