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Part 2: Melissa

"It was great."
"It makes me so happy to hear you like it!"
I was on the phone with Melissa during her lunch hour. The faint sounds of chirpy girls echoed around her.
"Now let me ask you...what was your favorite part?" Melissa asked.
I thought about it. Honestly there weren't very many parts to choose from. I just chose the most impressive line.
"I liked the the last verse. How people should be like the marigolds. Supportive and tall through whatever happens."
There was a slight pause. I heard small voices giggling and Melissa's laugh was very distinct, and easy to point out in the whole bunch.
"Thank you for reading it. I thought you'd be too busy having a booze party or getting with the ladies to even look at it." She replied with again the giggling.
"Booze party? Ladies? Well Mels don't you have a wordy mouth. Only being my co-worker at Chik-Fil-A. How nosy you are." I scratched the back of my neck. It was no surprise to anyone that those were my major qualities being known by.
"I'm not nosy if I wasn't looking for it. What goes around comes around Eric. You're the biggest dirtbag I know."
I can almost feel her beautiful smile on the other end.
"BIGGEST!" Someone in the background yelled.
Melissa was probably with her friends, and I was most likely bothering her. I hung up the phone without any other words.
I got up out of bed. My bare chest exposed to the sunlight seeping through my blinds. I rubbed my eyes with my fists and stashed my phone in my drawer. I changed into the normal charcoal black jeans and a red t-shirt. I sluggishly made my way to the bathroom right beside my bedroom. The doors white paint was chipped and the golden handle has been changed to a slightly brown tint due to grime. I closed the door behind me once inside. The shower, toilet, and sink had brown rust all around it. The small mirror above the sink contained an image of dark bags under my eyes, a chiseled jaw, skinny cheekbones and large lips. My eyes were bloodshot red from the high of my cigarettes. A lot of girls around here found me attractive for some reason. All I saw was a mistake. The consequences of smoking and drugs for about 3 years now was appearing on my face. Red butterfly like skin and a tired face.
I opened the black cupboard next to the mirror and pulled out a tall, orange pill bottle. "Eric Mitch Sedgwick" read in big letters across the label "Fluoxetine 120 mg" was the prescription. I dropped a whole pill onto my palm and chugged it in my mouth and swallowed. I stared at myself in the mirror. How am I going to keep living like this? Addictions and depression. I could never survive like this...
"Eric!" I heard from outside the bathroom.
"Yes?" I replied looking away from the mirror.
"I have to talk to you."
I matched the voice to my Mother's. I hurriedly put the bottle back and rinsed my face with water and patted it dry. I opened the door and she was standing there in her brown torn up robe.
"Yesterday," She scowled. "Jason's."
My face immediately flushed hot, and my palms became sleek.
"Mom. I'm 19." I shuttered from my lips.
"'Mom i'm 19' I don't care Eric! You know you're not supposed to show your face there!! How many times have I told you that?! I didn't raise you to be this way!" My Mom yelled.
"You don't understand. I'm free to make my own decisions now."
"Drugs?! Are you really looking into ruining your life?" She paused and took a long stare into my brown eyes. "You look like a sick, dying animal. You're never going to go anywhere like this! You have enough problems alone."
I bit my lip and blinked quickly several times. I looked up at the ceiling which had dark brown spots all over indicating a leak.
"What about you? Where've you gone? Why can't I follow in those footsteps?"
"No, Eric..you do NOT speak to your mother that way!"
As those words spat from her I felt a sharp pain on my cheek and a scratch of a finger nail on the side of my jaw.
"REALLY?!" I put my hand to my cheek. The after feel of a slap was dreadful.
"You better apologize young man! And tell me what the hell you bought from Jason." She looked me up and down again with her yellow eyes.
"No. These days here are over. I am not under your address!" I said inches away from her face. I went to the counter in the kitchen, and picked up my keys.
"I don't want to see you tonight! God damn." I heard her in the distance. I quickly made it outside and slammed the front door behind me. My cheek was warm and had a stinging buzz. The scratch of her fingernail across my face let it seep small spots of blood. I got into my car and grabbed a napkin from the glove box and held it to the scratch. I rung up Jason as I was driving away from the house.