30. Arabella

Chapter 30

Arabella

M y head is pounding. Despite the food I just ate and the water I drank, I feel like shit. Never before have I felt like this after being out drinking. I'm starting to wonder if someone slipped something in one of my drinks. I was careful, but our drinks were left unattended at times. It was possible, though I never believed it to be probable. I'm hoping that I'm wrong and that I just had a lot more alcohol than normal.

Even though I wanted to stay out longer with my friend until the bar closed, it was smart thinking of Warrick to offer me a chance to go home early. Once he offered me food, though, I knew it was the right choice to make. Especially when he ordered me chicken tenders despite forgetting my ranch dipping sauce, I let that slide, considering how kind he was being. At least he was trying despite me all but avoiding him unless necessary this week.

"We're almost back to the academy," Warrick states from beside me. Opening my eyes, I see he's right. We're already past the guard shake and almost to the main building. Once we park only ten minutes stand between me and my bed. Well maybe a little bit longer than that unless I fly to the dorms which may be a bad idea with the alcohol and how bad my head hurts.

It takes everything in me to keep my eyes open when all I want is to close them once again. I thought I was feeling better when we were in the restaurant and I had food in me, but the movement of the car made me nauseous again. I was definitely ready for us to come to a stop. The last thing I want is to puke in his car. That would be embarrassing.

Warrick easily slides into one of the many open parking spots in the faculty lot and puts the car in parking. "We're here," he states, already opening his door and getting out. By the time I get my seatbelt undone, he's at my door, opening it for me and offering his hand to help me out. "I'll walk you back to your dorm. I don't want you out here walking alone at this hour with those shoes. I'm sure your feet are killing you right now."

Divine. He has no idea how bad they really are. I was thinking about walking back barefoot just to find some relief. It would probably hurt just as much, but it would be easier than stumbling my way along the path in the high-heeled boots.

"Unless," he pauses, looking down at my feet and back up to me.

"Unless what?" I hedge, waiting to see what he is thinking. If he is about to offer to fly me back to the dorm, I will one hundred percent take him up on that offer, even if it makes me sick. You have to pick your battles, and that's the option I would choose.

"I shouldn't be suggesting this. Not with everything going on, but I also know how much you hate sleeping alone when you've been drinking. Plus, well, my place is a lot closer than yours, which will get you out of the boots a lot faster." He nervously plays with his hands in front of him as he speaks and waits for my answer.

He's right. He shouldn't be suggesting this at all. A student staying in the faculty dorms is already a big no. Once you add in the drama between us, this whole suggestion becomes even worse. But also when will we ever get over the issues between us if we don't force ourselves into a situation that makes us get over it? Plus I really want out of these boots so really my decision was made the second he suggested it.

"Give me pain meds, and I'll stay with you. My head is starting to hurt pretty bad. It's rivaling how bad my feet hurt," I answer, trying to downplay the tension just a little bit.

"I think that can be arranged," he chuckles, holding out his arm for me to take. I link mine through his and let him guide me forward. It's a short walk from his car to the faculty dorms, a much shorter one than to my dorm. I almost expected that he would need to sneak me into the dorm, but he just walked us straight into the lobby.

Not a soul was around to ask us any questions. They even were so fancy as to have an elevator front and center to be used. None of the buildings I had been in so far had elevators. My dorm and the main academy building all had stairs. If there was an elevator in the main building, then I wouldn't have found it yet, though I haven't explored it much either.

Together, we get into the elevator, and he hits the button for the sixth floor. Silence fills the space between us as we wait to get to the floor. It's slightly awkward, but I think it would be worse if we tried to have a conversation right now. Before long, the ding sounds, signaling the elevator to reach our floor right as the doors begin to open. With his hand on the small of my back, Warrick guides me off the elevator and to the right down the hall. We come to a stop at the very end in front of a black door with the number 606 displayed front and center on the door.

"This is me," he states, pulling out a keycard and swiping it along the lock. "Sorry about the mess, I wasn't expecting company." He pushes the door open far enough so I can step inside. "I'll make up the bed for you, and I'll take the couch so that you can have some space for yourself."

"You don't have to give up your bed for you, Warrick," I shake my head and go to sit on a barstool at the kitchen counter. I need these boots off of me immediately. Warrick watches for a few seconds as I struggle to slide them off before taking pity on me and helping me out. With his assistance, we managed to get me free of them, even though I almost fell off the barstool in the process. The movement set me off into a fit of giggles before my head started to hurt even more, and I had to stop. "Pain meds, please?" I beg, trying to see straight through the sudden increase of pain.

