𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇.

twenty-two.

𝐤𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐞 𝐣. 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐬
𝙳𝙴𝙲𝙴𝙼𝙱𝙴𝚁 || 𝙱𝙰𝚃𝙾𝙽 𝚁𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙴, 𝙻𝙰.
-

     "Why the fuck.." I huffed as I picked up all of the empty alcohol bottles that laid on the floor all around the house.

I kept finding one after another and to think that my father had drunk that much alcohol in one night was concerning. And he wasn't even here for me to check on him, who knows where he was. Most likely at the hospital but if not there then I had absolutely no clue at all.

It was Christmas Eve and I was preparing the house for when my guests would be showing up which was in less than an hour. The house was never ever messy, so the number of alcohol bottles and mess that was on the floor not only aggravated, but concerned me.

𝟐𝟐𝟓-𝟑𝟏𝟑-𝟕𝟖𝟗𝟓
- you got any plans td? im off work

I looked down at my phone, sighing, seeing that it was that Amani guy from foot locker. I had been texting him briefly throughout the day but all my responses were dry, hoping that it would signal to him that I didn't want to talk yet he kept the conversation going.

I stuck my phone in the front pocket of my red and green Christmas sweatpants hearing a knock on the door, something telling me that it was Neno. I knew he would come early just because he loved to see me, but today I hated it because the house was still a mess.

I opened the door, "You can't come in—"

He cut me off allowing himself in and placing his gift bag down, "So what I'm a lil' early? Is it bad if I just wanted some extra alone time with my lovely friend?"

Friend still...

I rolled my eyes and closed the door behind him, going back to cleaning like I had been with the most annoyed facial expression.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing, I'm just trying to clean."

"What's all these bottles doing all over the floor? You had a party before us or sum?" He laughed, picking up one and placing it into the trash bag that I held.

"It's my father. I think he's been drinking away his thoughts away ever since my mom's been in the hospital." I shrugged.

My father had never been a drinker, ever. This was the first time that I had actually seen more than two bottles of alcohol in the house.

I hadn't seen my dad much since my mother was placed in the hospital. He was never home, he spent most of his time there or wherever else he went. But me and him had been really distant from one another after he made it seem like I was a terrible daughter for not wanting to see my mother when she was getting prayed and sung over.

"Ouch," Neno cringed as he helped me pick up other random trash and chip bags from off the floor. I could tell he was unsure on what to say so I just changed the topic.

"I got us matching pajamas if you wanna wear them." I put the trash bag down and grabbed his pair of sweatpants to show him.

"Of course I do, Ci. Led me go change," He smiled showing his new braces color of the month which was teal, and grabbed his pants to go change.

As he went into the bathroom I used that as the time to message Amani back saying that I was having a small friends get together, hoping that he would stop texting me eventually.

"These shits fit too. On god, we cute as hell." He came out the bathroom with his sweatpants on, smiling and geeking. "Thank you, Cici."

"No problem. You doing okay today?" I asked him, looking him in his eyes as he came over to give me a hug.