AllFreeNovel
Share Us
On the way home, I opened the window and stuck my head out to take in the fresh air. The sky was still clear and starry, and the temperature was still warm. As the cab pulled up outside my building, I decided I’d go sit on the roof for a while before heading off to bed.
I paid the fare and went straight to the back stairwell where I could access the roof of the building. I jogged up the stairs, still feeling the effects of the alcohol, but not as much after drinking the bottles of water in the taxi. I was actually starting to feel a little better.
I headed out onto the roof, staring up at the stars all the while. It was pretty spectacular, despite the light contamination from the city. I'd always loved stars and the night sky, ever since I was a little kid. I walked along the rooftop, heading for the far edge where I could look out over the city. That's when a familiar voice startled me.
“Emerson? What are you doing up here?”
I spun around to find Brooke seated on a fold-up chair. I couldn't help but smile. I hoped that I wouldn't make a fool out of myself, seeing as I was drunk. “I'm, well, I just like looking at the stars,” I said, feeling self-conscious about my speech having a slight slur. “I just got home, and it was, it was too pretty a night to just stay cooped up inside.”
“You guys were partying again tonight, huh?”
“Um, yeah,” I remarked, feeling a bit guilty. “Sorry, was the noise buggin’ you guys?”
“It was okay. When we turned the TV up, it wasn't too bad.”
“Oh, look, I'm really, really sorry, Brooke. I told Chris to keep it down, and, and, I turned it down myself soooo many times, but he, he'd always, like, turn it right back up, and—”
She locked an almost accusatory stare into my eyes. “Are you drunk?”
“I, uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm a bit drunk.”
Surprisingly, she chuckled, and there didn't seem to be anything judgmental in the way she laughed. “I can tell,” she snickered. “Where did you guys go?”
“Same place we always go,” I replied sheepishly. “Club 74.”
“How do you guys get in? I mean, you're under twenty-one.”
“Chris' cousin is a bouncer there. He lets us in.”
“And what if the cops were to show up? You guys would be in a world of trouble. Chris's cousin probably would be, too, for letting you in.”
“There's a s-secret back entrance the cops don't know about. He could sneak us outta there if it came to it. Look, I don't really… You know, I don't actually like going out and drinking much anymore,” I slurred, painfully aware of how stupid I likely sounded. “It's just, Chris… he's a, he's a bad influence, ya know? It's so hard to say no to him.”
“Oh, so it's all Chris's fault, huh?” she chided playfully.
I burst into a drunken chuckling fit. “Okay, okay, so it's kinda my own f-fault, too.” I turned my attention back to the sky. “Hey, check it out, there's Orion. See, that's his belt, those three stars, and those other ones, well, that's his b-bow and arrow.”
“Which ones?” she asked, looking up toward where I was pointing.
“Those three, right there—they're his belt.”
“I still can't see.”
I walked over and squatted down next to her. She smelled amazing. I couldn't deny I was feeling pretty damn aroused being so close to her. I hoped she didn't notice. Or, maybe I hoped she would notice. I pointed up. Being right next to her meant she could follow my line far easier.
“Oh!” she said with a smile. “Now I see it.”
“Yeah! Right? Once you've spotted it properly, it t-totally makes sense.”
“Orion's the hunter, isn't he?”
“Yesss.”
“What's he hunting? I mean, what's his bow aimed at?”
I shrugged. “Must be something up there he wants to shoot!”
Her laughter rang across the rooftop. “And, I thought you were about to give me a talk on astronomy. Come on, Emerson, you're letting me down here!”
