4,035

I'm Drinking

"Did you eat anything last night?" Lana asked right after striking me with a pillow and waking me up. I yawned, and rubbed my eyes.

"No." I closed my eyes again. I heard her sigh, then felt the pillow hitting my face again.

"Wake up." She said.

"No." I pushed her away.

"We've got things to discuss, kid," she hit me again.

"I'm not ten anymore, you can stop calling me that," I covered my eyes with my hands and rolled over.

She sighed and sat at the end of the couch. I sat up, making room.

"Not that I don't enjoy surprise visits from my brother, but what's going on?"

"I just - needed a place to crash." I looked away.

"No. If you needed a place to stay you wouldn't have came here. You've got Evie. So, what's going on?" She loosened up, and finally sounded like she was ready to talk to me, instead of at me.

"I can't go back to Brightview. I'm putting you in danger just by being here." I fiddled with my fingernails.

"What did u get involved in drugs? Owe someone money? On the run from the cops?" She smirked, but it faded quickly as she saw the fear painted on my face. I reached into my pocket and grabbed the folded note. My hands started to shake as I handed it to her. 

She bent her brows and licked her lips as she unfolded it. Without saying anything, she stood up and walked over to her fridge. I followed her with my eyes. She pulled out a bottle of wine and sat back down on the couch. 

"Lana what-" 

"Eh!" She interrupted. She snapped her fingers and silenced me, the same way she did when we where kids. I rolled my eyes and threw my head into the back of the couch as she chugged the wine. I crossed my arms and stared at her as she continued to drink. 

"Lana!" I barked. She wheezed after pounding the bottle onto the coffee table. The clink made me wince. She looked at me silently, waiting for me to speak; as if I was the one that needed to explain myself. 

"What on earth are you doing?" I growled. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I not make that obvious?" She sneered, taking another sip. 

"I'm drinking!" She practically screamed. 

"God!" I jumped up to my feet. 

"You know, I can't believe I even came here!" I turned to leave. 

"Well excuse me! What would you do if your little brother came to your house and handed you this!" She walked over to me and pushed the note against my chest. I coughed. 

"Now, you know I think better with help, so would you shut up and let me think?!" She gestured to the bottle. I nodded anxiously. 

"When are they coming?" She asked. 

"Next Saturday." I rubbed my elbow. 

"Five days. Tight, but do-able. I know a guy who can get you a fake license, maybe even passport. You'll have to cut you're hair, shave it even, we can get you glasses- fake ones obviously-" She listed things so fast it was hard to cut her off. 

"What? No. Lana, no!" She finally got quite. 

"I'm going," I stated. 

"What?" She spat out her wine. 

"I didn't come here for you to hide me. I came to say goodbye," I whispered. 

"Good-goodbye?" She screamed tossing her arms up in the air, wine still in her hand. I nodded slowly. 

"I'm not just gonna give you off to these people, Connor! You remember what happened when they took Mom! God, they're not allowed to take from the same family twice!" Her voice cracked.

My eyes welled up, "they're not." 

"No, no, no! I don't care about who birthed you! Okay, Mom brought you home from the hospital that day! And I- I cared for you when she died! For nine years, Connor! You're my little brother, whether we have the same parents or not! You are my little brother!" She slammed the wine bottle against the tile, shattering it, and began to cry. I jumped. 

"I'll- I'll be back," I stuttered. 

She scoffed, "that's what Mom said." She clutched another bottle, and stomped off to her room. I groaned and chucked myself face first on the couch. 

"It's not my fault," I whimpered, my face pressed up against the cushion. I hoped Lana would come to realize it was best for everyone if I went, even if it meant my death. If I didn't go, they would come after Brightview, killing everyone, including her. 

Including Evie.