Chapter 17
ZOE
There was nothing I hated more than praying to the porcelain gods. I’d woken up early?too early?but the sun had snuck through the gap between the dull grey curtains. That’s when the world started to spin. Fast. Wildly. My stomach lurched and I barely made it to the bathroom before the contents launched themselves into the bowl.
For a long time I sat on the cool tiles, too afraid to stand. Every time I made an attempt to move, everything around me spun and my stomach clenched. Sitting on the floor gave me a new perspective. Glancing around at Spencer’s bathroom, I was pleasantly surprised by how clean it was. Everything had a home.
A knock at the door shocked the shit out of me. “I’m in here!” I called out quickly.
“You okay, Zoe?” I heard the concern in Spencer’s shaky voice.
Gulping down the lump in my throat, I ran my tongue over my teeth. As soon as I did, regret flooded me. They were covered by a disgusting furry coating. Then I remembered why I didn’t usually drink. Between the vomiting and the spinning and the overall feeling of yuck, I never wanted to drink again.
“Yeah,” I groaned.
“Can I come in?”
“Spencer, I’m fine…”
“Zoe…”
“I’m okay,” I gagged. I knew I was lying. Right now I didn’t care. The last thing I needed right now was for someone to see me like this. Especially Spencer.
I should have known he wouldn’t listen. He never did. Not even a closed door between us could keep him out. It opened gently and Spencer stepped through. If I thought he looked hot in clothes, well in pyjamas he was simply mouth-watering. His pants hung low on his hips and the white singlet clung to his chest. The boy was ripped.
“Hi,” he grinned, leaning causally against the sink, his arms folded over his wide chest.
“Hi,” I replied as I felt the embarrassment creep up over my cheeks, scorching them.
I ran my hands over my face and through my hair. I didn’t need a mirror to tell me how bad I looked. If it was half as bad as I felt, I couldn’t understand how Spencer was still staring at me.
It took all my strength and energy to push my numb butt from the floor. Using the wall to keep me steady, I managed to pull myself upright. The room was still whirling around me and I was too nervous to take a step. Glancing up, I saw Spencer tracking my every movement. As I shuffled towards the sink, my unsteady legs faltered. I didn’t have time to hit the ground. Before I even had a chance, Spencer’s warm arms wrapped around me and steadied me.
With my heart pounding empathically, my heading spinning like a top, and my stomach in my throat, it took me a minute to pull myself together.
“Thanks,” I murmured, holding myself against the sink.
Spencer stepped behind me, his hands on my hips, balancing me. I filled the sink with cold water before splashing my face. When I patted it dry a moment later, I risked a glance in the mirror. It was worse than I could have imagined. I needed a shower. Another one. Desperately.
“All good now?”
“Yeah, but I feel gross. Can I steal some more of your hot water and have a shower?”
Spencer laughed and it shot through my body. It bounced off my head and my already pounding brain hurt more, if that was even possible.
“Go ahead. You need clean clothes?”
“Sweats would be great…if it’s not too much trouble,” I added almost as if it was an afterthought. I was pushing my luck and the boundaries. Spencer had done so much for me already and now he was giving up even more. The guilt turned over in my stomach. Since I’d crashed back into his life I’d done absolutely nothing for him. He’d done everything for me. I don’t even remember saying thank you. Not once.
With a deep, hearty chuckle, Spencer smiled genuinely, “No troubles. I’ll go find you some. Take your time.”
As Spencer stepped through the door, he looked back over his shoulder and winked at me. If I was having trouble breathing before, then now it was like all of the oxygen had been sucked from the room. I had to say something. I had to get it off my chest. “Spencer!”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
“No troubles.”
