*Judd's Pov*

"If you say one more fucking word, I swear to fucking God I'm going to wreck this car and kill us both." My voice was filled to the brim with hostility as I drove. My knuckles were white from my vice grip on the steering wheel and the vehicle was quiet and chilly as I followed my parents vehicle onto the highway.

I'd managed to get myself relatively cleaned up by the time my parents found us. Leah and Devi both were completely trashed and my sister was grinning but barely conscious as my mother yelled at her about them sneaking alcohol and getting drunk. Mom was too drunk to drive herself so I was stuck driving Devi's car and my dad was going to take everyone else home. Just to add insult to injury; how humiliating.

Which is why I was currently in the driver side of Devi's Jeep, while she sat the passenger seat profusely apologizing and holding the bottle of water I'd given her like it was her lifeline.

She opened her mouth to say something before quieting down and fiddled with the plastic cylinder in her lap. I thanked the heavens she actually listened instead of giving me lip. I was in no mood for her drunken bullshit. Especially after my emotional outburst. I just wanted to get home where I could shower and seclude myself.

An Elvis song came on the radio and I motioned to change it with a disgusted sneer when I notice Devi started to say something, giving me a pouting face.

Rolling my eyes, I replaced my hand on the wheel. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her sway slightly with the beat, almost dream-like.

It struck me as odd; I'd gathered she enjoyed stupid old movies but she didn't seem like an Elvis fan.

Snapping back to reality, I pushed the thought away; determination setting in my face. I wanted to be angry. I needed to be. I didn't want to face any other feelings that were lingering. Anger came naturally and it suffocated everything else. When I was enraged, it was all consuming and it was all I could focus on. It was hard to be furious around this girl though. And for what?

This stupid bitch was playing with my feelings. Who did she think she was? I was used to Leah's friends having crushes on me. I was the bad boy older brother who sold pot and had a fake ID and girls ate that shit up. Despite the advances, I'd never acted on it until now. And what did that get me? This infuriating girl quite literally fucking puked on me. And they say no good deed goes unpunished.

I snorted.

And yet as antagonizing as she was, I couldn't help but notice the way her bare shoulders shivered suddenly, causing an almost paternal drive to slip through the brick wall of my composure.

I flicked on the heat instinctually before reaching behind her into the backseat and grabbed the hoodie I'd stashed there and unceremoniously dumped it in her lap before returning to the road.

"Don't blow chunks on my jacket too."

"Don't bother giving it to me then." Her voice was still slurred and heavy but that familiar animosity that was characteristic of Devi was returning slowly.

"Just put the fucking thing on." She was making my blood boil and I relished it, focusing on the feeling. It made it easy to ignore the blooming sensation in my chest as she slipped the fabric over her torso, the entire thing several sizes too big for her before settling back into her seat with her little arms crossed. It would almost be adorable if I weren't so pissed off. Almost.

The world slipped by quietly, melting into the black night as we drove along. Occasional street lamps illuminated the otherwise dark vehicle with their medallion light momentarily as we sped past. We still had a long drive ahead and the air was quickly warming up despite my cold, intentional unfriendliness.

I turned my head to glance at her as she shifted. She curled up her legs, having let the seat back and abandoned her heels somewhere on the floor so she could pull her bare feet closer to her body. She nestled into my jacket with a sleepy look in her eyes and my masculinity purred as loudly as the engine of the vehicle we rode in.

At least she was comfortable.

I caught myself again. Why the fuck should I care? This girl didn't know what she wanted. There was no reason for me to give a damn about her either. I barely knew her and yet, something in me was stricken by the disconsolate soul inhabiting the faux leather seat not two feet away from me. She brought out a nurturing side of me I had no idea existed. This was not who I was. I was Judd fucking Birch. I didn't catch feelings, I broke hearts. If anything, she was just another pair of thighs to bury myself in.

And yet thinking of her in such a derogatory manner left a bad taste in my mouth.

I never wanted to be home and safe in the walls away from the world in my life so badly in my life. This sense of vulnerability was overwhelming.

The song ended and drums started beating through the speakers on either side of us, giving me something momentarily to distract myself with from my own traitorous thoughts.

Man, I would love a joint.

"I would kill a man with my bare hands for some chicken nuggets." Her sporadic outburst pulled a grin from my mouth before I could stop it. I could feel the distain I relied on so heavily for comfort dissipating whether I liked it or not. Fucking bitch.

"We're not stopping." I'd be damned if we dragged this drive out longer than necessary. The warmer the small space got, the more comfortable I got and the more of her essence permeated my senses and muddled my thoughts.

"Whatever." There was no fight in her as she closed her eyes and leaned into the seat further.

An argumentative reply started to spill from my lips but I thought better of it, instead I allowed it to die off. I was tired of arguing. I just wanted out of this fucking car.

"Did you mean what you said?"

The question hung in the air awkwardly. I glanced over for a microsecond to see her watching me through half-lidded eyes. My ears suddenly felt hot.

"About what in particular?"

"Earlier. Before I ya know, puked on you... You said you want to know who Devi is behind the mask and shit."

Her face was unreadable and I could feel my throat get tight in embarrassment. I didn't want to talk about that. I was hoping she'd forget it in her drunken stupor honestly.

"Yeah." My heart was quickening in pace and suddenly the already cramped space felt claustrophobic.

"You wouldn't like her. I don't even like her." Her eyes closed and she turned over so that her back was to me. She wasn't wearing a seatbelt I noticed and I started to say something about her needing to put it on but thought better of it.

