We Were Never Strangers

CHAPTER 9

ADRIAN

"What the hell—"

Daniel spun around, annoyance already written across his face after someone crashed into his shoulder.

The words died on his lips.

Adrian looked over instinctively.

Isla.

She stood slightly off balance, one hand still clutching an almost empty plastic cup while the other rested against Daniel's shoulder to keep herself upright.

Her cheeks were flushed.

Her eyes looked unfocused.

And judging by the way she blinked slowly at both of them—

she was far more drunk than she should have been.

"Daniel?"

She smiled sleepily.

"There you are..."

Before Daniel could respond, another voice interrupted.

"There she is."

Ryan appeared beside her, looking surprisingly relaxed.

"There you are," he laughed. "I've been looking everywhere."

He slipped naturally beside Isla as if nothing was wrong.

Then looked at Daniel.

"She's fine."

Daniel frowned.

"She doesn't look fine."

Ryan shrugged casually.

"She's just a lightweight."

"How much did she drink?"

Ryan looked away for a second.

"I don't know."

Daniel wasn't buying it.

He looked back at Isla.

"Hey."

She slowly looked up.

"How much have you had?"

Isla stared at him as though the question required advanced mathematics.

"Hmm..."

She looked down at her cup.

Then at her fingers.

She started counting.

"One..."

A pause.

"...maybe two..."

Another pause.

"...or four?"

She frowned deeply.

"No..."

She looked genuinely confused.

"I forgot."

Daniel and Adrian exchanged a brief glance.

Something wasn't right.

Ryan laughed awkwardly.

"See? She's just tipsy."

"No," Daniel replied quietly.

"She's drunk."

Ryan sighed.

"I'll take her."

He reached for Isla.

Daniel immediately stepped in front of him.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

Ryan's smile faltered.

"Dude, relax."

"I'm perfectly relaxed."

"We were talking all evening."

"Talking doesn't mean she's okay."

Ryan folded his arms.

"I've got this."

"No," Daniel answered firmly.

"I think someone else should—"

Before he could finish, Ryan casually slipped an arm around Isla's waist.

The movement was simple.

Almost natural.

Yet something inside Adrian snapped.

Not because Ryan touched her.

Because Isla didn't even react.

She was too intoxicated to notice.

His voice came out colder than he intended.

"Take your hand off."

The conversation stopped instantly.

Ryan slowly turned toward him.

"What?"

"I said..."

Adrian's eyes never left Ryan's hand.

"Move."

Ryan gave a small laugh.

"Relax, man."

"I'm helping her."

Before Adrian could answer—

Isla heard his voice.

Her head turned slowly.

Very slowly.

Confusion filled her expression for a second.

Then recognition bloomed.

Her sleepy eyes brightened.

"Adie..."

Daniel blinked.

Ryan blinked.

Adrian completely froze.

Isla smiled.

A soft, completely genuine smile.

"There you are..."

Without another thought, she stumbled forward.

Straight into Adrian.

She reached both hands up—

and gently squished his cheeks.

"Hiii..."

Her words came out hopelessly slurred.

"Why're you always so grumpy?"

Before Adrian could react—

she wrapped both arms around him.

Resting her forehead against his chest.

Her knees immediately gave way.

Adrian instinctively caught her before she could fall.

One arm around her back.

The other supporting her shoulders.

She let out a tiny satisfied hum.

Then seemed perfectly content staying exactly where she was.

Silence.

Complete silence.

Noah had somehow appeared nearby.

His mouth slowly fell open.

Ethan stared.

Daniel looked completely stunned.

Ryan's expression darkened.

Meanwhile—

Adrian looked up.

His arm remained securely around Isla as he met Ryan's eyes.

The look he gave him was cold enough to freeze the room.

No words were necessary.

The message was perfectly clear.

Ryan stared at Adrian.

Then at Isla.

Then back at Adrian.

A humorless laugh escaped him.

"Seriously?"

Adrian didn't answer.

Ryan folded his arms.

"She's been with me the whole evening."

Adrian's expression didn't change.

"And now she's with me."

Ryan scoffed.

"You don't even know her."

