All good things

Chapter 5

Rebecca Lewis was not one to get upset easily. That's why Simon sat her down on the couch and brought her tea. Becky hated tea, but somewhere in the back of Simon's mind was Alec's soft voice that said 'when someone is upset, you bring them tea.' Right, Alec had brought Simon tea once, when he had just broken up with a girlfriend and was super hungover. He had almost immediately rejected it, but Alec had seemed so sincere and so eager to help, plus Magnus in the backround gave him the 'be nice or I'll kill you' face. So Simon had taken the drink from Alec, who he back then barely knew, and had discovered that it did calm him in a way. It could've been the drink or the fact that it gave his shaking hands something to hold on to, and a person to talk to, as Alec and Magnus sat down with him, reminiscing about the time when Alec accidentally let out Chairman Meow and he went missing; and when Magnus accidentally forgot that Chairman was missing.

Simon put some honey into the cup and then handed it to his sister, who sighed and took it, her eyes red and a little wet, still. But she didn't cry, she just stared down at the liquid. Simon let her take her time. His heart, however, pounded like a drum. He was prepared to hear anything from 'I crashed mom's car' to 'help me hide a body'. Becky finally looked up at him and bit her lip nervously. A bad sign, Simon thought. "I owe someone money. A lot of money." Becky said, her voice small. Simon's eyebrows went up a little, but he didn't say anything. He barely moved. His sister shook her head, as if not believing herself either. "I know what you're thinking. But it's way worse, so hear me out." she said, her voice cracking as she tried to joke, but failed miserably. Simon put a hand on her thigh and looked at her, nodding.

She breathed in again and rushed out the words, like she was scared that if she spoke too slowly, Simon would shove her out the door. "It's a drug dealer. I owe him money, well actually I paid him, but then he said that I took more than I paid for and that he wanted more and I don't have it and now, he's going to come and get me and-" she rambled on, before Simon planted a hand on her mouth, shutting her up. His eyes were angry now and the other hand balled into a fist. "Becky, you were clean a year ago. What the hell?" Simon asked. He wasn't screaming. He did that years ago, he was all out of painful words. His voice was deadly quiet and full of disappointment. Becky's eyes were watery again as she shook her head maniacally. "No! I mean, yes! I was-I am! I swear, Si, I am! The drugs, they weren't for me, they...it's complicated." she finally said, setting down the cup. "Oh, we're just getting to the complicated part now?" Simon replied sarcastically, leaning against the couch, rubbing his eyes. This was not happening, again.

"Will you just listen? I screwed up, I know, I don't know where else to go, okay!? I don't-" she said and her voice broke, tears finally streaming down. Simon looked at her, a little shocked, but scooted closer, holding her in his arms, until her breaths evened out. Rubbing her back, Simon sighed. "Becks, I'm here for you. I always will be, even though you do some stupid shit." he said and Becky gave a strangled laugh. She wiped her nose with her sleeve and trembled a little. Simon took the blanket from the far end of the couch, wrapped her in it and waited. She finally spoke again and this time, Simon listened. "About two months after I had gotten clean, I got a call from an old friend. Lily. She told me that she needed my help and I didn't hesitate to go over, but when I got there, she told me that she needed me to get some drugs for her. She knew I had connections, from before, but I told her to fuck off. And then she said it wasn't like she needed me to buy them. I had to steal them. I told her she's insane and wanted to leave, but she literally held a knife to me and she-" Becky's voice faltered a little but she continued.

"She told me that someone was watching mum. That they knew where she was and that they could- could shoot her any moment. I freaked out. I begged her not to hurt her, but she just laughed at me. She showed me a picture of her, our mum, shopping. It was taken on the same day I went to Lily. I was so scared they might do something, so I said I'd steal the drugs. When she said who she needed me to steal from, I almost had another freak out." Becky laughed sarcastically and then looked at Simon with wide eyes. "Raphael Santiago, the biggest drug dealer this side of the city. I told her she's crazy, asked her if she'd completely lost it. She went nuts, screamed at me, waving that knife at me and scared the shit out of me. Lily told me something about how Raphael had killed her parents and that he deserved it and if I'd steal from him, then he'd get scared, 'cause no one knew where he held his stash.'" Simon listened, getting more and more angrier but his heart was also scared for his sister and his mum, who seemed to be caught in the crossfire.