How Naina had put herself in a situation where she was being carried into her own bedroom like a baby, she had no idea. The moment Vansh put her down on her bed, her stomach cartwheeled again. Hand pressed to her mouth, she ran to the bathroom.

God, not again. Why was it happening again? What was even left inside her? Her head spun even as it felt like it was in a vise. Her insides swam up her throat and spurted out her nose. Exhaustion gripped every inch of her. Please, please, can it be over?

His hands on her hair, on her back, they filled her with shame, but they were also the only thing that made sense. They anchored her and she held on to the feel of them.

Again her guts spurted up. Again he held her. This time it was so violent that when there was nothing left she sank back into him and shook, drained beyond bearing. Why had she been so stupid? Recklessness was not for her. Letting her guard down was not for her. More glasses of champagne than she’d counted going down was not for her.

“It’s okay,” he kept saying, breath warming the crown of her head. “It will pass. Let it out. Stop fighting it. It’s going to be over soon. You’re going to be fine.”

“Not if I die first,” she said, making him blow a puff of laughter behind her ear.

After that last emptying, the swirling in her stomach slowed. Her head still felt like it was floating over her neck. Her body still felt like a stacking puzzle with pieces not quite fitting together.

“I think I’m okay.” It was time to try to sit up by herself. Attagirl, you can do it. When she didn’t immediately hurl again, she felt emboldened to hope that he was right and that it might actually pass without taking her with it.

He let her go, but the way he held his body, she knew he was studying her as they sat there on her bathroom floor. She couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eye. Couldn’t bring herself to be the person he was looking at like that. A sorority girl bent over the commode at his frat house.

And yet, neither had she ever been a sorority girl, nor had he ever been a frat boy. Well, at least now they knew how it felt.

Suddenly she was angry. Why the hell had they never been able to be that? She was as cool as any sorority girl, damn it!

“Why the hell can’t I?” she said, throat raw but body suddenly alight with indignation. “Why can’t I be cool?”