What you wish for

CHAPTER 6

ALICE

Disconnecting the call, I vaguely recall who I was on the phone with. Jake called and he seemed concerned. Don't know why. I was just in my apartment. Which he didn't know where it was. Another twirl and a skip of a song I danced around my apartment, not giving a darn if somebody thought my singing was off-key. I opened my apartment door and danced outside, intending to find somebody to dance with. "Alice?" I stopped in my tracks as the flowing dress swooshed around my legs. I gave a small wave and giggled. "Hey Jekyll, whatcha doing here?" He took a step in my direction and before I knew it I was no longer on the ground but over his shoulder. "What are you doing?! Put me down you oversized rabbit!" I yelled at him trying not to throw up as he walked us back into my apartment. He placed me down somewhere soft and gave me a stern look. "Stay here" He walked out of the room and instead of listening to him, I followed behind. I saw him bend down and heard him cuss. "Whaz da matta? Lost your head?" I asked swaying and stumbling to find a place to not fall. My head was spinning and I really needed to go to the bathroom. "No, But you surely did. A whole bottle of Jack?" I giggled again and felt nausea take over. I practically ran for my bathroom. But before I could register what was happening, I blacked out.

I woke up the next morning with a splitting headache, naked and in my bed. Smelling food, I sat up abruptly. Sinking back with a groan I placed my arm over my eyes. "What happened" I felt a presence in my door and turned my head so I could see who it was. Shit...Jake...Now I remember. "You got drunk on a whole bottle of Jack Daniels. If you were mine, there would be a spanking in your future" He told me. I sat up first not covering myself, realizing I was completely naked I grabbed my sheets and covered my nakedness. I blushed and Jake just laughed. "If you were wondering. I wasn't the one to undress you. You did that all on your own when you went and threw up. It's miraculous that you didn't mess everywhere" I pulled a face. "Ugh. How did you even find me?" He gave me a shrug, the kitchen towel on his shoulder sliding a bit. He took it in his hands and in my mind saw him tie it around my wrists and kissing me senseless. I shook my head, the headache again pounding. Two days in a row. I really need to start looking after myself. "Let's just say, I have my contacts and leave it at that. Go take a shower, breakfast is almost ready." Confused I tightened the covers around me. He walked to me and kissed me on the head. "Go on now, we will talk when you're cleaned up. He walked out of the room and closed the door just a bit. I looked down at my floor, glad that even in my drunken state I knew how to keep a cleanroom. My bathroom was a little bit of a different story. As I stood in my bathroom door, after a bit of a struggle to get up. And blinked hoping the mess around my washing basket would just magically disappear. Okay, that really wasn't like me. I picked up the clothing, placed them in the basket all the while the headache pounded my skull in. "Never again" I mumbled.

After a very amazing shower, I walked back into my room and got out a pair of ripped jeans and my INK shirt. I got dressed and used the towel I had around me to dry my hair. A knock at my room door, had me turn my head. Jake leaned in the door frame and for the first time, I could see what he was wearing. A pair of what looked like wrangler jeans, and a plain silver shirt that hugged his muscled arms. I could also see the tattoo's on his arms. He held out the glass to me. "What is that?" I asked walking to him looking at the brown liquid. "Poison" He said straight-faced. My eyes widened. He laughed. "It's ginger ale, Alice. Please drink" I took the glass from him and sniffed the liquid. I hated ginger ale. Never drank the stuff. I took a small sip, made an audible shiver of distaste before drinking the rest. "Good girl, now come on breakfast is ready" I had to stop for a moment to register what he just said and it made me smile shyly. I followed him into the kitchen barefoot and my mouth hanging open the moment I saw the food on the table. Crackers, honey, a jar of pickles, eggs, toast, and sausage. The room was filled with delightful smells as I stood at the edge of the table just looking. "Everything to cure a hangover," Jake told me proudly. "This looks amazing" He pulled out one of the chairs and I sat down thanking him. He took a seat on the other side of me and took a plate and dished a few things. He held the plate out for me. At first, I tilted my head wondering exactly why he did that. I took the plate and looked down embarrassed. "Why did you do it?" he asked as he filled his own plate grabbing the honey from the middle. I took a small bite from a cracker and then another sip of the ginger ale. I started feeling a little better as I took another bite. "Get drunk?" I asked looking up at him as he drizzled the honey over everything. Strange I have never seen a man who ate this much honey in my entire life. He nodded as he started eating. Even his eating looked elegant. "I don't really have a reason unless you count trying not to feel like a zombie after a panic attack." He gave me a confused look before he sipped some juice he poured into a glass. "Been doing this since you got your first panic attack?" I shook my head. "Only after....uh Henry" Something shifted in the room. "What exactly did he do to you?" his words were chosen carefully as his eyes scanned me. "Eat Alice" I looked down at the pickle I had picked up before he asked the question. I blinked. "Right" crunch. "I stood up for myself and got what he thought I deserved" Narrowed eyes Jake drank more juice. I didn't want to tell him. But he saved me from doing something completely stupid. "It was about a year and a half ago. Henry called me to visit him at his job. Before that thinking back he always made comments about my size and how I would look more beautiful if I lost weight." crunch nom. I tried to distract myself from crying about the thought.

"Let's just say I actually thought he was going to break up with me. But when he-" another crunch. My eyes lowered again and looked at the plate of food remembering how long it actually took me to eat again after that. "You don't have to tell me" Jake's voice sounded hurt. I closed my eyes and shook my head. "Let me... Please" I looked back up and took another pickle from the jar. I'm a nervous eater. Don't judge. "Let's just say he did break up with me. Gave me an option and I just laughed him out and spat at him. A blow job to convince me that he needed to give me a second chance" That took Jake a second to register.

"I knew what was coming" I Continued after he didn't say a word "He was screwing another girl anyways. But he threatened to tell my company about my extra income... I had to stand my ground. He thought I would sit down and just do as told" "What happened exactly?" He asked almost angry. "Let's just say, I'm glad to be alive and not in the hospital." Jake didn't ask anything further, but I could tell he was pissed. "Jake.... it's fine" He shook his head. "No, it's not. He abused you" I blinked and nodded. "He will pay for what he has done" Jake sounded determined. I have never had somebody who wanted to stand up for me. Defend me. Lena normally did, but then she would hug me and tell me screw em all."Does it make sense now?" I asked him, the pickle now completely forgotten, waiting to see if he was going to change his perspective of me, and walk out the door to never return.