Chapter 19: Will You Stay?

My drink spilled a little while we danced, and I took it upon myself to finish it before I made more of a mess on the dance floor. A giggle escaped as the guy's hands moved my hips to the beat. I kept myself facing the DJ, and threw my arms in the air. My body swayed back and forth with grace. I didn't have a care in the world, and I wanted to soak it all up before I woke tomorrow. I knew my ears would be ringing, and there wasn't a doubt in my mind that my stomach would be worse.

Shaking those thoughts away, I kept dancing, my body was glistening from sweat, and the music was flowing through my veins in such a melodious way. There's no way I wanted to stop anytime soon. That is, until I felt mystery guy's hands torn from my waist.

I turned around, a second rush of the nectar blossomed in me, and I was glaring at Coop with all that I had in me.

"What the fuck?" I yelled at him over the music. He didn't hear me, however, because his fist was repeatedly pummeling into my dance partner's face. I only stood frozen in utter shock.

Guilt finally made its way into my bloodstream, replacing the harmonious rhythm. It wasn't long before Trey had pulled him off and up the stairs. I looked down to see that the poor guy was still on the floor, and his friends were trying to gather him in their arms.

The sight sobered me up, and a million pairs of eyes fell on me. I couldn't handle the crowd anymore, and I couldn't handle the nectar anymore. I rushed past a few straggling drunk bodies, and found my way into a bathroom in the hall.

Thankfully it was empty, because I threw the door open and lodged my head into the toilet, spilling the contents of my stomach.

I remained fishbowled until my guts were empty. It felt as if a century passed, until I felt a large hand massage my back, while another gathered all of my hair behind my head. My arms hung around the side of the toilet, and I kept my head inside. I didn't want to know who it was, and my body was beginning to feel the full after-effect of the nectar.

The liquid was technically poison for a nymph. It was a give and take from the gods. Nectar gave nymphs the most euphoric feeling, and in return, after sobering up, they would feel the most dreadful hangover, the more you drank, the worse you felt. The difference is with alcohol, it has a time frame. Tricky. Fucking. Gods.

I stayed frozen for a few moments before the hand stopped massaging my back. I released a small, exhausted moan, and flushed the toilet, bringing my head up.

I took my time trying to stand, but apparently I was too slow, and the person scooped me up in their arms and brought me out of the bathroom. I kept my head buried in their muscular chest, not ready to find out who they were. They took me into an empty room, and immediately fear spiked in my chest. I leapt out of their arms, and tried to run towards the door. I was caught around the waist almost immediately, and I started flailing in their arms.

"Hey, shh, relax, Oakley, It's Coop." When I heard his voice, I froze instantly. I turned around in his arms and met his beautiful, chocolate eyes.

"It's me." He said again, placing his hand on my cheek. I slowly took his hand off my cheek, and I felt the rage bubble up again. Narrowing my eyes at him, I shoved at his chest.

"What was that Coop!" I yelled to him, shoving him further into the room. "We were dancing, what the fuck is so wrong with that?" I threw my arms up in the air and distanced myself from him.

I kept my hard stare on him, and he only lowered his eyes to the ground. A few moments later he snapped his eyes up to meet mine.

"I'm sorry, Oakley, I don't know, maybe because you were drunk out of your mind, and he wanted to fuck you!" His voice shook my eardrums, and I covered my ears instantly.

At my whimper, he immediately lowered his voice. I backed away from him to give me some space, and I heard a low growl rumble in his chest, bubbling out of his throat. I opened my mouth in shock, and he glared at me, eyes shading pink.

"He slipped something in the nectar, Oakley. He was going to take advantage of you, we may not be friends anymore, according to you, but I'm not gonna let that happen to you. No matter who you are to me." I have to admit, my heart warmed at his words, but the pain in my ears was getting to be too much.

I wanted to reply, but the pain was blocking my vocal cords, so I just nodded and crumbled to the floor.

"Oakley? Hey, are you okay?"

His voice was panicked and far away, too far away. I needed to sleep this off and fast. I wouldn't be able to handle this pain much longer.

I felt him pull me up and into his arms, and place me on the bed gently. I didn't put up a fight when he covered me in the blankets, I just snuggled further into the bed, and closed my eyes, desperately trying to block out the pain. I felt him move away from the bed, and I whimpered in pain. There wasn't much else I could do when I felt like this, and Cooper was instantly by my side again, pushing the hair off my forehead, and placing the back of his hand against it.

"Hey, little nymph just get some sleep for me please?" He spoke as he rubbed the top of my head. His voice was soft, and calming. I don't know what I was thinking but the only words that I could form came out of my mouth.

"Stay with me, please?" A soft plea, one that he obeyed.