Chapter 7

Chapter 7

She woke up with a bad hangover. Running her tongue over the front of her teeth, she grimaced as she felt the forest that had formed there. Sitting up slowly, she winced as the world spun around her. She opened the door and walked down the hallway, hoping that she wouldn't vomit on the floor along the way. She whimpered when she caught a whiff of the coffee being made. She zombied her way to the cabinet and grabbed two clean glasses out, filling one with water and one with coffee. Grabbing the water and three ibuprofen, she took the medicine down in one gulp and then turned to the coffee like it was her lifeblood. She heard a chuckle behind her.

She turned to see her laughing at her. There was paint on her clothes and face. Her hair was up in a sloppy bun on the top of her head.

"What are you laughing at? You got paint everywhere again. I hope you didn't get it anywhere but your studio, paint-nerd."

Sarah had to start somewhere, re-building there already falling apart friendship. Light teasing was a start and she'd do anything to keep Liz's friendship.

"I'm laughing at you and your tiger-blood act. You aren't Charlie Sheen and you are not a wizard nor bi-winning."

The mention of the prefix had Sarah pausing a little, she saw that Elizabeth had noticed it and silently cursed herself. The last thing she wanted Liz to think was that she was homophobic.

"Yeah well I took some meds and drank my 'life-blood' so I should be good to go after another cup."

Liz smiled back at her, tentatively.

"I just came out to grab some more coffee. I want to clean my coffee-maker out before I use it again. I ate breakfast already, I didn't leave leftovers because I didn't know when you'd be awake."

Sarah founder herself nodding her head and then following Liz as she walked towards her and paused. She tilted her head in question at her before she realized that she had walked over to get more coffee like she said. She moved over and let her pass and managed to inhale some of Elizabeth's smell.

It was a mix of paint; oil and acrylic, coffee, and her soap. A nice berry scent. She inwardly sighed.

Liz walked back to the entrance of the hallway and stopped to turn back. She stared at Sarah before she smiled a little at her.

"You look like shit, Sarah. Go take a shower."

She started walking down the hallway and, before she walked back into her studio, yelled back at her.

"In case you were too drunk to remember, I apologized for snapping at you last night and you accepted."

The door shut behind her before she could hear what Sarah whispered, caught in the silent air-conditioned room.

"I remember everything."

The music was loud and the bass thumping. She could feel it down to her toes, rattling her entire body. Granted that the company was pleasant and fun, she could only bear to be there another half hour. Liz glanced at her wrist and saw that it was only 12:30. In her world that was early, but to her personally it was late and she wanted to go to sleep. She didn't get any the night before. Liz couldn't sleep and decided to take her emotional and sexual frustration out on painting. Another painting was almost done, making a second one seemed easier this time around.

She took a sip of her drink, which she carried around with her everywhere to avoid the Date-Rape Drug. She'd been doing that ever since her freshman year when someone in her dorm had that happen to her. Liz involuntarily shuddered. She looked up and met Benji's eyes with her own and he questioningly looked at her and smiled reassuringly at him.

Liz even invited Charles to come out with them and he did, to her surprise. She even explained to him that they were going to a gay bar and he sounded even more enthused with the idea than before, making her question what his motives were. It didn't take her long to see that Benji and Charlie hit it off, which was a surprise to her, but apparently not to Benji. He was like a freaking hound when he scented to new blood.

Benji and Charlie were dancing in front of her and she could already tell, from past conversations with Benji that she didn't want, who was in charge. Benji had his thigh in-between Charlie's and grinded against him with subtlety.

Now Elizabeth danced near them and by herself. She probably looked ridiculous but she didn't care at this point. She'd had a couple of drinks and at this point felt good. Loose and open. Apparently she still looked a little bit uncomfortable with her surroundings because no one had yet to approach her. Even Benji noticed and tried to jerk in to a dance but she quickly jerked back with a no. She held up her almost empty drink and wiggled it for emphasis, indicating she was going to grab another one. She pushed her way through the crowd on the dance floor and walked up to the bar, noting that there was only one place empty to get the bartender's attention.

As soon as she saw it, however, someone took that spot. So she waited, biding her time, not exactly anxious to join Benji and Charlie back on the dance floor. Someone tapped her shoulder and she turned to see a woman with short hair, baggy jeans and several piercings in her ears.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

She thought to herself, what could it hurt?

Thirty minutes later she figured out that the woman was just trying to get her drunk and take her home to make a night of it. She adamantly told her no and she finally got it in her head. The woman walked away with an angry look on her face and Elizabeth feeling like a failure. She turned on her stool back to the bar and signaled the bartender.

