The Ways in Which I Die (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER 17: "YOUR PART IN MY LIFE IS OVER."

SUMMER

“Ding dong, bitch. ”

Summer looks up with a start as the customer service bell dings loudly right next to her ear and discovers Sunset towering over her on the other side of the counter. 

“Excuse me?” Summer growls as she straightens up. She can practically feel her hair standing on end with a mix of alarm and the sudden urge to fight the woman standing before her.

“I need to talk to Anthony,” she says demandingly.

“No,” Summer says firmly. “You need to leave.”

“Um, no. I’m the customer, you don’t talk to me like that!” Sunset snaps angrily.

“No. You’re the abusive ex girlfriend who has no right coming within ten miles of my boyfriend,” Summer says bluntly and crosses her arms over her chest. 

Sunset’s face goes red and a dangerous fire leaps into her eyes. “What did you just call him?”

“You heard me,” Summer says keeping her voice low and even. She’s not letting Sunset anywhere near Anthony, even if it means physically fighting her and losing her job. “Now you need to leave.”

Sunset’s glare shifts ever so slightly so it’s directed at something behind her, and Summer can see Anthony just out of the corner of her eye. He’s frozen stiff like a deer caught in the headlights of a car about to end its life.

“Anthony honey, would you mind coming over here so I can talk to you for a minute?” Sunset calls. “This bitch here seems to think you’re not capable of having an adult conversation.”

Summer clenches her teeth, anger and adrenaline pumping into her veins.

“Don’t call her that.” the harshness in Anthony’s voice startles Summer. She half expected him to collapse into his inner catacomb of safety and not say anything at all.

“Whatever just get over here would you?” Sunset demands. 

To Summer’s dismay, Anthony strides over and gently nudges her out of the way. She hates that he decided to obey Sunset.

“Thank you-”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Anthony says bluntly. “I’m not here to humor you or serve your every wish. I’m here to tell you to get out.”

“You can’t kick me out!” Sunset’s voice is almost a shout.

“Actually he can,” Summer says and points to the small sign next to the register. “In case you can’t read it, that says we have the right to turn down service to anyone we like.”

“So leave,” Anthony says firmly. “And don’t ever try to talk to me or Summer again.”

“But-”

“Now!” Anthony snarls, his voice low and menacing. “Your part in my life is over.”

Sunset opens and closes her mouth a few times before finally turning and fleeing the store. As soon as she’s gone Anthony seems to just collapse next to Summer, and she realizes some time during the confrontation his hand had worked its way into hers. It’s shaking uncontrollably.

“It’s okay Anthony,” Summer promises and pulls Anthony into a tight hug. “It’s okay.” She gets the pills from Anthony's pocket and gave him one, it's an anti-anxiety medication that he needs to breathe normally. She watches as his breathing returns to normal, and is now unclenching his chest.

He heaves a heavy sigh. “I know Summer. I know.”

“She’s not going to hurt you anymore.”

“I know.”

Summer lets out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding as Anthony slowly relaxes in her embrace. “Thank you for backing me up.”

“I wasn’t about to let her push you around too,” Anthony says quietly. “I love you Sam, no one's going to disrespect you as long as I’m around.”

“I had it under control.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Anthony says, his breath hitching in his throat. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to just sit on my ass and let you deal with her alone.”

Summer slowly lets her own breathing catch up with itself as she stands with Anthony. 

“Let’s just hope that she never comes back,” Summer breathes.

“I don’t think she will,” Anthony replies and straightens up. “She knows not to mess with us now. She knows I’m done with her bullshit.”

~~~~~

ANTHONY

It’s freezing when Anthony steps out into the dark night. He can feel his hands quivering in his pockets, he’s pretty sure they’re still shaking from his anxiety attack earlier in the day.

His chest still feels tight and there’s a nagging tug in his gut, a deep and unquenchable craving to drown his residual fear and panic in a glass of whiskey. He keeps his eyes trained on the glowing sign hanging above the small bar less than a block from his apartment.

He’s done a good job, he’s made it just over a week without a drink, he can make a small splurge. He just needs enough to get his nerves under control, then he’ll walk back home and sleep it off. 

He clenches his fists in his pockets, trying to make his hands stop shaking long enough to open the door to the bar. It takes him a second, but he manages to get his nerves long enough to open the door and slip into the warm building. He slides onto one of the stools at the counter.

“What can I do for you tonight?” the bartender asks setting a glass down in front of him.

“A whiskey,” Anthony mumbles and runs one shaking hand through his hair.

“Comin’ right up,” the woman says retrieving a bottle from the shelf.

Anthony opens his wallet to pull out some cash and stops dead as the card Harry left him falls onto the counter.

“Um, hold that will you,” Anthony says slowly just as the bartender is about to pour his drink. 

“Alright, let me know when you want it,” she says and moves off to serve other customers.

Anthony stares down at the little white card before finally pulling his phone out and calling the number. It rings a few times, and Anthony almost hopes that the man won’t answer so he can have his drink with some small amount of peace of mind.

“Hello?”

Anthony’s breath hitches in his throat at the sound of Harry’s friendly voice on the other end, and for a second he’s at a loss for words.

“Is anyone there?” Harry asks, his voice is drowsy and Anthony can’t help but wonder if he woke him up.

“Yeah,” Anthony chokes. “It’s me, Anthony. You gave me your card-”

“Hey! What’s up?” Harry says, all traces of tiredness leaving his voice. “Is everything okay? It’s like 1:00 A.M.”

“Yeah, I just uh- I’m at a bar,” Anthony says quietly.

“Oh.” There’s worry in Harry’s voice. “Have you had anything to drink?”

“Not yet,” Anthony says quietly.

“Do you want me to come get you?”

Anthony swallows hard. “No, I just… yes please.”

“Where are you?”

“Randy’s,” Anthony says quietly.

“Okay, I’ll be there in a few minutes. Do you think you can hang on until I get there?”

“Yeah,” Anthony mumbles.

“Okay, hang in there buddy.”

Anthony slides the small white card back into his wallet and slips off the bar stool. Every fiber of his body is screaming at him to turn around and get a drink, drown all his pain and fear, but he doesn’t. He shoves his wallet back into his pocket and pushes his way out of the bar and back outside to wait for Harry