I Can't live without you Chapter 21
(Poppy's POV)
I'd been inside for days, nothing felt right and I didn't know what to do with myself. I missed Em, I missed her so much it hurt. I could feel it in my chest. Everything would be fine if she was just still here why did she have to leave me here alone? I felt guilty for not protecting her… I had one job and I couldn't even do that right…
I stood up from the bed, grabbing my phone from the table beside. I threw on my leather jacket with a grey hood and walked over to the window. It had been a while since I'd done this but I knew Rachel wouldn't let me out of her sight and I needed to be alone right now… To self-destruct in peace.
I pushed open the window and climbed up, reaching out and grabbing the drainpipe, it felt wrong but I didn't care. I walked for what seemed like forever in the darkness, there was no one around it was like a ghost town. I found myself at the off license near the cemetery and bought the biggest bottle of vodka I could afford and a few cans of red bull… The blue, plastic bag hung from my fingers as I wondered around the graveyard. I knelt down beside Em's grave and had drink after drink after drink. The more I drank the worse I felt, and the worse I felt the more I drank. It was endless.
I was woken up by the bright sunlight shining in my face. My head pounded, my mouth was dry and I felt rough to say the least. I sat up straight from the headstone and slumped forward a little, the bottle lay by my side about a third full. I picked it up and unscrewed the cap taking a large swig.
The skin on the left side felt tight and when I looked down I noticed blood on my hood, I must have fallen… I pulled myself to my feet unsteadily and stumbled a little, before kissing my hand and placing it on the headstone.
"Bye Em, I love ya"
I stumbled over the grass until I reached the path and then tried to remember which way was home, vodka still in hand. I have no idea how long it took me to get there but I got a few funny looks along the way.
My hand shook as I fumbled trying to get the key in the lock, I had nearly succeeded when the door opened.
"Where the hell have you been?" Lara asked looking unimpressed
I squinted at her against the light and stumbled through the door.
"You're not my mum" I muttered
But apparently she heard me.
"Your poor mother is out searching the streets for you!" Lara threw "Speaking of which, I better let her know"
I stumbled through the kitchen to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of wine out the fridge.
"THAT is the last thing you need" Lara said taking the bottle from my hand
I barely had time to think of a comeback before I threw up on Lara's top. She looked less than impressed but didn't seem surprised.
"I'm going to change, go lie down" She sighed
I made my way to the living room where I collapsed in a heap on the sofa.
…
"Poppy? Poppy wake up"
I awoke to Rachel and Lara crowded round me, Lara was prodding my head with a pair of blue latex gloves on.
"Ow!" I moaned
"If you're big enough to go and get drunk then you're big enough to have that looked at. You're lucky I don't make you go sit in A&E with the other drunks" Lara told me
"Where have you been?" Rachel asked "We've been worried sick"
"I'm not a kid!" I snapped
"You're 16! So yes you are" Rachel threw back
(Lara's POV)
The wound wasn't deep enough for stitches but it was swollen and she was still at risk of concussion. Alcohol and head injuries were never a good combination. She'd need keeping a close eye on anyway. I cleaned it up the best she'd let me and stuck a few steri strips on.
"You should eat something" I told Poppy
"Whatever" Poppy mumbled
"You NEED to eat something" I told her more forcefully this time
"I'm going to make some breakfast" Rachel said "You go get a shower, you stink of alcohol Poppy"
Poppy rolled her eyes and stomped off upstairs.
"Remember bathroom door unlocked!" I called after her
That got a reactional door slam.
Rachel and I walked into the kitchen and I started on the coffee while Rachel got started on breakfast.
Poppy came down about 20 minutes later and slumped in a chair at the table. I took her over a coffee and she wrapped her hands around the warm mug. She'd calmed down quite a bit.
"I…erm… I was with Em… all night"
"I'm going to give you two some time to talk…" I told them
"No! Stay?" Poppy asked
"I'll be back soon" I smiled softly at her "You two need to talk"