When Hottie Met Junkie - Adam Woods, Ishita Garg (best beach reads of all time TXT) 📗

her eyes filled with curiousness. Lauren was staring at her lap, knowing it was hard for me to share all this.

“I don’t really remember anything about the accident, which, you know, sucks a lot, because I would like to know what my head was bashed into,” and lowering my voice I added, “and how my add ended this way.”

Lauren, sitting the closest to me, gave me a sympathetic smile, encouraging me to go on.

“The last thing I remembered when I woke up in the hospital with my head all bandaged up and my right leg plastered, hanging off a harness that was attached to the ceiling of the room I was lying in is slipping on the floor of my own room and passing out at the night after my 16th birthday party. It felt like the minor fall had caused me so many injuries.  Then the nurses informed me that it wasn’t just a slip that had caused me to lie in the hospital bed but it was a major accident instead. I discovered that my father was hurt too. Looking at him, a few images rushed to my paralyzed brain. The memories of the accident. They are still hazy in my brain, but they are there.”

My voice became thick with emotions, and I cleared my throat, preparing to speak again.

“You can tell us, C,” Chloe said, waiting for me to continue.

I nodded. “I remember insisting him to take me shopping on a stormy night, the night of the accident. He had reluctantly agreed. And I remember how he wasn’t wearing a seat belt. He never really liked seat belts, used to say they squeeze his belly,” I smiled weakly at the thought, tears stinging my eyes. “Maybe if I hadn’t asked him to take me shopping, he wouldn’t have ended this way. Or maybe if I had forced him to wear a seat belt, he would have been all right. These instances that I remember only give me one conclusion- I am the reason my father is in coma. I blame myself.” Now the tears had started to roll down my cheeks.

“How can you even think like that, Christine?” Jane asked, horrified. “Of course you are not the one responsible for your father’s condition.”

Lauren gave me a tight hug, Jane and Chloe joined.

“She’s right, C. Of course it’s not your fault. You don’t have anything to feel guilty about.”

I shrugged lightly. Chloe nodded, agreeing with Lauren.

“We totally understand what you are feeling, really,” Chloe said.

“You won’t really get anything but pain from feeling guilty, Christine.” Lauren added.

I nodded, roughly wiping away my tears with the back of my hand.

“Now tell us about the memory loss, every detail. What all do you remember?” Chloe asked.

“Oh, no. Not so fast, girl,” I said to her. “You promised to tell me how I ended up with the dumbass but really cute Matt.”

The three of them giggled.

“Do you remember how you accidently slept with Matt after the homecoming party where he had asked you to accompany him as his date? You both were drunk and he took you home. His parents were out of town and there you lost it. You told us about it and how it was a huge mistake.” Lauren said.

I widened my eyes.”Tell me you are kidding.” I said.

They started giggling again.

“Look who’s a dumbass now.” Lauren said, giggling.

I hit Lauren on the shoulder.

“Ow,” she screamed, hitting me back.

I exhaled, “Thank God. I almost believed that.”

“Actually, half of it is true. He did ask you for the Homecoming party. And you did say yes,” Jane said, as a matter-of-factly.

“And why would I do that?” I asked, still not able to remember any of what they were saying.

“Ramona. Who else? You know she has always been trying to impress Matt. She’s all gaga for him. She can even flash for him if that would make him hers,” Lauren told me, not a hint of joke in her voice.

“So Ramona challenged me that he would ask her out instead of me?” I asked.

They nodded.

“And of course, I won,” I said, smirking slightly.

They rolled their eyes this time.

“And now Matt thinks we are a couple even though I have no feelings for him whatsoever?” I asked again.

They nodded, again. There was a funny smile on Chloe’s face that I couldn’t decipher, so I ignored it.

“Well now it makes sense,” I said, “I really thought I had bashed my head into something before the accident too to end up going out with that jock.”

Jane frowned slightly, “He’s not that bad.”

I looked at Lauren with my eyebrows raised, and she had the same expression.

“Oh, don’t take me wrong, I don’t have a crush on him or anything. But it’s true,” Jane added, looking bewildered. It seemed like she had seen me and Lauren exchange glances after her confusing statement.

“If you say so,” Chloe said, nodding slowly, clearly not believing her.

“Okay, now guys, fill me in. What hot happened while I was away? Or the things that happened with me but my brains don’t remember it?”

“First you have to tell us what all you remember, sweetheart,” Lauren said sweetly.

 “Oh, I just told you. Almost the whole of last year is completely washed off my brains,” I replied, shrugging.

“There’s one more thing you should know,” Jane added, “while you were gone, Ramona grabbed her chance and, well, figuratively, swept Matt off his feet, if you know what I mean.”

“And Matt got swept?” I asked, surprised.

“Yes, you know how he wouldn’t miss a chance to hook up,” Lauren said, making a face.

