A Bet With The Devils

Chapter 5: Dillweed Goes Boom Boom

"Need a ride to school?" Josh asks and I shake my head.

"No dillweed," I smile.

I think I like that nickname for him.

***

"Elliana," the instructor smiles. "Now that you've established you're a regular we should formally meet." He extends his hand out towards me, "my name is Victor Steves."

"Hi Victor," I shake his hand.

"So," he takes a seat on the chair next to mine.

So I arrived ten minutes early to support group and I'm kind of regretting it. Pipper told me that Mick says that when Victor catches you alone, you have the personal talk.

I don't want the personal talk.

"Let's talk," he smiles. "Tell me what you like doing for fun."

"I use to do mix martial arts," I tell him. "I also liked taking pictures and painting."

"Why did you stop doing those things?" He asks.

"My sister died," I say as if it's the most obvious answer. "I got really sad and then my parents tossed me in a plane."

"You can't stop living your life just because she did," he says shaking his head. "You need to continue doing what makes you happy."

What makes me happy.

What makes me happy?

For the first time in my life, I've been given the choice to do what I want. To do what makes me happy.

I love my sister to death, but I always did what made her happy. My parents always made us do what made her happy.

Now that she's gone I don't know how to live my life. I don't know what makes me happy anymore because she was what made me happy.

Maybe the things we did didn't make me happy, but doing them with her did.

"I don't know what makes me happy," I frown looking towards the ground. "Lilo made me happy, but she's gone now and I'm lost. "

"That's fine," he places his hand on mine. "Sometimes when someone we love leaves us we feel confused. The first step is figuring out that we need to find our way again."

My parents never gave me that choice. To figure out my own way.

"Thank you," I smile. "For talking with me. I think I know what I need to do."

I need to figure out my own way.

***

"Hey," a voice calls after me as I make my way towards school.

I turn around and see Mick, the alcoholic from the group, running towards me. He's a tall robust guy, with large broad shoulders, short black hair, and small brown eyes.

"Hey Mick," I stop walking and wait for him. "What's up?"

"Where's Pipper?" He asks and I shake my head.

"No clue," I state.

"I'll walk with you," he smiles and I nod as we continue making our way towards school.

"How do you know Pipper?" I ask.

"We use to party together," he chuckles nervously. "I'm actually kind of worried for him."

Worried?

"Why?"

"Last night I saw him with this guy Bratt," he explains.