The Past Awakened (Distorted reality book 1)

Chapter 28- Sorrows and bad habits

(Kalston's POV)

In the middle of an online match, there is a knock on my door that gives me mixed feelings. I ignore it. I've been trying hard the past couple of hours to detract myself, and the last person I want to see is Madison right now. I don't want to see her happy mood coming back from hanging out with some other guy. I don't want to hear her speak about how much fun she had, or worse, complain if she had a bad time. I don't want to be there for her right now when I'm trying so hard to not slip deeper into my own bad mood.

It's taking everything I have not to get wasted at a bar and let a pretty-faced stranger take my mind off of her. To not fall into the same routine of one-night stands again. They're my usual attempt of filling the void inside, which only seems to rip further with every loss and mistake in my life.

The knock grows louder and eventually is accompanied by Bailey's voice.

"Kal, open up dude. You can play this pitty act all you want, but not alone. Okay?"

Hearing Bailey instead of Madison, I'm more willing to answer it. So, I do.

Staring blankly at the short mixed girl, I notice she isn't holding the same attitude she normally does. Instead, she holds vodka in her right hand and raises it with a question.

"Will you be my drinking buddy for the night? I don't really get to enjoy the hard stuff with Maddy, so will you help me drown my sorrows?"

Her suggestion makes me squint my eyes at her. Curios and slightly annoyed that she's making the effort of being friendly right now. It's obvious whose sorrows she's trying to distract from.

Unable to have any charm in my features, my words too are unable to hold the joking tone I was aiming for.

"So you're here to 'baby' me?"

"Baby you, no. I'd be bringing juice boxes over if that was the case. I'm here to distract you until Maddy gets back. She's worried about you dude, and I can clearly see why."

Scoffing at the sound of her name and her apparent concern for me, I attempt to shut the door, but Bailey sticks a foot in the way to prevent me from doing so. She pushes the door back open.

"Okay, her name's obviously off limits for now, but seriously, I'm coming in and you're drinking with me like a big boy."

Not waiting for an invitation, Bailey walks in before I get the chance to shut her out again. Obviously not having any say in the situation, I give in and head to grab two shot glasses while she settles down on the couch.

"What sorrows are you drinking away?"

I try to see if she truly has her own problems that need distracting from, or if she's only doing this as a favor for her best friend.

Good job. You didn't do very well hiding your emotions, now did you?

Hearing her voice travels to the kitchen as I pull two glasses down.

"I'm having issues with my family. My dad's not coming back for Thanksgiving, his date to come home from Japan got postponed again, and Mom said she isn't worried about the holidays this year. She's joining family instead of hosting and wanted me to come too, but I told her I wasn't going to leave Maddy. I mean, she who shall not be named, for the holidays. Needless to say, she tried to guilt me about how all her adult kids won't be with her this year. My mom's great, but sometimes she can be a bit much with the whole guilt thing. Don't tell anyone I said that though. I'll be your confidant if you'll be mine. Deal?" she states the last part as I settle on the couch beside her.

Able to muster up a half smile, I give her my left hand to shake on it.

"Deal."

Taking a few shots together, Bailey grieves more about her complicated family, and it's by my fourth that I start to actually speak up more.

Pouring us both another shot, my count grows to be a few ahead of hers. I'm far from a lightweight, so I don't worry about it too much, especially on a night like tonight. The alcohol does its job of lightening my mood. Bailey on her fourth when I'm taking my eighth, she attempts again to bring up the topic of Madison.

"Hey, can you answer me something? Do you like Maddy? Romantically that is? The way you are, I wasn't sure until tonight how serious you must be about her."

The way I am? Have I really become that bad?

Maybe that's a good thing. I tried hard for years to become unreadable, and now it seems even when I'm not trying, that has become the case.

Taking a breath, I speak the words aloud for the first time and really hate them once they are out.

"I, I think I'm falling for her. So, yeah. I'm serious about her. But, it doesn't matter. She only wants to be friends, and would rather go on dates with that other dude."

I pour another shot for myself to push down the pain again before my drunken state spoils. Bailey stares at me momentarily before picking up her shot and downing it too. She lets out a short statement before pouring us each another.

"They're not on a date."

My attention snaps to her.

"What do you mean? He brought her flowers and the way she dressed up for him..."

I trail off thinking back to how she reminded me of Adeline, and take another shot to forget her as well.

"Dude, she made it clear to him that she doesn't want to date him either. I told her she flirts too much and needs to set boundaries before you two got the wrong idea, and clearly, you both did. And about how she dressed, let me guess, she wore makeup, right? Maybe even chose a dark red lipstick?"

Her words are spot on, I wait for her to further explain. Bailey's insight on Madison begins to calm my frustration and pique my curiosity.

"Maddy didn't wear that for him, she wore it for her. Dressing confidently or 'Bad A' as she calls it, literally, she won't say the proper term because she doesn't cuss, but Maddy dresses that way to help her feel more grown up. It helps with her anxiety. I bet she even had a verse marked on her wrist. Give her a break Kal, she likes you, and I promise, it wasn't a date."

Bailey takes another shot as I sit there for a moment taking in what she just said. Hating myself even worse for the anger I felt about everything. It doesn't last long once I register the last part Bailey said. The way she said it didn't seem like that of referring to how one likes a friend.

Grinning, my mood lifts almost instantly.

"She likes me, huh?"

Earning an eye roll from Bailey, it's accompanied by a smirk of her own.

"Dude, you really are falling for her aren't you? Hey, don't quit now, I'm finally starting to catch up."

She speaks the last part referring to our drinking as she follows it with another pour of vodka into both of our glasses. My pace slows down, but it doesn't stop me from blacking out and being unable to recall much after Bailey leaves.