Teaching The Bad Boy Ballet (Rewrite)

(11) RECOVERY

n a o m i

"Are you naturally a pain or do you try?" I say turning around to Gil as he was poking my back.

"Me? A pain?" He gasps as he covers his mouth, "No of course not. I'm just saying I want to get to class already."

"While poking me in the back?"

"Yeah, of course." He states causing me to roll my eyes. I opened the door to my US History Room to see Mr. Roger out of the class room. He's most likely in the next classroom over talking to Mr. White.

"Emilio, hey," I take a seat next to him as we chat about the upcoming test which I already know I'm going to fail since I sleep through the majority of the class.

"Have you heard about Everett?"

"Everett? No, what about him?"

"Everett is in rehab for heroine."

"Oh, that explains a lot," I say as I take out my notes to study them. I thought back to the time when we were in the dance studio and I almost died over his shit.

"Yeah, I thought it was a rumor last year. I guess he actually overdosed last year and this year."

"Is he okay?"

"Clearly, he's in rehab so he's fine."

"Do you know-" I was cut off by the school bell signaling time to begin classes. Mr. Rogers tell us to put our notes away, so we can take the test. I mouth to Emilio that we'll talk about it later.
✨🥀✨

"Dude shut up!" I kicked Jeremiah's door as I hear the bed creaking and a girl. After that they begin to get louder, so I gather my stuff and left the house.  My phone vibrated as a text from Emilio popped up on my screen.

APUSH Buddy: The last time I heard he was at Straw Mills Rehab facility.
Me: Really?
APUSH Buddy: It's an expensive facility and difficult to get into as a visitor.
Me: Damn...
Me: I'll see what I can do to get in.
APUSH Buddy: Good Luck 👍🏼

I sat in my car for a moment before revving it up to go see Everett.

When I finally got to Straw Mills, there was something about it that I couldn't put my finger. I closed the door to my car and walked to the entrance.

"Hi, Welcome to Straw Mills. What can I do for you?" The receptionist says as I walked up to her desk.

"Hi I would like to visit Everett Grey," I state with a smile on my lips.

"Everett Grey? Alright, can I have a name?"

"I'm Naomi Rayes."

"Ah, you are one of his emergency contacts. He'll be in Room 108 and that's in the left hall."

"Oh okay. Thank you!" I begin to move in the direction of the hall before the lady chirped, "No problem, sweetheart."

I walk along the dull hall causing my eyes to shift from room to room.

Room 101...Room 103...Room 104...Room...107...Room 108.

I paused in front of his door and held my breath. I looked down the hall to see a man staring at me. His stature was odd and he held eye contact for a long time with me. I had an odd feeling in my stomach and I knocked on Everett's door.

"Who the hell could this be?" I heard a mumble behind the door. It didn't sound familiar and I began to turn before I came face to face with a random guy.

"What are you doing at my door?" The guy spoke and I was cut off guard.

"I...I-" I stutter from embarrassment and awkwardness.

"Spit it out!"

"I came...I came to see Everett Grey." The guy's stare harden, "You know I might be at the wrong roo-"

"You're at the right room. I'm his roommate Dale," The unfamiliar person sticks out his hand.

"Naomi," I state as I shake his hand.

"Come on in," He opens the door and I was amazed by the furnished dorm they had.

"Oh wow," I gasp as I see a flat screen tv on the wall. I hear the shower running and I presumed it was Everett.

"Everett's in the shower but he'll be done soon."

I sit on the couch and fiddle with my thumbs as Dale resume with his game. A few moments later, Everett open the bathroom door.

"Naomi?" He asks in shock.

"Who else would it be?" I laugh a little getting up from the couch.

"I have no- Why are you here?"

"I wanted to see how you were."

"I'm fine."

"I can see that. I heard that you OD?"

"Oh..." His mood switch completely, "Did you only come so you can tell everyone the "tea"?"

"No, of course not." I state confuse, "Do you think I would do that?"

"No."

"Okay, but I do have a question."

"Shoot."

"Why am I one of  your emergency contacts?"

"Oh, I just feel like I can trust you."

"But why? We disliked each other for a long time."

"I don't know, Naomi. I need to go to therapy soon but it was nice to see you."

"It was nice to see you too." I smile at him. He open his arms and I engulf him into a hug. My heart pounds against my chest. I begin to feel nervous for an odd reason. I pull away from him and walk to the door.

"Last thing, it's been difficult to sleep without you." I play with my fingers and it was silent for a moment. "I think it's time for me to... and you have have therapy. I think...I think I'm just going to...See you soon." I ramble embarrass from his silence and rush out the door.

e v e r e t t

"That girl has feelings for you badly," Dale says after an awkward moment of silence.

"You think?" I laugh as I sit on the couch where Naomi was sitting.

"Yeah... plus she's pretty cute. You like to swirl?" Dale pauses his game and turn to me.

"I- I have therapy soon." I laugh while getting up to get shoes.

"What? It's an honest question!"

"It doesn't matter who I date."

"Dude it's ok to swirl. I swirl with black women all the time. They say once you go black, you can never go back and that sex isn't the same..."

"Dale, oh my god," I start to laugh and slip on my slides.

"If you don't want her, I'll take her." I felt my mood shift.

"I'm not going to be playing dibs on a girl, Dale." I growl at him.

"Dude, chill. It was a joke," Dale begin to get defensive.

"It wasn't a fucking funny joke." I walk out the room and slam the door behind me.