Chapter Title: Alcohol
Warnings: Excessive, unhealthy levels of drinking.
Author Notes: This chapter marks about the half-way point of the story. Hope you guys are enjoying it so far. Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, questions, or critiques! All are welcome.

The walk home was long and cold. I walked up the stairs, ditching my shoes and jacket in the hall, leaving a trail of melting snow behind me. I pushed past Ayame in the hallway, completely ignoring him until I reached my room. I shut the door, softly, and locked it behind me.

I collapsed onto the bed, feeling cold, an ache growing in my chest. I'd felt like this before. When I'd woken up from my pseudo-coma, I'd felt exactly like this. Like the rest of the world fell away, and nothing mattered, and I just wanted to lay here for the rest of my life and melt away like the snow in the hallway. I didn't want to be dead, but I didn't want to move ever again either.

I smiled sadly, as the tears started rolling down my face, and my mouth felt parched. I closed my eyes, sobbing silently, the ache in my chest building to a consistent pain.

I must have laid there, crying so softly, without moving for hours. Ayame dropped by my room twice, knocking, but after the second time he'd given up. About four hours after he'd left me alone, the moon high in the night sky, I got to my feet, and padded over to my mirror.

My eyes were bloodshot, red rings proving that I'd been crying, tear tracks across my cheeks. My hair was frizzy and tangled, and my clothes were rumpled and plain.

I frowned, and went to my closet. Pulling on a pair of skinny jeans, black stiletto heels, and a lacy camisole, I tossed a warm jacket over the ensemble, turned off my cellphone, and snuck out of the house.

It was a short walk to the bar, and I didn't even need to flash my ID. The bouncer still remembered me. He smiled, trying to chat me up. I flashed him an impatient look and he let me in, telling me to not drink too much.

I ignored the warning, headed straight for the spot right in front of the bar tender, and ordered Everclear. I wasn't here to mess around. He nodded, giving me a wary look as he handed me the shot. I downed it, and demanded another. My eyes watered from the intense sting of the alcohol, and I felt my stomach toss and turn. He lined me up three more, and left to deal with another customer.

I downed all three as quickly as I could. The room started to get hazy, and I smiled, feeling that ache fade away, and I started giggling. Immediately, the world was beginning to be better. Everything was better.

All I'd needed was alcohol.