Getting Better

Cracks in the Bottle

AJ'S POV
My phone buzzes and I get a text from Andre he asks me to pick up some drinks for tonight. I sit up on my mattress and see a photograph of me and Louise when we graduated. I stare at the completely different face, I don't even know that person in the picture anymore. I stand up and slide into my scuffed converse.

I walk over to my apartment door and walk out. I bump into Wendy and she smiles at me. "Where were you this morning?" She wraps her arm around my waist as I walk down the stairs. "I went to see a friend of mine" she stares at my eyes trying to decipher what I'm hiding.

I keep a blank face and unlock my car and hop in, Wendy follows and buckles her seat belt. My phone buzzes on the center console and Wendy snatches it and throws it down. "What did I tell you about seeing Louise?!" "Relax babe, she's just my friend plus she's not into guys" "oh of course she's a dyke, no wonder you get along so well".

I feel my blood boil and I grab her shoulder and drag her towards me. "What did you say?!" Wendy smiles at me "your friend is a fucking dyke" I shove her into the car door and start up my car aggressively. I hit the gas and speed out of the parking lot.

Wendy rubs her shoulder, "you're a piece of shit Anthony" I look at her I hadn't heard my actual name in years. "Well you're no better Wendy, you're a bitch and treat me like shit, plus you flirt with tons of other guys". She glares at me, "stop the car" "what?" She yells this time "I said stop the fucking car AJ!" I hit the brakes and pull over to the curb. She gets out and slams the door and flips me off, I watch in my rear view mirror as she walks away.

I grit my teeth and punch my dashboard "fuck". I arrive at a liquor store and walk in, I get some vodka and whiskey as well as a bottle of rum. As I walk to the counter I grab a bottle of sweet champagne and I pay the cashier in cash. I walk out with my assortment of alcohols and I drive to Andre's house.

I pull up out front of a nice looking house, it has a well landscaped front yard. Andre walks out in jeans and a white tank top, "hey you brought the good stuff" I high five him and give him a bro hug. "Of course I did" I walk into the house and set the stuff down. I grab the bottle of champagne and hide it under the island in a secret cabinet.

Andre excuses himself to his room and I sit out back looking at the setting sun. I walk into his very nice bathroom and look at the skeleton in the mirror, my eyes are sunken in and my jaw is extremely pronounced. I step on the bathroom scale and I read the numbers 90lb shit I'm skinnier than I thought. I step off of it and walk over to the island and respond to Louise's text.

I let her know I'm sorry and that I'm a fuck up and she should just let me go, because I can't escape this twisted addiction.

RYAN'S POV
I drive to a local liquor store it's actually the store I get my stock from. "Hey Erik have you seen Gus in here?" "Gus no I haven't seen him since last week" I bite my lip. "Would you have an idea of where he'd be" "perhaps". He slides a note to me and I take it and slide him a $10.00 bill, "you're the best, kid".

I return to my pickup truck and look at the note, it's a address of a party that's going on tonight. I shift my truck into gear and drive towards the house, I'm assuming it's being thrown by a bunch of young adults cause it's in a nice neighborhood. And if anyone is going to be there it's Gus, I arrive at the house, the party seems to have just started. I walk up to the front door and the bouncer looks at me, "yeah nice try buddy, scram". He shoves me back and I look up at him and decide not to embarrass him in front of everyone.

I walk away and decide to ask the people out front about AJ and Gus. All of the people either don't know them or won't rat them out to me. I sigh and decide I'll come back later when the party has calmed down and everyone is passed out.