"Happy new year. ❤️".
Angel stared at her phone, letting it lazily dangle above her head. she sighed, looking at the text she sent only five minutes ago. It had already been read and she knew the recipient had no intention sending anything back. There was a soft knock on her door before it swung open. Rue stumbled in, falling onto the floor. Angel quickly sat up, staring at the now unconscious girl star-fishing on her beige carpet. She rolled her eyes and got up, walking over to rue. She examined her for a minute, not sure if she was breathing or not. She kicked her side, making her cousin groan in annoyance. Angel let out a sigh of relief before squatting down and wrapping her arms under rue's armpits, lifting her up as much as she could. The two were both on the scrawny side but Rue being taller made it an awkward hold for Angel. She pulled Rue onto the bed and laid her on her back, covering her in a large blanket.
Only few people knew Rue relapsed. One of them just happened to be Angel. When Rue was too fucked up to go home, she crashed in Angel's room. Rue didn't really think much of it but it was an emotional weight for Angel. Watching some one you want to get better, get worse and then having to keep it a secret.
Angel laid next to her cousin, looking at her for a moment. Her phone buzzed and she quickly grabbed it hoping for the response she had been waiting for. Yet it was something else. Kat had sent her a snapchat of a bloody Nate Jacobs being carried out of a party by Maddy and Cassie. Angel didn't know what she felt in that moment but she knew she wasn't going to delve in it. she shut her phone and rolled onto her side, facing rue again. Her cousin was snoring softly, her curly hair falling on her face. She let out a melancholy smile before closing her eyes and falling asleep.
When the morning came, Rue was already heading out the door. Angel watched her go and ran a hand through her hair. " A thank you would be nice." She grumbled under her breath before getting up to shower. Rue mumbled out a half assed response, clearly still hungover from the night before. The door shut behind her and Angel rolled her eyes. She glanced down at her phone to a reply from her message the night before.
"Thanks."
Angel's new year was already off to a messy start.
