drunk // m.c [a.u]

t w e n t y

"So then he just left you at the coffee shop?" Luke repeated, after Rose told him what happened a few days earlier. They were sitting in his apartment having dinner. Or rather Luke was having dinner, Rose was picking at a salad.

"Yep. I have no idea what happened."

"Just ask him." Luke said with his mouthfull like it was a no brainer.

"I tried to call him but he didn't answer. I'm actually a bit worried about him."

"Just give him some time. It only happened two days ago." He was right, but Rose didn't want to wait. Michael's abnormal behavior was killing her emotionally just from over analyzing it.

Michael had texted Calum, but not to pick him up. He ended up just walking home. Calum wasn't there, which was probably for the best. He paced around the living room, doing circles around the coffee table, sofa and down the hallway. The guilt was crushing him. How was he ever supposed to look her in the eyes again? She'd surely see him as some sort of monster. "Dude, what's wrong?" Calum finds his friend still pacing the apartment.

"I fucked up. I fucked up bad." Michael pulled at his already thinning hair.

"What did you do?"

"No. I can't say it out loud." He shook his head furiously. "I can't. I gotta go." He brushes past visibly concerned Calum and out the door. Halfway down the block he broke into a run. Within minutes he was to his destination. The neon sign had a few burnt out letters, but you could still make out the bar's name. Inside the deteriorating brick building he orders two whiskey and cokes, downing them way too fast, to help him forget.

A week later and Michael was still dodging Rose. He's hardly left his room, and drank. Calum did everything he could to help. "I think I love her. I can't tell her what I did." Was all he said on his last attempt. Later that day Rose knocks on the door, recieving a relieved greeting from Calum.

"Yea. He's in his room, he uh relapsed. Just so you know." Rose nodded and kept a straight face, though her heart was breaking for him.

"Michael?" She lightly knocks on his door. "Can I come in?" There was no response so she took that as a yes and slowly pushed his door open. "What's wrong? Did I do something?"

"No. It's what I did. I fucked up."

"What did you do? It's ok that you fell off the wagon, you can just sober up and start-"

"No. I'm tired of starting over. This is me. I am a drunk. I'm nothing."

"Michael please don't-"

"No, Rose. Stop. I don't even know why you liked me in the first place, probably cause your as fucked up as me and it's my fault. You should stay away." He slurs, taking another gulp of vodka. Rose backed up to the doorway, almost as if Michael's words had physically pushed her there. She shook her head, not wanting to believe this was real. "Go." His voice was stern and demanding.

"Luke," her voice shook as she called up her best friends number.

"Rose? What's the matter?"

"He- I - I think he dumped me. But I just feel like drinking. I need help."

"I'll be there in five minutes." He rushed out of his apartment to sit up with Rose like had done many times before. Luke found her curled up on her bed, as soon as it dipped with his weight her arms were around him. "Hey, it's ok. I won't let anything happen to you. Not even yourself."