Breaking Rules

25.

tw: drug abuse, physical violence

"Hey, let me help you with that."

"Oh- Yeah, thanks."

Gracie took my suitcase and I held onto the straps of my backpack as we walked through the airport to the back exit where they were parked. 

"So, how was your holidays?" Tyler asked cautiously.

"Fine, I guess..." I turned to face him as we weaved around people. "Why am I the one doing this, again?"

Tyler and Gracie had picked me up from the airport to take me to Thalia's. We were planning on some sort of intervention type thing but my flight was later than expected meaning her party would already be in full swing. 

"She wont listen to us. We've been staying with her since she posted that photo. We really didn't think she'd get sucked back into all of that again but... Anyway we've been trying to watch her, y'know? But she sneaks it and tells us she's sorting herself out."

"Shit. I can't help." We were in the car now and I leaned forward in the middle seat at the back to talk to them.

"Sweetie just... Try? With us."

"Yeah. Of course." I got my phone out and texted Jason, knowing he'd have his car tonight. I sent him Thalia's address and told him to be there within at least an hour. I felt like I needed his protection tonight.

----

"Fuck" I breathed out.

We pulled up to Thalia's house a little later and I could hear the chatter inside. It was dark out but there were dim party lights on inside the house. 

"Leave your things in the car." Gracie told me as we got out.

My heart was thumping in my chest as Tyler opened the front door, There were no less than 60 people in the main area of the house. It looked like a high school party in that everywhere I looked there were drugs and people passed out. The ages ranged from about 18 to 40, everyone high as a kite.

"Jesus." I heard Tyler say from behind me. Gracie began walking through the crowds of swaying bodies, I held onto her jacket so I didn't lose her. 

The two made their way to the kitchen, the island was covered in empty bottles, lines of coke, half rolled backwoods, needles. Even a crack pipe or two. Gracie began arguing with a woman who I recognised as the one who was in the photo with Thalia on Instagram.

"For fuck sake, Toni just get out! You cant love her and put her in a position like this!" Gracie yelled. I didn't want to get caught up in an argument so I decided to go on a hunt for the woman I came to talk to. 

I walked back through the sweating bodies as they jumped to loud music, not Thalia's type of music at all. I checked both spare rooms and their bathrooms, only to find more empty bottles on the bedside tables. Each room was a mess. The door to Thalia's room was shut, I took a deep breath and said a quick prayer to make sure I didn't walk in on her with another person. That would scar me.

No one was in the bedroom so I took a second to look around. It was still messily organized, just how she enjoyed having it. I missed the smell of it, of her. I felt like I hadn't seen or spoken to her in years. 

Coughing from the bathroom snapped me out of my trance so I put a hand on the doorknob and another flat on the door.

"Ex- Excuse me is someone in there?" I stuttered out, rolling my eyes at how pathetic I must sound. 

"Don't come in!" 

Great, I recognised that voice anywhere. Now I have to go in.

I opened the door and saw her standing up straight, bumping the things on the counter onto the floor.