Page 41 of Tell Me Everything
The silence at the other end of the line made my palms sweaty.
“Isn’t Alex at your place?”
Realizing what was happening, I tried to save the situation the best I could. I couldn't worry his family until I was sure.
“Oh! He must have gone to the convenience store.”
I hung up and started pacing again. My fear only increased. What had happened to make Alex leave like that? He was avoiding me, and I couldn't help feeling guilty, though I had no idea why. Had I said or done something to upset him? Why would he run away like that?
***
It was past eleven when the ringing of my phone pulled me out of the negative whirlwind my thoughts had become. Alex's name appeared on the screen, and my pulse quickened. My nerves were eating me up.
“Lenaaaa,” Alex sang on the other end of the line.
“Damn it, Alex! Where thehellare you?”
“I miss you.”
My breath caught in my throat. I recognized that way of articulating. Frank often spoke with such a heavy tongue. “Are you drunk?”
“Just a little.”
Alex was completely wasted. I just didn't know if it was only alcohol or worse. What had happened?
“Don't you miss me?”
“Alex, where are you?” I asked impatiently.
“At a party. I'll come back to your place.”
I leapt to my feet and grabbed my shoes and bag. There was no way I was letting him hit the road while he had booze in his system. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if anything happened. “Don't. I'll come and get you. Give me the address.”
“Okay.”
The bus ride seemed to take forever. What was he doing on the other side of town at such an hour? Actually, I knew. I just couldn't figure out why. I thought everything was fine between us, but apparently, I had been the only one. Just like a few months earlier, Alex had been about to leave me to party elsewhere too. I felt torn between sadness and anger. I'd been really stupid to believe he cared about me, and that he'd changed. Just when I'd thought we'd made some progress, here we were back at square one. Again.
A girl named Melissa opened the door. If I took into account the disgust my presence evoked in her, I wasn't exactly welcome here.
“I'm here for Alex.”
“Why?”
“Because he asked me to.”
For some reason, she didn't feel like letting me through, so I pushed her aside and went into the house. I really wasn't in the mood, and if I had to hit her with a vase to get her to move, then so be it.
Alex was slumped on the sofa in a position that couldn't be comfortable. He opened his bloodshot eyes and grinned, floating on a cloud of artificial bliss. Alex had never been this happy to see me while sober. I wasn't too sure what that meant. I followedhim as he staggered to the door.If he falls, I won't pick him up.
“Give me your keys. I'll drive.”
Despite the alcohol clouding his senses, Alex shook his head. “You don't have your license yet.”
As he approached, the smell of weed tickled my nostrils, and I winced.Great. Our relationship really had taken ten steps backward.
“And you're high and drunk. So you're not driving either.”
Without giving him time to react, I took the keys out of his hand. I prayed we wouldn't run into any cops on the road, or we'd both be in serious trouble. I helped Alex put on his seatbelt, and for a second, I considered strangling him with it. I started the Polo. Alex rested his head against the window.
