Hypodermic Dispositions

Chapter 2.

3 months later

The thick and heavy smoke hung in the room, as did the noise of booming music and low voices, giggling and clinking glasses. Parties had never been my thing but I was really enjoying the energy and noise. I turned to my friend Amy, practically having to yell you allow the drunk and yampy girl to hear my properly. "You seen Damon?" I asked, she turned, raising her thick, drawn on eyebrows at me, giving me "the face"- that cheeky smirk hid by her ruby lipstick, most of which had transferred to her teeth. "oh don't gimmie that look, I just need a word", playfully punching her exposed arm. "I think he's in the garden with Naomi" she yelled back. I briskly nodded and headed to the garden, wading through all kinds of people, tall, short, goths, punks or just dickheads in tracksuits

And there he was, with a needle jabbed in his arm, slowly pushing the brown sludge deeper into his,I had to say, muscular, but veiny arms. I was revolted by not only the thought of it but the fact he was doing it in some random house party in the middle of Digbeth. Lovely. I glared from the back door, hoping he'd notice how pissed off I was. I was livid, I couldn't believe he was sticking that shit in his veins.

He finally looked up, eyes glassy and dead looking. "Alicee" he slurred, giving a wide, Cheshire cat smile. "Damon. We should get back" I sighed at him, his body getting limper and limper till he finally leant back in the grimey and battered deck chair he was sat on and landed on his back. His usually blue and beautiful eyes were now bloodshot and vacant, and rolling to the back of his head. He was drooling.

I'd have to wait till he came back round to get any kind of response from the dopey boy, so I huffed and shoved my way back to the living room to Amy. She looked concerned and mostly confused, she'd been like that most her life. Confused about everything and everyone. We'd been friends since nursery, I'd been there for her messy breakups and arguments with her dad that "managed to just get out of hand" I felt bad for Amy at times. She'd had a rough life

"Alice, you look ready to tear down the whole house, what's gone on?" She yelled, the loud music still humming through the oversized chrome speakers. "....its nothing honestly" I lied through gritted teeth.

Damon and I had become very close over the past few months, and we looked out for each other, cared about each other. And there he was doing smack in some overgrown, minefield of a back garden. I poured myself a drink of rum and coca cola and angrily took sips every now and again. Waiting

After several hours of observing the characters at this sempiternal seeming party, I went back to the garden to check on Damon

He still was flat on his back, but his eyes were open, he looked rough, thick grey bags had formed under his eyes, and his blonde hair was ruffled and stuck to his clammy forehead, His eyes eventually shot to mine and I could see the guilt ooze from him. "Alice-" "save it for later, I just want to go home, I'm tired and I think someone might've thrown up on my coat" I just wanted to leave. So we did. I helped carry him back to my front door, my hand clasped onto his sweaty and bloodied ones, his knuckles swollen and red.

The lamps made the streets glow amber, and managed to make the already empty lanes and avenues seem even more barren.

Damons frail frame collapsed on the black, leather sofa, I swiftly grabbed a blanket and threw it over him, his clammy body finally relaxing properly. I trudged up the wooden stairs and into bed

Sleep, finally