Past the Tipping Point

\ Chapter 7 /

When Rebecca got the chance to fully wake up, she had already strolled down the street trying to escape Colby. The cold air aided in snapping her awake.

It also helped Rebecca realize she had a pounding headache and needed some pain medication quickly. She rushed back home after withstanding the breeze for as long as she could, thankful to find Colby had left.

She wanted nothing more than to ignore his sudden presence, so she decided that would be exactly what she did. Now that he was out of sight, it was much easier. She rummaged through her drawers finding empty pill bottle after empty pill bottle.

Jesus.

She saw herself in the mirror. Makeup-stained face and all. Mascara smudged and lipstick-smeared. She quickly threw water on her face and rubbed it off, wondering why Colby hadn't taken a jab at it.

Rebecca quickly threw on a hoodie, learning from her walkout minutes ago that it was cold and her outfit from partying was not at all suitable for the weather, before heading out. When she got into the store she found her regular pills and realized she didn't bring any cash. 

Normally, Pamela would spot her some money, and she had her ways to ensure the landlord would let her stay in her apartment without any troubles, but at that moment, she was run dry. She took a swift look around, noticing there was only one worker, who was on their phone anyway. 

Rebecca shrugged to herself, slipping the bottle into her pocket, and then decided to take another one for good measure. She easily slipped out unnoticed and walked down the street, feeling raindrops begin to fall. As she crossed the street, she saw a familiar vending machine in her path and stopped by it.

She scanned her options and aggressively bashed in the keypad, triggering three different items to fall. She took them and noticed someone had accidentally left some spare change in the machine's change drawer, snatching that too.

It wasn't top-tier living, but it was her life, and she rolled with the punches. Her life had been in the downhill direction for a few years, so she was used to it anyway.

Raindrops began to hit her clothes, so she tried speeding her pace up, snacking on a bag of chips she had won from the vending machine lottery. It wasn't much, but she knew that she'd end up considering it her breakfast.

Suddenly, her phone started ringing, and she didn't even know she had it on her. She reached into her pocket and answered it, chucking her chip bag on the ground. Then Rebecca opened one of her pill bottles, popping three into her mouth.

"Hello?" She questioned, hearing a bunch of noise on the other end.

"Becks! It's me!" Rebecca immediately recognized Ashley's voice and took in her already drunk-sounding tone.

"Did you even go to sleep?" She asked, getting back home and winking at the landlord as she walked by. "Or have you just been partying all night and morning?"

"What's it matter? A party is a party!" Ashley yelled, causing Rebecca to wince. "Come drink with me! I'm back at Rami's bar!"

Rebecca closed her apartment door, suddenly finding hesitance in what would usually be an immediate answer. "I don't know..."

"What do you mean?" Ashely whined into the phone. "Since when are you such a bummer?"

Ashley's words made Rebecca pause. She was right. Normally, it was an easy choice. However, for some reason, she couldn't help but entertain her thoughts, something she never allowed herself to do.

Then it clicked. The man she couldn't shake from the back of her mind. One she couldn't quite ever get rid of. No matter how hard she tried to drink away his face. 

Colby.

Within his few minutes of interrupting her life, Rebecca was right back where she so desperately wanted to get away from. She wanted nothing to do with him, and now he had the audacity to reappear and judge her drinking habits?

Fucking idiot.

"Becks?" Ashley spoke again, causing Rebecca to reply hastily.

"Yeah. I'm on my way." The anger on her face easily reflected her frustration with Colby.

Who does he think he is?

She was hellbent on living her life how she wanted, and all it took was one glance at Colby. She felt her anger boiling. "That stupid fucking idiot."

Her words escaped her lips as she threw the bottle of beer she had been nursing in the morning across the room. She watched the glass shatter everywhere and the small amount of remaining liquid spill onto her floor.

Rebecca took a short moment to collect herself before deciding to change. She had slept in past noon and planned on being out for the rest of the day, hoping the inevitable partying wasn't filled with Colby-induced rage.

She slipped on a tight-cropped shirt and some ripped jeans, while trying to calm herself down internally. She then threw on some makeup, hoping the extra effort would get her brownie points with bartenders and bouncers.

All the while, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. By Colby of all people.

She didn't like the feeling it was leaving in her chest. One that left her in a state of unease. It gave her no other urge than to drink away the thoughts.

For the past few years, Rebecca had only managed to keep in touch with her surface self, not splurging any inner thoughts or worries to anyone, including herself. She had lost touch with the person living in her own skin and forced herself to believe she could live with that.

Now that Colby had reappeared, Rebecca was starting to doubt just that. Everything she had trained her mind to be comfortable with suddenly felt like it was cracking. She just hoped she could keep it all up until he was gone again, for good.