Don't Give Up

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

                Hayden dropped me off at Alex’s front steps after we spent the day together in town. I pulled my duffel bag from his backseat, as I gave him a smile before he drove off.

                I took in a deep breath, as I walked up to Alex’s front door, clicking the doorbell. I waited a good two minutes before the door opened, revealing Alex. I couldn’t help but noticed how messy his hair was, and how tired his eyes looked.

                I licked my lips, wondering what I was supposed to say to him.

Was I supposed to just invite myself in?

Was I supposed to say that Hayden allowed me to stay at your house for the week?

“You look like shit.” I finally said, feeling my cheeks flame up with embarrassment right after the words escaped my mouth.

Alex rolled his eyes, as he stepped aside, letting me inside. The place no longer reeked of weed, which I was glad of. But, the living room was completely trashed with beer cans, shattered bottles, and basically- trash. There was even a hot pink thong lying on floor.

“What the hell happened in between the hours that I left?” I asked, kicking over the thong with disgust.

Alex shrugged, as he flopped himself down on the couch, closing his eyes. “I don’t know.” He muttered. “I was fucking high.”

I shuddered as I thought of all the possible things that they could’ve done while they were stoned and high. “Whatever.” I sighed, taking a look again at the mess. “I’m taking a shower.”

Alex grumbled something under his breath, as I disappeared upstairs. I laid my duffel bag in his mother’s room, where the bed was still messy and unmade from when I slept in it. I unzipped my bag, taking out a pair of plaid pajama shorts, and a plain black tank top.

I took a warm shower, lathering my hair in the sweet strawberry shampoo that I was assuming was used by Alex’s mother. I used the same white towel as I used last night to dry myself off, as I got dressed in my soft sleeping clothing.

                When I came out of the bathroom, I noticed that Alex was no longer in the living room. I heard the shower that was downstairs start to run, and I assumed that he went to take a shower.

                My stomach began to rumble, remembering that I had forgotten to get dinner with Hayden tonight. I made my way over to Alex’s kitchen, flickering on the lights, as I began to rummage through his fridge. I took a carton of half eaten vanilla ice cream out of the freezer, grabbing a spoon out of the dishwasher.

               I took a seat on the stool that faced the counter in the kitchen, lifting the cover off. I dug my spoon in the ice cream, as I let the sweet flavor melt in my tongue.

                The ice cream brought back memories from when I was a child, where I was still innocent, and things were perfect. My mother and father took me out to the boardwalk two hours away from home for my birthday. We spent the entire day there, and my mother said she would buy me whatever I wanted at the amusement park. I ended up asking for an ice cream cone every hour, each time asking for a vanilla with chocolate fudge. It got to the point that whenever I came to the same ice cream parlor each hour, the worker there didn’t even have to ask me for my order anymore.