Chapter 45

Chapter Forty-Five

Maddy

S weaty bodies swayed against each other on the makeshift dancefloor, while music blared, drowning out everything else. My legs felt like they could barely hold me up, so I was glad of Zak's strong hands at my hips, holding on tight.

We swayed to the rhythm, staring into each other's eyes, our lips inches apart, sexual tension whirling around us like a tornado, ready to rip up anything in its path. Anyone who dared to interrupt us was ignored, because all we could see was each other.

Admittedly, I was gradually starting to see two of Zak, but both were beautiful. "My legs are a bit wobbly," I told him and giggled. "Jelly legs."

Zak frowned. "How much have you had to drink?" He ran a hand down my cheek. "Do you want some water?"

I shook my head. "I'll be fine. I've had a couple of ciders, but they did taste a bit weird."

"Weird in what way?" He planted his hands on my shoulders, firmly, keeping me in place. "Do you think you've been spiked?"

I shook my head, the room immediately starting to spin. "Ana got them for me, and I never let them out of my sight. I didn't have much to eat for tea, maybe that's it."

He handed me his bottle of water. "Drink some of this, babe." He stooped down to look into my eyes. "Your pupils aren't dilated so I'm pretty sure you're right, you haven't been given anything. What did you eat at dinner?"

"I had a sandwich. I made Dad and Maya a curry but didn't fancy any of it. Plus, I didn't want to have garlic breath." I giggled, finding the idea funny for some reason. As I dropped my head back to laugh, I rocked unsteadily.

"Come on let's get you sitting down."

"No, honestly, I'm fine." I pulled my shoulders back and looked him in the eye. "Let's carry on dancing."

"Are you sure?" Zak frowned, but his body started moving with mine, and soon we were dancing again.

We carried on through various songs and gradually, with Zak regularly giving me swigs of his water, I started to feel a little better. To the point that I only felt slightly tipsy when Ana appeared with another can of cider.

"Got you this," she said, handing it to me.

"Are you sure you should?" Zak asked.

Ana blinked slowly at him and said, "Who are you trying to control?"

"No one, but she was feeling a bit dizzy before."

"I'm fine." I took the can from Ana and put it to my lips. "I've had loads of water."

When I took a drink, I resisted wincing and smiled instead, conscious that Zak was watching me carefully.

"Hey, Zak." Liam bounced up with Emma under his arm, wearing the same American Football kit as Zak. "The lads are having a darts tournament outside. Fancy it?"

Zak looked at me and when I smiled, he looked back at Liam. "Yeah, okay." He turned back to me and kissed me hard, his hand cupping the back of my head. "Won't be long, but if you want to go, come and find me."

Giving his bum a playful squeeze, I nodded. "Okay, will do."

As the boys walked off to play darts, Ana rolled her eyes, whereas Emma and I watched their arses in the tight, white, football trousers, until they disappeared out of the lounge.

"Have you been having sex upstairs with Liam?" she asked Emma. "Because you've been gone for ages."

I didn't miss the blush that coloured her cheeks, and I squealed. "Have you?"

"No," she snapped. "But we might have done other things."

"Fucking hell," Ana growled. "Why am I surrounded by you sad couples?"

I glanced at Emma, whose Zombie make up was, I now realised, smeared all over her face. She shrugged, and seemed as confused as I was. Ana's mood had been low when we left my house, but then she'd perked a little after an hour of being at the party, but after another half an hour, went back to being miserable and moaning that she didn't want to be there. That was when Zak and I went to dance, and Liam and Emma obviously disappeared for something else.

"Fancy a game of beer pong?" I asked, trying to think of anything to stop the negativity from becoming a full on rant.

"No." Ana response was short as she then whipped around. "More booze."

"I thought you were staying off it," Emma said, grabbing her hand.

Immediately Ana pulled her hand away and hissed over her shoulder. "You're not my parent, and if I want to drink I will."

As she pushed through the crowd, Emma and I heaved out a collective sigh and followed her, finding her in the kitchen cracking open a bottle of lager.

"I suppose we should stay with her," I said.

"Yeah. I suppose." Emma groaned and shook her head. "I just hope the boy's darts tournament doesn't take long, otherwise she's going to be shitfaced."

I couldn't stand up. My head was spinning, and I felt like I might puke. Zak was trying to force water down me, while Liam was trying to keep Emma on her feet.

"What have they been drinking?" I heard Zak ask.

"Cider," Ana replied.

"How come you're okay?" Liam grunted, and when I looked over, Emma had fallen forward from the fridge that he'd propped her against.

I didn't hear Ana's reply, mainly because Zak was talking to me and asking if I'd left my drink unattended at any point.

"Mads was fairly drunk earlier but she sobered up a bit," he said, presumably to Liam. "How can they get this shit faced in half an hour?"

"No idea, but if we take them home like this they're going to get a bollocking."

I managed to focus one eye on Zak and could see what looked like fear on his face.

"Dad will be fine." I waved them away. "Don't worry about William."

"Fucking hell," Zak muttered. "He's going to fucking kill me."

"Let's get them outside and take them for a walk, see if we can sober them up."

Ana started to laugh, too loudly, because it hurt my ears. "They can hardly stand, never mind walk."

"Ana, you're not helping," Zak snapped. "Although she's got a point."

Tiredness suddenly hit me, and I wanted nothing more than to sleep. I dropped my head against Zak's chest and closed my eyes. He held me to him as he continued talking to Liam, but I zoned out, concentrating on not being sick on his chest and trying to sleep at the same time. It was actually a comfy place to rest my head and I must have dropped off, because the next thing I knew, all I could hear was Ana and Zak yelling at each other.

