Way of Life

Down a Drink

Hiya!  As per the title of the chapter, expect the starting of an alcoholic character and that same character being drunk. If this bothers you, this may not be a good chapter to read.

TW: Excessive drinking, Panic Attack, Mourning

♡♡♡

School ending was probably the best thing that could have happened all year. No more stress-related nights where every second of trying to fall asleep was clouded by worry of tests and projects. No more wandering eyes that stared holes in her back. No more sympathetic smiles or chopped words when somebody would try to talk to her. 

The thing about Randall's death was that everybody could move on from it while simultaneously not move on. 

People could continue on with their lives like everything was normal. That was easy for them-- to see the world just as it had been whether Randall was alive or whether he was dead. It didn't affect them the way it affected her, or Marc, or Mom and Dad. 

But when it did come to them, it was as if the world suddenly remembered what they were going through. Like a memory snapped back in place, warping reality from a normal, nice conversation to sad eyes and carefully thought-out words. 

It was like people wouldn't let them forget what happened.

Not that Izabella would want to forget. Randall was her little brother-- he was one of the best things that had happened in her life. But every corner and every class, she couldn't handle being thrown back into a world that suddenly didn't remember who he was and what had happened to him. 

She wanted to heal. She wanted to remember the times that were good, and not the day that he had drowned. She wants to remember his bright smile; not be dragged back into the memory of his lifeless eyes and stiff, cold body. 

School being done for the year was something she couldn't be more grateful for. It was that little reprieve of healing that she could only hope for. 

They were a week into summer break; soaking up the rays of sun that showered down from the clear skies and waiting until Marc and her could go to their abuela's to swim in her pool. For now, things were just settling down. The dust clearing and Izabella, for her part, was anxiously waiting to see what the sky would look like once the dust was gone. 

Would it be happy? It certainly wouldn't be the same as it used to be, she knew that much, and she knew it wouldn't be better. But maybe...maybe it would be something worthwhile. A time where the pain in her heart eased and the healing could mend what was left behind in the wake of The Incident. 

She was waiting, and for now, that was all she could do. 

Juliet had been planning on summer break weeks before The Incident had happened. Always planning what they would do, where they would go. They were fourteen now, wild and wholly not free, but adventurous to what the world of being a teenager meant. 

They planned on going out shopping at the mall, maybe even catch a movie here and there. Juliet had been insistent that they didn't bring Hallie along with them, and Izabella, at that point, thought she'd be fine with leaving Marc and Randall together while she ran around.