kind of a badass//Carl Gallagher

36

Two Harry Potter films and a stitched up gash later, my phone had been blowing up with texts from Riley. She had been begging me to go party with them. I kind of felt bad for them. They didn't do this to me. I did this to myself. It was my choice. I was dumb enough to believe that addiction wasn't a disease, but it is. It's hereditary. No wonder my stepmom was always afraid the doctors were going to give her pain pills. No wonder my grandmother always told me not to drink since alcohol addiction runs in mine. I should have listened. It was my fault. Not theirs. "Carl, do you feel like going out tonight? Like this...?" I raised our hands so he could see the cuffs. He smiled and nodded. "Actually, it would be a perfect time to go. See how much self-control you have around... that stuff," He states smiling. I huffed out a sigh. I was hoping he'd say he would unlock the handcuffs for at least that time. "You guys are crazy," Mandy stated before letting the slight edge of her lips to curl into a sweet smile, "It's cute." I stood up, pulling Carl along with me. I walked upstairs and pulled out various outfits, Carl turning all of them down. I wanted to wear something comfortable and wont make me die of heat. carl, had other ideas. He picked out black jeans, a long sleeved t-shirt and a hoodie. However, out of respect for him, i put the clothes on knowing i would probably regret it later.

About 20 minutes after, Riley and the guys were picking Carl and I up in their car. "So what's up with the cuffs? Some kinky shit?" Nate asked, looking back from the passenger seat. I shook my head laughing. "Nope. I am getting sober," I state nudging Carl in the ribs a bit as if it say it's his idea. They nodded, respect. "Maybe we should start doing that," Riley states. "It only works if you chain yourself to someone who is determined to get you sober," Carl states, actually getting along with my friends today. They all looked at him with scrunched brows. Probably confused of how he knew of this.

He must have noticed because he began explaining, "I used to have an... at home rehab facility." He smirked proudly to himself. They all nodded. "So you'll help us too?" Carson looked at Carl with a hopeful glance. Carl smirked, side eyeing me. "Without the bear traps," I quickly added for my friends sakes. He sighed and nodded. "Starting tomorrow. Tonight no drugs and I want cash payments. 1,000 each. It's a discount," he states, putting a memo in his phone. They all nod. "Looks like we are all getting sober," Nate states smiling, pulling into a driveway full of cars. The line of parked cars marked all the way down the street on both ends. A group of Girls with nothing but bras and skirts on were making their way across the lawn. Probably prowling for horny guys.

"Never in a million years, would I ever allow you to wear that outfit," Carl states pointing to them as we got out of the car. I just rolled my eyes and followed Nate, Riley, and Carson inside. Music was blaring, drinking games have been started, truth or dare had been started. It was just like every other party. "Let's start with truth or dare," Riley said, pulling my wrist along with carls, to the circle that had formed around a living room. "We are joining in!" Nate shouts, pushing through people to sit on the floor with us.

I looked around the room, studying everyone's faces. Some I have seen at other parties, others I have not. My eyes wandered as I found the familiar face that made everything awkward. Tye. Immediately, my brain started thinking of the dares that could occur if people knew about us. I was praying Carl wouldn't see him either. "Hey Carl, would you like to go get some chips?" I asked, attempting to stand up. He shook his head. "No, some dude just got dared to jump off the roof to the neighbors pool. I have to see this," Carl states excitedly. The whole group who was playing this childish game of truth or dare stood up and made our way to the backyard.

The person who actually lived here brought out a tall ladder from his shed and brought it up to the balcony with the guy who was going to jump. Both were drunk brunette jocks. We watched intensely as they set the ladder up, Climbing to the roof. The crowd cheered. He ran to the edge and stuttered. If I were him, I would do the same thing. One wrong move and he falls to a picket fence or hard concrete. This was completely brutal. Gory even. The crowd continued chanting "jump" while clapping their hands in encouragement.

"Carl, do you really want to be here when things go south?" I asked, my stomach clenching at the thought of it. He just shrugged it off. "Have you seen Riley?" I heard Nate's voice coming from behind me. He placed his hand on my shoulder. I shook my head, beginning to look around at the crowd. "Maybe Carson knows. If he doesn't I'll help you look for her. Well, we will," I motioned at the handcuffs attached to Carl and I. He nodded, walked over to Carson and they both walked back to me. "Maybe she went to get drinks," I state, more like shout over the loud crowd. Carl was watching the roof intensely. That's when three seconds later, the guy jumped off the roof, ending tragically. If the concrete didn't kill him, it sure paralyzed him.

Everyone looked over the neighbors fence, shouting "oh shit" in unison. Carl pulled me over to look at the fence. The guys legs were bending in the opposite of their natural bend, there was blood, he probably hit his head. However, he was still alive. Twitching. The next thing I knew, everyone was running for the door, freaking out, trying to decide if they should stay and call an ambulance or run so they don't get arrested. Most ran. "We have to find Riley. She's not answering her phone," Nate grabbed my arm. I nodded looking at the three guys, pulling Carl along with. We would definitely be arrested for being under age, even though none of us drank. Just for being here.

We had to get out. As we ran through the house, Carson out front looking for her with the rest of the party that fled, we heard the guy who actually lives here on the phone with the ambulance. Taking responsibility. Unique.

"Someone help!" I heard Nate's voice come from one of the rooms upstairs. I looked to Carl, who was now panicking. We both ran up the stairs, trying not to trip over our own feet. We went down the hall and found Nate in a bathroom. Riley on the floor unconscious. "Lets Take her to the hospital," I knelt down next to Riley. She had her black sleeves rolled up and a needle sticking out of her arm at her elbow. A plastic band tied around the upper arm. A scene I saw way too many times.

I pressed two fingers to her neck. She still had a pulse, but it was faint. She was dying. I quickly instructed Nate to pick her up. I wasn't going to wait for an ambulance. We rushed outside, grabbed cArson, who was now freaking over his sister, got in the car, and broke every traffic law you could think of before arriving at the hospital where the medics came and got her from the car.

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Authors note
Sorry for taking so long. I've been busy these days. But I'm definitely going to update more. Thank you so much for the 88k reads. I do not have words to express how good that makes me feel. That you like my book so much. It takes a lot for me to be vulnerable and put my work online. You guys make me so happy. I love you! Also, I'm taking requests for further chapters/ books in my DMs. I am getting bored and running out of ideas for this book. If you want further chapters please feel free to donate a few dollars on Buymeacoff.ee/JAy49ds thxxxx

~Delilah.