Before Adrian could respond—

Daniel spoke.

"I think she's had enough for tonight."

Ryan looked at him in disbelief.

"You're taking his side?"

"I'm taking hers."

Daniel nodded toward Isla.

"She can barely stand."

Ryan sighed dramatically.

"She's fine."

"No," Daniel replied calmly.

"She's not."

Ryan rubbed a hand over his face.

"You guys are acting like I forced her to drink."

Nobody answered.

The silence was enough.

Ryan looked between the three of them before finally throwing his hands in the air.

"Fine."

He took a step back.

"Do whatever you want."

Then he looked directly at Adrian.

"But don't act like you're some kind of hero."

Adrian's voice remained cold.

"I'm not."

"I just don't leave drunk girls alone."

Ryan held his gaze for another second before shaking his head and disappearing into the crowd.

The moment he was gone—

the atmosphere eased slightly.

Meanwhile—

Isla remained comfortably wrapped around Adrian.

Completely unaware of the argument that had just happened around her.

She frowned slightly.

Then looked up at him.

"So serious..."

Her words came out in a loud whisper.

One she clearly believed nobody else could hear.

"You smile so little..."

Daniel blinked.

Noah immediately covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing.

Ethan looked ready to lose the battle entirely.

Isla poked Adrian's chest lazily.

"You should smile more..."

Another dramatic whisper.

"It makes you prettier."

Silence.

Complete silence.

Noah looked away.

His shoulders were already shaking.

Ethan bit his lip so hard it was almost painful.

Daniel stared at Adrian with an expression somewhere between amusement and sympathy.

Adrian simply ignored all of them.

Or at least—

he tried to.

Instead, he looked around the room.

"Where are her roommates?"

After several minutes of searching, he finally found them.

Chloe was sitting beside Mason on the couch, happily talking but clearly tipsy.

Serena and Olivia were laughing uncontrollably over something neither of them would remember tomorrow.

Maya was enthusiastically trying to convince someone to start karaoke.

None of them looked capable of taking care of Isla.

Adrian sighed.

Of course.

He turned toward Noah and Ethan.

"Get them back to the dorm safely."

Both looked up.

"What?"

"The girls."

He nodded toward Isla's roommates.

"Make sure they all get home."

Ethan straightened immediately.

"Yeah."

Noah nodded too.

"We'll handle it."

Daniel stepped forward.

"I can take Isla."

Adrian looked at him.

"No."

Daniel frowned.

"I don't mind."

"I said no."

The words weren't loud.

But they left no room for discussion.

Daniel studied him for a moment.

Then slowly nodded.

"...Alright."

Without another word, Adrian slipped one arm beneath Isla's knees while supporting her back with the other.

Before anyone could react—

he lifted her into his arms.

Effortlessly.

Isla let out a tiny surprised sound.

Then immediately relaxed again.

She looked up at him with sleepy eyes.

"Oh."

A smile spread across her face.

"I got taller..."

Noah completely lost it.

Ethan had to physically pull him away before he laughed in Adrian's face.

Ignoring them all, Adrian carried Isla outside.

The cool night air hit them instantly.

The campus parking lot was almost empty now.

Only a handful of cars remained.

Halfway to his car—

Isla noticed the silver chain resting around Adrian's neck.

"Ooo..."

She reached for it without hesitation.

Her fingers wrapped gently around the chain.

Turning it back and forth curiously.

"So shiny..."

Adrian glanced down.

"Isla."

"Hmm?"

"Don't."

She ignored him completely.

Still playing with the chain as if it were the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen.

"It's pretty..."

A tiny pause.

"Like you."

Adrian almost stumbled.

She giggled quietly.

Apparently very pleased with herself.

Finally reaching his car, Adrian carefully lowered her into the passenger seat.

She leaned back obediently.

Already half asleep again.

Adrian reached across her to pull the seatbelt into place.

Just as he clicked it—

Isla suddenly leaned forward.

Before he could react—

she pressed a soft kiss against his cheek.

"So sweet..."

She smiled sleepily.

"Thank you for the seatbelt, Adie..."

Time stopped.

