Still ; George Weasley

One-hundred and thirty-six

Well, here we were.

I sat on a bench with George on my left side, Marco on my right and William leaning on the back of the bench, his arms folded between Marco and I.

It was a bench in the car park by the big house that apparently was a rehabilitation centre. It looked different than what Marco was in.

He was in something that looked like a mental ward, but this looked like a regular house with a garden.

There was about ten minutes until I had to check myself in, and I would feel my heart race at the thought.

I was anxious.

Marco was having a smoke and honestly I wanted to take it from him and smoke it myself.

I don't smoke, but still...

"It's not that bad, you know." He said after exhaling the smoke he had inhaled seconds earlier.

I scoffed.

"Didn't you complain through all the months you were in rehab the first time?" I asked. "Every single time we came to visit."

"Yeah alright." He shrugged before turning to me. "Fine... it's not fun. There's all these doctors and shit, psychologists and therapists who act like you're a fucking nerve wreck who could break at any moment. They talk to you like you're a fucking child and if you just as much as have a wrong expression on your way, you risk getting another week in the shithole... is that what you want to hear?"

I rolled my eyes.

"No, don't do that." He continued. "And don't act like we're the bad guys just because we care about you! You are lucky you only get one month and you are lucky that you had people who noticed your addiction before it was too late."

"I don't have an addiction."

"Oh my god!" He groaned, throwing the cigarette on the ground. "Right... I'm going home. Have a nice month."

I looked after him as he walked away.

"Don't come visit!" I yelled at him and he flipped me off before disapparating.

"Well that went great." William breathed as he walked around the bench to take Marco's spot. "He's just hurt."

"He has no right being hurt." I folded my arms over my chest.

"Well, he does... he was in this situation last year and earlier this year as well. You may not have noticed but this is what he's always tried to protect you from, and now you're going to rehab for alcohol addiction."

William stood up again.

"Can I get a hug before I leave?" He asked. "I should go make sure he's okay and you have to check yourself in soon."

I stood up and wrapped my arms around his back as he wrapped his around my shoulders.

"Try and be positive about it." He told me. "The month will pass by quicker than you realise."

I pulled away with a small scoff and sat down again.

"You shouldn't come visit me either." I said, not because I was angry at my brother, but because I didn't want anyone to visit me and see me in rehab.

"Whatever you want, Allie." He sighed before he turned around and took a few steps, then disapparated.

I looked at George who was staring at the ground, his jaw tense and clenched.

I placed my hand on top of his which rested on his thigh, and he looked at me as I moved my fingers in between his, giving his hand a squeeze.

"I'm sorry."

He turned his hand around to hold my hand tightly as he moved it up to his chest and leaned down to press a kiss to the back of my hand.

"I know I'm not well." I said softly. "I know it's not normal but do you realise how embarrassing it is? That I can't control how much I drink?"

George lifted his arm to wrap it around me. He pulled me close and pressed a kiss to my head.

"Don't look at it like that." He told me. "You went through a lot of traumatising things and you found a coping mechanism... now you just need the right help to get out of it."

I lifted my head to look at him, pressing a soft kiss to his jaw.

"I'm really sorry about what I said." He said in a whisper. "I don't want to divorce you, but please understand that if you refuse help... I can't do this for the rest of my life."

"I know." I mumbled against his jaw. "I promise I'll get better..."

Actually admitting to him that I had a problem, was the most difficult thing I'd done for a while.

"Can I ask you something?"

I nodded, closing my eyes. Right now I was enjoying having his arm around me, knowing it will be the last time for a month.

"When you were drunk, you told me a guy kissed you at the bar you went to." He said. "Who was it?"

Knew that question would come up.

"Not anyone I know." I told him honestly. "I punched him when he kissed me and then I got kicked out of the bar so I bought some more alcohol and walked around in London."

George sighed.

"For fuck sake, Allie."

I looked towards the house before I grabbed George's arm to look at the time on his wrist. I sighed. Two minutes until I had to check myself in.

"C'mon..." George stood up and grabbed his jacket which was thrown over the back of the bench.

I looked up as he extended his hand for me to grab.

"You still want me to stay here?"

"Allie–"

"Was just asking." I mumbled, placing my hand in his as I stood up. I held his hand tightly as we walked towards the entrance.

My heart was at this point beating against my ribcage at such a pace that I could feel it. My mouth was going dry and I felt myself get more and more anxious the closer we came to the doors.

We entered a room with a reception and a woman sitting behind it. To the right was a corner with sofas and a table where patients were sitting, playing a muggle card game together. They looked up when we entered but George didn't seem to notice.

I don't like this.

"Are you here to visit?" the woman in the reception asked, catching our attention.

"No uh–" I couldn't find the words so I simply looked at George who gave my hand a squeeze before explaining the situation.

I completely zoned out.

My mind kept going over everything this place had to offer. I had to be here for a month... I had to live here, live away from George and away from family and friends.

After George finished explaining, the woman said a few words and we were told to sit and wait for my new assigned psychiatrist to come and get me.

"You're going to be okay."

I looked at George and simply scoffed before staring at the floor again. I was leaned forwards, my arms resting against my thighs.

"I'm only doing this because I don't want you to leave me." I said. "You're good at manipulating me into giving you what you want... I'll give you that."

"I wasn't manipulating you..."

"Then gaslighting." I shrugged. "Which technically is the same as being manipulative. You made it seem like if I didn't do this, it would be my fault that our relationship breaks."

George sighed, running a hand up to the nape of my neck, brushing my hair over one shoulder so he could caress the skin of my neck. Automatically, I closed my eyes. I had to live without that for a month.

"I didn't mean to do that."

"I know."