I felt myself slumping into the shoulder next to me. I blinked and looked around. Most everyone had already left from dinner. Julian was gently pulling me up from the table. I felt myself making a dumb grin."The dinner"s over?"
"Mm."
I stood up on wobbling legs. I couldn"t stand upright very well, but I felt a strong arm catch me. He lifted me into his arms and began carrying me from the dining room. I let out a giggle.
"I"m like a bride."
I felt him let out a chuckle. "You"re a very drunk bride."
I hugged him tightly around his neck. "You"re not mad at me?"
"Why would I be mad at you?"
"For letting Eric touch me," I mumbled into his shoulder.
"No, I"m mad at him for touching you."
I gave Julian another stupid grin. "You"re jealous."
"Could be." He answered as if he were talking to a child. I hugged his neck tighter.
"I"m sorry I"m drunk."
"Mm."
When we reached my room, he helped me unlock the door with my key and made sure I was safe in bed before leaving.
I woke up to a knock on the door. I tumbled from my bed, still fully dressed from dinner and made my way to the entrance. Mia was standing there in the doorway.
"Mia?"
"Oh my G.o.d, sorry, were you asleep?"
"I was just resting." I shook my head to alleviate her guilt.
"I just wanted to invite you to the hot tubs. A bunch of other girls staying here invited me and asked me to bring any friends I had."
I wasn"t sure I wanted to get in hot water, but I knew fresh air would help me feel better so I agreed. I told Mia I"d meet her down there and went to change. I headed towards the hotel pool. I could hear girls" voices outside happily chatting. I wasn"t as good at socializing as Mia, but I knew it"d make her happy to have me there.
Mia came inside from the pool just as I was about to head outside.
"Oh Alice! I was just about to go get drinks, but do you mind getting them?" Mia was wrapped in a towel, but I could see water dripping from her wet swimsuit onto the hotel floor. She gave me an embarra.s.sed smile.
"Don"t worry about it. Just give me the list."
Mia sighed in relief and handed me some money with a list of sodas. She pointed around the corner. "The vending machine is just down that way."
I nodded and turned around towards the vending machines. Mia probably knew I would be coming any second and wanted to give me an ice breaker with the other girls. If I brought them the drinks, I could introduce myself and give everyone something they"d wanted. I was grateful she was there to look out for me.
I arrived at the vending machine and stopped to listen to the ocean outside for a moment. The girls had been so loud in the other hall I hadn"t been able to hear it, but now I felt it relaxing me. I looked at the list and slowly began getting the drinks one by one.
"Alice?"
I turned to see Eric coming down the hall towards me. "Hi Eric."
He walked up to the vending machine and I could smell the alcohol coming off him. He must have gone to a bar after dinner and was just getting back.
"Whatcha doin"?"
"I"m just getting drinks for everyone."
"Dressed like that?"
Eric"s eyes moved from my face down to my short cover up. My swimsuit straps could easily be seen beneath it. I felt myself backing up a step from his gaze. He walked two steps towards me and I felt my back hit the wall.
"E-Eric?"
He didn"t reply, just stared down at me. "Julian"s fiance, huh?"
The next thing I knew, Eric was crushing me against the wall and his lips were covering mine. He kissed me in a sloppy, drunk way and I felt myself choking from the stench of alcohol coming from his breath. I shoved at his shoulders desperately, trying to get him off me.
I saw a flash go off in the corner of my eye, but I wasn"t sure what it was. Was that a flashlight? Eric continued to push himself on me and I thought I might die from not breathing. The alcohol I"d had earlier hadn"t worn off entirely, so my brain felt sluggish. In a desperate attempt to get away, I kicked hard into Eric"s shin. My foot connected painfully and I heard Eric grunt. He backed away enough for me to dart down the hallway, towards the hotel lobby.
I limped into the bright lights. Thankfully there were people around, enough that if Eric caught up, he wouldn"t be able to a.s.sault me without being stopped by others. I pushed the elevator b.u.t.ton to head back to my room. I needed to scrub his kiss off my lips as soon as possible.