Pick Me Up

Percy had been standing at the full-length mirror in Jo’s bedroom for the past 20 minutes staring at her reflection and pulling at the strapless slinky dress that Jo insisted she had to wear out to Niall and Zayn’s friend’s party. She was beyond uncomfortable, to say the least, because she was showing way too much skin for her liking.

“I don’t know about this…” Percy mumbled, making her uncertainly even more obvious. You could almost feel the stress coming from her voice. All she could do was fidget continuously as she looked at the person looking back at her through the mirror. Her hands kept attempting to stretch the clingy fabric enough to hide the tiny pudge she thought she had, but really didn’t.

“Seriously? Stop freaking out. You look Hot!” said Jo, who was at her vanity perfecting her make up. She had already put on her purple maxi dress she planned on wearing, and it made her look like some Greek goddess, and it left Percy feeling far below average.

“I don’t feel hot.” Percy answered back, mostly to herself, as she finally forced herself to turn away from the mirror. Disappointment seeped through every poor of her body as she realized that this was as good as it was going to get.

“I’m sure Zayn will beg to differ.”

Just the mention of his name made her embarrassingly excited, and she felt her entire body heat up hearing Jo’s words. She hadn’t been able to get Zayn out of her mind since he left earlier. And as much as she hated to admit it, she couldn’t do anything except hope that Jo was right. She thought that if she was able to catch his eye with her outfit, it might not be too difficult to keep the conversation going long enough to spend the entire night with him.

“Ready?” Jo asked while trying to decipher the look on Percy’s face.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

They walked the four blocks from Jo’s to Niall’s in a comfortable silence, but the silence stopped as soon as they turned on to his street. The music was pounding from the inside of Niall’s completely posh house. It had three stories and a ridiculously long driveway that cut through the wide expanse of the front lawn that was decorated with a wide variety of people holding their pints and smoking some questionable things.

Percy drew in a long breath as she looked at the sight laid out in front of her, it was time to party, and that was something she knew how to do best.

Five seconds had barely gone by when she heard her name being called. She turned around and saw Kyle walking towards her followed by Zayn and a blonde haired, blue-eyed young fellow in a tank top and snapback that she decided could be none other than Niall. All three of the boys were clearly inebriated; it was time to get on their level. And as if he was reading her mind, Zayn leaned over and handed her a drink as Jo and Kyle excused themselves from the tight circle, probably to go find a dark corner in a less crowded place.

“Hello gorgeous.” Said Zayn, kissing her on the cheek lightly, making her heart flutter a bit.

“Hiya.” she replied smiling, “This party is insane. So many people…”

“This small gathering of friends?” questioned the blonde boy, before he let his smirk slip through, “Nah, it’s intimate.” His energy was electric. He was the type of person who made you immediately want to have a good time just because he was. “I’m Niall by the way.” He said, confirming your earlier thoughts, and gave her a hug and peck on the cheek. “Zayn, how rude of you. Not introducing me to this lovely girl.”

“Sorry.” Laughed Zayn, “Percy this is Niall, Niall this is Percy…”

“Percy?” asked Niall, his head cocked to the side.

“That’s my name.”

“Is it short for something?”

“Nope. Just Percy.” She said, while downing her first drink.

She hated her name beyond anything else in the world. It was a story in Greek mythology, her mom’s favorite. Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, gets kidnapped by Hades and is dragged to the land of the dead to be his wife. And that is how she got her name. Worst. Parents. Ever.

“I like it, boys names for girls… always a turn on.” Niall said winking at her. She could feel Zayn shift next to her and lightly grab her waist, but his actions went completely unnoticed by Niall. “Looks like your drink is empty already, let me get you another one, yeah?”

“I think I’ve got that covered. Besides, I think Louis and Liam are trying to catch your attention.” Said Zayn, pointing to something going on in the next room over. Niall turned around to see his two friends dancing on the table with a blow up doll.

“Where the hell did they find that? I thought I had all the shit hidden…. Fucking hell.” Niall ran off towards his friends who were now playing keep-away with it and recreating obscene sexual positions with it.

“Now,” Zayn said, bringing her attention back to the two of them, “how about another drink for the prettiest girl here.” He was flirting, and it was working.

“We should probably find her then…” Percy was trying to joke and be coy, but as soon as the words slipped out she was mentally hitting herself, thinking that her attempt at flirting back was failing. But Zayn didn’t seem to mind, and let out a light chuckle.

