Mr. Brightside

Chapter Two

Peyton woke with a startle when she suddenly heard something clank against the ground. As she rolled onto her side to glance at the floor she groaned, seeing an empty flask that she had apparently fallen asleep holding. Exhausted she rolled back over, pulling the blankets to her face, and closed her eyes.

A second later, an alarm rapidly repeated an obnoxious tone throughout her room. "Fuck." She whined.

Admitting defeat, she quickly grabbed her phone then turned off the alarm and sat up. Peyton faced her window and sighed. The sun wasn't even up, yet she was. Swiftly, she pushed off her blanket and climbed out of bed, heading for the bathroom. She had an easy routine set up: once she wakes up, she showers, gets dress, then heads for the bus, not letting herself rest for even a moment, knowing if she did, she'd fall back to sleep. However, every once in a while an extra step was added.

Once Peyton was dressed in jeans and a simple grey hoodie she picked up the flask that she dropped earlier in her sleep and grabbed her backpack, heading out her room towards the kitchen. The house was quiet so she assumed everyone was asleep, including her father who usually was up before her. In the kitchen, she carefully crouched down at cabinets that were under the the counter and opened them, revealing bottles of liquor that filled all the space inside.

Without hesitation, she reached for the clear bottle that was labeled vodka.

Peyton restocked her flask before she placed the bottle back where it belonged and shoved her silver container into her bag. A sigh of relief left her as she closed the doors and stood up. However, that sigh of relief came a second too soon.

"What are you doing?" A voice boomed through the house.

Quickly her head snapped in the mans direction, "Dad..." Her mother joined the equation as Peyton began, "I was just getting ready to leave." Eagerly she picked up her bag and tried to make her way past them. Unfortunately she didn't move fast enough.

Peyton, abruptly, was yanked by the hair and dragged along by her father who headed towards the living room. Her mother tagging along not too far behind. "You aren't slick, I know what you are doing. You think I don't notice our liquor is evaporating in thin air?"

Of course he would notice, Peyton pondered.

Releasing her hair Peyton quickly regained composure. "I'm going to miss the bus..." She simply said.

"Don't get smart with me!" He thundered.

Peyton looked at her mother who awkwardly shifted her gaze. And just as Peyton predicted, the bus' engine roared loud enough from outside, informing that it just pulled up to her house. Without a word she turned away from them to get out of there as fast as possible.

Before she could even take a step, her father spun her around and gripped her by the throat. Peyton dropped her bag and grabbed onto his arm as a result. His hold around her neck was tight, instantaneously cutting off her air supply. Panic overwhelmed her but all she managed to do was violently grasp for air. Unfortunately no matter how hard she attempted, she received none.

Peyton could hear the bus leaving. Fuck, she silently thought.

He yanked her towards him as she moved her hands to his, trying to desperately wedge her fingers in between his grasp. Though the more she struggled the tighter his grip got. Peyton's lungs burned as the walls seemed to close in on her. Hopelessly, her eyes wandered to her mother who avoided her gaze. "You piece of shit." He growled, "I don't know why I put up with you." Finally he let go, causing her to fall to the ground. Endeavoring to feed her body the thing it begged for, Peyton wheezed for air. "Leave. You missed the bus so you better start walking." He ordered.