Homeless

Chapter 35.2

Yess, it's been a minute. Life is crazy. Work is crazy. I'm more than likely about to quit my first nursing job. This pandemic sucks. But I'm currently on vacation so here is an update for y'all. 🤎

—-
(Derek's POV continued)

I hear a loud crash and am suddenly wide awake. It sounds like it came from Asher's room.

I look down to see if Danielle is awake but she's fast asleep. She's wrapped around my body like a vine and her mouth is slightly open. I can't help but smile a little.

As I try to pull my body away from hers, Danielle wraps her arms around me tighter.

"Where you going?" she mumbles.

"Just to the bathroom baby. I'll be back."

Danielle lets go of me and rolls onto her other side. She is fast asleep once again.

I take the comforter off of me before slipping out of our bedroom and into the hall. I knock on Asher's door lightly but he doesn't respond. I knock a second time before deciding to enter. The crash was pretty loud and I want to make sure he's okay.

When I open the door, Asher is not in his bed. The bathroom light is on so I knock on the door.

"Asher? You okay in there?"

He doesn't respond and I debate whether or not to open the door. After all, he is a teenager who needs his privacy.

Something in me decides to go ahead and open the door. When I do, Asher is lying between the toilet and the sink with his head on the wall and his eyes closed. Between his legs is a small bag of white powder. Some of it is on the bathroom floor.

"Asher." My heart races as I realize he's high as hell. I'm hoping he's just high and not worse.

"Asher!!" I get on the ground in front of him. "Asher!!" I grab his head and bring it off the wall.

He slowly opens his eyes and a wave of relief washes over me.

"What the f**k are you doing?!" I say loudly.

"You're ruining my high," he says weakly.

"Your high??" I want to be pissed but I also know that addiction is a very real thing and this kid is clearly addicted. Monday can't come soon enough.

I breathe through my feelings as Asher leans his head back against the wall. I grab the small bag of white powder and dump it into the toilet. As I'm flushing it, Asher slowly looks over.

"Are you serious?" he asks.

I ignore his comment and I stand up to turn the sink on. While the water is running, I grab a washcloth from under the sink. I soak it in the warm water, turn off the sink then bend back down to Asher's level.

"Here," I say, handing him the wash cloth. "Wipe the damn powder off your nose and the rest of your face too."

Asher slowly reaches for the towel and wipes his face off.

"Was that all of it?" I ask as he drops the towel to the ground.

"All of what?"

"The cocaine. Do you have any more?"

Asher doesn't answer right away and I know the answer to my last question is yes.

"Where is it?" I ask sternly.

"Derek, I'm going to rehab in less than three days. Can't I just enjoy a few more highs?"

"No," I say. "Are you joking? You're a freakin' guest in this house and you brought drugs in. Danielle is gonna freak out."