Into the Flames → Liam Dunbar [2]

Chapter Twenty-One

Sometime in every person's life, they have a complete meltdown. They are pushed past their limit and through their breaking point, leaving them defenseless against the world. It didn't matter how perfect their life was, or how well they kept it in order: everyone has a breakdown. Some are just sooner than others.

After, they are left with the feeling of devastation and heartbreak, wanting to give up. It's ugly crying while trying to pull themselves together because they have to be strong and carry on. Because no matter what, giving up isn't an option. Eventually things would get better, and maybe they were lucky enough to not have to go through that pain twice.

Breaking down was worse than breaking up because it's a fight within. It's the stress from all around them and not being able to keep up. It's not knowing that their friends are there to back them up, or that they are even aware of everything. But deep down, they do, even if it's worrying from a distance or being right there by their side. Breakdowns were the lowest of lows.

And this was hers.

Addy spent her night in the bottom of her shower with her legs curled up to her chest and tears streaming down her face. With all the stress in her life at the moment, she deserved the time to have her own breakdown. It was shocking that it hadn't happened earlier.

Being brought back from the dead; then facing the same people that killed her and happened to give her the power to come back to life in the first place; her friend turning out to be the bad guy; and to top it all off, having her boyfriend try to kill her best friend, not to mention said bad guy also killed said best friend was more than enough stress for one week.

It was Addison Ryder's time for absolute self-destruction.

The water turned cold long ago, but all she could do was watch her tears mix with the water and swirl down the drain. Physically, she was fine. Emotionally, she was wrecked. Her life before was average, normal to say the least, boring – but she could use boring again. There were everyday hiccups, but now it was a whole new hill – mountain – to climb. If she managed to get out of all this crap alive, it was going to haunt her for the rest of her life. She was already having nightmares so bad she woke up gasping.

How Scott wasn't traumatized would always stump her. He had been through more than twice as much as her, and led his pack through it all. She envied his ability to do that.

Addison was unable to get up from the shower or make the tears stop. She felt like her chest was collapsing and her heart was going to jump straight through it. The water was starting to make her skin turn blue and leave a stinging sensation. She was overly exhausted from her heavy breathing and lack of oxygen getting to her. She was breaking down from the inside to out, and there was nothing, or no one, that could fix that.

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Addison sat at home with her cellphone in hand, debating who to call. After the whole thing last night, she just needed a few hours to herself, which she hadn't gotten in a long time. So after leaving the tunnels and learning that Stiles' dad would be okay for real this time, she got Scott to take her home.

The few hours of sleep she got were good for once. She was so exhausted that even nightmares couldn't wake her. Her sleep ended only when her mother came in and woke her up, saying that she was leaving for work. It was tough trying to explain why she disappeared for a few days, but Mrs. Ryder seemed okay with it when she was told that Addy was safe with Kira and her family.

Mrs. Ryder was so oblivious to everything that happened. Addy nor Brayden had told her about Addy's supernatural ability or those of their friends. She planned to keep it that way. Her mom worked so much that she barely saw her daughter anyway. It wasn't like the two were close.