Stalemate // The Queens Gambit //Benny Watts x OC

Thirteen: Sobering

"Adelaide?!"

I jolt upright, completely disoriented, headache drilling through my skull. I blink a few times to focus and adjust to the light. I'm in my bed, under the covers, but I'm laying the wrong way with my feet at my headboard. There's pounding on my front door and I groan loudly, looking for a clock. It's 2:45 and I feel more tired than I was when I got home yesterday from lunch with my father and Benny. The pounding comes again and I grumble, swinging my legs out of bed and shuffling to the door. "What??" I say loudly as I open it, the light piercing my eyelids. I hold my hand in front of my face to block it and see a tall male figure in front of me.

"Hey! Jesus, where have you been? Macy told me you haven't answered your phone in days." Jonathan's concerned voice greets me.

"Jonathan- hey, uh.. sorry, I can't see anything, come inside." I step aside and he walks inside. I turn to him and fidget with my sweater, trying to formulate a sentence. "Sorry- what were you saying?"

"I talked to Macy this morning, she told me she hasn't been able to reach you in days and neither has anyone else. We're all worried about you, what's going on?"

I take a moment to really hear what he's saying, and when I do I'm still just as confused. "What do you mean? You all came over like two days ago and I just saw Benny yesterday."

He sighs, angry, but why is he angry with me? I don't understand what I've done wrong. "She called Benny, he said he hasn't spoken to you in four days. Adelaide, have you been drinking?"

I frown, staring at the floor. Four days? The lunch was just yesterday, right? "Hold on, what's the date?"

"The twentieth."

"What? No- no, that's not right. I just saw Benny yesterday, I talked to you all the day before.." I trail off, noticing the beer can in the hallway. Oh god. It has been four days. I sit on the couch, head in my hands. This goddamn headache won't go away.

Jonathan sits next to me, rubbing my back gently. "Adelaide, have you been drunk for four days?"

"I..I think so?"

His eyes are filled with so much pity that I want to slap him. I hate it. "Let me help you, please? I know you're having a hard time, but it doesn't have to be this rough."

I slowly nod and he brushes the stray hair out of my face. I just then realize how I must look- and smell. "I'm gonna take a shower really quick. I feel like shit. Would you mind waiting?"

"Of course not, take your time." I can't help but stare at him for a few additional seconds, admiring his handsome features. But I snap out of it and stand to go to the bathroom.

I let the hot water blur my vision and run down my throat, washing away the sour taste of beer and puke. I can't believe I just wasted four days. I really did need help. I told myself when mother died that I wouldn't fall apart, that I was going to deal with it and move on with my life, but I was doing exactly the opposite. I needed to snap out of it. I was going to get sober, buckle down, and move on like I promised myself.

I stepped out of the shower and sat on the bathroom counter for a minute, letting myself fully wake up, then brushed my teeth and hair and got dressed. Jonathan was still sitting on the couch when I came back out.

"Feel better?"

"Much, thanks for waiting. And I'm sorry. For making everyone worry. I didn't realize I had gotten so deep in this pit and I genuinely want to get out, I just.. don't really know how."

Jonathan takes my hand in his and smiles warmly. I find myself smiling back, suddenly feeling energized. "It's alright. I'm glad you want to feel better. We're gonna do whatever we can to get you through this, don't worry." He pulls me into him, wrapping his arms around me. I put my arms around him as well and breath in deeply. He smelled comforting, like cinnamon and freshly baked bread. I felt like I could stay there forever.