Chapter 29
**Tom**
I watched Sara wobble on her feet as we made our way to the exit. The thumping bass from the speakers faded behind us, replaced by the cool night air that hit our faces. Sara stumbled, nearly face-planting on the sidewalk. I caught her arm, steadying her.
"Whoa there, careful," I said, unable to keep the amusement out of my voice. "Let's not add a broken nose to your list of regrets tomorrow morning."
She mumbled something unintelligible, her words slurring together like melted ice cream.
As we approached my car, I heard familiar voices calling out.
"Tom! What's going on?"
I turned to see my friends – William, Michael, Olivia, and Natalie – hurrying towards us. Their eyes darted between me and the very intoxicated Sara leaning heavily against my side.
"Hey guys," I said, trying to sound casual while supporting what felt like dead weight. "We've had a slight change of plans. Sara here had a bit too much to drink. I'm going to make sure she gets home safe."
William raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And how do you two know each other?"
I felt Sara shift against me, her head lolling onto my shoulder. Great timing for her to pass out.
"We're just friends," I replied, hoping my poker face was holding up. There was no need to mention she was my student. That would open a whole can of worms I wasn't ready to deal with.
Natalie peered at Sara's face, then back at me. "Just friends, huh? She looks pretty cozy there, Tom."
I chuckled nervously. "Yeah, well, tequila has that effect. Makes everyone your best friend."
"Speaking from experience?" Michael teased.
"Ha ha," I deadpanned. "Look, she had a few too many. I'm just being a responsible... friend."
Olivia nodded approvingly. "That's sweet of you, Tom. Always the gentleman."
I shifted uncomfortably, feeling Sara's warm breath on my neck. "Yeah, that's me. Regular knight in shining armor. Anyway, I should get her home. Raincheck on those drinks?"
"Alright, alright," William conceded. "But you owe us a round next time."
"Deal," I agreed, fumbling for my car keys.
Natalie and Olivia stepped forward. "Here, let us help you get her to the car," Olivia offered.
I hesitated for a moment, then nodded gratefully. Between the three of us, we managed to guide Sara's limp form to my car without incident.
As I opened the passenger door, Sara stirred slightly. "Wha... where'm I?" she mumbled.
"You're about to go home, sleeping beauty," I said, trying to keep my voice low.
Natalie giggled. "Sleeping beauty, huh? Just friends indeed."
I felt my face flush. "It's not... I didn't mean..."
"Relax, Tom," Olivia said, patting my arm. "We're just teasing. Get her home safe, okay?"
I nodded, relief washing over me. "Thanks, guys. I'll see you later."
I slid into the driver's seat, flashing a quick wave to my friends as they returned to the pub. Their teasing laughter faded as I shut the door and turned the key in the ignition. The engine purred to life, starkly contrasting with the gentle snoring from the passenger seat.
I glanced at Sara, her head lolling against the window, a thin line of drool threatening to escape the corner of her mouth. She was classy.
As I pulled away from the curb, a thought hit me like a bucket of ice water. I had no idea where Sara lived.
I considered waking her up to ask for her address, but one look at her peaceful (if slightly drooling) face made me reconsider. She was out cold and probably wouldn't even remember her name right now, let alone her street address.
"Well, this is quite the pickle we've gotten ourselves into, isn't it, Sleeping Beauty?" I said to my unconscious passenger.
Sara's only response was a particularly loud snore.
I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, weighing my options. I could drive around aimlessly, hoping she'd wake up and miraculously remember where she lived. Or I could take her back to the pub and hope her friend Jessica was still there and sober enough to help. Neither option seemed particularly appealing.
That left one other choice – my apartment.
"Oh boy," I sighed, already imagining the potential fallout. "This is definitely not in the professor's handbook."
I made a left turn, heading towards my place. The streets were quiet, most sensible people already tucked away in their beds. Unlike me, chauffeuring my drunk student around town was like some sort of misguided Good Samaritan.
"You know," I said to Sara's sleeping form, "when I was in college, I never gave my professors this much trouble. Then again, I never looked quite as good in jeans as you do."
I immediately cringed at my own words. "And that's exactly the kind of thought that's going to get you fired," I chastised myself.
I pulled into my designated parking spot and cut the engine. Sara stirred slightly but didn't wake. I sat there momentarily, staring at the steering wheel and wondering how exactly I'd managed to get into this situation.
"Well," I said to no one in particular, "here goes nothing."
I got out of the car and made my way around to the passenger side. Opening the door slowly to avoid Sara tumbling out, I gently shook her shoulder.
"Sara? Hey, Sara? We're here. Time to wake up."
She mumbled something suspiciously like, "Five more minutes, Mom," before burying her face deeper into the seat.
"Sorry, kiddo. I'm not your mom, and this isn't your bed."
After several more attempts at rousing her, I realized I was fighting a losing battle. With a resigned sigh, I carefully maneuvered her out of the car. It took some awkward shuffling and creative maneuvering, but I finally managed to get her into a semi-stable fireman's carry.
"You know," I grunted as I kicked the car door shut, "you're surprisingly heavy."
Sara's only response was a soft snore right in my ear.
As I made my way to the elevator, I silently thanked whatever higher power was listening that it was the middle of the night. The last thing I needed was to run into Mrs. Hendricks from 4B, the building gossip while carrying an unconscious woman over my shoulder.
The elevator ride up to my floor was an exercise in balance and patience. Sara kept shifting, threatening to topple us both over. When we reached my door, I was sweating and out of breath.
"Next time," I panted, fumbling for my keys, "maybe lay off the tequila shots, huh?"
I carefully carried Sara into my apartment, shuffling through the doorway and kicking it shut behind me. Her body felt warm and pliant against mine, her soft breaths tickling the side of my neck.
"Alright, Sleeping Beauty, let's get you settled," I murmured, navigating the familiar path to my bedroom.
I gently lowered her onto the bed, trying not to jostle her too much. As I laid her down, her dress rode up slightly, revealing the creamy expanse of her thighs and the delicate lace trim of her panties.
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