“Hat.”
The noise is too loud. The chatter of the filled hallway too much to hear over the buzzing taking over my veins.
I want … quiet.
My jaw clenches as I pass through the blown fog of someone’s exhale.
My hands are full on shaking when I plant them against what I think is a bathroom door and push.
Quiet. Quiet, quiet, quiet.
I gasp as the panel clears.
“Hatley,” I call and rush to his slumped over body where he’s cradling the toilet, his head laying limp on one arm. “Fuck, man, what did you do?”
Pushing his hair back from his sickly pale face, I pull back an eyelid and watch his pupil contract.
He groans, his brows scrunching, and he tries to swat my hand away.
I catch his wrist just as it splashes into the toilet.
“Okay, up you go.”
Pushing on his shoulder, I search for a towel or something to dry him off and curse when the best thing within reach is toilet paper.
Unrolling a handful, I swipe at the drips as he groans, the paper practically disintegrating with each pass.
“Mother fuck.” I toss it into the bowl and wriggle Hat’s arm across my shoulders to lift him.
“Wait!Wait,” he says, his words a slurred mess, and tugs on my hold. “My friend’s coming to get me. I’m gonna wait for him.”
His voice thickens with each word, his muscles going tense in my grip.
“Who?”
“My best friend,” he cries, eyes filling. “My best friend’s coming.”
“H-Hatley,” I say, and it cracks a little as I gather the man up in my arms. “It’s me, man.”
“Ten?!”
For the first time since I watched him walk out of the house, Hatley turns and reallylooksat me.
When his eyes focus on me, his face crumples and he cries. Throws his arms around my shoulders, nearly pulling us both back to the floor.
“Ten,” he sobs. “I fucked up. Ifuckedup.”
My burning eyes find a spot on the wall, and I suck back a breath. “I know, man.”
He crushes me tighter. Sobs harder.
“I’m so fucking sorry, Ten. I’m so sorry.”
The tears that rush from his eyes dampen my shirt and stain my skin, each one a searing reminder.
“I know, Hat.” I swallow hard and get an arm around his waist. “Let’s go home.”
“Okay,” he whimpers, his voice so small that it’s breaking me as he clings to my side.
