My answer came out in a high-pitched laugh.
Denny rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I was just about to head home, but I can’t leave you here like this all alone. Did your sister leave already?”
I pursed my lips, trying to remember through the fog. Was my sister still here? Had she ever been here? I couldn’t quite recall . . . and then my hazy brain pulled out a memory from just a few minutes ago. Anna had started feeling a bit run down, and had wanted to go home and crawl into bed. She’d tried to get me to leave with her, but I’d wanted to keep dancing and refused to let her move me. Irritated, Anna had grabbed Jenny as she’d walked nearby and told her to take me home before she waddled out the doors. It had shocked me a little. Anna had never been the first one to leave a party before.
I shook my head. “Nope, she pooped out . . . left.”
I giggled, and Denny sighed. “Well, then, I guess I’m driving you home.”
Touched by his offer, I squeezed him tight. “You’re the best, Denny.” A slight sob came out of me. “I’m so sorry I cheated on you.”
Denny started moving me toward the back room. “Yeah, I think it’s definitely time for you to go. Come on.”
I clung to him like a lifeline as grief and giddiness battled within me. A part of me hated that he was taking care of me after I’d been so horrible to him, and a part of me loved that we were still such good friends that he needed to make sure I was okay. We ran into Jenny in the back as I was grabbing my stuff.
“What’s going on?” she asked cautiously. She didn’t seem happy as Denny explained that he was going to take me home. “Oh, well, I told Anna I would drive her after work.”
Denny looked over at me. I couldn’t stand straight, and I wobbled a bit . . . which made me laugh. “I don’t think she can wait that long, Jenny.”
Not wanting her to worry, I tossed my arms around her and told her I loved her. She seemed even more worried as I left.
Denny helped me to the Chevelle with a hand on my back. The band was still playing as I dug in my bag for the keys. I felt a little bad that I was missing the end of my going-away bash, and a part of me still wanted to be dancing—but my head was starting to spin. Eyes half-closed, I handed Denny my keys. As he opened the passenger door and helped me sit down, I asked, “What about your car?”
He buckled me in with a smirk on his face. “Don’t worry about it right now. I’ll get it later. What matters is getting you home safe.”
He closed my door then walked around the back to the driver’s side. Again, grief washed through me. Why was he so nice to me? I’d done horrible, horrible things to him. I was a horrible, horrible person. Did he really feel so strongly for me that he could look past all of my flaws . . . and still love me?
As he sat down beside me, I immediately asked him just that. “Are you still in love with me? Is that why you’re taking care of me?”
Denny’s fingers paused on the way to the ignition. He looked over at me, blankness in his eyes. “I don’t know how to answer that, Kiera. And I really don’t think I should right now.” He shook his head and started the car.
I put my hand on his arm, not understanding. “Why?” My world started to tilt, and I exhaled in a long, slow breath.
Denny’s eyes studied me for a second before he backed the muscle car out if its space. “Because you’re wasted, and I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”
Removing my hand, I ran it back through my hair, undoing my hasty ponytail. “I have no ideas . . .” I murmured, closing my eyes.
I heard Denny sigh, and thought I heard him say, “Yeah, I know you don’t.”
Denny called Abby on the drive home. His face lit up as he talked to her. From the half of the conversation that I could hear, she didn’t seem worried about Denny being with me. He told her that I’d had too much at the bar and he was taking me home. I wasn’t sure what her reply was, but he laughed, and his eyes were clear and untroubled. Even though I was starting to feel a little queasy, seeing him happy made me happy.
The longer I sat still, the worse I felt. By the time Denny stopped the car, my stomach was churning. Feeling flushed and disgusting, I whimpered and leaned my head against the window. Denny shot me a concerned glance. “You okay?”
I shook my head and slapped my hand over my mouth. No, I was definitely not okay. Denny cursed and quickly exited the car. He sprinted back for me and helped me get out and stand up. My stomach lurched when I moved. “Denny,” I murmured, “I don’t feel good.”