Craig walked into a club where he was going to play tonight. He wanted to go and get a look at the place and check things out. He was a year sober and he was glad to be out. Joey said he was going to make it and since Joey knew the manager he was bringing Angie.
When he walked a girl was standing behind the bar. She had light brown hair with black underneath. She was pretty and dressed in sweat pants and a tank top, she was cleaning things up. The door dinged when he walked in and the girl turned around
"We're closed" she said not looking up
"Sorry. I saw the light on and I just thought…but never mind" Craig turned to leave and she looked up and saw the guitar
"Wait. Are you playing tonight?" she asked pointing to the guitar
"Yeah, I'm Craig"
"Sarah" she smiled she thought he was cute "If I had known cute guitar players were stopping by I would have wore something better" Craig smiled at her
"I just wanted to see the place and maybe practice. I know sound check isn't till later"
"Since you're here, how about I make you something to eat" she said
"No I don't want to put you out" he said felling bad since they're closed
"It's no problem, but I must warn you all I can make is grilled cheese" she smiled
"Sounds perfect" he said and he sat on the stage and started practicing. In a few minutes she came out and handed him the sandwich
"I know I'm a dork but I cut it in triangles. Hope you don't mind"
"Not at all my step dad used to do that for me and my step sister"
"So Craig tell me about yourself"
"Well…I-I um…" he took a bite of the grilled cheese
"What asking that question does it ruin your mysterious musician thing you got going on?" she laughed a bit and he couldn't help but smile
"No, it's just I haven't had the best time" he said
"Well, I'm a bartender I listen to peoples problems. So tell me about it stud" she stuck out her tongue and Craig told her everything. His dad, about Ashley, Manny and the drugs. "Holy shit you got your own personal soap opera"
"Yeah" he sighed
"Well, what can I get you?" She flipped over a cup and smiled "Water?"
"Sounds perfect"
"Well, look I got to go get dressed for work so you can either stay or you can go" Craig looked at her confused "I live in the back" she explained
"Ah…well I better stop by Joey's and get ready. But thanks for the grilled cheese" He smiled and left
At home Craig walked in, Joey didn't tell Angie Craig was coming home. The two planned to surprise her. Joey looked and saw he was in the house
"Angie I need you to stir this for me" Joey said and Angie got up and went to the stove. Joey waved Craig in and he tipped toed and stood a few feet behind her "Okay back up" Joey said and she did until she felt someone grab her and flip her upside down
"CRAIG!" she screamed
"Hey you" he said as he tossed her on the couch she got up and jumped on him
"I missed you" she said
"I missed you too" he held her close and Joey smiled
"How long are you here?"
"Two weeks then I move to LA" he put her down and she put on her said face
"What you don't want visit Craig in LA?" Joey asked
"I don't want him to go" she hugged him and he kissed the top of her head
That night Craig went to the club for the sound check. Sarah was dressed in a short black skirt and a red shirt. She kind of reminded him of Ellie with the way she dressed.
"Hey stranger" she said she was a litter chipper now
"Hey you" he said he went and got set up. The manager came out and handed her food and she looked at it and then put it away. Craig walked over "I hope that wasn't for a costumer" he joked
"Ha no. It's for me the manager thinks I need to eat more" she said rolling her eyes. When she mentioned it she did look really thin. He looked at her eyes and she looked at him "You okay?" she asked
"Yeah" her cell phone range and she went out to get it.
That night Craig played his set and Angie was so happy to see him up there. When he was done he said hello to her and Joey until Joey took her home. Craig stayed to listen to the others perform. When it was done he noticed that Sarah hadn't touched her food
"Hey you haven't eaten anything"
"Okay dad" she said a little pissed off
"Whoa did I do something?"
"No sorry" she took her plate and started eating.
"Slow down" Craig said she stopped and started scratching her arm. Then she went back to eating "I'll be right back" she said and she got up and went to the bathroom. Craig grabbed her purse and stated looking through it. He knew she was on something. He found a little bag of cocaine. He put it in his pocket, not for him but to help her. When she came back she was chipper again
"Hey, you want to stay over?" she asked
"Sure" he said
Later that night she was coming down and she grabbed her purse. She started looking in it frantically. She was panicking where was it?
