divine order

Out

Marshall's Pov
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The sun was sinking low over Detroit, casting this orange glow over everything, makin' it look almost peaceful. I stepped outta that rehab joint, takin' a deep breath of the cold air. First real breath in weeks, months maybe. Shit, I ain't even sure how long it's been since I felt anything that wasn't sterile or drugged up. The air felt different out here—raw, real. But deep down, I didn't know how to feel about bein' outside again. Freedom ain't what it used to be.

I stood there for a minute, just takin' it all in, tryin' to let it sink in that I was really out. My mind was already racin', tryin' to keep up with the weight of it all. The last few years felt like one big-ass nightmare I couldn't wake up from. Music, the one thing that used to be my lifeline, felt like a distant memory now—some shit I used to do before everything went to hell. And now, here I am, standin' on the edge of this new start, and all I could think about was how I couldn't fuck this up. Not this time.

The rehab center behind me, that cold, gray building, looked like a prison from the outside. But to me, it was more like a tomb. A place where I buried the worst parts of myself. But I knew damn well that those demons ain't stayin' buried just 'cause I'm walkin' outta here. They're comin' with me, lurkin' in the shadows, waitin' for me to slip up.

My thoughts drifted, like they always do, to Hailie. My baby girl. She's grown up so much, but she's still my little girl. I wonder if she's proud of me for doin' this, for gettin' clean. I can't even count how many times I've disappointed her, but this time... this time I'm doin' it for her. And not just her, but for Alaina too, and Whitney. Hell, even Kim. We got our issues, but I can't keep puttin' them through this. I can't keep fuckin' up their lives.

But it ain't just about them. It's about me too. I wanna stay clean for myself, even though I'm scared shitless that I won't. There's this voice in the back of my head, always whisperin', always there, tellin' me I'm gonna fall off again. I can't lie, I'm scared. Scared that the first time shit gets hard, I'll go runnin' back to the pills, to the bottle. But I can't let that happen. Not this time.

I started walkin' to my car, each step feelin' heavier than the last. My mind already on the studio, thinkin' about the music. I gotta get back in there, gotta find that spark again. But what if it's gone? What if I'm just a washed-up has-been? What if the world moved on without me? I shook my head, tryin' to push those thoughts away. I can't let that fear control me. I gotta get back in that booth, put everything I've got into this new album. If I don't, then what the hell was all this for?

As I reached for my car, I heard a voice call my name. I turned around to see a woman from rehab standing there, her face a mix of awkwardness and strange confidence.

Her name was Precious...We had shared a connection during our time in rehab, bonding over music and similar childhoods. There had been moments that felt like there could've been more, but neither of us had acted on it. A part of me regrets that I didn't, but I know it's for the best.

I mean, she's beautiful, with a radiant smile that seemed too bright for the world. She had this big curly brown hair that would draw everyone's attention, and she had this youthful look that made her seem like she was still in her early twenties, even though we were around the same age...kinda.

I wasn't gonna lie that I feel something for her deep down...but like I said, I didn't wanna take risks.

"Hey, Marshall," Precious said, her voice trembling slightly. She looked nervous, her fingers fidgeting with the strap of her bag. "I, um, I was wondering if maybe you'd wanna, I don't know, grab something to eat sometime? Just... you know, a little friend date or whatever. It's, uh, to celebrate both of us finishing rehab and all. Nothing fancy, just... you know, something small. I don't want this to be the last time we see eachother is all." She shrugged.