Always

09| quitting together

ROMEO

I woke up in the middle of the night. It was pitch black outside, and the clock on my bedside table read 03:08 A.M. After that, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't go back to sleep. The thoughts of Alexis and Carina loomed in my head. I had failed to save them fourteen years ago, I had failed to save mom and dad eight years ago, I had come down with a stupid bug and couldn't do anything for Luca, Amara, and Layla six years ago.

I also couldn't do anything while we were attacked earlier this week while I was there. I was nothing but a failure. I couldn't do anything right. I wanted to scream out of frustration. You know something better you can do. A part of my brain said, and it was right.

I slowly got out of my bed, got dressed, and crept downstairs. I got my car keys and went outside. One of the workers saw me but I signalled him to stay quiet, and he knew better than not to follow what I said.

I hopped into my car and sat in the driver's seat for a few moments. Was I really doing this again? Was this the best idea? I asked myself. Yes. That part of my brain answered again. Alright then. I thought as I started my car and headed to the nearest bar.

Once I was there, I went inside and was immediately met by a familiar face. "Romeo! My boy, what are you doing here at this hour?" Uncle Thomas asked, grabbing some bottles from behind him and turning around to mix them.  

The bar was closing relatively earlier than usual as I sat down on one of the bar stools. "Just life, I'll have something strong."  

He passed me a glass of an already mixed drink before sitting down on the other side. "What brings you here? You haven't been here for a while."

I took a swig before replying. "Alex and Carina came back."

"Your little sisters?"

"Yes, them."

"Ah! Okay, so shouldn't you be happy?"

"I don't know. Every time I look at them I feel like a fucking failure. I can't face them, not now. Not after fourteen fucking years."

"I think you can. Do you think your sisters will really hate you over something you couldn't control? Are you that fucking stupid boy?"

"Maybe I am." I chugged the whole glass at once before setting it down. "One more."
____________________________________________________________________

Two drinks turned seven and Uncle Thomas had to drop me home one hour later. I drunkenly stumbled into the house as I saw his car leave the driveway. I will send someone to pick up my car tomorrow.

"Romeo?"

"Alex! My baby sister! How are you this fine morning?" 

"Are you drunk?"

There was an edge of fear in her voice. Good going idiot. I felt like a dumbass. Of course she would be scared at this, especially considering everything that had happened to her in the past.

"Yep. It's like soooo late at night, why are you up?" I childishly dragged out my so before bursting out laughing.
 
"Can you drink this, please? All of it." She handed out a bottle of water.

"Suuree." And I gulped the whole thing. Feeling a whole lot sober.

"Why were you out this late?" She asked me as I sat down on the warm wooden floor, gulping down another bottle of water.

"Why the fuck do you care?" I said, burying my face in my hands.

"Alcohol can destroy your life, Romeo. I've seen so many fucking people get their lives completely destroyed because Alcohol had become theirs. Of Course, I care, I don't want it happening to you too."

"You know what?" I asked her.

"You know what?" I repeated. "I can't even fucking look at you right now. Because every time I fucking look at you, I see failure. I see all the ways my life is a fucking waste of space, how i don't even deserve to live, that I should have died when mom and dad did."

"Don't fucking say that." She shouted at me. "Don't ever fucking say that."

She gulped and blinked. I heard footsteps behind her but I was too fucking exhausted to care.

"Suicide is tragic, traumatic, and painful. There are so many fucking people around you that love you. All your siblings. They care for you. You're not a failure. I lost someone to suicide, four years ago. I couldn't stop them. They were in too much fucking pain and all they wanted was for it to go away. They didn't think how it would affect the others, how people actually fucking care if they lived or not. I spent four years regretting it. Please don't fucking say that again."

I heard three people take sharp intakes of breath behind her as she turned around. Ace, Genevieve and Amara.

Genevieve raised one of her arms in an invitation to a hug and I wasted no time before tackling her into one. She held me close. Her touch felt motherly, I buried my face in her neck. Not wanting the moment to ever end.

I heard someone sniffing from behind us.

When I turned around, Ace was clutching Alex's hand and Amara was crying. Alex gave me a small smile. I smiled back. How could I be so stupid?

"Promise me one thing," She said, and I nodded, signalling that I was listening. "Stop drinking. Talk to us if you feel down. Be thankful for life, it's precious. If you do this, I'll maybe try going to therapy."

"You mean that?." She agreed, nodding, looking me dead in the eyes. I started thinking for a minute, then a thought passed through my head. Why am I contemplating this?

"Alright," I said. "I promise."

"Then I promise too," Alex said as the others smiled at us.

 
"Okay then, it's settled. No more drinking for you," Ace said, pointing at me, "and therapy for you." He pointed at Alex. We both nodded simultaneously.

"So now that everything's sorted, how about we all go back to sleep?" Amara suggested, making me realize how tired I really was. We said our goodnights and headed to our respective rooms.

Before I entered my room, I looked at Alex, who was looking at me. She gave me a smile, which I returned. Maybe everything wasn't as bad as I thought it was.

A/N

Short quick and sweet chapter! Btw, if you haven't dropped your questions for the charecter Q/N you can do so until the end of the month. ❤️✨