| 015. Unlucky |

  Jessica was trying her best not to hyperventilate at Roy. When she’d asked him to entertain her, an unconscious Xenia had not been what she’d had in mind.

  “You’d better tell me what you gave her right now!” she demanded, her heart racing at a mile a minute. What the hell was she going to do? Should she call an ambulance?

  “Shit!” Roy was staring down at Xenia uselessly. “What the hell? How did this happen?” Jessica rolled her eyes. How could he possibly be this stupid?

  “Isn’t it obvious?” she checked. “It’s whatever you gave Phillip.”

  “Shit,” Roy said again. Unhelpful. He clutched at his head like his world was ending.

  “Would you calm down?” she snapped, although she was struggling with her own panic. “You said it wasn’t going to hurt him? So, she’ll also be alright, right?” He nodded, dazedly.

  “Yeah. It’s legal. Just… Shit, it’s Xenia Ishizaki!” Honestly, the girl was unconscious - what was he so damn afraid of? “She’ll find out that I did it. She’ll get me kicked out. I can’t… I need this scholarship.” Jessica shook her head at him, incredulously.

  “Then. Help. Me.” She couldn’t make it more simple. But he was shaking his head, backing away. He already had a foot on the step below.

  “No way. I can’t be responsible for this.” What a ridiculous coward! She couldn’t even believe him.

  “Way to be a man, Roy!” she snarled at him as he ran away. “Get over yourself, you-!” But it was pointless. He was gone. She swore and scrambled for Xenia’s phone. There was no way she’d be able to move the girl like this. She needed to call someone. She froze, staring at the girl’s lock screen. Panicked. She had no idea what to do. None of her friends were remotely reliable. Literally, the only person she could think of was Phillip, and there was no way she could call him about this. He’d never forgive her. But she might not have a choice.

  She bit her lip, staring at Xenia’s phone. Once upon a time, she’d known the password. But there was no way Xenia wouldn’t have changed it by now. Surely?

  Shaking her head, she lowered the phone and reached for her own. Then stopped, thinking better of it. If she didn’t try, she’d never know.

  The phone unlocked, and Jessica had to put her hands over her face to cover the wave of sadness that overcame her. Xenia hadn’t changed it. Even now.

  Xenia moaned beside her. Jessica swallowed thickly. It wasn’t the time for this. She navigated to the phone book and scrolled down to Neil’s number.

  The phone rang, and rang, and rang. Then answerphone. Cursing, Jessica hung up. Who else could help her?

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  “Nnn,” Xenia moaned.

  “Xenia?” Jessica asked, shaking the other girl. “Xenia, can you hear me? Wake up! Neil’s not answering his phone. I don’t know what to do. Who should I…?” Two things struck her in that moment. Firstly, she needed to call an ambulance. Because she clearly couldn’t take Roy’s word for anything. Secondly, there was no point in asking Xenia for help. “Right,” she whispered, more to instruct herself than anything else. “Ambulance.”

  Her fingers shook as she dialled. But before she could type the second nine, Xenia’s nails were digging into her leg.

  “Ow!” she yelled, dropping the phone in alarm.

  “No,” Xenia whispered, her eyes half-open. She sounded delirious. Drunk. “No. Can’t.” Jessica stared at her. The next sentences were slow and slurred. It took an endless amount of patience for Jessica to hear them through to the end. “Think what… it looks like? You can’t.”

  “Don’t be stupid. You have to go to the hospital. I don’t care if you’re embarrassed. I won’t have you overdose on my watch.” Again, Xenia’s nails dug into her and she hissed, “Stop that!”

  “‘m not worried about me.” Jessica’s heart sank even further.

  “Then what the hell are you expecting me to do?” she whispered. “Run away? Like Roy? Neil won’t answer his phone.”

  “Mal,” Xenia said, managing to roll onto her back and giggle stupidly. The ’al’ part dragged out for an age before she shut up. Jessica’s jaw dropped. There were a million things she’d like to ask. When did Xenia start relying on Malachai? How was that going to help anyone? He didn’t exactly like either of them. Or did he? Did he?

  “Really?” she asked, unable to hide how unbelievably incredulous and deliciously exciting that idea was. “No. Really?”

  “And you. Go,” Xenia said, giving Jessica a little push. It had the force of a feather falling to earth. “N give me the…” She gestured at her phone.

  “You didn’t change the password,” she whispered suddenly. Xenia puffed out air from her cheeks, and held her hand out until Jessica gave her the phone. Xenia sat up and almost catapulted headlong down the stairs. Jessica caught her as she swayed dangerously back and forth. Xenia blinked, slowly, sluggishly, and frowned at the phone screen, unable to make out a single word.

  “Mmm,” she hummed. Jessica almost rolled her eyes. Keeping one arm around the girl to make sure she was relatively upright, she used the other to scroll to Malachai’s name.

  “You’re sure?” she checked. Xenia smiled and leant her head against Jessica’s shoulder.

  “You smell nice,” she replied. Jessica bit her lip. “Really nice. The same… Miss it.” Jessica swallowed and made the call with a jab of her finger. She guided the phone in Xenia’s hand up to the girl’s mouth. “Hello?” She did that weird double take people do sometimes when they’re not sure a call has gone through - talking into it, frowning, pulling away to double check the screen says it’s actually connected, and then talking again. “He-llo?” Malachai was saying something. From the frown on Xenia’s face, Jessica wasn’t sure she understood a single word of it. “Mmm sorry,” she whispered and nuzzled back into Jessica’s shoulder. “For lying. Last time. Um…” More words. Xenia giggled. “Maybe? A bit. But more than that… I.” She broke off, frowning, and turned her face into Jessica’s shoulder, smothering her words. “I- There was some… thing else in it. What I drank. Mmm not quite sure. Will you help? Um, I think I’m… well, there are steps. Inside. No idea.” Jessica was somewhat impressed. Xenia put the hand holding the phone on the floor between them. Malachai was still saying something. She turned sad eyes to Jessica. “You should go,” she said seriously. She almost seemed sober, until she giggled ridiculously. “He’ll think it was you. So… hurry.” Jessica swallowed thickly. She hugged Xenia, unable to help herself.

  “I never wanted this,” she whispered, and kissed the girl’s cheek. “Be safe.”

  It was one of the hardest things she ever had to do. She managed to help Xenia wiggle back away from the stairs so that she was propped securely against the wall. Xenia kept pushing her and telling her to go. Reluctantly, she eventually did. Turning and running down the staircase. Not the hardest. But close.