Page 106 of The Plan

“We’ve been looking for two days. Sire, you just had surgery. You need to be resting. It’s hot as fuck out here. Just buy her another one. Shit, I’ll fucking pay for it. Can we just go?” I ignore his complaints. He isn’t the biggest fan of the heat, and it’s July in Cali, but I’m not going to stop looking.

My head snaps to the right when I notice something shining on the ground. I walk over and let out a breath of relief when I realize it’s her ring. “Got it.” August smiles and nods for the car.

“Finally.”

I make my way back to him but trip on something, or nothing, because when I look down, nothing is there.

“Are you drunk?”

“I don’t know, Mom. Am I?” I softly chuckle to myself and stand back up.

“What, bro?” August sounds very confused, but I shake my head in response. Vid would’ve got the reference. She made me startThe Vampire Diarieswith her. She would’ve laughed at my joke.

“Do you think she’ll watch it without me?” I let out a sigh because, of course, she will. She’ll do a lot without me.

“Who will watch what? Sire, it’s only two pm. You’ve been drinking a lot these past few days.” I walk to his car while spinning Vid’s ring.This thing is so cool.

“I’m great at getting gifts.”

“What are you talking about?” I don’t respond again and climb into his car and lean my head back as I close my eyes. “Sire, what’s going on with you? I haven't seen you like this since high school.” Since I was on drugs, he meant.

August was at the hospital with us, but he doesn’t know about the baby; I doubt Hazel will tell him since it’s not her story to tell. Neither of them knows we broke up, but I’m sure Vid will tell Hazel if she hasn’t by now.

“I fucked up.” I rub my temples as I feel a headache coming. August lets out a sigh and starts the car. The drive feels longer than what it is, but everything feels longer. Time feels like it’s going so much slower without her. I stumble into our apartment and flop on our couch.

“You should go to a meeting.”

“No.” He doesn’t press it anymore and lets me sleep the day away.

I hear someone talking but can’t make out what they’re saying. God, my head fucking hurts. I open my eyes and sit up, rubbing my hands through my hair.

“What time is it?” I close my eyes again because the light is bright as fuck in here.

“It’s 3:15.” August sounds worried, probably because he woke me up, and he knows I hate when he does that shit.

“I only slept one hour?”Time is really fucking with me.

“You slept twenty-five hours. It’s Sunday.”Shit.I open my eyes, and my head whips to the other end of the couch because that is not August’s voice anymore.

“You called my fucking sponsor?” I squint my eyes at Lis. Her blond hair is in a messy bun, and her blue eyes are piercing me with annoyance. She’s probably been calling me lately; I wouldn’t know since I blocked her yesterday.

“Now I’m just your sponsor, Sire? Ouch.” I roll my eyes at her. “And yes, he called me because he cares about you. What’s going on, Sire, and why did you block me?” I rise from the couch and make my way past her.

“Because you were calling too much.”

“I called twice.” Okay, yeah, but I didn’t want her help. I don’t deserve it. I open the cabinet where we keep our liquor and pull out a half-empty bottle of Hennessy. I open it, but she snatches it from me before I can take a swig.

“Give me the bottle, Lisette.”

“Wow, my full name? Someone’s mad.” I roll my eyes at her mocking tone and snatch the bottle back. I throw my head back, taking a long drink, and I feel it burn my chest, but I don’t chase it down with anything.

“You're officially using alcohol as a substitute for drugs, Sire. Do I have to remind you how bad that is?” God, her voice is so annoying. I walk past her with the bottle in my hand and head for my room.

“I already know. I just don’t care.” I shut my door, but it doesn't slam because she stops it and walks in after me.

“Then tell me.” I let out a breath in annoyance. She just wants me to hear it out loud because “saying it makes it real” and all that bullshit, but like I said, I don’t give a shit.

“Using alcohol as a substitute for drugs isn’t going to do any more good than it will do bad. It’s just as bad as using drugs itself and will end in becoming an alcoholic or relapsing,” I say in a mocking voice, then take another deep swig from the bottle.

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