“How are you doing, Fallon?” Ms. Rose asks, leaning against the open door to her apartment as I walk up the stairs. I readjust my grip on the groceries I’m holding as I slow to a stop in front of her.
“I’m alright,” I reply, giving her a small smile. She stares at me, searching for some sign that things aren’t okay.
“I see Kelsey’s living with you,” she notes, and I chew on my lip, not knowing how to respond. “Do you think that it’s a good idea?”
“No,” I mumble with downcast eyes. “But I’m working on making it a better one.” I give her a sad smile before walking towards my door and stepping into the silent house. “Kelsey?” I call quietly, wondering if she’s put Tyson down for his nap. When I don’t get a response, I kick the door closed behind me and place the groceries on the counter.
The past few days have gone by pretty good; better than I expected. Instead of fighting constantly, Kelsey and I are putting in a good effort to get along and be civil. We’ve been sleeping in my bed, which I feel guilty about, however we’re both on opposite sides, only our feet touching occasionally in the night.
I listen, holding my breath to hear clearly for some sign of noise. After a few moments, I detect some muffled kind of sound, but can’t pinpoint what it actually is. Worried, I slowly make my way down the hall, pausing at Tyson’s door to peer inside.
He’s fast asleep in his crib, but he’s not he source of the noise. It doesn’t take me long to realize the sound is coming from behind the barely-open bathroom door. Gently, I push it open and peer inside.
“Kelsey?” I whisper, staring down at her. She leans against the bathtub, hugging her knees to her chest. Her makeup is smudged down her cheeks and around her eyes, making her look like a racoon. “What’s wrong?”
Her hands shake as she meets my eyes, gasping in between sobs. “I need it, Fallon,” she whispers with a unstable tone. “I need it!”
I shake my head and kneel on the floor in front of her. “No, you don’t,” I assure her, my voice stern. “I got through it on my own, Kelsey. So can you.” She begins to protest but I firmly grab her shoulders, holding her gaze. “You can do it.”
Her hands clench into fists as she drops her legs, folding them cross-legged. She groans, tilting her head forward, her hair covering her face. “I’ve been trying to ignore it for days,” she mumbles, aggravated. “But I can’t anymore. I need it, Fallon!”
“No, you can’t-“
“Just a little bit.” When I don’t respond, she looks up. “Just one inhale.”
“Kelsey, I know you think it will be better if you do, but really, it’s not.”
“I can’t just drop it and walk away!” She yells, then immediately lowers her voice, remembering that Tyson is sleeping. “I need to wean myself off it. Slowly cut down until I stop completely.”
“I did it without that. So can you-“
“Fallon!” She grunts, grabbing my arms and giving me a good shake. “I’m not as strong as you! Just help me; just one time!”
YOU ARE READING
Sinking Ships
Fiksi RemajaDrugs tear lives apart, and that's no different for Fallon. With his parents two years dead and the girl he loved disapearing and returning, things are pretty eventful. Throw a young child into the mix and he's got himself a complete mess of a life...