"You stupid idiot, Ana. How could you do that?" He pulled me closer, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

"You could have fucking killed them." That was Liam and he sounded just as angry as Zak. "Oh shit, she's going to be sick."

There was movement, and as I opened my eyes, I saw Liam guiding Emma's head over the kitchen sink. He held her hair back with one hand, while he rubbed her back with the other.

"What's wrong?" I asked, swaying as I tried to move towards Emma.

Zak kissed my forehead. "Ana spiked your damn drink with vodka. "Yours and Emma's."

"It was just a joke," Ana protested. "They were being boring, telling me how much I should and shouldn't be drinking."

"Not a very funny joke," Liam yelled and then turned back to Emma. "Come on, babe, get it all up."

Hearing him call Emma babe made me giggle.

"Aww he called her babe, Zak. Liam called Emma babe. He likes her."

Zak pushed my hair from my sweaty face, his thumbs lingering on my cheeks.. "Yeah he did. Do you think you need to be sick, too."

I shook my head and instantly regretted it. "Oh, I think I might." He quickly pushed me towards the back door, but it was too late. Water flooded my mouth, quickly followed by the sandwich I'd had earlier and the gallons of booze I'd drunk. It projected all over my boyfriend's chest, hitting him smack bang in the middle, and then sliding down in big lumps and splatting on the floor.

"Oh, shit," I groaned. "I'm so sorry." I looked up at him, but his eyes were downcast, staring at the vomit covering him. His arms were still on my shoulders, though, making sure that I didn't topple over. "Zak, I'm so sorry."

Slowly, his gaze lifted to mine, and he gave me the softest of smiles. "It's okay."

Someone behind him yelled about the smell of puke, and then there was a roar of laughter, followed by someone screaming.

"What the hell." It was Holly whose party it was. "You dirty bitch. How could you?"

Zak whipped around. "Oi, you watch what you call her. It was an accident; she didn't do it on purpose."

"Of course she did. She?—"

"I am so sorry, Holly. Get me some kitchen roll and I'll clean it up."

To my left, I heard Emma groaning as she continued to throw up into the sink. With each retch, Liam soothed her and told her to keep going.

"If anyone should clean it up, it should be you," Zak spat at Ana. "I can't believe you were so stupid."

"It's not my fault they can't take their drink."

I turned to look at her and felt another wave of nausea. Luckily, I was able to make it to the back door. It was a close call, but I got it open just in time before more vomit came up and splashed over the step leading down to the patio.

"You okay," Zak asked, rubbing my back.

"I'm so sorry," I sobbed. "I'm such a crap girlfriend."

He chuckled and pulled my hair over my shoulder. "No, you're not. You just have a shitty friend."

"I was here long before you, dick head," Ana yelled at him. "She's my friend and has been my friend since we were little. You've just come along with your nice teeth and your hot body and think you own her."

"Ana," I groaned, but said nothing else because another wave of vomit reared up.

"I don't think I own her, Ana," Zak retorted in a measured tone. "I care about her, and I certainly wouldn't spike her cider with vodka. That's stupid and dangerous."

"That's stupid and dangerous," she mimicked.

"Ana just shut the fuck up," Liam roared. "You're an absolute?—"

"Liam, leave it mate," Zak butted in. "Let's get them home."

"I'll ring my dad," I said, in between spitting out bits of vomit.

"It's okay. I didn't drink."

"Your top." I pointed an unsteady finger at him.

Moving me towards the fridge, he propped me against it. "Ana, make sure she doesn't fall over," he ordered her. "I'm just going to take my shirt off."

I giggled. "Ooh naked chest."

Zak rolled his eyes and smirked. "I have a t-shirt underneath. It might not be too bad."

"There are carrier bags in that drawer," Holly said, "but who is going to clean it up off the floor? Because I'm not."

Ana sighed heavily. "I will. I'll get my mum to come and get me."

"I'll give you a lift," Zak said from over by the door. "I brought you, so I'll take you home."

"No, it's fine," she snapped, pressing a hand against my shoulder to keep me upright. "Mum will come."

"I'd rather not leave you." Zak appeared back in front of me, his eyes full of concern. "I'll help you clean up."

"I wouldn't," Liam offered. "I'd make her do it."

"Well, you're a prick," Ana replied, leaving me and pushing past Zak. "Where's your cleaning stuff, Holly?"

Leaning forward, I dropped my hands to my knees to steady myself and blew out a breath. "Can we go home, Zak?"

"Yeah, babe. Just let me sort my shirt out. You ready, Liam?"

"Yeah. I think she's more or less done." He leaned over the sink. "You finished, Em?"

"Hmm. My mum is going to kill me."

"You can stay at mine," I told her. "She thinks you are anyway."

"Your dad is going to kill me," Zak muttered as he came back, a plastic bag swinging at his side.

"No, he won't." I reached a hand out to him, and he took it, kissing the back of it. "I promise."

"We'll see, but we should go." He put his arm around my shoulders and guided me upright. "Okay?"

I nodded and made a couple of tentative steps, but then pulled to a stop. "I should take a carrier bag. Just in case."

Holly slapped one against my chest. "Here, and thanks again, Maddy ."

"I told you, it wasn't her fault, so chill out, Holly ." Zak threw a glare over to Ana who was on her knees wiping up vomit. Her head was turned away, and she was retching.

"We're ready," Liam said, Emma's hand in his. "Let's go."

"Okay, gorgeous," Zak said. "Let's get you home." He turned to Ana. "Are you sure about calling your mum?"

"I've already messaged her."

She held up her phone and Zak leaned closer to read the screen. Seemingly satisfied, he gave her a nod and then turned back to me.

"You ready?"

"Let's go," Liam replied and guided Emma out of the room.

As she heaved, I quickly passed her my carrier bag, hoping that I didn't need it on the way home.