Lauren looked up at her bright purple ceiling that she had painted when she was 15 years old. "Oh god." She moaned rolling over in the bed looking at the clock to see that it was 5:30 in the morning. As she rolled over she felt the pain from her arm clenching it as she got out of the bed walking quickly to the bathroom she and her sister shared when they were growing up. "Ewwww." She said to herself as she wiped off her mouth from the small amount of vomit. She glanced over to the sink picking up the toothbrush she had taken out anticipating this exact event.
"Lauren...have some tea. It calms the acid down..." her mother told her handing her a cup of hot tea.
"It's supposed to help?" she asked.
"I don't know what is in it, but it helped me with the two of you..." Rose told her daughter walking into the kitchen. Lauren followed her mother into the kitchen looking around the house. "How does it feel the same, mom? Like the house feels like it didn't change between the time I left for school and right now..." she pondered.
"It's stable. There's no drama in the house anymore. It's peaceful. The peace, what you don't have in your life right now, Lauren." Rose explained to her daughter. "It doesn't feel like it did when you were little, it feels comfortable. And you seem to go back to that dramatic hectic lifestyle. You don't need it." Rose scolded her daughter.
"I know. I know." Lauren said in a quiet tone taking the bagel her mother had made her. "I can't just leave right now. I can't do it."
"Why?" Rose asked.
"I just can't. He needs me. He's going to get help. I need him, too. He makes me feel good. He just makes everything better, when he is in a good place."
"Lauren Marie...I am not going to stop you. You know that. I will be here for you when you need something. But don't even think for a second that your father is going to put up with this."
"You wouldn't tell him...would you?" she asked.
"He'll be here in February. Just know that, Lauren." Her mother stood up placing her coffee in the sink washing it to get ready for work. "Have a good day at work, Lauren. Be careful if you go home."
**
"Call me if you need anything...I'm still close, Laur..." Caitlin told her friend as she got out of Caitlin's car.
"Will you come in with me?" Lauren asked still concerned. "He won't do anything to me when other people are there..."
"Of course." Caitlin responded getting out of the car with Lauren. Lauren reached into her bag pulling out the key to the house knowing that he was home, and with Ryan. She cracked the door smelling the mixture of beverages that he had thrown on the wall.
"Lauren, be careful..." Ryan exclaimed seeing them walking into the living room. "Come with me..." he said smiling at Caitlin pulling Lauren to the side.
"I think I'm okay, Cait..." Lauren responded.
"Okay." Her friend responded hugging Lauren.
"I'll call you later..." Lauren said standing next to Ryan. "Where is he?"
"He's in bed. He's sleeping it off." Ryan told her.
"I can smell it." She said putting her hand over her mouth grossed out by the smell.
"I know. I'm trying to clean it up." Ryan answered.
"When did you get here?" Lauren asked sitting on the edge of the entry way. "God..can we go in the front? I can't do this smell." Ryan opened the door for her standing up against the front of the house.
YOU ARE READING
The Hook-up
FanfictionBruno and Lauren shared one steamy night of regret. What they don't know, before they spend that night together, is that they had a past. Despite that past they find themselves together, at a time when Bruno is struggling. Lauren is there to help...