Noxious

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Kyle

I was completely sober. 

After I had eaten and Tommy drove for another thirty minutes, I was no longer under the influence. I didn't know how much alcohol was in those shots but they definitely hit later and had a lasting effect. I almost wanted more. 

Except I didn't.

For some reason, I had a weird feeling in my stomach from the fact that I knew I had been intoxicated. Was it guilt? I couldn't tell, I had never been good at deciphering my emotions. Though I wasn't feeling the full effect of my withdrawal, so I suppose it wasn't horrible. 

I just felt like something had changed with myself. 

Did I want to remember for once? 

I finally cleared my throat, and looked at Tommy, "What happened?" 

"You were a little intoxicated for a while."

I groaned, "Fuck, did I say anything embarrassing?" 

"You don't remember?" 

"I have a tendency to do my best to forget stuff when I drink," I reminded him. Even though it was only half the truth, I vaguely remembered fighting with Charly over a chicken nugget. 

Tommy glanced at me. "No," He answered my previous question carefully, "I think you should loosen up a little, you guys were actually laughing. It was good for you, I have a feeling it hasn't been for a while."

"Charly was laughing?" That would have been a first. Usually, she just screamed at me and threw shit at my head. I hadn't decided if it was normal sister behavior but I never saw Charly changing. Until now.  

"Yeah, well, she just about murdered you for taking one of her chicken nuggets," He chuckled a little, "But that seems normal for her." 

I pressed my head back against the headrest and exhaled. 

"Relax, man," Tommy reached over and gave my shoulder a half-hearted shove, "If I could have that kind of moment with my sibling, I would have given a kidney for it." 

That gained my interest. Tommy never talked about a sibling. 

"What happened to your sibling?" I asked, quietly. 

Immediately, Tommy's face fell grave, even in the shadow of the night. His eyes lost their playful glint, his grip tightened on the steering wheel. 

"Can you please just tell me?" I almost pleaded, "Aren't we best friends? Don't best friends know everything? You never mentioned a sibling before until you met mine. Was it a sister? A brother?"

"Alright," Tommy sighed, his voice was void of emotion, "I will only talk about it once, got it?"

I nodded, "I'm listening." 

Tommy cast a glance towards the back where Charly and Rowan had fallen silent about twenty minutes ago. I assumed they had fallen asleep but I didn't turn to check, I kept my eyes on Tommy. He kept his eyes on the road. 

"I had a little sister," Tommy finally said, his voice low, "I wasn't supposed to, it just happened but my mom was delighted about it. My dad drove truck so he was rarely home, I only saw him maybe once a month, and he was even more absent from my sister's life," He paused, licking his lips, before continuing, "I was young and stupid and without a solid father figure, I got into trouble. I turned into a drug addict by the time I was thirteen, turning fourteen."