His Sick Obsessions

Chapter Fifty: James

How did I get here? Why would she ask me that? I couldn't help but think about it anyway. I made a mistake, all of this is a mistake. Danny lied to me, now in just one break in I completely destroyed my life. I know this is all wrong, of course it is. But I just couldn't find a way out, so instead I just went with it. Danny trapped me here, he knows I don't have a place to call home, so he provided it.  Now I'm in his debt and living in his house. I checked on dinner, just for an excuse for something to do. My mind was a tape, rewinding and replaying over and over again. I rubbed my temples and trudged back up the stairs with a cup of lemonade. I set it on my night stand and pulled open my closet door. I rested the vodka bottle on my lap, a sigh escaping my lips. There was no way out of this. I popped off the cap and put the bottle to my lips, gulping down the liquid quickly. I let it rest on my lap again, this would be over soon. Everything would have to be fine. I've already lived through the worst time of my life and the guilt that followed, it couldn't get worse. I poured some vodka into my lemonade, I needed to get it together. I looked in the mirror, I was a mess. Maybe I was always a mess. I combed through my hair, groaning, I needed to get back downstairs. I ditched the bottle in my closet and put on my pajama pants, dropping my keys into the soft pocket.

Step by step I made it back downstairs. Dalton had taken over as caretaker for dinner. Serena had yet to make an appearance. I was worried about her, along with my worries for everyone else, she had this fire in her that I didn't want to see her get extinguished. I turned on the TV in the living room and flicked on some lights. I looked up and saw Serena stalking along the wall. She came closer and rested her finger tips on the couch. Her make up was done, her hair was neatly brushed and down, she looked like she had it together. But then I saw little marks on her neck, I didn't understand the shape until I realized they had to be put there by  someones fingers.

I put my cup down and grabbed her hand, "Did Danny... choke you?" I asked lowly.

She pulled her hand out from mine, "No, I told you how I felt about Dalton, he's a huge dick" she said bitterly. But her mood wasn't an angry one, in fact I could tell she knew I meant well.

"Dinners done" Dalton called, she looked at me with a blank expression.

"Come on" I said about to turn and leave.

"I'm not hungry" She said looking at the couch.

"Serena, you haven't eaten all day. You need to eat something" I said.

"Yeah well, I'm not hungry" she said again.

I sighed and took another sip of my drink before putting it down. I headed to the kitchen alone, meeting up with Dalton.

"How are things going?" He asked setting a plate down on the counter top.

"Good, for the most part" I grabbed a plate and started filling it up, "what about you, how are things going with you?".

"In all honesty, I'm bored out of my mind. I'm thinking about leaving for a week" He opened the silverware drawer with a thrust.

"Wow, when do you think you'll leave?" I was curious, that would leave an almost even ratio of people here.

"I'm still figuring things out with my plans but possibly Thursday" he grabbed his plate and disappeared to the living room.

I carefully picked up two plates and went back to the living room. Serena and Dalton sat at different ends of the couch, quite obviously avoiding confrontation. I handed her a plate but she didn't grab it.

"I'm not hungry" she said, a whisper on her tongue.

In response, I thrust the plate back to her, she stared at it for a few seconds. It wasn't until Dalton turned to look at her that she accepted the dinner. She stared at it a little while longer before adding a "thanks".