The Complicated Jason McCann [on hold]

Chapter 3 - "Tempted"

Chapter three – “Tempted”

Alcohol is like a drug. One drink is never enough and even when you say you’ll quit, you’ll always find yourself breaking that commitment.

-Sophie-

“Have fun today and don’t get into trouble.” Dad kissed my forehead before turning away into the hotel lobby.

Today was dad’s first day working at the hotel. I got a lift with him and decided to spend the day sightseeing on the famous Las Vegas strip.

I threw my bag over my shoulder and walked away from the hotel’s entrance, trailing back to the main road. After I yelled at dad yesterday he didn’t bother to look for a pancake parlour but like always, he had swept the problem under the rug the moment he woke up. That’s what he always did since mum died, he ignored that I was a drinker; he ignored when I failed maths and when we all had fights. It’s like he was immune to trouble, like he ignored everything he didn’t want.

But he couldn’t ignore mum’s death, never.

I crossed the road, observing the tall rollercoaster wrapping around a hotel with loops and falls. I noted to myself to try it out someday, maybe when I come with Leroy. I passed a loud bar, ignoring the dirty comments men yelled at me. I wasn’t a toy to anyone anymore, I wouldn’t allow it.

“Come on baby, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, nobody needs to know.” One man yelled at me, adding a wink.

I scoffed. “With that hairy gut falling out of your shirt, I don’t think so.”

I scurried along avoiding other bars before ending up outside the shopping mall underneath one of the hotels. This was better, full of sober shoppers who had the same idea as me. Shopping was fun always, don’t get me wrong, but it was different going alone. Even know I discovered Jasmine’s true colours, I still missed the presence of a ‘friend.’

I didn’t know how I was going to make a friend. It was a lot harder not being at school anymore. Dad was telling me how he was going to make me homeschooled but I don’t know if he’d have enough time for me. I was compensating on whether or not to just give up on school all together.

Maybe I should just look for a job soon, you know, to help out with the bills since dad has to look after two of us. I owed dad anyway, I wasted much of my savings on buying beer and short dresses for myself.

I was somewhat glad I had decided to change myself. I’ve finally woken up from my mother’s passing.

-Jason-

I kicked my feet up on the table and leaned back in my chair, a satisfied grin on my face. Alex walked past me, patting my back laughing.

“I can’t believe we pulled that off!” Alex collapsed into his chair, “My brother is brilliant.”

I chuckled, “Hey, it was just my idea; you both put in an equal amount of work.”

We pulled it off and we finally got to use the toy plane me and Alex were dying to use. I looked up at Alex, attempting to mess up his short black hair. I rolled my eyes, he still hadn’t adjusted to his new haircut.

“Where is that plane, anyway?” I asked, my eyes searching the floor for it.

Alex’s eyebrows knitted together in a frown, “It probably blew up? Well it’d be at the cemetery.”

I grinded my teeth together. “That plane has evidence all over it.”

I watched his eyes widen and he stood up, just as furious as I was now. “Timothy!”