The IV League [EDITING]

Chapter 10

A.N. DAMN IT FEELS GOOD TO BE BACK!

•••

When Vivian woke up, she felt something brush against her abdomen. Carter turned his head and looked at her. She smiled softly.

"Hey, Cart."

"Hi."

He raised his head and ran his fingers through his hair. Vivian wanted those fingers to be entwined with hers instead. She raised her hand to lace her fingers through his, but he moved it away. Vivian was a little hurt, but she didn't show it.

"So, how long was I out for?" she asked, to ease the tension between them.

"Four hours."

"Did I miss much?"

"Does it matter?"

For some strange reason, Carter was being really cold towards her, and Vivian didn't like it. She wanted to ask him why, but she figured that the conversation that would follow wouldn't be one she'd particularly enjoy. So she kept her mouth shut and hoped that he'd confront her when she was better.

"So, uh, I don't remember what happened," she said, putting her fingers to a bruise on her forehead.

"Well," said Carter, adjusting his chair, "I'll give you a hint. It involved an argument, two teenage boys, one broken arm, and a bottle of Smirnoff Red Label."

Vivian's mind drifted back to six hours earlier.

"Vivian, your test results are back."

Sarah entered her room and left a file on her bed.

"And?" asked Vivian, opening the file.

"Well, you came back clean. You should be proud of yourself."

"There's something else, right?

Sarah hesitated. "Yeah."

Vivian sat down. "They're not putting me on the donor list because of my lifestyle."

"Your parents are still talking to the committee. You'll get a spot on that list."

Vivian sighed. "Why don't they understand that I've changed? Yes, I made some stupid mistakes in the past, but I also learned from them! I'm not going to do that to myself again. The past year was the worst of my life, and I don't want to relive it. Does the committee not get that?"

"Vivian, you must understand that there are people who need a new organ more urgently. So they give preferences to those who've git damaged livers for more genuine reasons."

"Are you trying to say that alcoholism isn't a genuine reason? That just because I put myself into this mess, I don't deserve a new organ?"

"Vivian, I'm not trying to say-"

"You know what," said Vivian, "I don't care. Save your breath, Sarah. You're just like the rest of them."

Before Sarah could respond, Vivian stormed out of the room. She went to the restroom and locked herself in one of the stalls. From under her hospital gown, she pulled out a flask. She had been waiting for her test results to come back before she tasted the alcohol again. She twisted the cap and put the cold metal against her lips. She was very well aware of the mistake she was making, but she couldn't care less. She wasn't going to get new organ, so what the hell? She might as well just go back to her old ways.

Slowly, she gulped down the liquid. The alcohol stung her throat. The vodka she had in the flask had been heavily diluted, so it wasn't strong enough. In no time she'd flushed down the whole thing, but she still wasn't floaty. She still remembered the pain. She just wanted it to go away. And for that, she needed something stronger.