Miss Perfect and The Bad Boy

twelve - pride and pain

"I'm so scared, Lani," I said at lunch 2 days later. Kelani and I were in the library and we were talking about Alex. "He's not at school, none of his friends have heard from him since that night, and my calls and texts aren't going through."

"He's probably high again or something," Kelani said dismissively. She didn't know about Alex's dad, the thing I was most worried about. "Aiden said he was with him this morning."

I frowned. What did Aiden know about keeping Alex safe and healthy? He was the one Alex was always with when he was trying to fuck up his life anyways. "I'm going to his house," I decided, standing up.

She did a double take. "You're gonna go to his house? The neighborhood filled with criminals?"

"Yes. I need to know if he's okay." I left him alone for almost four years, and he suffered so much alone. I already hated myself for it and I wasn't going to make that mistake again.

She stood up, as if to make a point. "Nicole! He's okay, and your going to get hurt over there."

"I'll be fine. I'm probably not going to come back here but I'll text you when I'm back home." I jumped up before she could protest anymore.

♡

I pulled into the front of Alex's house 20 minutes later. Everything looked the same as last time, except there was some people sitting outside smoking at the house across the street. I didn't make eye contact and I ignored their catcalls and whistles as I quickly walked to the door and rang the doorbell.

After a minute, I rang it again. When I realized no one was coming to open it, I reached for the door handle and turned it. It was unlocked. I took a deep breath and walked in.

Alex's dad was passed out on the couch, same as last time, just in a different position. Is he dead? Hopefully.

I kept walking into Alex's room. The door was closed, but unlocked. He was asleep on his bed, wearing just sweatpants. His hair was even more messed up and his usually tan skin looked pasty. Next to him was a small clear bag with one pill left in it, and almost gone bottles of Jack Daniels and vodka. There was beer bottles all over the floor.

I stopped looking around when I heard his voice say, "Nikki?"

I looked over at him. He was still laying down but his neck was craned and his eyes were wide.

"Hi," I said quietly.

"What the hell are you doing here? I've told you never to come here." He sat up and then made that weird face like he was in pain.

I sucked in a sharp breath. "I was worried about you! Can you blame me? No one has-"

"Yeah, I can blame you. I'm not your responsibility, Nicole," he said in a raised voice, and then he looked at his closed door and winced.

"I know you're not. That doesn't mean I don't worry about you. You're turning into a drug addict, your not even showing up to school-"

"Stop!" He yelled, angrily. "Leave me alone. Get out!"

I sat down on his bed and crossed my arms. "No."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "What?"

"I'm not leaving. I don't care what you say or do, I'm not leaving unless you come with me back to my house."

He glared at me with anger in his eyes. "I'm going to tell you one last time-"

"What?" I cried, my eyes tearing up. "Yell at me, scream, hit me, I don't care but I'm not leaving."