Page 64 of Surviving Slater

IhelpedTaylor get everyone drinks. I took a long and deep gulp of mine, hoping the alcohol would give me the courage to face Slater and his date.

Taylor watched me gulp half the drink down, and I winced.

"Why don't I cancel the night out?" she offered. I shook my head.

I couldn't let that happen. It would be too obvious and I at least wanted to walk away from this night with my dignity still intact.

"Give me a few minutes and I'll be fine."

She looked unconvinced but headed out of the kitchen to serve some of the drinks.

When I heard someone enter, I turned to see Levi.

"So," he said, walking to me, "that's the asshole."

I wanted to lie but he could see the truth.

"He really pulled a number on you, didn't he?"

I looked down to the glass I gripped, trying to avoid answering his question.

"Is that why you invited me?" he asked.

"He and I were complicated. And now we're nothing," I assured him. I felt guilty—he was right. I had brought him with me in case Slater was here tonight. I had no way of knowing that he would bring someone else, though. "I invited you so I could have a fun evening out with a good friend."

My words obviously worked because he grinned at me. "I will try my best."

It made my lips tip upward in a smile.

"You ready to face him?" he asked. I nodded before I took another gulp. "If you keep that up I'll be carrying you home."

"Sorry," I replied. "I need some courage."

"Come on." He extended his hand to me and I put mine into his.

Someone was laughing when we walked back into the living room. It sounded like a girl and it definitely wasn't Taylor. I knew nothing about Cathy but I disliked her already. It wasn't her fault, it had nothing to do with her, but I was jealous. It wasn't an emotion I was used to.

I sat in the chair across from Slater and Cathy. Levi propped himself on the armchair beside me. It was the intimate action of a couple, which we weren't. I saw a raised eyebrow from Taylor but I ignored it.

I tried my best to keep my eyes fixed away from Slater but it was impossible to fight the urge to sneak in a look.

He was sitting beside Cathy on the two-seater. Every now and then her hand brushed his thigh and I felt the possession I struggled with. I had to remind myself he had never belonged to me. He'd only shared his body, nothing more.

That only amplified my hurt. I looked down at my watch and realized I could take my medication. I knew I shouldn't take it with alcohol but I promised myself I would keep my alcohol intake down.

I stood up and went to the bathroom. After closing the door, I rifled through my bag. I found the bottle and opened it. For a moment I studied my reflection in the mirror, before I swallowed the pill with some water I drank from the tap.

Feeling relief that my emotions would be desensitized soon, I checked my makeup.

There was a knock. "Let me in." It was Taylor.

I opened the door and she entered.

"You okay?" she asked. Her eyes found my bottle of medication.

"What's this?" she asked, picking it up.

Busted. I tried to think of a way to explain the pills without blowing it out of proportion. When I failed to answer her question right away, she frowned.