Joanne through the years.

Drunk, Drugs and Dads

My head began to spin.  Moving?  No we couldn't.  Dad had promised that we were staying in London.
"What do you mean moving?" I asked, my voice shaking.  Dad looked at his feet.
"I accepted a job offer in Australia" he mumbled.
"You did what?"
"It was a good offer" he muttered and mum scoffed.
"But I don't want to move" I panicked. "I like it here in London."
"We wont be moving for a few months yet so you'll be here for your exams and then we'll leave" Dad mumbled.
"OH YES.  YOU MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THIS IS ALRIGHT.  YOU CANT JUST MAKE PROMISES AND BREAK THEM" Mum shouted.
"I've accepted.  It's too late.  We have to go.  We cant not.  I will lose my job if I back out now.  But this is what our family needs.  All our family live in Oz.  Brendan is at college there so we should be there with him."
"I think we should move" Andrew chirped in. "I hate it here."
"Thank you Andrew" Dad smiled.
"Well you and Andrew can go because I ain't going anywhere.  I like it here.  I have friends here" tears began to pour out of my eyes.
"We are family.  We stay together.  You can keep in touch with your friends" Dad mumbled and mum burst into tears and turned away.
"You can't force me.  I'll stay here" I shouted. "I'm sixteen.  I can be here alone if I want" then I turned on my heel and ran out of the door and down the street out into the lashing rain. I was crying unstoppably.  I didn't know where I was going but my feet seemed to know.  I stopped running whenever I came face to face with Joes front door.  I took a deep breath and knocked.  It opened quite fast.
"Di?" Joe asked as he opened the door.  "What are you doing here?  Why are you so wet?"
"Can I come in?" I asked.
"Yeah" he opened the door wider and I walked in and hugged him. "You're freezing Di.  Are you okay?"
"No.  I'm not" I cried into his shoulder. "We're moving back to Australia."
He didn't say anything but continued to hug me tightly.  "Can I stay here Tonight?" I asked him.
"Yeah sure" he pulled away from me.  I noticed that he was now completely drenched. "Do you wanna go have a shower or something?  You're freezing."
I nodded and he gave me a towel and a pair of Zoe's pyjamas to change into.
"Take as long as you need" he told me.
"Thanks Joe" I hugged him tightly.
Whenever I came out of the shower 45 minutes later, I sobbed for at least 20 minutes straight.  Joe had to go change his top after that as he was once again soaked with my tears. Once I had stopped crying I told him everything.  At the end of it he began to cry also.
Joe
Dianne soon fell asleep on the sofa next to me and I just cuddled into her.  I felt like my world was falling around me.  Dianne was leaving me in London.  I couldn't take it.  I needed out.  I needed my meds. It had been ages since I had taken one but I needed them desperately now.  I ran to my room, taking care not to wake Dianne.  I grabbed my bottle and took a few.  Probably more than I should have but I just needed them.  Just then I heard the door open and Zoe stumbled in.  She was drunk.  She never got drunk.
"What's up Joey?" she giggled.
"You do know that it's the middle of the night?  You're lucky that mum and dad aren't coming home tonight" I sighed.  
"I'm in love Joey" she hung onto my arm.
"You met this guy on Monday" I looked at her.
"You know love whenever you first see it" Zoe giggled.  I looked over at the sleeping form of Dianne.  Zoe followed my gaze. "What's Dianne doing here?"
"I'll tell you in the morning.  You're far too drunk to understand right now" I said calmly.  I felt far calmer now I had had my meds.  The hurt was still pounding through me but I didn't fall to pieces.  I had to look after both Zoe and Dianne and I couldn't do that if I was crying.  'Well you're not gonna be able to look after them when Zoe leaves home and Dianne moves back to Australia in a few months are you?' the voice in the back of my head said.
"Shut up" I told the voice firmly.
"Talking to yourself?" Zoe asked. "First sign of madness" she laughed hysterically.  
"Maybe I am mad" I rubbed my head frustratedly.
"Yeah.  You're as nutty as a piece of fruitcake" Zoe laughed and ruffled my hair.
"I'm gonna get you a drink" I made my way to the kitchen.  I was just filling up a glass of water when I heard a massive CRASH.  I sped out of the kitchen and saw Zoe lying on the floor surrounded by broken glass.  Mums great, great grandmothers vase in pieces.
"Zoe?" I yelled "are you alright?"
"Joe?" a voice came from the living room.  Great.  Dianne was awake.
"That was soooooo much fun Joseph" Zoe giggled.
"Zoe.  Can you just go to bed" I punched the wall, leaving a hole.  
"Oooooooh Joseph needs to control his temper" Zoe giggled.  I could feel Dianne watching from the living room doorway but I didn't care.
"Zoe. You couldn't have chosen a better day to get drunk" I said sarcastically.  I couldn't do this. Everything was falling to pieces. "Mum and dad are going to kill me. Dad will beat the living daylights out of me.  Dianne's leaving to go to Australia and I'm never gonna see her again and on top off all that I'm gonna spend the next few days throwing up because today has put me over the edge again" I leant against the wall.  Zoe continued cackling on the floor.  I couldn't do this again.  I walked to my room and slammed the door and locked it.  I downed a few more tablets.  Then a few more.  Then a few more.
"Joe.  Let me in" Dianne knocked on the door.  I suddenly collapsed against the far wall.
"I can't."
"Joe let me in" Dianne shouted and thumped against the door.
"Dianne help me" I muttered.
"Joe? Joe!" She shouted.
"Di.  I think I overdosed" I said louder.
"What?!? Joe let me in."
"I can't move. I think I'm gonna faint."
I could hear Dianne trying to break down the door. There was a splintering sound as the door came off the hinges and Dianne rushed in.