"Shit, let me get that for you right now. Don't move," he growls with a stern look before turning to head into another room. When I know he can't see me, I get down from the barstool and begin to explore his kitchen cabinets, looking for glasses. It takes me until the very last one right next to the refrigerator to find the glasses. Grabbing one, I place it under the water spout on the front of the fridge and wait for it to fill up. "I told you to stay still," Warrick scolds, placing the bottle of pain meds on the counter as he grabs the glass out of my hand. "Let me do that for you."

"I'm not an invalid, Warrick," I retort, going back to the barstool I sat in before. As I reach for the bottle of pills, he grabs them out of my reach and places the glass of water in front of me instead. I watch him make quick work of opening the pain medication and shaking a couple of pills out for me to take. He drops them into my open hand, and I toss them into my mouth immediately, swallowing them down with the glass of water. "Thanks," I mutter, praying that it won't take long for them to kick in.

"Let's get you into the bedroom and find you some clothes to sleep in," he decides, holding out his hand for me to take. Ignoring it I jump down and begin walking to the only other open door in his suite. Warrick follows close behind me and flicks on the light for me as I step foot into the bedroom. "Like I said, sorry about the mess," he mutters, stepping around me to grab all the clothes sitting on one side of the bed. "I didn't get around to putting them away just yet." He sits the pile of clothes on a chair in the corner but grabs a t-shirt and pair of sweatpants to hand to me when he spins back around. "These will be big on you, but they should work for tonight. I'll step outside. Just open the door when you're done, and I'll bring you another glass of water in case you get thirsty through the night."

"Thank you, Warrick," I call out, reaching to grasp his forearm. "Really, thank you for doing all of this for me. It's super sweet of you."

"I'd do anything for you, Bella. You should know that by now," he places his hand on top of mine, giving it a soft squeeze before stepping back and walking out of the room, closing the door behind him as he leaves.

My heart skipped a beat when he used my shortened name. He hasn't used it since our fight, and I was afraid that maybe he wouldn't again.

Waiting an extra second to make sure that he isn't going to return, I place the clothes he gave me on the bed and begin to change. It doesn't take me long to get out of my outfit, a lot less time than it had taken for me to get into the damn thing, that's for sure. Pulling on the t-shirt and sweat pants, I make sure to roll the waistband several times so they don't slide right off my hips before I open the bedroom door. As I do, Warrick is walking toward me with a full glass of water and some saltine crackers.

"I knew they would be a little big. Damn, I'm sorry," he mumbles when he sees me. "I got you water and some crackers. Why don't we get you into bed for the night?"

"Okay," I reply, turning around and crawling into his bed. I pull the comforter up over my legs as I sit with my back resting against the pillows, watching him place the water and crackers on the nightstand beside me. He's being extremely sweet to me right now, and it's really starting to confuse me.

"Get some sleep, Bella. I'll be out on the couch if you need anything." Warrick turns around and begins walking out of the room.

For a split second, I think about letting him walk out of the room. It would be the right thing to do. However, I also don't want to be sleeping here alone tonight. "Stay, please," I call out to his back. "The bed is big enough for us to share."

Warrick spins to face me, indecision warring his expression. "I don't think that is a good idea, Bella," he shakes his head, turning to face me. "You need your sleep."

"So do you. You'll sleep better on the other side of the bed rather than on that small couch. Do you even fit on it completely?" I call him out and watch him chuckle lightly. "That's what I thought. I'm the one in pain, so instead of standing here and debating with me, just get your damn ass in this bed. Both of us will sleep better. It won't be the first time we've shared a bed together, and if we fix shit between us, it won't be the last either."

"Ugh, Bella, damnit," he groans, stepping further into the room and the bed. "Fine. You win this round, but you better stay on your side of the bed."

"Don't I always?" I laugh, pushing myself down further in the bed and settling on my side with my back facing where he is going to lie.

"No, you really don't," he laughs. I hear the movement of fabric, and then the bed jostles as he settles beside me. "Go to sleep, Bella. I got you, and I'll be here in the morning." With him beside me, I close my eyes and let sleep claim me. He will keep me safe and watch over me tonight so I can finally get some sleep.