Roses Are For The Weak // Short Story

One Too Many {Chapter 5}

!!!TW!!!

AUGUST 31

"What drinks do you like? Need me to order for you?" Josh asks me looking at the baristas mixing the drinks.

"Oh well, I've never really had anything to drink. Ever. What do you recommend?" I asked him. I was embarrassed.

"I got a Mai Tai. But I recommend a Bloody Mary or a Margarita," Will said leaning over to me. His blue eyes shined in the purple light coming from the ceiling.

"Oh.. thank you. A margarita doesn't sound too bad," I thanked him, feeling flustered. I wasn't so much embarrassed anymore. There was something about him that was so beautiful and cunning.

"I can order it for you if you would like. I mean... since it's your first time and all." I shake my head "yes" and look back at the barista making drinks as fast as she could.

"Can I get a margarita over here?" Will said raising his hand. I look over, focusing my attention on Josh now. He was already on his second drink.

"Josh?..." I stared at him with worry in my eyes.

"Sweetheart, I'll be alright," Josh said putting his hand on my waist.

"Okay... just don't overdo it," I tell him turning back to Will.

"Hey thanks for doing this for me. For us. It's really sweet of you." A drink gets placed in front of me. I take a sip. Definitely different.

"So where'd you work before Izzy's?" Will asked me.

"Oh, I was a volunteer at some food shelter but it was honestly a really toxic place, so I just quit. I feel bad since I was doing it for a good cause but it wasn't good for what I was going through at the time either. I was still living with my parents who were mentally abusive. All the things they would say really got to me. I'm surprised I held myself together. They would body shame me and tell me how I wasn't good enough every single day. It got so tiring. I was so glad when I finally moved out. It was such a relief. I barely talk to them anymore, but it just feels right, you know?" I took another sip of my drink. Will stayed silent for a minute. Did I over share? Oh, God. What if he thinks I'm crazy? Or a freak?

"Oh, Carmen. I'm so sorry. I completely understand why you would want to leave. I feel so terrible for what you've gone through. It's not fair to you. You're such a sweet person, I couldn't imagine you going through something like that. If there's anything I can do to help you please let me know. I want to be there any way I can," Will told me as he put both of his hands on my shoulders. I feel tears swell into my eyes. My cheeks felt hot and red.

"Oh, Carmen don't cry. It'll be okay I promise," Will told me as he wiped a tear streaming down my cheek.

"I'm so sorry. I've never really told anyone all of this before," I admitted. "I'll be back. Gotta fix my face in the bathroom," I chuckled as the final tear was wiped from my face by Will's hand. I got up and saw Will follow behind me.

"I had to go when we got here," He told me smirking. He waited for me to walk through the door, his gaze following me until I was for sure inside the bathroom. He turned on his heel and headed to the men's room. I looked in the mirror at my face. Mascara was everywhere. I grabbed a paper towel and started dabbing at the mascara streams. The bathroom smelled of cigarettes and weed. It was dimly lit with the same purple and blue lights as inside the bar.

"Oh, wow," I whispered to myself as I stared deeply into my reflection. My eyes were red and irritated from crying.

"It'll be okay. Just breathe," I tell myself. I pat at them streams of mascara one last time. The makeup residue was gone for the most part. I decided to go sit back down. I swung the door open to reveal Will leaning against the wall. It seemed as he was surveying the room.

"Oh hey, Carmen. I was just waiting for you," He told me as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Just between you and me, I really don't trust this bar. I mean, I know it's the only one in town but that still doesn't mean it's completely... you know... safe," He warned me as his eyes scanned the room. We made our way back to our seats.

"Sorry we left you Josh. I had to-" I cut myself off. Three empty glasses sat beside one half full.

"Carm... Don' even worry," He slurred as he turned back to his drink. He drank it sloppily, it dripped down his neck and into his shirt. I stared at the second drink Will ordered me before we went to the bathroom. I wasn't a big fan of the margarita. The ice clinked against the glass as it floated at the top of the drink. I take a bigger sip than before. This one was better. I took another big sip and turned to Will.

"This one better?" He asked me.

"Yeah. I guess I just wasn't a big fan of the last one. Thanks for bringing us here. Josh needed to get out anyways," I tell him feeling a small bit dizzy.

"Carmen, are you okay?" Will said grabbing my shoulders again.

"I'm just a little dizzy is all, I'll be okay," I tried reassuring him.

"You only had 3 sips of your drink, you shouldn't be feeling like this at all," He puts his palm on my cheek. "You feel fine to me. I'm not sure what it would be," He held my cheek for a while longer. I felt myself sway slowly back and fourth. Everything was slowly blurring.

"I'll go get my car. Please be careful. Stay right here, okay?" He told me, propping my back on the bar.

"Mmm," I struggled to get out. Everything was so blurry. Everything was a blue and purple smudge. I suddenly felt something drag me off my chair. I see people and colors rush by my eyes as I struggles to keep my feet up with the pace I was traveling. I suddenly felt my back hit a hard tile floor.

"Carmen..." I heard Josh groan beside me. I look over to see him kneeling beside me.

"Josh?..." I slowly slurred together his name. I felt his hand trail up my shirt.

"Josh..." I say his name again, stronger than before. I felt everything get blurry again. I started to see different colors besides purple and blue float around the room. Josh's hand grazed my chest. I felt my shirt slip off over my head. I could barely move my arms. I felt my eyes tear up the same way they did earlier. Warm, salty streams flowed down my cheeks.

"Stop crying, you bitch," I hear josh mumble as I feel my hair get pulled tightly.

"Stop..." I breathe out. Thoughts swarmed through my dazed head. I was finally able to lift my arm from the ground, only for it to get pinned down. I felt Josh's lips on my neck, knowing I had to take it. This was it.

SEPTEMBER 1st

Slowly sitting up, I rub my eyes. I see my cat, Alani sit beside me. I reach out to pet her, only to notice some thing on my arm. A bruise. I suddenly feel a wave of pain sink through my body.

"Ow," I say breathlessly. I slowly swing my legs off the bed and stand up. My legs are so weak I could barely stand. I clutch the bed frame using all my strength to hold me up. My neck ached as I made my way to the bathroom. I stared into the mirror in horror. Bruises covered my neck. I painfully slipped off my shirt to see many more bruises around my chest. They covered my breasts and trailed down to my stomach. My legs suddenly gave out and I collapsed onto the hard tile floor of the bathroom.

"Jo-Josh..." I try yelling to him; it only came out as faint and muffled. I was exhausted. I was horrified.

"Carmen!" I hear someone yell from the hallway. Will. He wrapped his arms around me and picked me up off the floor. Fear flooded my body. I looked him in the eyes as he walked towards my bedroom door. He seemed to have been crying; his blue eyes were puffy and red. He sat down on the bed and continued to cradle me in his arms. I felt weak and frail. I felt so hopeless.

"I'm so sorry I let this happen..."