Screen Names.

8

Tw: drug abuse, mention of rehab. Parents arguing.

"Connor, hurry up!" Zoe knocked hard on the door over and over and over, and she hit it harder each time. It felt like it was ringing into my head.

I was staring in the mirror, leaning on the counter and spacing out of reality. I didn't reply. I probably couldn't, even if I wanted to. It was like my body and my soul separated. My skin was covered with gentle pins and needles, and so was the inside of my body. Weird. Everything was slow. Everything weighed down.

"Connor! I need to get in there!"

The bathroom door was locked and I didn't open it. I just blinked. It kind of hurt. One eye watered while the other one stayed dry as the Sahara desert. My sinuses felt inside out. So did my stomach.

Fuck, I definitely smoked too much.

I finally mustered up energy and consciousness to lift my arms. I opened the door and walked out. I shoulder pushed her aside. "Connor." I heard her cringe just from her tone. "Are you high?"

"Buzz off," I grumbled and didn't stop my trudged walking.

"Why?" She sighed. I stopped. I turned around and I saw her standing there with pursed lips.

"Why what?" I snapped. I didn't mean to, but without a soul in my weird, sluggish body, all I could do was listen to my own voice.

"Why do you keep doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Abusing drugs, Connor." Her voice even rose. "Our parents sent you to rehab. Shouldn't this be over by now?"

I scoffed and just turned back around and headed to my room.

"Dad's gonna be pissed." Ugh. Of course. He was gonna be pissed no matter what I do. "You can't go to school like this. Mom's not gonna let you."

"Oh well. Then I'll stay home." I grabbed my bag and walked down the stairs with a death grip on the railing. I was way too off balance not to. I sat at the table and thumped my head down.

Larry was already there, newspaper folded in front of his face. "Cynthia, are the eggs ready? I have to beat traffic."

I heard her grumble and heard her footsteps patter around the kitchen. I could feel the dissettled thump in her feet. "They're not instant. Unless you want salmonella, be patient."

"The highway's hell."

"Then go without."

Zoe plopped down in her seat with a sigh. I saw her legs swing out to cross her ankles. Cynthia tapped my shoulder. I lazily peaked my eyes up and saw she served me a plate of scrambled eggs with salt. "Head up, Connor. Very least." I groaned and sat up slowly, and my body tingled and wavered with disorientation. I blinked hard and rubbed my eyes. "Are you high?" She asked suspiciously and leaned close to my face and looked into my eyes. I figured they were red.

"No," I lied blatantly, which was no use.

"Yes, he is," Zoe disagreed and taddled me out.

"No, I'm not," I groaned and forked some eggs into my mouth. It was weird feeling and made me chew slowly. "Fuck you."

She got frazzled as fuck. "Fuck you!"

"Kids!" Cynthia groaned and hit her hand on the table. "Connor, I don't want you going to school high. It's just gonna hurt you and you're ability to learn." What hurt was my mental state. But okay. Go off. "Larry, aren't you gonna do anything about this?" She snapped. Metaphorically in her voice and literally with her fingers in front of Larry.

"I gave up on him and his highs a while ago," he groaned. "The more you tell him no, the more he's gonna do it. It's teen angst." Really shows some care, Larry. Thanks.

"Gave up? On your son?"

"Just send him back to rehab!" Fuck no. That was hell. That was somewhere where I felt genuinely vulnerable and scared for my life around some crackheads and herion addicts. Half were middle aged. Most stared at me from a distance and I had to send texts discretely to... my friend, as I silently freaked out. I just wanted to be home in my room.

"I'd rather not, seeing as it didn't work!"

Zoe broke up the argument temporarily. "I'm going to school. Don't wanna be late, cmon Connor."

The two barely bat at eye. Good thing they were invested in their bitching. I got up, dizzy and shaky, and followed Zoe. I grabbed my boots to get on in the car and slammed myself into the passenger seat.

"You're lucky," Zoe scoffed and started the car. The rumble rang in my brain. It rang in my eyes. How? Marijuana.

"Lucky?"

"I saved your ass from being pulled into that." She started to drive and it felt like my insides were lurched into disorder and dragged behind the car. "School might suck, but it's better than home." I didn't understand how she could call it home. Maybe it's because our parents like her.

"Yeah," I mumbled out. "I'd rather be anywhere but the house. Not fun to hear that Larry gave up on me." All that earned was a shrug from Zoe.

"I'm already ignored, so I'm pretty neutral to what he's got to say." Sounds about right. "Once I park the car, you've gotta get your ass out. I don't wanna be late for jazz practice."

"Aye aye, cap." I wish I could control my mouth.

"I hope I never hear you say that again," Zoe sighed. "At very least, when you're sober."

"I'm anything but."

"I'm aware."

"Yeeeahhh."

-

Sorry I've been slow at updating. What y'all think? It's a bit slow in terms of treebros itself but yknow, it's Connors pov so