Sabrina ; The next generation

Sixty-four

"Can you see the sun?" I whispered as I hung onto Naomi, my arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"I don't know." She laughed. "Jesus, Bree. How are you still high?"

I leaned up to hide my face against her neck, feeling her warm skin against mine.

"I smoked another joint in the bathroom." I whispered and she immediately pulled back, holding me so she could look at me.

"Baby..." she sighed and tilted her head. "...you do realise if anyone sees you like this, you can risk getting expelled."

I pressed a finger to my lips, shushing her.

"Alright, let's go." She said and draped her arm over my shoulders. "We just need to get past your uncle over there."

I looked ahead, seeing my uncle Marco stand by the gate, checking students off before they went to the carriages.

"I love my uncle." I whispered. "He's a good uncle. He helps me out when I need it."

"That's good, eh?" Naomi pressed a kiss to my hairline. "But I don't think you'd want him to know about this. He'll tell your parents."

I hummed in response and shortly after, we reached the gate.

"Naomi Barracus." Omi said and my uncle checked it off the list.

I slid out from underneath her grip and crouched down to look at a rock I laid my eyes on.

"Oh wow." I muttered, picking it up to study it closely.

"Sabrina?" I looked up at the sound of my uncle.

He stared at me with a slight frown and then I looked at Naomi who was terrified, glancing nervously between me and my uncle.

I stood up, holding the rock in my hand while trying to act sober.

"Sa—brina." I spoke, clearing my throat. "Silver— Si— Silverberry— Berries?"

My uncle sighed and dropped his arm by his side.

"Barracus, go catch the next carriage." he said without looking away from me.

"What? Sir—"

"Now."

Naomi looked at me while my eyes dropped to the floor and I couldn't stand straight.

"Sabrina... sit." My uncle pointed to the large rock behind him and I stumbled over.

I would've fallen if it hadn't been for my uncle grabbing onto my arm.

"Careful so you don't fucking kill yourself." He said and helped me sit down.

I looked at Naomi and nodded at her, telling her it was okay and that she could go, so she did, but she was chewing on her lip which she did when she felt guilty about something.

When all students had been checked off, my uncle turned towards me, folding his arms over his chest.

"You're high."

I shook my head.

"Yes. You're high, Bina."

"I'm not— I'm high." I muttered before shaking my head again. "I mean, I'm not."

He laughed.

"Your parents are going to be so fucking glad." He said. "What did you take, Sabrina?"

I didn't answer. This wasn't how I had expected the day to end. I just wanted to go up and get some fucking food.

"I don't—"

"Look at me, you little shit!" He said and kicked the rock I sat on, causing me to look up at him. "What did you take?"

"It's just weed!" I basically screamed at him. "And some fucking Oxy, but that's it and it was one time. It was one time."

My uncle took a step back.

"You know who else used that excuse?" He asked. "I did. It was one time. It's just at parties. It doesn't mean anything. I can stop if I want to. And I could stop. At first. Then suddenly I couldn't go a week without smoking. A week then turned to a day and a day turned to hours. I was constantly high because not being high meant facing life and it's realities. Tell me that's not where you are."

I sighed.

"I've gotten high twice, Marco." I breathed. "And it's fun, but that's all it is."

"Good." He nodded. "But if I catch you being high again while the school is responsible for you, I will have your mother come get you. I know you're scared shitless of her, especially when she's angry."

I snickered.

"I'm more scared of her silent treatment." I muttered, and my uncle pulled me to my feet.

"We're walking back to the school and we're not walking inside until you're sober."

When the last carriage left, my uncle led the way down the path, and I slowly followed.

"Why did you do drugs?" I asked after a while of just walking.

My uncle stopped immediately, looked into the distance before he turned, his eyes landing on me.

"Why did you?" I asked again, folding my arms over my chest.

He shrugged.

"I was a kid. I was stupid and I thought it made me look cool." He said, but I could tell that was a big lie.

He wasn't looking at me when he said it.

"What did you want to forget?" I asked. "People usually forget to escape the realities of life. You just said so yourself."

When I swayed a little and almost fell, Marco walked over and grabbed onto my arm to keep me steady.

"I have always tried to be the perfect uncle for you and your siblings because I desperately needed one when I was young." He said. "My uncle was an abusive shit, Sabrina. You and your siblings know nothing about that because it isn't something you should walk around worrying about."

I looked up at him, frowning. I tried to understand what he was saying and maybe it was the weed, but his words slid in one ear and out the other without sticking whatsoever.

"I've got like a thousand uncles." I giggled and my uncle rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry, what did you say? I forgot..."

"Oh for fuck sake, Bina. Get going or we'll be late for the feast."

We walked for what felt like ages. I kept stumbling over my own feet and in the end, Marco had to stay by my side to make sure I didn't end up on the ground.

"I don't want to make mum mad." I said quietly when he once again held onto me to keep me from falling. "She's gonna be so mad. Oh man... she'll never let me continue smoking after this."

"Probably not, no."

I laughed.

"Good think I'm eighteen. I'm an adult."

"Yet you act like a fucking child."

"Shush. You can't talk to me like that." I said, tripping again and this time I ended up on the ground, my uncle sighing loudly. "Do you realise who my parents are?"

I hated that he didn't laugh. My uncle just stayed serious and I knew he was angry with me.

I fought my way back on my feet but as I fell again, my uncle pulled me up by my arms.

"Change of plans." He said, dragging me towards one of the benches that was placed along the path all the way up to the castle. "We're staying here until you're sober."