It's not just complicated, it's a disaster

Disaster (Chapter Six)

Chapter Six

Zeke’s P.O.V

I watched for a second as Harriet and Tara dragged the practically unconscious Alex up the stairs to the bathroom. I don’t know why it got to me, but it did. Maybe it was seeing someone I loved smashed and out of their mind.

“Zeke,” Claire whispered to me.

I snapped out of my trance and turned to face Claire.

“Are you okay?” she asked, touching my arm.

“Yeah,” I nodded slightly. “Fine. Will… will she be okay?”

“Yeah… we’ll take care of her, she’ll be at school tomorrow, don’t worry,” Claire muttered, walking slowly to the lounge room.

“What makes you so sure?” I asked, following her. “Has this happened before?”

Claire sighed and sat down on the coffee table in front of the lounge. She gestured me to the lounge and I sat down quickly.

“It’s happened before… many times before, some worse than the others,” Claire said.

“For how long?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“Two months,” Claire answered.

“Since we broke up,” I muttered, sitting back. “I want to know everything.”

“I’ll tell you everything, okay? But none of it is your fault, you hear me? You didn't cause Alex to act the way she does,” Claire stressed

“Claire, you’re making me kind of worried now,” I whispered.

“Sorry,” Claire muttered, playing with her hands. “I kind of gets to me, you know. I worry about her so much.”

“Why don’t you tell her that?” I asked.

“She doesn’t listen! She won’t listen to anyone,” Claire said, then shook her head. “She’s going to hate me for telling you.”

“Then you don’t have to,” I said quickly.

“It’s okay, it’s only fair you understand. I mean, no one understands what is going on in her head, I don’t think she even knows. I think she needs help and she won’t see anyone… I think if anyone has a chance of getting through to her, it’s you,” Claire shrugged.

“No it’s not,” I disagreed. “I’ve managed to talk to her once, otherwise she ignores me.”

“You haven’t seen what she’s being going through, it clouds my judgement, but it won’t cloud yours,” Claire said.

“So… what has happened to her?” I asked slowly.

Claire sighed and starched her head.

“It’s that bad?” I guessed.

Claire nodded. “It was hard to notice at first. I mean, for a while nothing changed. She kept her grades up, she got up, went to school, no problem. Then, well I noticed she stopped using your car. She loved your car, she loved being able to still have some part of you with her, and she just stopped. I made no sense… then the behaviour started. She still did well in class, but she would disobey the teachers. It was unlike her, and before I knew it, she yelling at me. She was complaining about Dad, complaining about Tom and I, when I asked if she had a problem with Tom moving she said ‘no’. Then she started complaining about it.”

“When did the drinking start?” I asked.

“Soon after… she met one of my old friends and he was more than happy to take her on. He treats her like a little sister, and although he lets her have the alcohol at least I know he’s going to protect her,” Claire muttered.