Sighing and swallowing my reply I went silent, allowing the dorsal aspect of my head to lean into the headrest of my seat. Within a few moments, her breathing leveled out and slowed, signaling unconsciousness. Despite the fact she was sleeping, the feeling of desolation was rolling off her in waves and I didn't want to admit it to even myself but it was heartbreaking.

**

*Devi's POV*

A noise somewhere to my left brought me into semi consciousness. I couldn't think or wrap my mind around anything. My eyelids weighed a thousand pounds and all I knew is I wanted to go back to sleep.

The noise repeated and I tried to focus on it and the moment I did a bolt of pain ripped through my head with blinding speed. A groan tore through my throat and pierced the air.

I was so fucking hungover.

"Come on Leah, get up. Mom is pissed and I don't want her to yell at me too." I recognized the voice of Nick calling out. Nick? Why was her mom mad? How did I get here?

Just as quickly as the pain struck, a flash of memories followed. We went to the wedding and Leah and I had helped ourselves to the moonshine bar. After that it was hazy and didn't make much sense.

I was shifting now and awakening more. My mouth felt like the Sahara desert and my brain a dehydrated raisin. It felt as though there wasn't a drop of moisture in my entire body.

"Nick shut the fuck up." Leah's voice was all malice despite the sleep still evident in it.

"Whatever." I could hear him stomping away, the clap of his feet enough to make me want to vomit. I felt so ill and I was afraid if I so much as moved a muscle I was going to hurl.

"D-Devi... Devi we gotta, we gotta get up." Her voice was just as thick and dry as mine felt as something shook me. It took me a moment to recognize it was her hand on my shoulder. She sounded close. Why?

I grumbled and pushed my face further in what I could only assume was a pillow. It was soft and dark and that's all I wanted.

"C-come on. Oh fuck, I feel so sick."

"Just let me die," I replied as the shaking stopped. There was a deep rumbling somewhere near me. It registered in my brain it was someone's stomach.

"Oh God..."

The preoccupied space I was unaware was occupied suddenly shifted and I was able to crack an eye just in time to see Leah half running out of the room in the direction of the bathroom. It took several moments of adjusting for me to recognize my surroundings. I was in Leah's bed, closest to the wall. The blankets where she had been laying were thrown back haphazardly and from the sound of it, she was getting violently sick down the hall.

Forcing my hands beneath me and pushing against the bed I propped myself up half heartedly, using the wall to hold myself up.

Nausea swept through my body and bile rose in my throat. I needed to get up. Right now.

Leah was hugging the porcelain of the toilet and I moved to the next available drain.

Hurling my empty stomach into the sink, I gasped as the acid burned its way up my esophagus. My abdominal muscles screamed in protest and my lungs gasped for air.

"Oh honey!"

Elliot Birch's feminine voice resounded off the walls of the tiny bathroom as he rushed into the room to console his daughter. I was half hanging off the sink with the side of my face pressed against the cool porcelain counter, begging whatever Gods existed to sooth the ache in my cranium.

"Dad please leave." Leah was much less malicious with her father than she had been with her younger sibling. He was rubbing her back with one hand and holding her hair with the other.

"Oh sweetie, are you sure? Can I get you anything?"

"God please just give us a minute?" She was desperate as a dry heave worked its way up her thorax.

"Devi? Are you alright?" His attention was suddenly on me and I instantly recoiled from his paternal gaze.

I gave him a weak thumbs up before collapsing into a fit of heaves myself.

Fifteen minutes later we were perched at the kitchen table side by side with Diane, Nick, and Elliot all seated around us. Leah was trying to keep herself upright and I was leaning on her trying to maintain consciousness.

"Well I hope you've learned your lesson." Diane wasn't angry but the passive aggressiveness coming off her form was enough to cause a ripple of irritation to snake through my body.

I was in no mood to hear a lecture from her mother. Gathering my courage and the last bit of energy I had left, I stood up, almost taking Leah with me.

"I've got to get going. Mr. and Mrs. Birch I apologize for our behavior last night it was immature and uncalled for but I need to get home."

My voice was shaking and raspy but I did my best to hold my head high. My stomach was doing flips.

"We understand dear, drive safe." Elliot gave me a sympathetic look. "I believe Judd has your keys."

"Wonderful thank you again for having me. The wedding was beautiful." I complimented and headed for the stairs. Diane was lecturing Leah as I walked out of site. I would have to apologize later for leaving her to her mother's wrath all alone but I didn't have it in me.

Stopping at Leah's room I grabbed my phone and my book bag before reaching Judd's door. Knocking hesitantly, I waited for a reply.

I didn't remember much about last night but I remembered what he said. He had shown me a caring side of him I had no idea existed, nor was I ready to see. I didn't even care about myself how could I expect him to?

The door opened a hair and Judd took one look at me and scowled harder than I'd ever seen him frown.

"Can I have my keys?"

He narrowed his eyes and shut the door in my face.

Sighing and rubbing my eyes with both hands in frustration, I stood there debating my options.

Suddenly the door was open again and he was dangling my keys from his index finger as if he was afraid to touch me. I could only imagine how gross I looked, I didn't blame him. I took the keys from him and started to speak.

"Hey, um about last-"

The door slammed shut the moment I pulled my hand away.

The nausea I was experiencing was nothing compared to the humiliation radiating in my chest as I did the walk of shame to my Jeep.