A slow fall

Chapter 13 - Caleb

The weekend brought a much-needed reprieve from the struggles of the past two weeks. My parents, albeit reluctantly, allowed me to spend Friday night at Shane's and I planned to use it to my full advantage.

There was nothing I wanted more than to lose myself. Maybe it was wrong, showed some underlying addiction and problem I blinded myself from, but the mind-altering substances called to me like no other.

A burning needed to feel something lead me straight into the devil's clutch; My parents would be disgusted. My already corrupt soul further damned to the point of no redemption. Maybe I'm just digger a path further to hell. I belong there anyway.

Heaven is no place for sinners.

Yet when the drugs enter my system, I no longer care about those things. My parent's words occupy my thoughts no more. Instead, I am nothing, and this emptiness is a welcome one.

Marcus and I brought a change of clothes with us to school so we could all just head straight over to Shane's place at the end of the day. Marcus did it because he didn't live close by, and me because I took every measure possible to avoid my parents. Better safe than sorry.  

Shane's parents were in when we arrived and offered us quick greetings on their way out.

"There's food in the fridge that you boys can reheat." Mrs Redcliff said as she hovered around the door. "Be good," she pointedly glanced at all of us, her tone stern whilst still maintaining that motherly care, "stay safe. Your brother is in so try not to antagonise him too much, please."

It was a plea she made every time they were left alone in the house together, I was sure, though it changed nothing. Shane and Matt would annoy each other any chance they got. Mischief and mayhem ran through their veins. It was their way of showing each other affection. I knew because mine and my brother's relationship was the same.

I remember all the times my parents would come home to the chaos we would cause. Once when we were younger Adam got so annoyed with Bailey not listening to him that he threw his shoes out his bedroom window. I'll never understand why he chose to do that, but as an impartial third party I just stood by and laughed.

They made up not too long afterwards, after Adam Bailey promised to leave his room and help with the chores and Adam went outside to collect his shoes. It was simply one of many stories we accumulated over our childhood.

"We'll be back late," Mr Redcliff spoke as he joined his wife at the front door. They were both dressed to the nines, Mrs Redcliff in an elegant cocktail dress and Mr Redcliff in a blue suit. Both look stunning, a picture-perfect couple, and I admired the love still shared between the two.

Mr Redcliff shot us a knowing glance as he opened the door, waiting until his wife stepped outside before speaking in a hushed voice, "I expect, if you boys go out, you either get back before we do, or -.

"We're gonna stay at Aaliyah's, if that's all good?" Shane interjected. His dad nodded, tell us that he though staying there would be a better idea before offering a final goodbye and following after his wife out the door.

Shane's parents knew we drank. They understood it was something done at this point in our lives and were accepting of it... to a point.

They would get us alcohol only if we stayed in either Shane's house or Aaliyah's.

Aaliyah was part of the larger social circle the three of us resided in. My relationship with most in the group was almost non-existent now, but Aaliyah didn't seem to mind when I couldn't conjure up the effort to speak. When I avoided everyone, she didn't mistake it for rudeness and when I chose not to hang out with them, she took no personal offence. She was kind and caring and asked how I was in a way that told me she really wanted to know. Even though I'd distanced myself, she was still someone I would call a friend. I just hated that I couldn't be a good one in return.