Exposure

Chapter 9

All the lights in the house are off when I approach the door, but thankfully it's unlocked. At least dad didn't forget I was out. I have a lot explaining to do. My foot suddenly slams into the island counter. I swear under my breath as my foot slowly throbs. I inch around the kitchen to find the light above the stove. When I feel a tiled background, I also feel a light switch and flick it on. My hands sweat as I grasp the bag, and I put it under the light, I don't know how long I've been staring at it. Maybe five minutes. But in those five minutes I noticed a bright orange object peeking out from the powder.

"What are you looking at?" I instantly clasp the bag in my hand, then turn around to see dad. Shit! He had to of noticed it! How long has he been standing there?

"I- uh, nothing." With my left hand, I grab my cell phone out of my back pocket and flash it up. "Claire was texting me. Girl business." At the moment, I am thankful for the island. Dad can't see the bag in my other hand.

"Alright, I won't pride." He still looks suspicious. I glance at my phone again to play it off. Dad pulls out a cigar from his back pocket, and lights it. He was always a smoker. I hate it. "So what happened during dinner?" he asks, his eyebrow raised.

"Peter...he's new here. He needed my help with his telescope." It breaks my heart to lie to him, but if I told him what Peter actually told me, dad would ask me if I was doing drugs. At that point I would be screwed because I can't lie much more without getting caught. He blows out a circle of smoke.

"Well no more going out during dinner. This family needs to come together again." He sighs. "You shouldn't be up this late, you have an early morning session."

"And you shouldn't be smoking," I tease.

"Don't be smart with me." He smiles at me. "Go to bed soon Ivy. I love you."

"I love you too." I stare at him as he ascends the stairs. Puffs of smoke follow him all the way to the top. Until I hear his bedroom door close, I don't bring out the bag. I notice a strip of tape on the back of it. It says 30mg. When I dump out the powdered substance, a single oval orange pill peeks out from it. I'm guessing this is the 30mg. And since I've never done drugs before, I don't even look at the powder in the bag. I pick up the pill. I have no idea what kind of drug this is. And 30mg can be a lot depending on what this is. I stare at it for awhile longer. I doubt Adrien would be carrying around an amount of something that could kill you. My mind wanders to the party. I can feel my body tingle with a great sensation just from thinking about it.

I grab a glass cup from the cupboard above me and fill it halfway with water. I close my eyes tightly. I will never do this again, even if I do get high. I'm practically turning my back on Peter, but this is my life. He doesn't know the half of it when it comes to my feelings. I bring my hand to my mouth, and I can feel the pill lingering on my tongue. When I pour the water down my throat, I know this pill is gone. The powder is swept and sucked into the sink drain beside me. It's bright color mocks me as it twists and turns into nothing.

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"I wish I had a family like full house. Everyone is nice to each other, unlike my bitch sister." Mom stares at me, a troubled look on her face.

"Hey! Don't you ever call your sister that!" Dad walks into the room, and mom kisses him on the lips. Her mouth lingers towards his ear and she whispers something. What the hell? Why is dad here? And why is mom kissing him?

"Anymore language like that, and you won't be coming on the family trip Ivy. I'm serious. I'm not gonna deal with that shit."

Dads face blurs into my bedroom wall. What the hell just happened? I suddenly remember the pill. The pill. I can feel a smile creep on my face. Was that a hallucination? My heart is beating a mile a minute, and my room ceiling looks like a giant white swirl. Just like the powder in the sink. My face is also sweating as if I just went for a long run. As I bring my hands up to rub my face, they shake violently. My body is buzzing with a pleasurable warm feeling.