They started to make their way through the house, weaving through through the sea of people packed inside. When they made it to the bar she was happy to see that the counter was covered impressively with bottles and kegs. Zayn reached around, grabbing a bottle of vodka, a bottle of gin, a few different mixers, and a glass. “So, what’s your poison?” He asked you as he put ice into the glass.

“Put a drink in front of me and I’ll down it.” She said confidently, feeling more confident now as her first drink was already working its way through her bloodstream.

“My kind of girl.” He had a very seductive grin on his face, making his eyes light up as he glanced at her. He finished mixing and handed her the glass. She took it from him and didn’t even bother to smell it before she downed it.

“One more and I think I’ll be just buzzed enough to start dancing.”

“Then lets make you one more.” Said Zayn, smirking to himself.

“Don’t forget, you personally promised to take care of me tonight and make me get to work on time tomorrow, hope you are up for the job.”

“Believe me, I am up for it.” He said while handing her another drink, which she chugged just as fast as the previous one.

“Up for what?” Spoke a very tall young man. Percy took a look at the new stranger and noticed he had a slew of tattoos: some bad, some good. His head was topped with shaggy, almost curly brown hair that was tied back by a damned scarf.

“Harry! Mate, it’s been too long.” Said Zayn, as the tall guy, now known as Harry, gave each other a quick hug. “It’s nice to see you with out your nose in a book or a cup of coffee in hand.”

“Yeah… well, I do have other interests than school and work.” He was avoiding eye contact with the only other person in the room, Percy.

“Like what?” piped up Percy, still not sure about who this guy was. Her memory was getting quite fuzzy.

“Princess? What are you doing here?” he asked, seeming to be completely annoyed with the fact that Percy even spoke in his general direction.

“Princess?” asked Zayn, a look of confusion on his face, making his forehead wrinkle.

“Yeah… her.” He motioned his head towards where Percy wandered to, drinking what was probably her probably 4th drink. He knew she wasn’t even paying attention to either of the boys, too busy being amused by something going on in the next room over. “She comes into the coffee shop almost every morning late for work, and Chase just eats it up. Gives her free coffee, lets her to the front of the line. It’s sickening really.”

“I think she is quite nice.” Zayn said, shrugging off Harry’s comments. From what he saw, Percy was cool. She smoked and partied, and had an ass that won’t quit and a rack that puts all fake boobs to shame. And he was reminded of those things as Percy made her way back into the kitchen with her empty glass held down by her hips.

“ZAYN!”

“Percy!” he yelled back, not as loud, still having a smile on his face. His friend next to him had permanent frown on his face. Kerry or Jerry, she couldn’t remember his name, and didn’t really care to be honest, he didn’t seem like a fun guy. She chose to ignore him and put her attention onto Zayn, who looked super hot with his leather jacket, a smoke behind his ear, a Batman shirt, and tight jeans.

“My drink is empty, and that makes my cup a sad cup. If my cup is sad, I am sad.” She said, ignoring Harry as she stuck out her bottom lip and pouted. “It’s up to you to keep up the happiness of the cup and its owner.”

“A task I am more than willing to take on love.” Again, with that damn smile that lit up his eyes.

“I’ll take that as my cue to leave.” Said Harry, put off by their flirtatious behavior. He helped himself to the bottles on the counter, filling up his cup with straight whiskey and walking away. “Later princess…”

“That is one very grump man… err, boy… person.” Said Percy as she sat on the bar stool in front of the counter.

“Ha... He is just being Harry.” Zayn said as he leaned in close to her, their noses nearly touching as she really looked into his eyes for the first time. She could see every detail; hazel, yellow, and green speckled throughout his irises, the way they were framed by his wonderful long, dark eyelashes; she had a very hard time keeping herself from touching them. “How about we give the drinking a rest and go have a smoke, yeah?”

“You have the best ideas.” The barstool was able to twist all the way around, and it was very amusing to Percy in her drunken bliss.

“Glad you think so.” He stood back up and extended his empty hand for Percy to take, and she did oh so willingly, hopping up and walking with him.

The fresh air and open space of the back yard was a very welcome change compared to the stuffiness felt inside. But it wasn’t long before she started to be effected by the cool autumn breeze. Goosebumps were starting form on her arms and legs, and she gave out an involuntary shutter while they were sitting down on the cold bench.

