Free Stealing Ryder by V. Murphy

something I pushed her away; but for the most part, it was chill. Knox and I competed with each other to see who could out drink the other, and I won. I still had it in me, but the rest of the night started to blur around midnight, when my head was spinning, and Knox and I cheersed to our third shot of Jim Beam.
    At 2am , the club closed, and we headed back to Knox’s place. I was shitfaced and needed to crash. I told ‘em goodnight, but everyone else was too hammered to even notice, so I just walked to my room. It was hot, too fucking hot in Texas.
    When I got to the room, I stripped off my clothes and passed out in bed. I didn’t hear anything else from that point. The house could be burning down for all I knew, I was too drunk.
     
    ***
     
    My brain was pounding against my skull. Fuck this. I was hammered last night. I needed a Motrin and Gatorade…yesterday. I got up and grabbed the glass sitting next to me. Suddenly, I felt someone’s body rustling next to mine, and could hear someone moan.
    Who?
    What?
    The fuck is going on?
    I messed up so badly if it’s who I thought it was. I needed to get the hell outta here. I turned around and saw Kylee’s naked ass tangled in the sheets. I couldn’t remember sleeping with her. I looked around for the used condom, but thankfully didn’t find any, unless my dumbass didn’t use one. Goddamn it. Fuck!
    I pounded my fists into the nightstand , which immediately jerked Kylee out of her sleep.
    “What the fuck are you doin ’ in here, Kylee? Put your clothes on, now.”
    This was a complete betrayal to Harper. I don’t know what I would do or how I would begin to tell her. Goddamn it, Ryder, you fucked up, I groaned to myself in frustration.
    “Chill out , Ryder. I know you’re beating yourself up, but I had to sleep in here. Mom kicked me out of my room because I was too loud and drunk with Evelyn in there. I have a shirt on.” She motioned to her shirt, which she pulled down past her ass.
    “In fact, I even placed this pillow barrier between us. Don’t worry. Please.”
    I noticed the pillows that were placed in a line down the bed. Maybe this wasn’t that bad. God, I needed to tell Harper anyways. I didn’t want to hurt her , and this would. I needed to call her…now.
    “Leave , Kylee. I will meet you downstairs in 10.”
    “Ry, its okay. I promise. She’ll understand ,” she said apologetically.
    “ There was almost 30 other rooms you could have passed out in. It will never happen again.” I gestured to the door and she walked out.
    I grabbed my phone , and my insides were about to explode, but I needed to call Harper now.
    It rang...once…twice…
    “Good morning, baby.” I was such an ass. I was going to ruin her day. Why does it always happen that I can fuck up so royally?
    “I need to talk to you.” I was direct.
    “Shit, what did you do? Ryder, I swear to God…”
    “Listen to me before you go freakin’ out on me. I was drunk last night with Knox. I came home and I went to sleep. Kylee couldn’t go back to her room because she was drunk , so she crashed here.”
    “WHAT. THE. FUCK?! ” Harper screamed into the phone.
    “No, I s wear to you. She had clothes on and put pillows in the middle of the bed. She didn’t do anything. I didn’t do anything. I could never. Please, Harper, believe me.” At this point, I didn’t care that I was begging for her forgiveness. I never wanted to bring Kylee here. The urge to reach through the phone and wrap my arms around her was so strong; I had to hold myself down just to get composed.
    “There wasn’t a couch or another bed she could ’ve slept on?”
    “I don’t know! I swear to you right now, I was so drunk I didn’t even hear her come in. I was passed out, dead to the world.”
    “That doesn’t make anything right , Ryder. Why do you do this to me?” She sounded hurt. I made her feel pain.
    The world was coming down around me. I was a disappointment to he r. I couldn’t live with myself