𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐬

TWENTY-FOUR: tomorrow.

MEETINGS MADE JAMES' skin crawl, which is where he was, given an hour long break from work because the meetings were held at 6:30, every Tuesdays and Thursdays. Today, Robin came with him, and he kept glancing at her as she listened intently to the newcomer. A small boy, looks about sixteen, talking about his step-mom.

James always feels his heart break when there's younger people here. "That was very amazing of you to open up like that, Liam..." The woman, Clarissa says to the boy, nodding with a soft smile at him, then her dazzling grey eyes landed on James. "James? You've been here like three times now... wanna talk?" She asked and he glanced around.

He looked to Robin quickly but he just shook his head and looked down. "Okay. Well, no pressure. We're all here to make progress within ourselves, listen to one another and really connect through traumas we've been through." She said and Robin raised her hand, smiling softly at Clarissa. "Robin." She said, smiling back and James quickly glanced up. As far as he knew, Robin's never met Clarissa before so the Buckley girl stood up.

"Hi, I'm Robin," she says, her voice raspier than usual, probably due to the fact she's speaking in front of a crowd, despite it only being twelve people. "Hi, Robin." Everyone greeted her and she smiles quickly. "Um... I--I was probably thirteen, uh, there--there was this boy, at, uh, camp... and his name is Dash." She said and James quickly glanced up.

"Anyway, he was a year or two older... always talked me up, but I--I knew at the time I was a lesbian already, actually, James helped me figure that out, we were gonna kiss but I told him I liked girls!" She rambled and James chuckled and turned bright red at all the eyes suddenly on him, playful stares with small smirks or smiles. "Um, anyway... I--I told him eventually and he insisted he can change that... and snuck into our girls' cabin one night... all of the other girls were gone. Skinny dipping or something with the other boys, and Dash, he... he, uh." She had to pause before continuing as James glanced up.

He had never known about that asshole doing that to her. The way she described it made him look down and frown, wanting to cry. "Anyway, I--I'm way past it now! I'm... no longer scared of guys like I use to be. Coming here helped me so much... and I hope none of you give up either. Because it does get better, which honestly is really such a shitty saying, but it really does, believe me. Because I have an amazing friend... Steve, who cared for me. In my time of need... And without him, I probably wouldn't even be here." She tells them.

"So... don't forget that none of you are alone, you're all so strong and brave for being here... especially you, James." She turns her attention to James who smiled softly at her before she sat back down, smiling back at him and James quickly looked up. "I--I'm ready to talk, Clarissa..." He says and she nods, smiling as he slowly rose to his feet.

"Hi, I'm James..."

Meanwhile, on that Thursday afternoon, Rhys was just now waking up after a long night at the Hideout. "Yo! Rhys, phone is ringing non-stop, I think Danny from the shop is pissed at you." Silas said, swinging the door wide open and Rhys just grumbles in response.

"Dude, this isn't good for you." He said as he came to plop down onto the desk chair by the Campbell's bed to see the man's dark undereyes and bloodshot eyes. "What isn't?" He whispers and Silas sighs, tilting his head so his face was directly lined with Rhys'. "Smoking, drinking... snorting away your pain. I know how much Eddie meant to you." He says and Rhys glanced away, frowning.

"Even more than Fiona or Cam ever meant to you." He says and Rhys sighs. "I know... I know it isn't healthy. But it helps for now... I can't believe he's still in love with James. I mean, after like what? Four years?" He says and Silas shrugs. "Distance makes the heart grow fonder... look at me and Ave for example." He says and Rhys looks directly at him. "What fucking distance? They went to two different state colleges and you went to one down the street from Avery." He says and Silas shrugs. "Yeah, fair point, nevermind." He mumbles and Rhys just sighs softly.

"Just leave me alone, man..." He mumbled as he turns to lay the other way only to find Avery standing there. "No. You're going into work, young man." She says and he just rolls his eyes. "Danny talked my ear off all day about how you always do this..." She said, her arms crossed and he sighs, slowly sitting up. "You know how I talk about... Fiona being my first love?" He asked and the two sat down, too sychronized on either sides of his legs.

"She wasn't... because I know Eddie is."

And that's how Rhys ended up back where he always sat at the Hideout, this time with Silas at his side as Avery had something to do with Nora so she couldn't join them. "So... you're like in love with him?" Silas asked, sipping his mocktail since he's driving as Rhys sips a cup of burbon with a cigarette in one hand. "Yeah... I knew it from the moment I met him." He turns to look at Silas who just sighed.

"You just gotta get over him, man, start by getting someone else under you." He said, he's grinning as he talks and the bartender glanced over, looking amused at the pair before she walked over to the other end of the bar to serve a little group of girls. "Yeah? And why would I do that?" Rhys turns to look at Silas who shrugs, raising his hand to play with the ends of Rhys' hair. "Rebound sex always helps mend broken hearts." He smiled again.

"You're so fucking weird. I'm gonna be right back." Rhys shoved away his hand and got up, heading to the bathroom where he just sat on the counter, staring at the graffiti on the wall as he finished his cigarette. Sometimes he needed a break from Silas and Avery, they acted like his younger siblings sometimes.

They practically are at this point, he sees them more than his own family. He sighed, reaching into his pocket before taking out his phone. He opened his last conversation with Eddie and contemplated texting him, but then ultimately closed his phone and went back to the car. More liquid courage should do it. At the bar, he ordered more drunks until suddenly everything was nothing but a blur and he felt good. More than good. He felt amazing.

"Okay, big guy, it's time to head home, right?" Silas asked as he got up, tapping the top of the counter. "It's only 7:30, it's wayy too early to head home now." He slurred and the bartender taps the counter to get his attention. "You can always come back tomorrow, Rhys." She offers and he's honestly... trying not to, out of "gentleman" like manners but he's really just only staring at her cleavage.

"Right. Thank you..." He trailed off, pointing at her and she chuckles. "It's Luna... now go home, drunk." She says and he nods. "Good night Loooona!" He says as Silas is dragging him off towards the exit. "Hi Rhys," "hey hottie," "hey Rhys!" Went around on their way out as he waves at them, grinning. "See you all tomorrow!" He blows them all a kiss.

 

 

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

 

  

 

authors note
i love drama and sad characters lol
anyways fuck dash. hated that bitch since i listened to the rebel robin podcast (i'm planning on getting the book as well as lucas on the line and runaway max)