Chapter 14
Rolling over Hannah gripped her forehead in her hands...”Ugh, such a headache.” While rubbing her temples she slowly fluttered her eyes open. As the room came into focus her eyes traced her surroundings. Hannah immediately propped up, “Where the hell am I?!”
Scanning the room she found herself in a nicely decorated but completely unfamiliar bedroom. Outside two French doors lay the ocean. On a chair next to hair, Hannah spotted her shoes and jacket. She stumbled out of bed and grabbed hold of a nearby table to steady herself. Tears welded up in her eyes. Hannah’s heart raced and she began to breath heavier. She had no clue where she was or how she got there. After making it to the door she crept down a long hallway. Cautiously she approached the stairwell.
“Hey Hannah!” a man cheered as he touched her shoulder. Hannah jumped ten feet in the air and went tumbling down the staircase.
* * * *
“Hannah!" Nick raced down the stairs. “Hannnah..Hannah, are you all right? Can you hear me?” he huddled over her.
Hannah rubbed her head and cracked open her eyes. “AHHHHHHH! Get away from me!” she screamed frantically kicking her feet.
“Hannah stop! Stop! it’s me...Nick.” he grabbed hold of her legs to prevent her from kicking.
“Nick?! Wha..wha...where am I?’ she demanded with an alarmed expression on her face.
“You’re at my house,” he replied frankly.
"Your house? Why am I at your...wait...you slept with me?!” she yelled.
“No no, nothing like that. You were too sick to...”
“Oh I was too sick huh?!”
“No Hannah I mean, last night...oh we’ll talk about that later OK. But I promise you nothing happened.”
Hannah nodded her head and Nick helped her to her feet and led the way to the kitchen. Surprisingly Hannah wasn’t interrogating him, but busily examining each room as they passed. Once in the kitchen Nick sat her on a stool and poured a glass of orange juice, and a small handful of aspirin.
“Here, take these..they’ll help with the headache.”
“Headache, how’d you know I had a headache?”
“Well I could only imagine after last night.”
“Exactly what did happen last night Nick?” Hannah asked. Nick had thought about what he’d say all morning, but still didn’t know how to tell her the truth. “Last I remember we were at a club, and...” she stopped to search her memory...”and you left me to talk to some girls,” she shook her head in confusion.
“Well if that’s how you remember it you’re just a little bit off. You’re right, we were at a club. But they were fans, not girls, fans. As I was giving them autographs you wandered off and met some guy at the bar.” Nick decided the only way to tell her was to just come right out.
“Bar! Did I drink? I never drink!”
“I’m not positive, but I don’t think so. From what I saw you had a coke. But I definitely believe this guy you picked up slipped something in your drink. You were hammered when I found you.”
“Oh my god, and he was going to..”
“Yep,” Nick answered before she could finish. “I had to literally drag you out of there. And I knew your mom would freak if she saw you, so I brought you here for the night.”
Hannah completely dumbfounded sighed and looked up from her orange juice. “Thank you. If it weren’t for you Nick I’d be...gosh I don’t even want to think where I’d be.”
“Well don’t think about it, nothing happened. You’re safe.” Hannah finished her juice and had the muffin Nick bought her in the morning. It was 3 o’clock in the afternoon.
“I think I’d better take a shower before I go home. I smell like cigarette smoke.” Nick agreed and took Hannah to a bathroom. After stocking her up with soap, shampoo, and towels he sat in the living room staring at the off television set. He remembered what happened once he brought her home.
* * * *
“Nick, where are you carrying me?” Hannah giggled as Nick lifted her from the passenger seat of his car.
He brought her inside and started up the stairs. “Ooo going up stairs huh?!” Hannah teased as she playfully twirled his hair.
Nick opened the door to a bedroom and laid her down on the bed ignoring her flirtations. He slipped off her shoes.
“Oh Nicky, I had no idea you felt this way.” Hannah reached for him and pulled him in for a kiss. Passionately she embraced him and slipped her tongue in his mouth.
“Not now Hannah,” Nick pushed away.
“What’s the matter? You don’t want me?” she still twirled his hair, “Come on Nicky. I don’t bite, well at least not too hard." she laughed as she pulled him back down.
Pushing her off, Nick walked across the room and glared at the ocean, ‘Oh god,’ he thought to himself.
“Well if you’re gonna act like this why’d you bring me here?” Hannah asked as she approached him. She slid her hands over his shoulders and down to his chest.
Nick grabbed her wrists and turned to face her. “Please Hannah, won’t you just go to sleep?”
"I certainly won’t. I’m ready to party! Say, do you got any music? I wanna dance!” she beamed.
Rolling his eyes Nick motioned to the stereo across the room, Hannah hopped to it and cranked the volume to full blast. She danced and spun around the room. As she was spinning her feet tangled together. Nick jumped to catch her just before she hit the floor.
“Wooow, let’s try something a little quieter,” he changed the music to a slow song.
“Hey, if you’re gonna play that you have to dan...” she stopped when Nick pulled her into his arms. The two slowly rocked to the music as Nick’s hands danced up and down her back.
Hannah’s grip loosened and she buried her head on his chest, leaving Nick to smell her fragrant hair again. Her breath eased and Nick bent to pick her up. He carried her to the bed with her head resting on his shoulder. Pulling the blanket over her he sat at her side watching her rest peacefully, until he too drifted off to sleep.
* * * *
Just as he came back to reality Hannah walked into the room.
“I just love your shower! As if double headed wasn’t luxurious enough, you had to get like..10! It was just what I needed.”
Nick smiled faintly. “What’s the matter?” she asked.
“Nothing. I’m glad you liked it.”
“It’s not just your shower either, your whole house is beautiful. I can’t believe you live here all alone!”
“Yep, and it definitely gets lonely. My family used to be here in Ruskin, I was raised here, but they moved to LA for my brother Aaron and sister Leslie’s careers.”
“Yea, ha, you guys are like the Brady bunch.”
“Eww, yuck, no way!” Nick made a face and the two laughed.
“I always dreamt of having a brother or sister. It must be nice coming from a big loving family.”
“Well I guess it’s like anything else. Has both advantages and disadvantages.”
“Never the less, I’m jealous.” Hannah looked at the clock by the TV, “OH, I have to go. My mom must be flipping out about now.”
“ I should of had you call her earlier to let her know you were all right.” Hannah nodded and Nick grabbed the car keys.
Chapter 15
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