Wilting Flowers

16: The Price of a Bluff

They didn't. Spring just reminded him of how fast the time was passing.

To forget about this, he spent more time with Immy.

She started waking up early to talk with him over coffee.

Grim adored it.

"We need groceries again." She had said one morning, pulling a draft latte from the fridge and shaking it.

"You can't shake those, they'll spill."

Immy looked at the can.

"Oh. I'll put this at the back of the fridge, let's leave it alone for a bit." She giggled, putting the explosive one back and picking up a new one.

"I can get groceries after work, wanna come?"

"Of course!" Immy replied, cracking open the can. "I'd love that."

They weren't only out of groceries.

Grim was out of liquor.

This shouldn't have been as much of a problem as it was.

He had been drinking what his dad bought, since he was under 21. He didn't know what to do.

He could call someone, but that'd hurt his pride and possibly his already damaged reputation. He supposed he could also go to the store and pretend to be old, the cracks would certainly help, but that's risky too.

Grim sighed.

"What is it?" Immy asked, sitting next to him.

"Not much." Grim responded, trying to think. "...My boss might kill me."

"Oh no. What'd you do?"

"Told Gabriel the cause of death wrong. Now the archive needs to be altered, which is harder than it sounds."

"Damn." Immy said. "Good luck with that!"

"Thanks."

And so, he found himself stuck.

How goddamn desperate am I? He asked himself. Wanting to risk it all for drinks. Psh.

He hated that he couldn't stand being sober all the time. He hated that he knew that was a problem.

Grim couldn't stand thinking, and he hated himself for it.

The work day wasn't anything special, just the same shit he always did.

He tried to talk to Gabriel.

Grim stopped him right before he left, in between assignments.

"Hey, Gabriel-" Grim choked out, trying not to panic.

"Yep?" Gabriel responded.

"...You host parties, right?"

"Yes...? Do you wanna come to one? I know it's dangerous, but if you actually worked up the balls to go-"

"-Nope."

"...Okay. What is it then?"

"...Do you have booze?"

Gabriel paused and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Of course I do. However, it's for parties. Not self-pity parties." He frowned.

"Ouch."

"You know damn well I'm right. Literally everyone notices when you're hungover."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Last week, I took a sip of your water, and it was liquid IV."

"It's a sports drink!" Grim explained, laughing nervously. "Come on!"