I'm Only Me When I'm With You
Chapter 5
It had been a couple of days since Gabriella had chucked her cigs but unknown to Troy she hadn't chucked the ones in her car or house - she was still smoking. Now dealing with the guilt that she hadn't been truthful with Troy when she said she'd thrown them out, her parents and her ever growing feelings for Troy she had gone for five a day to ten. Two or three in the morning and the rest from leaving work, during college and in her evening. Troy had asked her if she drunk - she'd lied, telling him no. But she did drink - she was a teenager with serious problems. It was Friday night and she'd already had a bottle of whiskey and five cigarettes - she didn't care she had work in the morning but going into work hung-over would spark suspicious with Troy but she couldn't stop, she'd to far into oblivion and a drunken sleep. She didn't know in the morning she was going to be in big trouble with not only Troy but her brothers.
"Hey Jay do you know where Gabs is she hasn't turned up for work," said Troy.
"She's probably overslept," replied Jason, as he flipped a pancake.
"That's what Jordon said," said Troy.
"Well has he heard from her?" asked Jason, as he pulled out his phone.
Troy shook his head. "Nope and he can't get though to her."
"Neither can I it keeps going to voicemail and she's not picking up the house phone. She's probably just overslept," said Jason.
"It's a good job we not that busy," said Troy.
"I'll pop round later," said Jason.
"You promised Suzanne you'd help her pick out a dishwasher," said Troy.
"Crap oh yeah and Jordon's busy. You doing anything?" asked Jason.
"I'll go round," said Troy.
"Thanks man," smiled Jason.
Her head pounded, her mouth was dry and she felt awful. She was late for work. She was more than late, work finished in twenty minutes which meant someone was going to come round to se where she had been. So she had twenty minutes to straighten herself and the house up.
Deciding to do the house first, she quickly disposed of the bottles and her cigarettes in the outside bin. Once that she was down she cleaned up at bit more, sprayed some air freshener and hoped into shower - taking her toothbrush and toothpaste with her to give her teeth an extra good clean.
She was right about someone coming over because the second she stepped out of the shower, there was a knock on the door.
Wrapping a towel around herself she headed downstairs the door to revel Troy.
"Were have you been all morning?" asked Troy.
"I overslept. I'm sorry. I woke up twenty minutes ago," said Gabriella.
It was then Troy noticed what Gabriella was wearing.
"What the hell are you doing opening the door like that?" asked Troy. "I could have been anyone."
"I'm going getting dressed," said Gabriella.
"You do that," said Troy. "You want a cup of tea since you just woke up?"
"Yeah and some toast," called Gabriella, as she headed into her room.
Troy shook his head and headed into the kitchen where he noticed one thing Gabriella had forgotten.
A half open bottle of vodka on the counter, a empty bottle in the sink and a ashtray of cigs.
Sighing he cleared up and made two cups of tea and a plate of toast.
Twenty minutes later Troy headed to see why Gabriella was taking so long and he found her smoking on her balcony.
"You've not stopped I've seen," said Troy, leaning against the door frame.
Gabriella jumped and managed to keep her cigarette from falling out of her hands.
"Taken up drinking as well," said Troy.
Gabriella just looked at him and took another puff.
Troy shook his head and headed over to her.
"You know it's not weak to ask for help," said Troy.
"I know I asked for help," said Gabriella.
"I thought you were going to quit," said Troy.
"I was but then I got home and they were sitting there and I'm addicted," whispered Gabriella, bursting into tears.
Troy gently took the cigarette out her hand and stamped it out before pulling Gabriella into a comforting embrace.
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Gabriella Somerfield