Free No Regrets by Roxy Queen Page B

door.
    I’m barely up the first level of steps when h e opens the door with the paper between two slim fingers. "What's this?"
    I press my head against the railing. "Just read it."
    "Why?"
    "Oh my god. Just. Read. It." He looks skeptical. Maybe he suspects I puked on it. I grind my teeth and said, "Please."
    Because he has to make me feel worse he reads it out loud. I stare at the wall.
     
    Dear Henry ,
    I apologize for calling you drunk.
    And for puking on your car.
    And for all other unfortunate moments last night.
    Zadie
     
    I hear the crinkle of the paper as he refolds it and wait, terrified to look up.
    " Zadie."
    "What?" My words are muffled because I’m hiding behind my hands.
    "I accept your apology."
    I open an eye and look at him. His doesn’t seem pissed. In fact, he’s smiling a little. "Really?"
    "Yes."
    I sigh in relief. "Good."
    He laughs and I give him the stink-eye. He seems awfully amused by my humiliation, but I let it slide due to the circumstances. When he rubs his face I see his knuckles are red and scraped. Ugh, probably my fault, too.
    "I'm sorry you got so sick."
    "Ugh, me too. It’s half your fault with that weed.”
    He reaches a finger out to touch my cheek. "Ouch."
    I roll my eyes. At myself, of course, because of the flutter rolling around in my stomach from his finger on my skin. "Apparently, I fell out of the car."
    "I tried to stop. You opened the door before I pulled all the way over."
    "I heard. I don't really remember much."
    “That’s probably for the best.”
    I make a face. “Did you really carry me in?”
    He smiles and I notice a tiny dimple by his eye. Maybe a scar. One of his roommates walks up and says hi, disappearing through the open door.
    “I should go,” I say, watching the guy, Syd, I think go inside.
    “Tomorrow? Pick you up at 9:30?”
    I nod, happy he’s not going to let this get any weirder. Happy that I’m at this big school where I don’t have to face a thousand Facebook friends laughing at my antics. Just this guy.  This really great guy. “It’s going to be awkward with Tate.”
    “Why?”
    “I embarrassed myself and him. He ditched me. I don’t know. It’s just unfortunate, you know?”
    “ Zadie, you are not the first person to puke at a frat party.”
    I sigh and take the first step toward my apartment. “Thanks, Henry.”
    He frowns, just a little, bu t it vanishes fast. “Anytime.”
    *
    I meet Henry at his car the next morning. He’s half asleep, hair a total mess, and a fine, red line run down his cheek from his bed sheets.
    “Over sleep?” I ask, getting into the car. He tosses his towel and pool bag into the backseat.
    He grunts in reply and rubs his hand over his face. “You’re awful chipper for someone so hung-over yesterday.”
    “I have a sure-fire hang-over remedy.”
    Henry pulls the car out of the parking lot and heads toward the pool. “Enlighten me.”
    “ Stage one is waffles, bacon and hash browns. Stage two; French fries and a cheeseburger. Additional necessities include several large sodas and a big piece of chocolate cake.”
    His eyes widen. “You’re kidding.”
    “Nope. Works every time. I also crashed at about 8 PM even though my downstairs neighbors were yelling all night while they played Grand Theft Auto.”
    He glances over and I can see his eye wrinkles. “Sorry about that.”
    I shrug. “We’re pretty used to it.”
    Henry pulls into the convenience store and we go in to get snacks. It’s become a daily ritual. Sodas, lemonade, candy. We hop back in the car and make it to the pool just in time. To our surprise, Tate’s here. It should be his day off.
    “You going to be okay?” Henry asks before we get out of the car.
    “Sure, why?”
    “With Tate being here and everything. You were pretty pissed at him the other night.” I try to remember and vaguely recall being dragged away from the party and yelling something about ‘kicking ass’.
    “He called yesterday. I think he feel s pretty bad