~ Eden ~

Once I squeezed my way through the window back inside it didn't take long to warm up. The air was thick and humid, dozens of people being packed in this small space. I managed to move along the wall and thankfully make it to the bathroom. When I got in there I was hoping to have a few moments of silent privacy. Sadly this was not to be, as I actually found Jay incapacitated in the bathtub holding an empty gin bottle. I sighed and moved the hair from my eyes. "Yeah, let's get you home buddy, I think we've all had enough of this night." I said as I dragged him out of the tub.

I texted Olivia and thankfully she showed up a couple of minutes later. She helped me drag Jay's basically lifeless body out of the apartment. As we were trying to get him to the car, Wade ran up to us.

"Hey let me help!" He said as picked up Jay's feet.

"Yeah thanks..." I said as I opened the back door of Olivia's car. We stuffed Jay in as gently as we could, although I think Olivia bumped his head on purpose.

"Do you and that girl need a ride home too?" Olivia asked Wade. Please say no, this night has been way too long.

"Yes please!" Wade said, his tone thankful as he went back in, presumably to find Astrid.

I sighed softly and opened the passenger side door, getting in and closing my eyes. I heard the driver's side open and Olivia putting on her seatbelt.

"You good?" Olivia asked, surfing through radio channels. I honestly wasn't sure what to say.

"That girl...we had, like...a moment." I admitted as I buckled my own seatbelt. "I'm not sure what to make of it."

"That's good thought right?" Olivia chuckled. "You moving on from Molly, that's what you wanted right?"

"I mean yeah, I do. I just, this girl isn't like Molly, or the kinda girl I'd use to get over Molly." I explained. "She's...there's something else there."

"And what? You're scared that maybe it would be a serious relationship? That might be what you need E." Olivia said as she settled on a pop station, turning it to a comfortable volume.

"I don't need another person, I'm fine alone." I defended. "People complicate things."

I shifted in my seat as the back door opened. Wade shuffled in, Astrid behind him. She slowly buckled her seatbelt and laid her head against the cold window, closing her eyes.

"Thanks for the party Wade, it was a fun night." Olivia said. "Where am I dropping you off?"

Truthfully I had been drinking a little, and thinking a lot. I let my own eyes close and before I knew it I was fast asleep. I was only awakened by Olivia gently shaking me.

"Cmon E, spend the night, I'll take you home tomorrow." Olivia yawned.

My body felt weighed down, but I managed to groggily drag myself into Olivia's house. I grabbed a bottle of water out of her fridge and began to walk towards the guest room.

"Oh hey I gave that girl your number by the way." Olivia said, making me stop in the middle of opening the door.

"You gave her...my number?" I turned around. "Like my phone number..."

"No, the number for your pager." She said sarcastically. "Yes your phone number."

"Why would you do that? I told you she was cool but I didn't want to get involved!" I spat

"Okay!" Olivia said. "You also wouldn't stop staring at her all night, and as your friend I think you like her and you should see where it goes."

"I know where it's going to go, so why does it really matter?" I sighed and turned back around. "I'm going to bed." I quickly shuffled into the guest room, throwing myself onto the bed.

~ Astrid ~

"Does she always snore like this?" Wade chuckled quietly, in reference to Eden passed out in the passenger's seat. She looked so tired, even at rest she still looked exhausted. It made me wonder if lack of sleep was really to blame for the dark circles around her eyes.

We stopped at a red light, the music on the radio coming to a gentle swell. My eyes quickly looked up to the rear view mirror. I saw Eden's friend looking back at me, but she quickly looked back at the road. Why would she be looking at me? Was she checking me out? I hope not...it'd be pretty awkward considering my infatuation with her sleepy friend.

I stared out the window, watching the street signs and lamp posts rush by as we drove. Eventually we arrived at Wade's apartment. I got out of the car to let him out and he turned to me. "Do you wanna spend the night?" He asked, yawning slightly. It was about 4am, and I honestly thought about saying yes. Thing was, with everything that happened tonight there was no way I was going to be able to sleep unless I'm in my bed. It's really the only place where I'm comfortable, and that's bad I know but I'm working on it...kinda.

"I'll get her home safe, no worries." Eden's friend smiled after rolling her window down. Wade looked at me for confirmation and I quickly nodded, hugging him quickly before getting back in the car. I put my seatbelt on as the car sped off. There was mostly silence and quiet music, only occasionally disturbed by me mumbling directions every few minutes.

"I'm Olivia by the way" she said as she drove, looking at me through the rearview mirror again. I softly nodded

"Astrid." I said back, falling back into silence and staring out the window again.

"She's really cool." Olivia said. "Well, once you get to know her." She added with a chuckle.

"Are you talking about Eden..." I asked, beginning to fidget with my fingers.

"She can be a little standoffish at first, but I've never met a more caring person." Olivia nodded. "She can be a little stubborn sometimes."

"She seems nice..." I softly shrugged my shoulders, still looking down at my hands.

"And you guys really seem to vibe too." Olivia smiled. "I don't usually see her like that."

"Really...?" I smiled and looked up briefly, meeting her eyes in the mirror again as she smiled and nodded.

"Gimme your phone!" She smiled. I dug around in my pocket before finding my phone. I unlocked it and handed it to her. She smiled to herself as she typed quickly and handed it back to me.

When I looked I saw she added some new contacts to my phone. She put herself in, but she also put Eden's number in as well. She did put Eden's name under "loser (eden)" but I'd fix that later.

"Is this the place?" Olivia pulled me away from my phone. I looked up and saw us in front of my apartment building.

"Yeah..." I nodded and quickly got out of the car. I turned to look at Olivia. "Thanks, for the ride and stuff." I said nervously.

Olivia chuckled softly, "don't worry about it, sweet dreams loser!" She smiled before quickly peeling out of the parking lot.

I sighed as I dragged my body up the stairs to my apartment. When I finally get inside I basically toss my body onto the couch, there was no way I was making it to the bed being this tired. I looked at my phone, looking at Eden's name and I smiled to myself. I had her number...no I just had to get up the courage to text her.
~~~~~

Not sure what to do anymore

- K