Adrian remained exactly where he was.

One hand still resting against the seat.

The other gripping the seatbelt.

His mind completely blank.

Isla looked at him for another second.

Smiled that same soft, innocent smile.

Then her eyes slowly closed.

Within moments—

she had drifted asleep.

Adrian didn't move.

Didn't speak.

He simply stared at her.

Completely stunned by what had just happened.

For several long seconds—

Adrian didn't move.

The warmth of the kiss still lingered on his cheek.

He stared at the sleeping girl in front of him.

Completely speechless.

Then reality slowly returned.

"...Unbelievable."

He leaned back into his seat.

Ran a hand over his face.

And immediately caught himself smiling.

His expression disappeared almost instantly.

"No."

He looked out of the windshield.

Then back at Isla.

Then sighed.

"Absolutely not."

Determined to regain whatever dignity he still had left, Adrian started the engine and drove away.

Unfortunately—

every time he stopped at a red light—

his mind replayed the exact same moment.

"Thank you for the seatbelt, Adie..."

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

This was ridiculous.

By the time he reached Isla's dorm, he had successfully transformed his expression into something between serious...

and mildly constipated.

At least no one would accuse him of smiling.

He parked outside the residence hall and turned toward the passenger seat.

Isla hadn't moved.

One hand still rested beneath her cheek.

Completely peaceful.

For a moment Adrian considered waking her.

"Isla."

No response.

He sighed.

"...Lucky."

Very carefully, he slipped one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back before lifting her out of the car once again.

She instinctively curled closer.

Resting her head against his shoulder.

As though this was the most natural thing in the world.

Adrian walked toward the dorm entrance.

Thankfully, the night security guard recognized Isla and simply nodded, assuming Adrian was helping a drunk student.

A few minutes later—

he stood outside her room.

Finally.

He reached for the handle.

Locked.

"...Seriously?"

Adrian looked down at Isla.

"Isla."

Nothing.

He gently nudged her shoulder.

"Wake up."

A sleepy groan escaped her.

"Hmmm..."

"Your keys."

She frowned.

Then mumbled something completely unintelligible.

"...purple...penguin...don't steal my fries..."

Adrian blinked.

"What?"

She buried her face further into his chest.

"...mine..."

Then wrapped both arms around him tighter.

Completely asleep again.

Adrian stared at the ceiling.

Defeated.

Absolutely defeated.

With one hand still supporting Isla, he pulled out his phone and called Noah.

The call connected almost immediately.

"What?"

"Do you have Isla's purse?"

A pause.

"No."

"Check."

Rustling could be heard.

Then Ethan's voice.

"Nope."

Noah came back.

"Why?"

"Her room's locked."

"Oh."

Another pause.

"We're almost at the girls' dorm."

Just then—

Maya's voice echoed loudly through the speaker.

"Who're you talking to?"

"Adrian."

"What?"

A second later the phone was clearly no longer in Noah's hands.

"Adrian?"

"Yes."

"Is Isla okay?"

"She's asleep."

"Oh."

A pause.

Then—

"The keys are in her purse."

Adrian closed his eyes.

"...That's the problem."

Silence.

Then serena's sleepy voice joined in.

"Wait..."

"My purse is missing too."

"So's mine," Olivia added.

"I think we left them at the party," Serena mumbled.

Another silence.

Noah sighed.

"...Well."

Ethan finished the thought.

"None of you are getting into your rooms tonight."

Maya gasped dramatically.

"We're homeless."

"No," Noah replied.

"You're drunk."

Another few seconds passed before Noah spoke again.

"Just bring Isla back."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"We'll take all of you to our place."

Ethan nodded somewhere in the background.

"Tomorrow morning we'll go back to the football house and collect everyone's purses and keys."

"It'll be easier than waking the entire hostel staff."

Adrian looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms.

Then toward the locked dorm door.

Then sighed.

"...Fine."

He ended the call.

Adjusted Isla carefully in his arms once more.

And carried her back toward the parking lot.

Completely unaware that he had just agreed to spend the night sharing a house with four girls.

Tomorrow was going to be a disaster.