Alleviate // H.S

XI

A/N
Warning: Mild drug use.
If the use of drugs is an uncomfortable topic for you, please refrain from reading this chapter.

Everly is 15, Harry is 16.

He's hurting.

His Mum has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and things are just exceptionally tough for him right now. He's had to grow up fast in the past month or so when needing to find a way to pay her hospital fees.

In conclusion, he is absolutely hurting.

Which is why I'm approaching his house, straight after visiting Anne in the hospital, with a box containing a few of his favourite things.

Lolly Cake, The Notebook, scrabble, and a Pink Floyd vinyl.

When approaching the drive-way, I notice a couple of unfamiliar cars parked inside.

Maybe I should come back another time?

Sighing, I walk up to the front door and give it a quick knock anyway. He really needs some support right now and he isn't answering any of my calls or texts. The least I can do is just drop off the box of goodies and leave him be, with whatever he's up to.

But there is no answer.

I furrow my eyebrows. If he isn't answering the door, then I guess I'll just drop it off onto the dining table.

He might have a girl in there, so it's best if I make this discreet.

I put the box down and crouch to retrieve the spare key from it's spot under the pot plant.

But it's not there.

"Dang," I mumble to myself.

The next best option is to just go around the back and leave it on the outside table. At least that way it will be hidden from thieves.

I walk towards the side of the house and reach for the gate handle, standing on my tippy toes in order to open it.

Curse my height.

"Yes!" I quietly cheer when the gate successfully starts to push open.

But what I saw upon opening the gate was something completely unexpected.

Harry and few other boys around his age, or maybe older, are gathered in a group, each of them holding-

"Oh," I dumbly say in shock.

Harry's head jerks to look in my direction
with something inbetween his lips.

That something has smoke protruding from it, but it looks too large to be a cigarette.

Therefore it must be some type of drug.

"Fuck me! Hellooooo babe," the guy sitting next to Harry slurs, raising a beer in cheers.

All the other boys start to cheers each other, loudly and excitedly talking amongst one another whilst eyeing at me.

Usually I'd feel extremely uncomfortable and in need to remove myself from the situation, but right now I'm too distracted by Harry, who sits there staring right back at me.

He looks utterly emotionless.

Harry is the first to break eye contact with me when a small ziplock bag gets thrown at his chest.