Done

CHAPTER 4

I heard the banging before I even opened my eyes.

"Come on shit head. Open up! We have to be in work in 30 minutes!" the voice bellowed.

Annabelle.

She always came to mine before work. I slowly opened my eyes and was assaulted by the light.

"If you don't get your ass out of bed you're going to get sacked!" she continued.

I groaned as I assessed the damage of the night before.

Blinding headache? Check.

Nausea? Check.

Every single cell in my body hurting? Ding ding ding. We had a winner

The banging continued at the front door. I knew it would until I answered her. I sat up and grabbed the bottle of water that was on my nightstand. I was thankful that sober Tilly remembered that hungover Tilly needed water in the morning.

I dragged myself out of bed and made my way to the front door. I swung the door open and was greeted by Annabelle's cheery face.

"Morning sunshine. Quiet night?" She laughed.

"How is it possible that you are always so happy?" I questioned as she made her way into my flat and dropped herself onto my sofa.

"Simple, I don't do drugs and I don't go out on a school night."

Smart arse.

I shuffled over to sit next to her.

I looked around my flat. It was small but homely. There were only three rooms. My bedroom, a small kitchen/sitting room and then a bathroom that was barely big enough to fit the essentials in. I had painted it in grey and pink and filled it with plants and small knick-knacks.

I dropped my head onto the back of the sofa.

"You getting dressed or what?" Annabelle asked.

"Suppose" I grumbled.

"Then get your gross backside into the shower. You smell like a drain pipe. Put some make up on, you look like death" Tilly instructed as a slowly got off the sofa.

The nausea in stomach grew with each step I made towards the bathroom. By the time I got into the shower it was unbearable.

The hot water eased the pain but not enough. I washed my body and hair to make myself slightly more human. As I wrapped a towel around my body I heard Annabelle shout

"Till, your phones ringing. It's your brother."

I remembered that he had phoned me the night before. I made my way out of the bathroom and towards where Annabelle was holding my phone. I swiped it off her and put it to my ear.

"Hello?" I spoke into the phone.

"Hey, Tilly. How are you?" he greeted me. "Jackson said he saw you at a club last night" he informed me. Fuck! Jackson was one of my brother's friend who had been around for years. He was another male that always looked out for me. The thought of him seeing me last night in the state I had been in worried me.

"Ok?" I prompted, waiting to see which way this conversation was going to to.  "Yeah, he said you looked a mess. He thought you were really drunk." He paused for a minute waiting for me to say something. I wasn't going to give him any more information than what he'd already been told. I was actually surprised that Jackson hadn't let on. Maybe he had and I didn't even realise. Annabelle looked at me whilst tapping her wrist. I glared at her! She wasn't even wearing a watch!

"Look Mike, I have to get ready for work. Is there a point to this phone call?" I was aware that came out harsher than I had meant it to but I was tired and feeling agitated. I desperately needed to brush my teeth and wash my face. 

"Tilly, I don't know what the fuck is going on with you but you have got to get a grip of it. If mum and dad knew what you were doing they'd be heart broken." I could hear the strain in his voice. I knew how he felt about some of the things I did. He tried his best not to judge but unfortunately this time the judgement was clear.

"I know Mike." I whispered down the phone. I hated that he knew. I had no reason to do what I did but it had just become a habit and a comfortable routine. Annabelle was now pacing in my front room. She pointed towards my bedroom and did some bizarre movement that I assumed meant she wanted me to get dressed. I walked toward my bedroom and closed the door whilst listening to Mike "Come for tea tonight. I know Lana would love to see you and there's something I need to tell you." 

I knew for a fact that Lana would not love to see me. Lana did not like me. At all! I didn't really blame her. She had seen her husband dragged out of bed to pick up his little sister far too many times. She only put on a show of liking me when Mike was around the rest of the time she was a grade A bitch to me and told me often what a fuck I had become. We used to get along but that had changed. 

"Yeah, that would be nice" I lied. "What is it you want to tell me?" I didn't like surprises and I didn't want to wait. I waited for him to reply as I dragged clothes out of wardrobe and started to dress.

"You sure you want to know now? Before you go to work?" Mike asked.

"Yes" I was a little anxious. Why was he dragging this out? Had something happened?

"Ok, well mum phoned me yesterday." 

I put the phone onto loudspeaker while I pulled my skirt up. 

"She said that Jannette had phoned her" This was a shock. We hadn't heard from her in over a year. She was like a second mum to me, I spent as much time at her home as I did my own but then at the same time he left his mum cut me out as well. Why the fuck was she suddenly ringing my mum?  

"Get to the point of the story Mike, I needed to leave for work 10 minutes ago." I huffed. I dragged the brush through my hair and tried to tame it looking slightly more presentable and less like I'd be high as a kite the night before. 

"I don't really know how to tell you this" he paused. The silence dragged on until he finally said;

"Luke's back."

Just like that, all of the feeling's I had stuffed to the back of my mind came slamming back. My best friend who had left without a word over a year and a half ago was back. 

***

Please like and comment if you have enjoyed what you have read so far.