Torn

Chapter 26

"Are you fucking serious?" I snapped, my head shooting up.

Her eyes bulged and she looked like she just saw a ghost, "Annie, I th-"

"You're going to drink?! You're going to ruin your sober streak? You're basically saying- you're basically promoting it. You're all like, 'yeah I stayed sober for a while but I feel like getting trashed even though I have a thirteen year old daughter at home'!" I clinched my fists as I felt the familiar burn on tears coming to my eyes. Don't cry, Annie. Not now. Stand your ground.

"Annie!" Demi yelled, catching my attention. She yelled at me. "It was a thought, okay?! I'm positive I wouldn't of done it anyway. I thought you were asleep or wouldn't of said anything, damn."

Why did she snap? It's not her place to snap it's my place!

I looked over at Marissa and everyone for help or for backup but they were just as shocked as I was.

"Demi," Caroline started, "I really don't believe that picking up a drink would be the right choice. One thing could lead to another and.. You know."

"One drink wouldn't hurt," Demi said, growing annoyed. "It's my body, my health, my problem. I wouldn't mind if you guys would just hop off my dick for a minute."

HOP OFF HER DICK?!?! We're her friends- her family- her daughter for goodness sakes and were making sure she doesn't end up in rehab again! Obviously she doesn't care if she gets taken away from me for a few months- again.

"Whatever," I said, sliding out of the booth and away from her, "Go freakin' get shit faced, I don't care."

"Annie," Marissa called after me, "Come back,"

"Leave me alone." I said, sliding the door across as hard as I could, then I took a few deep breaths and leaned my head against it to see if I could hear anything.

"Hop of your dick? Really, Demi?" Marissa sneered.

"Well, you know what it's my- it's my choice if I want to drink. I don't know why you guys care so much."

"Do you hear yourself?!" Marissa yelled, "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Demi, you need to calm down and really pay attention to your priorities," Holly said, "because your number one just ran out of the room crying."

"She wasn't crying," Demi said, her voice softening by a ton, "she barely even cries in front of me, let alone everyone else,"

Marissa scoffed, "She sure as hell cried in front of me when you didn't have time for her!"

Oh shit.

"Marissa! You know damn well I have fucking time for her! It was- where are you going?"

"To go do something you should've already been doing," I heard footsteps growing louder so I ran to the back bedroom and sat down.

I don't want to cry. I don't want to. Crying means accepting that everything isn't okay, and I need it to be okay.

"Annie, baby girl.." Marissa trailed, sitting beside me, "you wanna talk about it?"

"I spent years waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to go to my moms bed because she was out getting drunk or high. I got yelled at by her drunken self and most nights I didn't have a mom. I don't want that ever again. And if she drinks.." I sighed, "I don't care if it's even one drink. Knowing that she would risk that.."

"Annie, she's just really overwhelmed right now. She's not going to have a drink and if she would have, she would regret it a ton. Your past isn't going to come back, I promise. I won't let it happen."

"What's going to happen when you leave? And Demi acts like this and I have no one?"

Marissa looked down at her feet for a little bit then shrugged, "I don't know. You have Jill, Holly, and Caroline.. You can call, text, or FaceTime me. Or.. If it really gets that bad.. I'll come back and I'll get you. I'll bring you back into a safe environment until Demi gets straightened up."

As good as that sounds, I couldn't ever leave Demi. She's my everything and I can't be away from her for long. I just can't.

I nodded and hugged Marissa, "Thanks, Mar."

"You're welcome.." She smiled, "Now. I'm going to go talk and you're going to stay right here."

"Okay.." I said.

I waited until she was already in the other room and tiptoed towards the door to eavesdrop, but then it suddenly opened. I jumped back, afraid it was going to be Demi, but fortunately it was Maddie.

"I knew you were coming to eavesdrop!" Maddie laughed.

"No I wasn't." I defended.

"Yeah, okay," she laughed. "Come on, let's watch a movie in my bunk."

Bunk.. It's only a movie. I'll be fine.

I climbed in after her, making sure my leg was hanging off just in case I had to make an emergency escape.

"So.. Halloween, Scream, or The Conjuring?"

"The Conjuring."

She slipped the movie in the DVD player above us and we began "watching". She was watching.. I was mostly thinking about everything. Mostly because I couldn't get it off my mind and because I had to keep myself occupied or I would have a stroke being in this enclosed space.

•••

I felt myself.. Falling. I jerked up, but the fall never came.. That's when I realized I was in someone's arms.

"Hey, baby girl.." Demi whispered, cradling me and walking, "I didn't want you to have a nightmare or for you to wake up and see you were in there. I got you."

I nodded, thankful for Demi. Even though we had that big blowout, I'm still thankful she came and got me. That means she does want me in the bed with her, so that's a plus.

When she laid me down I wrapped myself around her out of habit and hoped for sleep. For me to wake up and this be all a dream.

I have to come up with a way for Demi to realize that drinking is not the answer. Maybe Bea can help me come up with something tomorrow. She's queen at rebellious stuff.

But, really. It will have to be more than yelling and crying at Demi.. It has to fully convince her that what she said earlier was insane. I got it. I got an idea.

If she thinks it's okay for her to drink, I'm sure it's okay for me, too.

And that's exactly how I'll change her mind.