The Support Group ✖ BajanCanadian [COMPLETED]

ten : before the dawn

Chapter Ten - "Before the Dawn"

The morning after, my head hurt like hell, the light burned my eyes, and I felt like puking. I rubbed my eyes, groaning shortly after. The whiskey from last night stuck to the edges of my throat, making it dry. I coughed a few times, hitting my chest with my fist. I looked over to see the sheets torn back and the pillow crinkled.

I didn't see any trace of clothing anywhere, so I was left curious. My chest still ached, and my pending heartburn set in. I coughed once more, swinging my legs over the bed and standing slowly.

I looked around, searching the room for any of my clothes. Nada. I huffed, rubbing my head in frustration. What the hell did we do?

"Are you sure?" Muffled voices spoke from outside the room.

"We don't really have a choice."

"Will she be mad?"

"Indubitably."

Frantically, I wrapped the sheets around my shoulders and grasped the doorknob.

"What the hell even happened?" Tyler? He should have left already, why was he still here?

"We..um..." I twisted the doorknob, peering through the thin crack in between the frame. Tyler raised an eyebrow. He wasn't wearing his glasses, his hoodie was covering most of his face, and he still had bed hair. I figured he had just woken up.

"Hooked up?" Tyler guessed after a few beats.

"You could say that."

"And so you're running away?"

"Okay, no, it's just that..." Mitch sighed again, deeper this time. I felt like swinging the door open and demanding an answer out of him, but I wanted to see if Tyler could get it out first.

"Her dad." Tyler cocked his head to the left. "What about her dad?" Mitch ran a hand through his already messy hair, pacing up and down the small and compacted space. I pushed my nose in between the crack so my eyes could focus on them.

"He...left."

My knees went weak, my eyes blinked ever-so slowly, tears burning them, my palm's grasp slipping as it held onto the knob.

"What?" Tyler's jaw had dropped.

"Yeah. I woke up at like...8 or something, went to go check the mail, didn't see her dad's car in the driveway, checked the windows, picked the lock, went inside, and most of their stuff was either trashed or gone...and..." He rubbed his nose. "I..."

"Mitch, what did you see-"

"He was dead!"