All In (Interracial Romance)

Chapter 43

Copyright © 2019 Nicole Mckoy

Caleb P.O.V.

I sat in this group therapy room. I sat in the back so I could easily slip out if this ended up not being my thing.

With out patient treatment I was encouraged to join a support group. A group where I could go to talk and listen to other addicts.

All this was new to me. Admitting to having a problem with drugs and seeking help for it.

I'd never done anything like this before and it scared the shit out of me.

I was sure I could stop using without all this. But I was encouraged to take these steps if I wanted to get and stay sober.

So here I was taking the necessary steps. Doing my part to get myself clean.

"Hi. My name's Olivia. I'm twenty-five years old and I'm an addict. My addiction is alcohol. I had my first drink when I was twelve. I was at my friend's house and we got into her father's liquor cabinet. My step dad use to drink a lot and beat my mom. When she was asleep he'd slip into my bedroom drunkenly and... well you can guess what happened. I started drinking before I knew he'd come into my room. The alcohol would numb my whole body. I couldn't feel the things he did to me. It was like I had an out of body experience each time. I had detached myself from what was happening to me. I haven't had a drink in six months and I have to thank the people in this group for that. I recently got a new job and things are starting to finally look up," Olivia said.

Hearing this Olivia chick open up about her struggles made me feel a little more open to this.

I didn't have the deep story she did but I could relate to wanting to escape your own reality.

"Thank you for sharing Olivia," the group leader said.

Olivia sat down in the front row.

For the next hour people went up to speak one by one.

Everyone that spoke admitted to an addiction to one thing or another.

It helped to know I wasn't alone I guess.

When the meeting ended everyone got up. Some stuck around to mingle and eat while others left.

I grabbed a water bottle and reached for a bag of chips when another hand brushed mine.

I looked up and saw that Olivia chick.

She was African American. She was light skinned, had a slim build, green eyes, and a head full of what seemed to be dread locs or something.

"Excuse me," she said as she grabbed the chips.

"You're excused, those are mine," I said as I grabbed the same chips.

"I don't see your name on them or is your name Lays?" she questioned.

"My name isn't on them but I did reach for them first," I said.

"Says who?" she challenged.

"I'm not about to argue with you over a bag of chips I clearly had my hands on first," I said.

"Then let go of the bag and the argument is over before it even begins," she smiled as if she were so innocent.

"You know what... have them," I said letting the bag go.

"Thanks," she said as she opened the bag.

She popped a chip into her mouth and looked me over.

"Are you new to the group? I've never seen you here before," she said.

"Yeah... today was my first time coming here? These kinds of groups aren't really my thing," I said.