“You cold babe?” asked Zayn, cigarette in mouth, lighter in hand giving life to the white tip which burned amber and gold as his inhaled his first drag.

“No, m’fine.” Percy slurred her words; maybe she was more drunk than she let on.

“Here” He said, shaking out of the sleeves of his leather coat, taking it off and draping it over her shoulders.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.” He kept giving her that damned smile.

Zayn insisted on sharing a cigarette instead of giving Percy her own, and they passed the fag back and forth between them. She couldn’t help but taste the sweetness of Zayn’s alcohol sodden lips on the butt; it only made her think about actually kissing him.

“Nice out.” He said, staring off into the distance of what was Niall’s back garden.

“S’pose”

“You suppose? What would make it nicer?” He turned his attention away from the length of the lawn and turned it towards her, cocking his head to the side, being genuinely interested in her response.

“There could be a bonfire I guess.” Taking in a drag and letting it out. “Help warm up a bit.”

“There are better ways of getting warm.” She could feel him leaning closer into her. And her heart began beating faster; she could feel the rush of blood coming to her cheeks. Is this really happening?

“Oh really?” Her eyes started to flutter, and instead of responding with words he kissed her. This kiss wasn’t what she expected. It was rushed and needy, not passionate and sweet like she was hoping it would be, but she went with it anyway. His hand reached out and grabbed the back of her neck, pulling her face closer to his and wound his fingers in her hair. He tasted of stale smoke and whiskey sours on her lips as he slipped his tongue into her mouth.

Percy had to catch her breath when they finally broke apart. She put her finger to her lips and tried to etch the burning feeling into her memory.

“That was…” Zayn started.

“Good?”

“Good.”

“Again?”

“Yes.”

“Your place or mine?”

“We are already at mine.” He said with a sly smile.

“Perfect.”

They both got up and made their way upstairs as quickly as they could without looking like complete lunatics, Zayn grabbed a hold of her hand and lead her to his bedroom where the hurried kissing started again. He guided Percy onto the bed after he locked the door. It wasn’t long before their needy hands were grabbing and pulling until their clothes were scattered across the floor, leaving them completely exposed to each other under the light of the dimly lit bedroom. Barely seconds later, the same needy hands were wandering, hungry lips were kissing, and intoxicated eyes were fluttering shut. The two of them stayed in a drunken, sexual haze for the rest of the night, making them very thankful for the loud music coming from the party downstairs, drowning out the noises they were surly making.

No alarm went off the next morning. There was no loud buzzing or roommates running in and out of the room, just the soft light from the early morning sun and the calm and steady breathing of Zayn lying next to Percy. Her eyes began to flicker open, she felt at peace and fully rested. His heavily tattooed arm was casually draped over her naked body, his front to her back. She could feel the warmth of his skin and his head nuzzled into her neck. But instead of her wanting to sink into this feeling for the rest of the day, she just felt awkward, like she had done something wrong.

She was quickly brought out of her thoughts of the night before when she realized what time it was as her eyes focused on the clock hanging over his bedroom door.

“SHIT! Fuck!” she yelled, jumping out of bed, pulling the sheet with her in an attempt to cover herself up.

“Wass th’ matter?” Zayn spoke sleepily, lifting himself up and rubbing his eyes.

“It’s 9:17, ZAYN!” she screamed.

“Okay? What’s tha’ s’posed to mean?” He flopped back down on his pillow, unwilling to wake up at the thought of more sleep.

“I’m late! Late again.” She began to scramble around for her clothes, putting things on as she found them. Silently cursing at herself when she realized her uniform was all the way back at her dorm, over a mile away. “I need to call a cab. Where the bloody hell is my phone?”

“Here, ‘ere” said Zayn, groggily, throwing her phone to her. “I have a car, I’ll take you…”

Zayn threw on a t-shirt and some jogging shorts and they ran down the stairs, out the house, and into the car, driving to Percy’s dorm where she did a speedy quick change, got back in the car, and dropped her off. She waved Zayn off and walked inside Witch Wich, where the time on the login computer was 9:52am. Almost two hours after she was supposed to start her 8:00 shift.

“No phone call. No e-mail. No text message or flare gun…” said Jack, permanent scowl on his face. He walked out from around the counter, shaking his head in sheer disappointment, “20 to 30 minutes is one thing Percy, but two hours? Jesus Christ, I give you so much freedom around her because you are a great worker, but this time is the last time you’re going to cross this line.”

