𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞| 𝗆𝖺𝗋𝖼𝗎𝗌 𝖻𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗋

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐨𝐧𝐞

( 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗉𝗅𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽 )

THE PARTY GOT busted, Georgia, Paul, Ellen, Clint, and surprisingly, Joe was there too. Gwen and Marcus came walking down the stairs, laughing and holding hands, when they slowed down when they saw the adults in the room.

Gwen looked at all the adults and let go of Marcus's hand. Gwen caught Joe's eyes and wondered why he was here. "Come on Gwen, I'll take you home" He sighed out as he gestured for her to follow him.

Gwen walked down the rest of the stairs and followed him. As she got in his car and buckled in her seat belt, she felt the need to ask. "Why are you here?"

"I know somethings going on with you Gwen, and like I said, I'm here for you" Joe reminded her.

"Why?" She asked, looking straight ahead.

"You remind me of my little sister" Joe confessed and Gwen finally looked at him.

"I do?" She asked and he just nodded.

"Yeah, she was a lot like you" Joe said.

"Was?" Gwen caught on.

"She's dead" Joe said softly. "Died at 17"

"I'm sorry" Gwen said instantly as she looked away.

Joe sighed. "Don't be, I know she lived a happy life" Joe said with a smile as he remembered his sisters smile, voice, laugh, humor, everything about her, he found in Gwen.

"How'd she die?" Gwen asked softly.

"Drunk driver ran a red light, didn't see her car" Joe explained and Gwen nodded.

"Alcoholism is a bitch" Gwen said with disgust.

Joe looked at her. "You sound like you have an idea of it"

So was this the window of opportunity Joe was looking for? Vulnerability to help Gwen open up to him? Was Gwen finally trusting Joe? "My moms an alcoholic, she's away on trip with her sponsor because she relapsed"

"I'm sorry Gwen" Joe apologized.

"Don't be, it is what it is" Gwen said with a shake of her head.

"So you're just home alone?" Joe asked and Gwen nodded.

"Yup, she said they'll be fine for about a week, never takes longer than that" Gwen replied.

"I'll check up on you okay?" Joe said to her. Gwen looked over at him.

"You already do"

When Joe dropped her off, Gwen walked into an empty house, so quiet, so empty, it felt hollow almost. She looked around, noticed photos on the wall, pictures of her and Anne, smiling, laughing, pictures of Gwen when she was little. No one knew how sad that little girl was, all they saw were her achievements. As long as a kid does well in school, no way can they be sad.

As Gwen began walking around more she leaned against the door frame that looked into her mothers room. It remained untouched, she refused to go in there after finding her passed out drunk. Gwen could feel the tears build up in her eyes. Just a few moments ago, she was on cloud nine, her and Marcus were back together, but it all came crashing down the second she opened up to Joe, the second she entered this god forsaken house that had so many haunted memories and dreams.

Gwen couldn't sleep that might like any other night. She kept snapping the rubber band against her wrist, kept snapping and snapping until it broke. Gwen grabbed the broken rubber band and threw it at a random corner in her room. It was useless now. Gwen sat up in her bed as she felt her heart beat go fast, she could hear it in her ears, boom, boom, boom.