A Problem

(Day 129: Tuesday Afternoon)

Doug sits at the table, "Ben?" and he looks up at him. "It seems like your English has gotten better. Would I be right?"

Ben lifts his shoulder, "More or less."

He nods, "In that case, I'd like to talk to you about something."

Ben sighs, "If this is about the eating thing—"

"No," Doug softly answers. "Not this time."

He shakes his head, "Then what?"

Doug is quiet for a moment, before he stands, "I want to show you something."

"What?"

"Just come with me," Doug instructs, and with that Ben stands from the table, Doug goes to open the door, and Ben follows him down to the end of the hall. Doug faces Ben, noticing his fearful expression, before he opens the recycling bin, "Do these cans look familiar?"

Ben stares into the bin. There's a sports' drink here and there, but the large majority of it is soda cans: his brand of soda. He wets his lips, "They look familiar."

"The entire bin is like this," he informs.

"Yes," he quietly accepts.

"Ben." Doug faces him, "I think you have a problem."

Ben lets out a breath, "Yeah." before he wets his lips again. "I know."

"So, you will stop?"

Ben shuts the lid, "No."

"Look," Doug comments. "I know it will be hard to cut down, but—"

"No," Ben shouts, and when they get several looks he whispers, "I said no." Doug watches as Ben strides back to the dorm, and when the people still offer questioning stares he follows his lead.

"I'm afraid I can't let you buy these," the brown haired man comments after Mal had placed the two wine bottles on the counter.

She narrows her eyes, "Why?"

He points to the sign, "We have the right to refuse service to anyone who has already bought seven bottles in a single week."

"What do you mean, right?"

He sighs, "There are some substances when taken too much can cause people health problems— or even death. When a store like mine completely ignores the health of their customers, we get sued."

"That's not fair," Mal nearly shouts.

"I get tax breaks for enforcing this precaution," the brown eyed man counters. "It doesn't have to be fair."

"Come on," Jay says. "Let's go."

"No. Hold on," the man says, and he points at him, "You're new. If you use your card, then that would technically be a different individual. You could buy these for her, if you'd like."

Jay furrows his brows, "You can forget it."

"Jay," she complains.

"No." He turns to her, "I came here to make sure you got home safe, not to help you buy alcohol to drown yourself in again." She becomes quiet, and he shakes his head, "Mal. Why can't you just try to get better again?"

"What for?" she counters. "I have nothing."

"You have me," he reminds her. "You have friends. That used to be enough for you."

She almost laughs, "No, I don't. You're more like an overprotective brother, and Evie…" Mal shakes her head, "I say she's my best friend, but we're obviously not and… I don't even know where we are right now." She looks off, "I made her leave. Like I made Ben leave." before she faces him again. "I just might have people, but I don't have friends."

"What about Carlos?"

"Carlos?" she half smiles. "I barely even know him. I know him, because I know you. I stand up for him, because Evie stands up for him. But that's all."

"Well, what about Lonnie?" Jay thinks up. "You've started hanging out with her, right?"

"Yeah," Mal gives in, "but she's really more like a cute, annoying pet."

He smiles, "And you can't be friends with a pet?"

"I guess," Mal mumbles.

After a moment Jay comments, "I have an idea." and she meets his eyes. "You're allowed seven bottles a week. That's enough for one a day. So, how about— if you feel like it that day— we walk here together, you get one bottle, and we share it back at the dorm. No more hiding wine in water bottles for class, and we'd be talking while sharing the bottle."

"Half a bottle is going to affect you a lot more than me," she points out.

"I never said we had to split it in half, but we'd both start with a glass."

She nods, "Okay."

Jay grins, "So, you'll try this?"

"Yeah," Mad nods before giving him a look. "So long as you get me a bottle tonight."

"Okay," he nods, before he stresses, "but only tonight. And we share the bottle and talk."

"I don't feel like talking," Mal complains.

"You've gone through hell, Mal," Jay points out. "You still are. You can't just not talk about it."

"You know," she points, "with your long hair and talk of feelings, I could swear you're a girl right now."

"Well, one of us has to be," he smiles.

Mal's eyebrows raise, "Funny. Not."

"Come on," Jay prods. "I can tell how lost you feel right now. You need to talk about it with someone, and you know how we talk. It's really just complaining. You won't become weak just by talking about this with me."

"I guess."

"So, you up for it?" Jay questions.

Mal faces him, "Yeah. Okay."

- Next Up: Chad and Ben talk, Evie's mirror gets confiscated, Mal gets sick, and Ben's invited to game night.