Unsteady || H.S

Chapter 2

~August 27th, 2015~

The speaker's monotone voice nearly drones me to sleep as I sit near the back of the auditorium. I take the time to look at all of the people who will be in my graduating class but who knows which ones will flunk out, get kicked out for parties, be arrested, or just transfer. A group of boys take up an entire row, their chatter almost blocking out the sound of the speaker himself. Girls continuously look back in their direction with small giggles and large batting eyes, showing off their life privileges and how willing they are to throw away all of it for sex.

Once the speaker begins to talk about his summer I get up to leave; the teachers in the back giving me a look that shows that they wish they could do the same. A sigh of relief leaves my lips as I feel the warm rain or summer on my skin the second I step out the door. Having freshman orientation two weeks in advance actually has some benefits, the weather still warm and time to settle into the new atmosphere.

The walk back to my dorm is peaceful, the voice of some new singer filling my ears as I listen to my phone's radio. Lyrics like these tend to upset me, stirring up emotions that I pound deep down inside. He sings of it all being a little too much and I get that. At the house every couple months everything would build up until I'd break for a night, waking the next morning with a splitting headache and a mountain of regret on my shoulders. I haven't had one of those nights in months and tonight feels like it may just be that time again.

Harry calls me as I walk into my dorm asking if he can pick me up and I quickly comply, desperate for a distraction from my manic depressive tendencies. I find myself looking at my reflection in the mirror of our small bathroom, the lack of a shower slightly annoying but not the point. My fingers absentmindedly brush over the light freckles covering my cheeks, all from sun exposure except for the single one located alone in the very middle of my nose. No more makeup covers the small things, that I've always considered an imperfection, after the torrential downpour outside. A sigh leaves my lips as I start wiping off the smeared eyeliner and mascara.

Exhaustion fills my limbs, days of driving piling up on my shoulders to the point of no return. I don't even bother putting on more makeup before Harry arrives, knocking on my door in a matter of minutes. He smiles when I open the door and leads me to his car, his charm never wavering. His house is large, just minutes away from campus. He helps me out of the car kindly, taking my hand in his as he takes me into the huge, open kitchen. "Want anything to drink..."

"Skylar. Do you have any Jack Daniels?" He laughs and grabs a bottle out if the shining fridge. "Long day Skylar," he grabs a bottle of water before closing the fridge door and bringing me into the living room. "You have no idea," I take a gulp of the burning liquor, "some idiot slapped his face right into a box I was carrying while I was moving into my dorm. Then I turn around just to see that this same crazy jackass had taken my other box up right behind me to help." A strong laugh is heard as Harry plops himself down onto the soft couch. "Well I'm sure that jackass helped the whole moving thing go a lot quicker. He doesn't sound too bad." after a few more large gulps I laugh. " I don't think so."

"So, Skylar, tell me about yourself," I finish the bottle off quickly and laugh. "I'm gonna need a lot more of these before you get that shit." A look of concern crosses his face as I stand up, throwing the empty bottle in the trash and grabbing another two. "Don't you think you should stop, or at least slow down a little?" I sit back down slightly closer to him and pop open the next bottle. "I'll pay you back," I toss my wallet on his coffee table and begin to chug away my memories with the burning liquid. "No I mean, that's a lot of alcohol and you're really small Sky don't you think-"

"Don't call me that, just don't Harry." I shrug off my heels and pull my knees up to my chest. "Okay Skylar but I don't need you dying on my watch." My body begins to warm and relax and I lie my head down on Harry's lap, earning a jolt of surprise from him. "Why do you drink like this? What, do you have father issues or something?" My eyes widen before spilling out tears a mile a minute. I cover my face with my shaking hands and Harry quickly pulls me up to face him, my head spinning.

"Skylar I was joking, I don't even know what I was thinking just please stop crying." I bury my head into his neck and cry until I can no longer breath. "Talk to me," I shakily stand, taking the next full bottle of Jack Daniels with me on my way to nowhere. Another bottle later I find myself curled up in his hallway, looking up at him with testy eyes.

"No one's ever seen me like this," my lips pout at the sudden realization. "All I see is beautiful," his whisper is heard loud and clear, but I make sure he doesn't know that I heard. "I'm so tired," I curl up further into the corner and shut my eyes. "Here love," he bends down and holds a hand out to me.

"Do you trust me," I look at his hand and back up to his shining eyes. "Who are you, Aladdin?" He smiles at me as he helps me up and into his room. "No, no I don't want to," I try to push back but he rests his hands gently on my shoulders. "I'm going to sleep in one of the guest bedrooms, take some clothes from my closet there. The bathroom is right through that door, now be careful I don't need you ending up dead because you tripped over your own two feet." Before I can utter another word he sets me on the bed and leaves, my body standing and changing into a black shirt of his and curling up into the gold and grey sheets. Sleep overtakes me as I dread the hangover sure to come tomorrow.

"Wakey wakey eggs and bacey," I groan and bury myself under the massive number of pillows and the large comforter surrounding my almost bare body. I soon feel knees on either side of my waist and open my eyes to see a smiling, bed-headed Harry above me. "Okay I was lying, I don't actually have eggs or bacon but I have some cold pizza if you want some." I pick up a near pillow and hit him with it before closing my eyes again.

"Now that was just rude." My phone begins to ring and Harry hands it to me, obviously comfortable on top of me. "Hello," my voice is soft and confused having not looked at the caller ID beforehand. "Skylar," Cyr's voice is heard through the speaker and a smile comes to my lips. "Cyr, what are you doing up? It's very early." I hear him giggle on the other side of the line as Harry gazes at me. "I miss you, mommy's been so mean since you left," my breathing stalls, anger filling every inch of my body. "How so," I grit.

"Last night I was playing with Tucker, my truck and she came in yelling. She said she told me to clean my room but she never did. I said that and she almost hit me." Shock and fear course through me, my mind too vulnerable at this time to here these kinds of things. "Cyr I love you okay? Now let me talk to your dad, right now," I sit up, Harry shifting to sit in front of me. "Skylar," I hear his questioning, tired voice on the line, Cyr having obviously listening to me. "If anyone of you lays a hand on Cyr I'll have your head. You'll wish even more than ever that I was never born because if you hurt him you'll never not be in pain, got it?"

"What the hell are you talking about Sky?" My stomach churns at the name, bile threatening to find its way up my throat. "Ask your batshit wife." I hang up the phone and bury my head back into the pillows. "Sorry," I whisper to Harry as he sits above me in silence. "Don't be," his smile is strong, his eyes tired but happy. "You said something about cold pizza right," I whisper, causing him to laugh uncontrollably. I sit up again, my head reeling as I try to steady myself. "That Jack Daniels must have tasted amazing, you downed three bottles of it in less than an hour." I shrug and lean my head down on the edge of Harry's shoulder, the pressure calming as I close my eyes. "It tasted lonely," my words are practically inaudible while Harry slowly begins to stand up. I run my eyes as I follow him down the stairs to the kitchen for some pizza.

"So who's Cyr," he bites into a slice of the cooled pizza. "My little stepbrother back in New York." He nods and I nibble at the pizza, my headache stronger than my desire to eat. Harry stands after we're finished and brings some painkillers with him when he returns from the bathroom. "Thanks," I sigh and yawn, seven in the morning being far too early. "Why so early?" He stretches before sitting down in front of me at the table. "Didn't sleep."

**a/n I hope you enjoyed, thank you for the patience lovelies. xx**