loosing game | daniel seavey

chapter twenty three

I ignored the soft knock at the door. My head sat on the pillow, my eyes blankly staring out the window, my body still in place. I hadn't moved since I had the small bit of motivation to get off the floor and into bed. I didn't sleep. The image of Daniel and Amelia at the top of the steps ran through my mind like a movie I'd seen a thousand times.

"Malia," I heard the door click open and Zach's quiet voice enter the room. Without turning, I could see him standing there awkwardly, not knowing what to do. "Jonah is on his way to pick me up. Thank you for letting me stay. If you need anything, please call me. Or any of the boys. We're here for you."

I didn't respond. After about a minute, I heard the door click shut.

It went like this for the next two days. I only got up to use the bathroom and to give Frank food and water. Eventually I turned my phone off because the constant buzzing was driving me insane.

I tried not to get too worked up about this. I should've known Daniel wasn't serious about me. I should've known I was just another one of his girls. I should've known I was a distraction.

It was around six o'clock on the second day I decided to get up and get over it. Being sad was exhausting. I took a shower and got dressed into new clothes and finally turned on my phone. When the device restarted, notifications flooded the screen. I quickly scanned over the texts, dms, missed calls. But there was really only one person I wanted to talk to.

"Malia. Hey, what's up?" Aedan's voice spoke through the phone. Hearing my brothers voice lifted a weight off of my shoulder. "I tried calling but it went straight to voicemail. Is everything okay?"

"If i'm gonna be honest... No." I sighed and closed my eyes to push back the tears. I hadn't talked to Aedan since I left Florida just four days ago.

I explained everything to Aedan. Everything that happened between Daniel and I. From the first night the boys came over when Daniel sang around the bonfire, to the night he came over drunk and broke down about how he was feeling, how i fell in love with this kid within such a small time frame. Aedan sat and listened as I rambled on. He didn't interrupt, he took in everything I was saying.

"I'm sorry that all happened to you. And I'm sorry I'm not there to help you through it all... But, I do know Daniel. And I know Daniel may come off as a tool because he's always seen with different girls, but he really isn't like that. If anything from what you just told me, you've been the first constant thing in Daniel's life in a long time. Besides his music of course. Daniel was willing to stop drinking for you. I get it didn't last long, but the fact he even did it to be a better person for you definitely counts, Malia. You were the only one he expressed his feelings to. I've been friends with him for almost a year and I really couldn't tell you anything about his emotional state. You mean something to him, Malia. Call Daniel. Call him and just talk it out. I think right now what you both need is each other." Aedan's voice held no hesitation, his words were smooth and honest, as if he'd been waiting forever to say them. His words really ran through me like a train, as if I'd been waiting forever to hear them.

He was right. I don't think Daniel would open himself up if he didn't care, or if he would try to become a better person if I were just another girl. I understood Daniel had to work some things out. I understood Daniel has been trying to work on himself. And I understood now why I fell in love with him so quickly.

"You're right. I'll go over after I get off the phone with you. Thank you, Aedan." I smiled to myself and stood up.

"Before you go..." I could hear the background noise in the background fade. "I just wanted to apologize for the other day. I don't do that often and I'm trying to stop. It's not who I am and I'm sorry I upset you with that. I can't lose my sister over my addiction."

Addiction.

I never thought that word would affect my life. I never thought it would affect my brothers life.

"I'm gonna be here to help you through it. I promise I'm not leaving. We can get passed this together, Aedan."

But like most say, recovery is a process. For the addict and everyone in the addict's life. In recovery there is hope. And in Aedan's story, hope was truly what we needed.