Breaking The Habit (Chester Bennington fanfic)

Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You

"Michelle, don't do this to yourself. It always starts out with good intentions, promises of just a couple of drinks, and turns into what happened the other night." he put his hands on my face.
"What was so bad about that? I met you, and I haven't been this happy in ages."
"Listen to me. You couldn't stand upright on your own, you couldn't form a full sentence, and the next day you didn't remember any of it. You had no idea who I was, or how you'd gotten to my house. By the time you passed out, you'd thrown up at least a dozen times."
"I told you why I got out of control that night."
"I'm saying that it can't happen again. You're doing better. Prove to everyone that you're not that girl anymore."
"It's wine. I know when to stop." I pulled away from him, and went downstairs.

I picked up my glass and tipped it back, downing all of it.

I poured another, filling it up more than the last, and returned to the living room, sitting next to Kayla on the couch.
"Everything okay?" She asked.
I took a gulp, and nodded, "Yeah, everything's fine."
"Take'er easy on the wine, Michelle." Mike said.

"I got this, Mike." I nodded.

I finished that glass and was pouring another when Chester finally came back down stairs.
"Sorry gang, I needed a shower." he greeted them with a smile.
When he spotted me, his smile vanished instantly.
"How many have you had?" He asked, in a hushed tone.
"This is my second full glass, but I had a half of glass before you got here." I said.
"That's enough, babe." He said sternly.
"I think you know how I take to being ordered around. Stop sounding like my dad. That's why he isn't in my life anymore." I snapped.
"Michelle, I don't want to see you go too far." he pleaded.
"This will be my last one." I turned and walked away from him.
"It had better be." He muttered.
I turned around, "What did you say?"
"I said that had better be your last glass." He repeated, angrily.
"And if it's not? What are you going to do?" I asked, setting my glass on the counter.
"I'm going to cut you off, because you're not doing this to yourself anymore." He replied.
"I'm a grown woman, I can drink however much I want to." I argued.
"Not when you're a recovering alcoholic." He rebuked, his voice rising slightly.
"I know my limit."
"Ha, spoken like a true alcoholic." Chester leaned against the countertop.
"I'll be fine. Stop micromanaging me."
"Someone has to." He said.
"I am not a child, so stop treating me like one!" I yelled.
"Maybe if you didn't act like one, you wouldn't be treated like one!" His words rang with familiarity, stinging.
"You're not my father so stop acting like him!" I shoved him.
"Maybe now I see why he acts the way he does!" He shoved me back.
"Because He never let me grow up, that's why." I replied.
"I wouldn't want my daughter growing up to be a drunk whore either." He glared.

Before I could think twice, I slapped him hard across the face.
"Fuck you!" I screamed.
"You already did, hence why you're a drunk whore."
"Guys that's enough." Mike was trying to neutralize the situation.
"I'd have to be a drunk to sleep with you." I was going for blood, and deep.
He slapped me hard across the face, sending me crashing to the floor.
"STOP!" Mike yelled, stepping between us.
He helped me up off the floor.
"You two need to get away from each other for awhile. Kayla, take Michelle up to our room." Mike said.

Kayla led me upstairs, where she helped me wash my face and cringed at the handprint on my cheek.
"I've never known him to act like that." She whispered, braiding my hair.
"I have that effect on people I guess." I replied.
"You didn't mean what you said to him, did you?" She asked quietly.
"No, I was just angry. I'm going to apologize to him." I whispered.
"He didn't mean what he said either, he loves you and I know it." She dabbed my face with a cool washcloth.
"He might have. Even if he didn't, it's still true. I was well known for getting wasted and going home with whoever could hold me up."
"Well, that's not you anymore." She shrugged.
"I don't know who I am anymore, Kayla." I sighed.
I heard footsteps on the stairs, and Mike came into the room.
"How's she doing?" He asked.
Kayla didn't say anything.
I looked at him, and he sighed, "That's one hell of a handprint. Worse than the one you gave him." He sat on the bed.
"He loves you. He feels bad for what he said, and for hitting you." Mike said.\
"I feel bad too, but he shouldn't, because he was telling the truth." I sniffled.
"I don't think that's true. I think it might have been, at one time, but that you're not that person anymore."
"I think I'll go talk to Chester." Kayla got up and left, closing the door behind her.
"I was that girl. And I don't want to be anymore, but he pushed me. I was going to stop at two glasses, but he pissed me off, and I drank more to spite him. That's the only way I know how to get even, spite." I wiped my eyes.
"Maybe instead of getting even, you should try relenting." He shrugged.
"That's not in my nature, Mike."
He laughed and put his arm around me, "Just try it."