“I know! I’m a total fuck up, I swear… I meant to come in on time today. I even had someone in charge of making sure I got here.” She tried to keep her voice calm as she explained, but it came out more like a plea, begging him to understand.

“I’m really sorry Perce, I hate that I have to do this.” She could tell by the tone in his voice that he was serious. It was really going to happen.

“Please don’t Jack. I need this job more than you know.” She began to shake, tears starting form in the corner of her eyes.

“It doesn’t feel like you do. It’s done Percy, we have to let you go.”

It stung like a slap in the face, hurting more than she could imagine. As much as she disliked her job and having to be up so early, she never thought they would actually let her go. She thought it was always a running joke about her being late, and never thought that they were actually serious about it.

“What am I going to do?” she choked out, trying to keep her tears from coming out. She sat down and put her head in her hands.

“If it makes up for it, it wasn’t my call. It was the owners.”

“That doesn’t help at all.”

“I promise to give you the best recommendation I could give anyone.”

“Fuck.”

“I know.” Jack walked over to her and patted her on the back before taking her work shirt and walking her to the door.

She made it to her dorm a little after 11, feeling completely defeated. Getting fired was definitely not something she was prepared for today. She got undressed, put on her fuzzy bathrobe, grabbed her shower trolley and went into the dorm showers. Where she tried to wash away the stickiness of the night before and the sickening feeling left from earlier in the morning. She stood there under the hot water until her skin was an even red and her fingers became wrinkly, allowing the memories of alcohol, cigarettes, and Zayn to flow down the drain.

“Fuck.” She breathed out.

She had sex with Zayn.

And it was bothering her almost as much as the fact that she had lost her job. It’s not that it wasn’t good or anything… it was actually pretty damn amazing… but there was just something off about the whole situation. She wasn’t prepared for the uneasy awkwardness that she was left with when she woke up this morning.

She was finally able to drag herself out of the showers, step into her robe, and make her way back to her dorm. When she picked up her phone she noticed she had a text from Jo.

From Jo @ 11:27am

Come over after work. Apparently we have a lot to talk about… and by ‘We’, I mean Kyle wants to yell at you for sleeping with Zayn less than a day after you met him. You have been warned.

Percy let out a little snicker when she read it, she knew everyone probably heard what was going on behind the closed door of Zayn’s bedroom, but Percy could hardly be bothered by it, gossip and rumors have never been something that went to her head. So as she got ready to head over to Jo’s, she wasn’t worrying too much about the conversation she was going to be faced with once she walked to her best friend’s house.

She didn’t even knock once she arrived and let herself in, like always, walking into the typical cloud of smoke coming from the living room, where Kyle was sat, playing video games and smoking out of his bong.

“Hiya.” She said, closing the door behind her, taking off her leather jacket and throwing it over the lounge chair. She took an awkward seat next to Kyle. “So, do you have a spare bowl for little ol’ me?” she asked, using her nicest, sweetest voice she could must up, giving a but of a puppy dog eye at her best mates boyfriend.

“You want to smoke? Hell has frozen over hasn’t it…?” joked Kyle, as he paused his game and dug into his pocket for his pill bottle filled with lovely smelling nugs. Percy wasn’t known for her desire to take a few hits every now and then, it definitely wasn’t a habit, but today she needed a little pick me up that she knew she couldn’t find anywhere else.

“You’ve caught me on a very strange day my dear friend.” Percy threw her arms over the top of the couch and leaned back, kicking her feet up on the coffee table. She heard footsteps coming from the hallway. She turned to see Jo walking towards them in her pajama shorts and tank top. Percy smiled at her best friend “Hello, gorgeous”

“Hello doll.” Jo smiled back. “Jack let you off early then? Too hung over to work, I suppose?” She chuckled, heading to the kitchen and opened the fridge door, taking out orange juice, bread, cheese, and eggs.

“Nope. Got myself fired.” Said Percy, nonchalantly. “Personal record, less than two months.” She was watching Kyle as he picked out stems and packed her own tiny bowl. He knew it wouldn’t take much for Percy to get high. She gladly took the bong and lighter from Kyle as he handed them to her. She sighed, took a long hit and cleared the down stem. She held in the smoke as long as she could before coughing it all out.

“Wow. You must be pretty beat up about it if you’re getting high.” Jo was starting to make her after party usual, cheesy eggs and toast.

