Thick and Thin [l. hemmings]

four

"No. We need to talk about this. Has Luke signed the papers?" Ashton asks, getting up and putting the ice cream away.

I groan, throwing my head back in frustration, "Luke hasn't, no. I honestly don't think he will any time soon."

"But it seems like you and Michael might be an option soon." Ashton returns to sit next to me.

"Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Yes, we might've been flirting a bit. But, I will not be getting involved, not for a little while at least. Even if I did, it wouldn't matter. I don't consider myself to be with Luke anymore. In my mind we're divorced. That's it." I rant, wanting to defend myself over what happened tonight.

"I agree, but the law states you're married. Just be careful, Okay? I love you and don't want you getting hurt." He replies, coming over and standing behind my chair, hugging me from behind.

"Thanks, Ash. I appreciate it. Can you just maybe, not tell Michael about Luke?" I ask, turning my head to look up at him.

"Obviously, Kels. Come on." He says, looking somewhat offended that I thought he would.

//

Classes were going okay; I was able to keep up with everything. Michael started hanging around our place more. Ashton, Michael and I just hung out a lot more.

I continued getting high, like, a lot. Most of the time I'd lock myself in the bathroom Nina and I share or my room and do a couple lines before going back to normal life.

Time continued on, and my problem just got worse. I was doing it often. I was shocked none of my roommates had found out, though I was doing whatever I could so they wouldn't find out.

We all continued going to parties on weekends, going to classes during the week and Ashton and I still managed to do well at our jobs.

Months went by and Christmas break came around. Everybody went home to their families. I stayed home. I didn't have anybody to go back to. My relationship with my parents got worse after I moved out and continued to get worse. So, I figured going home was pointless. Spending the holidays alone wasn't that bad. Kyle and Ashton were both back for New Year's anyways, so it wasn't too bad. Though, through all that time, I was doing drugs almost every day. Since there was nobody in the house I almost never stopped.

New Year's was a blast though. We had spent it at multiple different parties, I couldn't even tell you about that night, I was so drunk hours before midnight. I had done a couple lines at some points in the night when my friends weren't around. It was now 2016, and I was so hopeful that this would be a good year for me. Little did I know, it would be horrible.

Soon after, everything came crashing down. It was a few weeks later, Ashton and Michael were hanging out at our house. I wasn't with them. I was getting work done in my room. Though I did get some work done, I grabbed one of my little plastic bags filled with the white powder and locked myself in the bathroom.

Or I thought I did. But I was wrong, because Michael walked in as I was sat just giving myself a few seconds after finishing up. Everything went downhill from there.

//

Though I was finished, I sat on the floor, giving myself a few moments prior to leaving the bathroom. Before I know it, I hear the door click open and I knew I made a rookie mistake. I forgot to lock the door.

"Kelsey? What are you doing?" Michael asks, genuinely confused.

Quickly I sniffle and wipe under my nose, hoping there's nothing left. Grabbing all of my stuff, I tightly close my hands, so he can't see what I was just doing.