My Simple Christmas Wish.

Chapter six.

I opened my swollen eyes and peared at the clock. Urgh, 2:00am. I sat there in silence, checking for noises, but there was nothing. You could hear a pin drop. I slowly edged my way out of bed and tip-toed downstairs for a glass of water. It was cold and dark, but I braved it. It wasn't much better upstairs.

Without making a sound, I casually walked into the box-shaped kitchen and made my drink. I couldn't help but ignore the thumping inside my head, so I reached inside the draw and got out a packet of Paracetamol, but there was only one packet in there, and it was unopened. I stared at it for a few minutes, the tempation was too big. What if I have two, three, four? Or even five? What harm will that do? Or six, or seven? Or just the whole packet?! I thought with a cheeky grin on my face.

It can't do me much harm, surely. It's only Paracetamol! My fingers rubbed over each tablet, counting them one by one as I carefully opened each pouch and gently placed each tablet into the palm of my shaky hand.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps from upstairs.

'Zoe?' I heard Jessie whisper. 'What are you doing?'

I spun round, what was I doing? What was she going to say when she saw me stood there holding fourteen Paracetamols? My heart was beating faster than my brain was working. I looked at my hand, shoved the tablets into my mouth and swallowed just as Jessie's confused face appeared at the doorway. 'What are you doing?' She questioned as I slid the now empty packet of Paracetamol behind my back.

'Um...j-just getting a drink.' I stammered after a few seconds of silence, while my brain caught up.

'Oh, right. I thought I heard someone. Well...night.' She replied awkwardly, turing around and walking off.

I took a deep breath and shut my eyes, what did I just do?

I waited until silence had been reformed and stumbled back upstairs and into bed. My eyes felt fuzzy and my head was banging heavier than before, as soon as my body hit the bed, I fell into a deep sleep.

*

I suddenly opened my eyes as a gust of vomit escalated my throat. I jumped out of bed and ran into the bathroom.

'Zoe? Are you okay?' I heard Jessie calling.

I got up and wiped my mouth, 'Yes, I'm fine.' I stammered, my body shivering.

I slowly got up and crawled back into bed. What have I done?

I laid there, my trembling eyes fixated on the celling above me. My head spinning around in endless circles, feeling like there was no end. I wasn't concentrating on anything, just staring. Hoping it would all end in a dream.

*

'Zoeeee? Zoeeeee?'

I woke up to the sight of Phoenix stood there holding a warm mug of tea, smiling at me in his cute way.

'Hey.' I said surprised, trying to fix my hair which was knotted and un-brushed.

'Morning!' He said cheerily.

'What time is it?' I asked, attempting to get up and check.

'Ten o'clock!' He replied, signalling I should stay put.

'TEN?!' I shouted, my throat all creaky and cracked.

'Yes.'

'We're late for school!' I said, forgetting he'd probably already realised that.

'Again, yes.'

'But-but-what about you?!' I jumped.

'You can hardly stay here on your own!' . His voice was surprisingly calm throughout all this as he sat on the end of my bed.

I smiled, there was no point arguing if it was pointless.

'Alright.' I nodded as reassurance.

'I can go if you want?' He said, getting up.

'Oh, I-' I started.

'-I'll go.' He interrupted, walking towards the door.

'No, Phoenix. You've bunked school to make sure I am okay, I can't dismiss you now!' I blurted out.

'You sure?'

'Yeah.'

'Oh, okay.' He said, sitting back down on the end of my bed. 'What's been up with you recently?'

'Oh..um..noth-' I attempted to lie.

'-No. I want the truth. I'm worried about you, you need to tell someone.' He interrupted, again.

If he's going to keep asking me questions, the least he could do is let me answer them.

I sighed. 'I don't know what's up. If I wanted to tell you, I couldn't.'

'Fine then.' He replied. 'I was trying to get somewhere with you.' He got up again, and walked out.

A rage of guilt filled my stomach. I'm so stupid. 'Phoenix. Phoenix!'

There was no reply.

Why do I ruin everything? I'll never have my simple Christmas wish.