“Yeah well… I am jobless. Might as well act like it.” Her brain was getting fuzzy, time was slowing, and her heart was beating faster, yeah… she was high. “Make me something to eat, yeah?”

“Percy… I’m not your maid.”

“Yeah, but you are my best friend and I’ve just been fired… feel sorry for me.” She couldn’t even keep a straight face at this point, she just looked up at Jo giggling with a smile more than a mile wide.

Jo sighed “Fine, cheesy eggs for all…”

“Yessss.” Percy praised as she turned her attention to Kyle and his game of FIFA, she always found amusement in watching other people play videos games for some strange reason.

“Might as well make a bit more food Jo, Zayn is coming over.” Said Kyle, not taking an eye of the TV.

“Seriously? Am I short order cook now?” Jo liked to pretend to be annoyed, but we all knew that she secretly loved when people would rely on her for things. She was born to be a caregiver. It was in her blood.

“Noooo… he can’t come over.” Complained Percy.

“Why not?” Kyle looked at her curiously.

“Because, we haven’t had that post sex talk… I was so late that all I had time for was good-bye.”

“Whatever. You’ll be fine.”

Just then, Zayn walked in… apparently everyone had an open invitation to Jo’s place.

“Hellooo….” Zayn stopped mid-hello when he saw Percy sitting on the couch, high as a kite. “Oh.”

“This is why I asked you not to sleep with my friends Perce… makes it awkward when we hang out.” Kyle softly laughed to himself. The laughing all stopped and turned into screaming curse words when Percy turned off his game consul with no warning. “What the living fuck PERCY?!?!”

“That’s what you get, prick.” Percy had a satisfied smug smile on her face.

“After I let you smoke my weed, free of charge.”

“Come on Ky, let’s eat in my room and leave these two to talk it out. Maybe it will be less awkward when we’re finished.” Said Jo, taking two plates and walking back into the hallway towards her room.

“Zayn, just scream rape if she tried to sink her she-devil claws in you…” said Kyle as Percy grabbed a throw pillow from the couch and chucked it at his head, only nearly missing. He retorted, sticking his touch out at her, retreating into the hallway.

A few minutes of silence passed between them, and Percy couldn’t take it anymore. If no one was talking, she had to say something. Silence was her worst enemy.

“Sooooo…” she said, trying to break the ice as easily as she could.

“Yeah… Soooo…” Zayn said, finally sitting on the couch, next to her. He was rubbing his hands together, a nervous tick he always had. “Last night was….”

“Weird.” She finally said, letting the truth behind how she was feeling be heard.

“So weird! Right?” said Zayn with a sigh of relief, weight being taken off his shoulders.

“Oh God, I am so glad you think so! I thought I was going to be the only one.”

“No. No. I felt it too.”

“But it was still good though… the sex part I mean.”

“Yeah No, that was awesome.”

“Mind blowing.”

“Completely amazing, seriously.”

“But, it just… didn’t feel totally right.”

“It was kind of like fucking my sister, or cousin…”

“HEY!” Percy let out a giant snort and couldn’t stop laughing. She took the remaining throw pillow and hit Zayn with it as hard as she could, making him in break into a heavy laugh.

“Sorry. Sorry. Not my sister or cousin… but like, a best friends that went over a line that they shouldn’t have.”

“Better.” She couldn’t help but smile at Zayn. She was so glad that he felt the same way about what happened. Agreeing that it just didn’t feel right.

“Friends?” Zayn asked, hopefully.

“Yeah. Friends.” Said Percy, bumping her shoulder into him. He looked at her and smiled, then gave her a hug. The kind of hug you would give your best friend after not seeing them for years.

“So, why are you here and not at work? Though you’d be there all day after I dropped you off.”

“Yeah. Well. I kind of got fired.”

“Oh no! I’m so sorry Percy! It’s totally my fault… I was supposed to make sure you made it to work on time.”

“No. It’s my fault. I took it for granted and I was kind of always late.”

“But still… I feel slightly responsible.”

“Don’t worry about it I live in a dorm, so I don’t need to worry about rent. And I don’t need to worry about food… so it will be fine… I’ll find another job soon.”

“Oh! I think I may know of place that is hiring, and I think you’re the perfect fit…” said Zayn, cocking his head to the side and scrunching up his nose in a smile.

Notes