Worse for Better- Book #1 in the WF Series

Chapter 2: Job

♡  Alaiya's POV:  ♡

I wait in my car and see Carson coming over here with his usual comforting smile from practice. Relief washes over me because he looks happy which means he'll probably not drink tonight. Probably. I just hope he's not faking it.

He sits in the passenger seat and I smile at him excitedly because we may have a normal night like we used to.

"How was practice?" I ask.

"I got late and benched in the first half," he answers as he texts away on his phone, making my worry return almost instantly.

Uh oh.

I look blankly at him as I make up a thousand scenarios of what could happen tonight. He could hit me, he could go out again, he could drink a bunch. Please be none of the above and be me just overthinking all this.

"I ran out of pills, so I have to get new ones," I explain where we're going in the calmest tone I can manage as I drive.

"Okay." He reaches over and kisses my cheek.

I give a small smile towards him in hopes that he'll stay like this all day, or even forever, but let's not push our luck.

His blonde wet hair from the shower I think he took after practice drops a little flat, while his light-brown eyes show happiness, yet anger in them at the same time. His exact six-foot body almost touches the ceiling of my car, and I know he hates it. I prefer to drive a car that's closer to the ground because I can't see over big hooded cars and it's just easier for me. My five-foot-four body may need a lower height, but his tall one definitely doesn't.

"I hate your car," he states in a joking manner, though I know he's serious.

I continue to drive and try to take it humorously with a small forced laugh.

"I'm trying to work extra shifts," I promise. He nods in response as a way of saying "I know".

My dad got this car for me, so I like it. It's a white 2010 Honda Civic and it's pretty reliable in my opinion. It was a sweet gift for my sixteenth birthday, and even though I could afford a new one, I don't want to let the memory go.

Carson scrolls through his phone until we pull up to the vitamin store while I listen to my radio quietly since he doesn't like loud music or singing. I park right in front of it, and when I turn the engine off, I turn my head to look at him.

"I'll be right back," I promise, and he nods.

I step and walk towards the vitamin shop in front of me to grab the water pills. Carson prefers me to be at the weight I'm at now, so he and my mom showed me these pills that don't make me eat too much and gain a bunch of weight. I want him to be satisfied in our relationship, so I don't mind. I know if I don't do it, he'll do what he did last night and I don't want that to happen. Plus, I also happen to like the weight I'm at now.

I purchase the pills and walk back to my car. Carson turns off his phone so he can talk to me as soon as I sit down. I toss the bag of pills in the backseat. He doesn't remember about last night because his drunken phases usually blackout the events night before. Thankfully, so does his anger. Most of the time.

"I have to grab something." He pecks my lips suddenly before walking out of my car.

I watch him step on the sidewalk and then into an alcohol store near the vitamin shop. My heart immediately begins to pace and my hands begin to shake because of what he's doing. He finished his bottle last night and I thought he would at least wait a couple of days before getting new ones. What if he gets drunk again? What if he hits me again? That would be four nights in a row, he wouldn't do it again, right?