She Ain't From Around Here

18 | pills & fathers

Then my eyes darted to the guy standing beside me. His hands held a container of prescribed medicine.

"Give me that." I snatched the medicine.

Clint's eyebrows creased. "You overdosed, Elaine. That's bad for you." His voice sounded concerned to my uttermost surprise.

"I'm fine," I mutter as I got up from the bed.

"Elaine." He called, his thick voice low in caution. "How many pills did you take?"

I paused on my tracks and sighed. "I don't know." I shrugged. "Four, five?"

Doris gasped in shock and I rolled my eyes.

"Look, can I just go have my bath? I can't do that when two people are standing in my room and staring at me." I grumbled, stifling a yawn.

I added with desperation. "Please."

Doris heaved a small sigh before she walked away, shutting the door behind her.
Leaving Clint and me alone.

"We need to talk." He uttered.

"No, we don't." I countered.

"Overdosing on sleeping pills is not advisable, Elaine." He began, his tone was worrying.

I sighed and rubbed my neck in frustration, trying to divert the subject I asked. "What are you doing here anyway?"

There was a small silence. "My dad came back from California this morning and we are having dinner with your grandmother."

"Including you." He added.

Of course. I thought, bitterly.

A took a deep breath in with my head duck low causing my hair to form a curtain to cover my face.

My body ached slightly and was sore at some joints.

"You don't have to come, Elaine." His voice was very cautious and still held concern.

My body tensed when I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder.

It took me a moment to register that it was Clint's.

He quickly lifted his hand from my shoulders and he murmured lowly. "Sorry." Then his voice became audible. "Just rest, Elaine. Don't come if you don't want to."

I saw him walk to my bed and pick a handful of prescribed sleeping pills from the wooden nightstand.

"Hey, hey, hey," I called out, warningly. 

"I'm taking these." He called out, walking towards the door with large strides.

"Don't you dare, Clinton." I snarled.

But before I could block him from reaching the door, he had already exited the room and closed the door.

"Shit," I muttered, not wanting to leave the comfort of my isolation.

I sighed and bit my lip in frustration.
Without much choice, I entered the bathroom and did my normal routine.

A few moments later, I came out with a towel wrapped around my body.

I walked to the small wardrobe and scanned for something to wear.

Was I going to the stupid dinner?
I mean, I was a bit curious to see how Clint's father looked like.

Did he have the same dark hair and sea-green eyes or something entirely different?

But the other part of me wanted to sleep and the pills were not yet worn off.

I checked the time on the analog clock on the nightstand and realized it was almost eight O'Clock in the evening.

Dang, I slept through half of the day. I thought.

But I still needed the sleep.

And since my pills were taken away, I might never know when insomnia would come again.

I changed into an oversized shirt and short shorts and plopped on the bed with a content sigh.

I wore a wine-red turtleneck, long-sleeved shirt, and black jeans paired with some ballerina flats.

I tucked a stray piece of hair into my high ponytail and opened the door, closing it behind me and walking to the living room where a group of people sat.

"Sorry, I'm late," I say when I sit down.

Yes, curiosity won over me, and also, I was starving so I couldn't sleep no matter how I tried. So I decided to come to the dinner.

My eyes peered at Clint who sat opposite to me.

Although he had an excellent poker face, I could tell he was surprised I was here.

Then I heard a deep voice say.

"I've heard so much about you, Elaine. I'm Tom."

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