A Private Life

Part 6

It was officially summer vacation. Monica, Ella, Daisy and Olivia were going to be leaving for Martha's Vineyard the next morning so Philip and some of his friends came over to Olivia's house for the night. They cut lines on the TV room table, a smile on all their faces. First went Philip, followed by Ella, then Olivia, and then it was Daisy's turn. Daisy sat on the end of the couch, watching as her other friends all put the rolled up bill to their noses. She gritted her teeth as the white diesel-tasting drug disappeared. "The rest is yours Daisy." Ella smiled pointing to the four lines that were left for her. Daisy shook her head, grabbing a strand of her hair and twirling it around her finger.

"I'll pass. Thanks though."

"What? What do you mean you'll pass? I thought you wanted some," Ella said, confused as to why her friend was turning it down.

"No. I don't," Daisy said sternly.

"Why not?" Ella pressed.

"I don't like doing it more than once a month. We just did some last weekend at Olivia's birthday party," Daisy lied, needing a reason. Truth was Daisy was bored of this scene. She enjoyed cocaine when she was out at a large party; it helped her socialize. But nowadays her and her friends seemed to be doing it whenever they were together, even during girls nights. Daisy hadn't done cocaine for months now, she just swept her lines into her hand and washed it down the nearest sink she could find.

"But that was last month. It's summer! We're on vacation and this is the one weekend you don't have to work! Let loose, Daze, have fun with us," Ella said, she thought she found a loophole in Daisy's reasoning. Daisy still shook her head, narrowing her brown eyes at her friend.

"I don't want to."

"Come on Daisy. Just a few lines. It's not like you haven't done it before," Ella urged.

It was no longer Daisy pushing Ella to do something, it was Ella pushing her. "If you don't do it I will, and I already had my four lines," Ella threatened, smiling at her friend. Daisys blood ran cold at the threat, flashing back to when Ella had first tried the drug. Ella had known that Daisy didn't want her brother to do the lines they were offering to Ella. Ella had known Daisy was worried about him overdosing or becoming addicted, not knowing that it was already too late for him. Now here Ella was, using Daisy's fear against her.

"Fine," Daisy said, moving toward the table. Ella clapped her hands and bounced after her friend. It took a half an hour for the drug to start affectingthem. Daisy and Monica had moved to the kitchen and were sitting at the marble table, talking about their friends, Molly and Mikayla. After Daisy had told Mikayla about her new interest in coke, Mikayla started to distance herself from their group. Daisy and Monica talked about how their friend group was going downhill and how they were worried where their two best friends would end up.

"Guys," Olivia said, sticking her head around the corner. "We need your help," she whispered, a serious look on her face. Monica and Daisy pushed away from the table and followed behind Olivia. They walked into the TV room and Daisy's heart fell. Ella was passed out on the couch.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She's fine. She just mixed too much," Philip said.

"She doesn't look fine," Olivia glared at him.

"She's not fine Philip!" Monica said, placing her hand on Ella's forehead.

"She just needs to sleep it off," Philip's friend, Mike said, from the other couch. Daisy shot him a glare and shook Ella's shoulder, waking her up.

"Ella?"

"Wh-What? I'm trying to sleep, D. Leave me alone."

"No, don't sleep. You need to stay awake," Olivia said, sitting next to Ella. They watched as Ella's eyes fluttered open and closed, her eyelids turning purple and her lips blue. "Ella?"