Nicky peeled off her dress, her neon blue lace bra and panties contrasting with her pale, washed out skin. The dress fell past her bony legs and pooled on the floor.
"You're looking skinny these days..." he said, pulling her close. He trailed his nose across her skin. "But you smell ravishing." he whispered, burying his hands in her short wispy red hair. She closed her eyes, letting herself drift away, sinking into the dream of exquisite pleasure...
Nicky stirred awake. She looked at the man next to her. He wasn't HIM. She sighed and pulled herself out of his bed. Her head hurt. She nudged the man in the bed. He grunted. "Do you have anything for headaches?"she asked. He threw his arm in the direction of the bathroom.
Nicky opened the medicine cabinet. Her head was killing her. She pulled out a couple bottles and put them on the counter. She grabbed on bottle and tried to read the tiny writing. She opened the bottle and poured some into her hand. Tiny blue tablets. They looked like Aleeve but smaller. She took three.Then tightened the lid and dropped the bottle into the sink. She padded out to the living room. The tv was on. Tiny grey and black dots scattered the screen, making it fuzzy. She ignored it and walked into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and pulled out a beer. The pills left a foul taste in her mouth. HE would never approve of her drinking. She stared at the bottle sadly. She missed HIM. Then she popped off the aluminum top and took a giant swig. Too bad, it chased the memories away.
He came out, his brown hair stuck up like Einsteins. He opened a cabinet above the fridge and took out a small Tupperware container with Simon written across it in horrible handwriting ."Are you hitting?"he asked, opening the lid and pulling out two disposable needles, medical tape and a baby food jar filled halfway with a clear liquid. Nicky nodded. Her head still hurt. HE was still remembered. Distant memories of the smell of pine and soft skin and warm lips. She took another swig. Simon taped her arm, moving her forearm up and down to get the vein. He peeled the wrapper off one needle and filled it. He passed it to her and did the same. She brought the needle to the juncture of her arm. HE would have kissed her here, sending tingles through her body. The needle pierced the vein, blood dripping slowly from the hole as she injected the liquid. She wondered why the air felt so cool.
Nicky sat on the bed, buzzed from both beer and the clear liquid. Simon never told her what it was, she just knew it helped, but not this time.
Nicky opened the bottle again. Everything was fuzzy but her head still hurt. She poured out some into her hand and tossed them back. She needed to quell the headache.
Nicky looked at the mirror. She wanted to cry. Her hair was a mess, her mascara had started to flake off, dusting her cheeks with tiny black specks. She looked anorexic, her ribs and hip bones jutted out beneath her skin. Her arms were covered in the sticky residue from the tape. She felt disgusted. No wonder why HE left. HE couldn't stand her. She turned away.
Nicky started the bath, hot water filling the tub. She was almost numb now. The water created tiny waves and the steam created a fog. She stepped inside and sat down, bringing her flushed knees against her chest. Her skin wasn't washed out anymore. It was turning a nice pink color, like blush. She leaned back against the wall. She felt so tired. The rushing water in the empty bathroom was soothing. She closed her eyes, her body relaxing inside the blanket of steam.
Someone was calling her. A hand through her hair, a nose against the side of her neck. It was Simon. She wanted to tell him she was okay, but her tongue felt heavy.
Nicky felt herself being lifted up. No! She didn't want to leave the tub. She felt him put her down on the bed. He murmured something in her ear before leaving. She wanted to call him back. Don't leave me!
Panic set in. She couldn't move. She was alone again. HE left her and now Simon did too. She felt her lungs close up, as if a foreign liquid was filling her. She opened her mouth to call Simon but threw up. She couldn't turn over, her body wasn't moving!She tried to spit the vile liquid out but it only dribbled down her face. Tears began trickling as she realized she couldn't breathe. Her chest felt weird. Everything started going black.
Nicky closed her eyes, but right before her lids shut, she smelled pine.