“Hmm, I see,” I said, thoughtfully. “Well, that’s good. This gives me a reason to break up with him without actually breaking his heart. Anyways, you guys want something to eat first?”

“Sure,” Jane said. “I’ll come with you.”

Jane followed me to the kitchen and we took some cans of soft drinks from the fridge, cookies, and chocolate ice-cream, of course. Our meetings are incomplete without ice-creams. There were some potato chips stacked in the cupboard somewhere and I grabbed them too. Jane and I got up to my room with our hands full of food, and we both piled them on my bed.

“Chocolate-chip ice cream, yumm,” Lauren said, licking her lips and grabbing a spoon.

“Ice-cream? Don’t you know I have to lose these five pounds before prom,” Chloe said, frowning.

“Honey, chill. A little ice-cream wouldn’t make you fat,” I said to her, patting her shoulder.

She shrugged, picked up a spoon and dove in the tub.

We gossiped all day long and forgot all about the loads of homework we had to do. And after a long time, I enjoyed to my fullest. There were just so many things I had missed and didn’t remember and not a flicker of memory reminding me of the moments.

But then, spending some quality time with my friends, gave me a hope that everything might just be all right again.

 

Chapter 5

I entered the Biology lab with my Hilfiger bag hanging on one shoulder. I was the first one to come. My pink canvas shoes made noise as I walked into the silent room and took my seat behind the black marble counter on the wooden stool. The stool beside me was empty. My lab partner, unfortunately Matt, hadn’t arrived yet. I took out the text book and started flipping through the pages. I heard the lab door open and looked up. Students were starting to enter the lab, waving to me and exchanging greetings. I saw Chloe come in, smoothing the hem of her black Kate Spade pleated skirt. She looked at me, waved and took a seat on the counter behind me. I turned in my seat to face her.

“Hey,” I said. “What’s up?”

Her cheeks were flushed.

 Another flirting session with Brandon, for sure.

“Hey,” she replied back, sounding excited. “You won’t believe what just happened...”

I opened my mouth to speak but she did not give me a chance to do so.

“Brandon just asked me out! We are going out on our first date this Saturday night. And we are going to the Hamptons, you know the new Italian restaurant that has just opened at 26th Avenue? It’s so amazing!”

I sat back in my seat, leaning on the black counter and stifled a yawn. Chloe had started to yap about her new boyfriend.

“3 more days, oh my god, I can’t wait...” she continued, and I was trying to tune her out.

Yea, Chloe, you’re cute, I know. But do you really have to tell me all about what your admirers do for you? Or what all plans you have with your new found love? I am not interested, really, I wanted to say to her.

I oooed and aahed all through the conversation. I hate to say it but I kind of envy her. It’s so easy for her to be happy. Guys can easily make satisfy her and I would love that too.

“Hello, Christine,” I heard Ramona say, breaking the train of my thoughts. She took a seat on the empty wooden stool kept next to me. I saw Chloe shut up just as she arrived.

I blinked at her. “Hi,” I said in a confused voice, not sure why she was bothering me.

“How are you?” She asked, giving me a forced smile, flashing her marble-white set of teeth.

“Great, why?” I asked her suspiciously.

“Oh, I am just asking as a caring friend. It must have been traumatic for you after that accident.”

“Yeah, it was,” I replied to her, stiffening at the reminder.

She put her hand on mine. “I just wanted to tell you that if you need anything, and I mean anything, I am here for you,” she said, in a voice dripping with fake sweetness.

My eyes instinctively widened a little, hearing Ramona say such things.

“OK......” I said, not really sure what to say to her.

“I get what you are going through, you know,” she said sympathetically, putting a hand where her heart would be, that is, if she has one.

“Alright...” I said, still not sure.

“So, I am having this pool party at my place today evening, 5pm. The four of you are invited. Get your swimsuits on and be ready to get wet,” she said to me, her eyes twinkling.

Before I could say anything to her, she smiled at me and walked away with her heels tattering on the polished floor.

Just then Lauren came in and settled where Ramona was just a few seconds ago.

“What was that about?” She asked me wide-eyed.

“I have no idea...”

“Well, I am sure something’s on her mind,” she said suspiciously.

I nodded silently.

“Just be aware, okay? She’s a bitch anyway.” She said.

“She said something about a pool party at her house,” I told her.

“Oh, are we invited?” She asked with a little excitement on her face.

“Yup, the four of us are invited. You want to go?”

“Sure. I would love to go. No matter how much I hate her, I wouldn’t miss any of her parties.” She replied.

“I am sure Chloe and Jane would love to too,” I told her.

“Of course they would. When and where?” She asked me.

“Her place. 5 p.m.” I answered.

“Alright, we’ll be there. I am going to wear that cute pink Orchid bikini of yours. It looks adorable. You will have to wear something else,” she said, dominatingly.

“What pink bikini?,” I