The bartender got to her ten minutes later and she smiled at Liz.

"What'll it be?"

Liz thought about it, deciding what to drink after all the different kinds of booze she'd had tonight.

"I think a rum and coke. Well rum will do."

The bartender smiled back at her and fixed her a drink. She slid across the bar and when Liz reached for her purse the bartender held her hand up.

"On the house sweetie. You look like someone kicked your puppy."

Liz found her smiling.

"Do I really?"

The blonde smirked at her. She subconsciously pulled at her tank top to make it cover her belly more.

"Yeah you do."

"Must be all the alcohol and lack of people hitting on me tonight."

The bartender laughed at her. Her laugh full and loud.

"Honey, I can tell you that that is not the case. You are intimidating. Since you've been over here at the bar plenty of people have looked you over and drooled."

"I'm intimidating?"

She laughed again.

"Figures that's all you'd get. And yes, you're pretty and have more class in your little finger than this place deserves."

Liz thought about it and smiled. She reached her hand out to shake the bartender's.

"I'm Elizabeth."

She wiped her hands on the towel hanging from her belt loop and shook her hand.

"I'm Miki."

"It's nice to meet you Miki."

"It's nice to meet you but I have to go fix some more drinks for some thirsty people. I hope your night gets better, sweetie."

And just like that, the only interesting flirting that happened was done and gone. She grabbed her drink and went looking for Benji and Charlie. She quickly found them making out with one another which, now, wasn't all too surprising. She walked up to them and poked their shoulders. They turned at the same time and looked down at her and blushed.

"Awww you guys are so cute! I'm buzzed and after this drink I'll be drunk. I also would like to go home soon."

They made protests of her leaving but she could tell all they really wanted was to by themselves. She smiled at the them and shook her head. She downed her drink in a couple of gulps. Their eyes widened.

"We were just about to leave anyway, Liz. We'll take you home-"

She shook her head adamantly.

"No. No way am I going to sit in the back seat and have to watch you guys make googly eyes at each other. I'll call a taxi, okay? I might not even have to call one. They're all probably waiting outside."

Benji nodded his head and Charlie still looked really concerned.

"We'll walk you out."

Elizabeth made some protest but it was ignored and the saw her to a taxi after they got stamped to be let back in. She got in the taxi and Benji gave the driver her address. He turned to smile at Liz and winked at her.

"Thanks Liz."

She giggled softly.

"No problem Benjamin. You both deserve to be happy, even if it might end in just one night. Be gentle, 'kay?"

He nodded his head and then closed the door, tapping the taxi on the roof to signal for the go ahead. The taxi took off and, in what seemed like minutes, took her home. She got out and paid the driver. She walked up the many stairs to her apartment, fumbling with her keys and finally unlocked the door, only to see Sarah standing their in the doorway. She looked concerned. Maybe Liz really didn't unlock the door.

"Are you okay Liz?"

She nodded her head and moved inside the apartment. She kicked her heels off randomly in the living room and sat down on the sofa. Her hands folded in her lap as she nodded again.

"Liz, how much did you drink?"

She shrugged.

"Benji called me to let me know you were on your way. I can't believe he left you alone in a cab."

This time Elizabeth looked up and stared into the eyes of her best friend.

"He sent me home because he and Charlie really hit it off."

Sarah paused.

"Charlie? The guy that you had that date with? I didn't know he was gay."

Liz laughed.

"Neither did I but it happened. They got each other and what do I get? I got drunk and will probably have a hangover tomorrow. And no one. I have no one."

Sarah moved closer and gripped her hands.

"You have me, Liz."

Elizabeth laughed bitterly.

"Yeah but that's the thing, Sarah. I don't really have you the way I want, do I?"

Sarah inhaled sharply.

"You don't want me Liz. I'm bad news."

"I've know you for years, Sarah. How can you be bad news?"

"I can't do relationships. I'm horrible at them. You know that I hurt people. I can't stand to hurt you."

Liz laughed again.

"That's a shit reason, Sarah. Tell me that you aren't attracted to me and I'll leave you the hell alone."

Elizabeth looked into her eyes. Sarah stared back and swallowed. She looked away.

"I'm not attracted to you, Liz. This can't happen."

Liz sighed and stood up, looking down at her.

"There's another reason you aren't telling me, but at this point I'm too freaking tired to give a crap. I'll be in my room with the door locked. Only knock if there's a fire."

Elizabeth walked away towards her room and, through her drunken haze that was slowly fading, she thought she heard a sob behind her.

(A/N: *unedited*)