"Looking for this?" Craig said
"Give it to me" she said
"No" he said
"How did you know?"
"I've been there before. I noticed all the signs. Sarah I can help you"
"I don't need help Craig" She went to grab it out of Craig's hand and he stopped her
"Sarah" he put it in his pocket and grabbed her hands. Then he backed away to the bathroom. He grabbed it out and dumped it and flushed it down the toilet
"How could you?" she said "You don't know me I need this"
"No you don't" She went and grabbed another bag she remembered she stashed and dumped it on a mirror. Craig went be hind and grabbed her. They put up a struggle, she tried to get away and he held her tighter. She started hitting his arms and kicking her feet and Craig didn't budge. He only held tighter until she elbowed him in the ribs and he fell back on the couch. She went and knelt down by the table and took a card and Craig went behind her and grabbed her hand until she dropped the card. He pulled her until she was sitting between his legs on the floor and he wrapped his arms around her and held her there. She broke down and cried herself to sleep. When he knew she was asleep he flushed the rest of the coke down the toilet. He went back and just sat on the floor.
Craig opened his eyes and looked around. Where was he? What the hell happened? He realized he was in a hospital waiting room. But he was visiting, but who was he visiting? He was dreaming? It seemed so real. Just then Joey walked out
"Joey? What the fuck I had the weirdest dream. I was playing at a club and the bartender she was doing coke. I recognized it. You were there and Angie, I was playing with Angie at your house" Joey looked at him confused "It was so real"
"Craig it was Ellie"
"That was doing coke?"
"No that was at my house" Joey said "This must have been a really vivid dream" Then it all came back, Craig went to Joey's to surprise Ellie
"CRAIG!" Ellie screamed as he flipped her upside down
"But…why did I think that was Angie if it was Ellie?" Joey looked down and then it all came rushing back to Craig. After playing he went home. Joey was away and Ellie was staying at Marco's. "Angie?" Craig sat down and closed his eyes and he finally remembered. He walked in to see his fourteen year old sister getting ready to do coke.
"Angie?" Craig asked surprised
"Craig! I-I didn't think you'd be home" she said trying to hide what she was doing
"What the hell are you doing?" he rushed over
"Craig please. I found some of your..."
"ANGELA" Craig screamed and he grabbed her and she fought back
"I need it Craig, you should se all the girls at school. They're thin and pretty, I wanted to be just like them" Craig sat on the floor holding Angie and he stated crying
"I don't think any of the girls do this. You are skinny and pretty. Why would you do this?" he let her go and picked up the coke and flushed it down the toilet "Hand the rest over" she looked at him "Angela Joey is not home I am in charge now it is an order hand it over now"
"I hate you" she said "I hate you, I hate you" she started hitting his shoulders. Craig tried to grab her hands she started crying and she stopped and went to her purse. Craig fallowed her
"Get back here now" he grabbed her arm and she pulled away and grabbed her purse and pulled out the bag "Give it to me" he said she shoved him a side and he stumbled a bit. She ran up the stairs and he fallowed her. He grabbed around her waist and grabbed her hand with the bag
"I need it Craig. I want to feel special I want to feel pretty" they struggled more
"You are special and pretty and perfect. This isn't you?" they both fell on their knees and she dropped the bag and Craig grabbed it Angie climbed on top of him
"Give it back" Craig put it in his pocket grabbed and pushed Angie off him. She fell onto the floor. He got on top of her and held her arms. "I need it" she was sobbing"
"NO YOU DON'T CAN'T YOU SEE HOW FUCKED YOU ARE?" this killed him to see his baby sister like this. He held her down until she fell asleep. He slowly got off and flushed it down the toilet. Then he picked her up and carried her to Joey's room.
Joey saw that Craig was crying
"Hey you did the right thing Craig" Joey reassured him
"I want to see her" Craig went into the hospital room and saw she was sleeping. He kissed her forehead and broke down. Joey stood in the door way also crying remembering what it was like when he picked Craig up from the airport. Angie woke up and looked at Craig sobbing.
"I know you hate me" she said wiping a tear from his cheek. Craig wrapped his sister in a hug and held her
"I could never hate you Angie" she started crying
"Craig?" he took her face in his hands "thank you" he pressed his forehead to hers
"Anytime" he said