Chapter 7: Drunk as Chloe

Luciana wondered what could possibly make Jessie be that drunk and thought of how to get her home. Entering the house wasn't the problem as Luciana's Mother was a nurse and she was on night duty that day, her Father wasn't in the City as he always travelled out for work.
She just did not know how she will be able to carry Jessie to the taxi and into the house. Seeing the confusion on her face, Charles got an idea of what she might be thinking of and asked her if she needed a ride.
"It's fine, besides the party isn't over. You should just enjoy yourself", Luciana responded as if the ride issue wasn't her problem just few seconds ago.
"I want to help, besides the night is far spent and I was about leaving too", he replied curtly.
Luciana's face scrunched up in confusion as she needed his help badly but her ego wasn't letting her accept.
Perceiving that Luciana was tipsy, "You don't have to follow, you know. I could just drive Jessie to my place. Whenever you get back, you call, send the address and I'll bring her. I'm definitely not leaving her as she's drunk to some taxi driver", Charles proffered a solution that sounded really nice to his ear.
Luciana's face heated up at his idea, "what was he insinuating", she thought to herself, and his solution did not in any way help matters. Her vision became a little bit blurry from the alcohol she consumed and she instantly knew that going home alone with Jessie was not a wise idea.
Realizing she had no other choice, she gave in to his request and helped carry Jessie's purse while he carried her on his arms in a bridal manner to his car. Charles unlocked the car and opened the back door, he took her in and made her rest her head on Luciana's thighs.
Luciana gave him the directions with the map app on his phone and he quietly drove down. The road was quiet and he was certain he saw just few cars on his way, since it was midnight already. On getting to the supposed house, since it was the place from the map, he stepped on the brakes bringing the car to a halt.
"I think we have arrived", he said. Getting no response, he turned on his car lights to realize that Luciana was asleep and he knew it was the drunk kind of sleep.
Charles pondered on what to do, he could wake Lucy and make them go in, but it seemed like they were alone at home as the lights were off in their absence. He just felt like leaving them there was not a good idea and he concluded that he was just going to drive them to his house.
Two streets away from Luciana's house, Charles rented a one bedroom apartment. His home was not in Carlton city, he was just there because of school and he didn't want to stay in the quarters the school provided for students. Because of his great skills in basketball, getting admission to Chelan college, one of the best schools in the country was an easy one as he got admitted on a Sport's scholarship.
He pulled over as he got to his house, woke Luciana who was still not fully aware of her environment and managed to carry Jessie while holding Luciana as she staggered. Taking them to his bedroom, he made them lay, removed their boots and tucked them in. Thankfully, they wore boob tapes instead of bra as he knew because he tried feeling for Jessie's bra earlier to unhook it.
He loosened up their hair buns so they could sleep comfortably. Being satisfied with himself, he walked over to pick a duvet with a pillow and left the room.
Charles snuggled up on the couch in his sitting room with the duvet, he laid staring into the open space and wondered when he became kind enough to excuse himself from a party because of a girl. He remembered the conversation they had at the bar,
"Then drink with me", she said.
"Okay", he answered as he took a sip from the water, the pretend alcohol .
"I just want to forget everything", he heard her mumble making him wonder what she wanted to forget even as "drunk as Chloe" as she was.
"You will, just be fine for now", he told her.
"No, I won't. The memories always come back", she moaned as a drop of her tears touched his skin.
He decided he wasn't going to force out the answer from her as she wasn't completely conscious of herself and he just patted her back so she could rest and drift to sleep.
Seeing her at that state made him feel she was a lost lamb that needed shelter, he cared about her but he wasn't sure he could give her the warmth she deserved. Thinking about her only confused him the more, he just didn't want to let her go easily. He decided to use the dare to keep her around for sometime till he clears his head.
Gradually his thoughts drifted into the night, and his eyes closed with the passing breeze from the sea.
*****
"Ouch ....my head hurts", Jessie mumbled while trying to open her eyes. The rays from the sun were able to pass through the curtain spread across the window and it shone on her face. It was 11am in the morning and Jessie was just waking up with a very harsh uneasiness.
"Why does my head hurt so much?", She asked not expecting an answer as she was obviously talking to herself. Letting her eyelids apart, she noticed the decor of the room was different and she was wearing the same clothes she wore just the previous night. It was the party, she remembered, "maybe she drank so much, but how did she find herself on a bed, away from the party and not her room?"
Adjusting her eyes to the bright light from the sun, she saw Luciana sleeping just close to her, with her hair dishevelled. "Lucy", she called out while rubbing her forehead as it still hurts. It was a hangover, she thought to herself, who knows the quantity of alcohol she must have consumed, Jessie wondered.
Charles, being a light sleeper woke up about three hours ago even with the stress from the previous night. He went into the kitchen, did the dishes and arranged few other things around. Usually, he would wake, clean himself up, jog round three streets and start his day's activities. But with the presence of the girls in his house, he just had to stick around till they were up.
While it was thirty minutes to 11am, he stepped into the room to check if they were still asleep, getting there Luciana was still deep in sleep, while Jessie turned with uneasiness. He subconsciously knew they were in for a hangover, so he decided to arrange some food. He stepped into the Kitchen and decided to make breakfast or "brunch", since it was almost noon.
"Lucy", Jessie called out again to Luciana who was just making uncomfortable turns without opening her eyes.
Realizing getting Luciana to wake up was a lost cause, she managed to push herself to the bathroom and washed up her face. She would have been scared about her whereabouts but definitely, since whoever kept them did not rape them as it seemed nothing was amiss and let them sleep comfortably, then they were safe, she thought. Jessie also felt Luciana had an idea where they were, as they slept for quite long and she wasn't up yet.
Charles had just finished making some food and decided to take it to them, as he felt they had slept for long. He carried a tray of bread with scrambled eggs on a plate and hot water in a variegated green ceramic jug plastered with sterling silver along the neck and rounded body, with a container holding the tea and two teacups with cutleries.
Walking into the room, Charles could not find Jessie and wondered where she might have gone to, " she sure had a habit of disappearing", he thought to himself. Just before he could drop the tray on the sidestool just close to the bed, Jessie opened the door and was startled on seeing him.
Involuntarily, the towel she held as she used it to wipe her face dropped,
"You?... What are you doing here", Jessie shuddered.
Charles just stared at her, thinking of a suitable response, he was finding it hard to hide the smile he wanted to release.
"Why don't you stay at a place?", he blurted out without thinking.
Confusion was written over Jessie's face, "what was he talking of now?", She wondered.
"What do you mean?", Jessie said. She wondered why he had the guts to just walk into the room she was in, in her thoughts, they passed the night in a hotel, or was it possible that it was his house instead, considering the possibility, "is this your place?", She asked him.
The grin that had formed on his face already broadened, which alone gave a quick answer to her question. Charles smiled at the fact that she realized early that there was a high probability that he was the savior that spared his room for her comfort.
"With all honour, yes, it is my place and you passed the night here making me sleep on a couch, a not comfortable one at that", he jeered out like he was praising himself for his humility and at the same time complaining like a child that went through a lot of discomfort just to satisfy his mom.
Even as he wasn't washed up yet, Jessie could still feel this glee in his eyes that showed maturity mixed with innocence and it only made her want to trip for him the more.
"I'm sorry, I had no idea", She said apologetically.