"Joe?" She shouted, then I was falling down and down and down before all went dark.
The bed was comfy.  Really comfy.  Where was I?  This wasn't my bed.  It was too comfy to be mine.  I opened my eyes.  Dianne was leaning over me.
"Joe?" She squealed and hugged me.
"Where am I?" I muttered.
"Hospital.  I had to call an ambulance for you and Zoe."
"Zoe?"
"She started downing some vodka she found in the cupboard and now she's had to have her stomach pumped.  You overdosed but I think you already knew that" Di held my hand tightly.
"Sorry Di.  I couldn't take it.  I overdid it.  I went a bit mad."
"Don't blame yourself Suggy. Though I should warn you, the hospital asked about your parents and I told them not to contact them but it's against the law not to so they contacted the school to get their contact details and they're on the way here" Di squeezed my hand.  I freaked out.
"They can't come here.  They can't.  They'll kill me."
"They'll find out anyway Joe.  Zoe's not allowed out until tomorrow morning and you aren't allowed out for at least 5 days yet."
"5 days!?!" I slumped back on my pillows.
"Although, the doctors did strip you down" Di said.
"Pardon" I stared at her.
"They stripped you right down to your boxers because you were burning up and they noticed all the cuts and bruises.  There are far more than the ones you showed me.  Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.
"I didn't want you to freak out.  You freaked out a bit last time but you seemed to think that it was a one off" I whispered.
"Oh Joe.  Never keep secrets from me."
"I'm sorry" I pulled her into a hug and neither of us moved for several minutes.
"Shouldn't you be at school?" I asked.
"It's Friday night.  Schools over."
"It's Friday night and mum and dad still haven't bothered to turn up" I frowned. Dianne just gave me another hug. I then sat up and she sat in between my legs and I pulled her back so she was resting against my stomach.  I wrapped my arms around her waist and she buried into my chest.  Just then a nurse opened the door and poked her head around the side. "Just thought I should let you know Mr Sugg that your parents have arrived and are currently visiting your sister.  They will be along shortly" she then left.
"They're gonna kill me Di" I groaned.
Dianne "I'll be with you the whole time" I whispered.
"You can't stay here.  They'll kill you too."
"I don't care.  I'm staying here with you" I buried myself into Joes chest.  Just then the door opened and Alfie ran in.
"Phew.  I'm so glad that you're in here Joe .  I just had to run away from your parents.  Your dad chased me all the way down the corridor.  Apparently it's my fault that Zoe got drunk" Alfie breathed deeply.
"Dad will blame anybody but Zoe.  He believes that she can do no wrong" Joe rolled his eyes. "That's why I'm gonna get killed for that vase whenever I get home and the door, but the door is kinda my fault."
"No! The door was my fault" I cut in.
"Oh my life.  I punched a hole in the wall" Joe began to laugh slightly and so did I.
"You're so stuffed" I giggled.  Alfie raised one eyebrow at us.
"Are you two dating?" He asked.
"Nope" Joe and I both said at the same time.
"Well you should" Alfie smirked and Joe threw a pillow at him.  Very soon we were laughing our heads off at each other.
BANG.
"Right you!" Joes dad almost took the door of its hinges as he came in.  Joes mum followed nervously at his heels.  Joe pulled me closer to him and pressed himself against the back board of the bed.  I squeezed his hand to reassure him.  "Get out of here" Joes dad snapped at Alfie and Alfie ran off.  "You can get out and all" he shouted.
"I'm staying here" I said firmly.
"Sorry?" his face contorted into a look of rage.
"I'm staying here.  I ain't going anywhere" I said, sounding far more courageous than I felt.
"Wash your mouth out you" Joes dad roared.  He raised a hand to hit me but all of a sudden joes mum caught his hand.
"The nurse is coming" she warned.  Joes dad suddenly plastered a fake smile across his face.
"Hi I'm Graham" he grinned and shook my hand. "How are ya son?" he embraced Joe tightly.  The nurse opened the door to see Graham hugging Joe as he remained stock still and didn't move. "So?" Graham rubbed his hands together.  "You overdosed on what?"
The nurse looked shocked.  "His meds of course."
"What meds? My son ain't on no meds" Graham snapped.
"Joseph Sugg was prescribed with anti depressants quite a while ago.  You signed for them" the nurse looked concerned.
"Well ya know, I just signed.  Didn't know what for" he chuckled and the nurse looked like she might punch him.
"We'd also like to ask you about some questionable marks all over Joes body.  He has cuts and bruises littering his body.  Some look like fists.  Others belts and knives and one looks like a hot fire poker."
Joes dad did a double take "Well...he's a clumsy boy" He stuttered.  The nurse looked doubtful.  "Anything you would like to say Joe?" The nurses eyes bored into Joes frightened ones.  He glanced shakily at his dad who gave him a threatening look before looking back into the nurses eyes.  He then gazed at his feet.  The nurse grinned triumphantly.
"Well, I guess that's enough of an answer.  Mr and Mrs Sugg, if I could ask you to leave please."
"I'll get you for this Joseph.  I'll hunt you down and I'll kill ya" he threw Joe a filthy look before storming out of the room.
"Thanks" Joe smiled at the nurse.
"No problem.  I could tell he'd been abusing you from the start" she then notice that I was snuggled into Joe.  "You two are cute together.  I'll leave you guys to it" she winked at me before leaving the room.  I snuggled closer to Joe.
"When was the last time you slept Di?" he asked me worriedly.
"I haven't slept right since you ended up in here" I replied sleepily.  Joe pulled me closer.
"Go to sleep now then" he kissed my forehead.
"Night Suggy."
"Night Reddo."
Then we both fell fast asleep.