Diving Into You

Chapter Five

Riley

Ugh.

My head.

I was never EVER drinking again. Even the shower hasn’t been enough to clear away the cobwebs that had taken up residence on my head and I was pretty sure someone was hammering against my left temple.

Waking up on my beat-up sofa had been a shock. How the hell had I gotten home? When I couldn’t even remember leaving the bar. In fact, the last thing I remembered clearly was talking to my two best friends. The rest was a blur.

Had I seen Carl last night? Somehow I had a vague memory of running my hands over a rock hard ass.

How embarrassing.

I would definitely have to apologise for that the next time I saw him. But then again maybe I hadn’t actually done it. Maybe it was just a dream. That would make more sense.

And be far less embarrassing.

Popping the two little white pills in my mouth, that I hoped would at least ease the pounding in my brain I turned. My hands working quickly to secure my somewhat untamable hair into a high ponytail.

What a day to be late.

What a day to wake up looking like a zombie, complete with hollowed-out cheeks and bloodshot eyes. I looked like hell and felt even worse and wanted nothing more than to curl up in my bed and just sleep off the alcohol I had foolishly drunk last night. But I couldn’t.

Today was the day. The day I would find out whether I had secured an actual job with World news after years of being a lowly intern.

I needed this job. Wanted it so bad it was hard to think of anything else. It was the culmination of years of school and hard work.

I was just hoping my results spoke for themselves, that they would look past the fact that I wasn’t glamorous and pretty like a lot of their reporters. They needed to see my potential not how grossly hungover I was.

Never drinking again.

Grabbing my purse I swiped my lips with the clear gloss and checked my reflection one last time.

About as good as I was going to get. Couldn’t make myself any better when I was already so late. Rushing down the stairs, my sensible flat shoes clattering I almost lost my balance and red hot coffee sloshed out of my travel mug and down my skirt.

Great. Just great.

Now I was going to be late, hungover and with stained clothes. Way to make a good impression.

”Hello?” I fumbled to bring the blaring phone to my ear as I made my way down the body street as fast as I could, my breath coming in laboured pants as my pace increased.

I was so late.

”Well hello, you are alive then?” Even didn’t sound any different. In fact, she sounded fresh and disgustingly chirpy.

”Yeah just about. Why did you let me drink so much? I feel like someone has a jackhammer in my skull.”

Her laughter was loud, causing me to move the phone from my ear as the sound shot tendrils of agony through my brain. ”What am I your mother? You’re a big girl you should know when you need to stop drinking Riley.”

”Yeah.” I couldn’t argue with her logic. I was an adult. I should be able to stop at just one or two. Unfortunately, I hadn’t managed to master that part of being an adult yet. “Thanks for getting me home though, I honestly can’t even remember leaving the bar.”

Eve’s silence stretched on, my ears filled with nothing but the sound of my own laboured breathing.

“Riley, we didn’t take you home. We looked everywhere for you but you were gone.”

I paused. What did she mean she hadn’t been the one to take me home? If it wasn’t my friends who was it? Who had deposited me on the couch and tucked the comforter around me? Who had placed the glass of water on the table next to me?

“Oh.”

“Oh my god Riley, did you hook up? s**t, oh my god did you hook up with Carl?”

Had I hooked up with Carl? I didn’t think so. I had woken up in the clothes I had been wearing the night before including my sneakers.

Plus I would know if I had been fooling around with someone right?

“Don’t think so, god I hope I didn’t.” What would I do if I had hooked up with some random man and Carl found out? What would he think? Would it ruin any chance I had with him?

Groaning I shook my head. I couldn’t think about that now, I had to focus on the here and now.

I needed this job.

“Only you could get so drunk you don’t know if you got laid or not.”

“I didn’t get laid.” Quickly I lowered my voice as the man next to me swivelled his eyes in my direction. Blushing I carried on. “I didn’t get laid Eve, stop it.

She laughed again.

“Go away Eve, I have to get into the office and I’m already late,”

More laughter. “Go get em Riley and good luck not that you will need it. Ring me later?”

I agreed quickly as I pushed open the heavy glass door and made my way into the foyer, moving purposely towards the bank of elevators.

“Yeah of course.”

“Good luck Riley loves you.” Eve’s sing-song voice echoed down the phone.

“Love you too.” But she had already ended the call, taking a deep breath I hit the button for my floor.

Well, it was now or never.