TORTURED SOUL | abby littman

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻.

   
    
    
    

chapter nineteen

{ unedited }

   
    
    
    

THAT NIGHT, ABBY INSISTED ON GOING ON A DRIVE AFTER STEVIE AND MARCUS WENT HOME. Cameron had already exhausted himself into falling asleep as soon as his head hit his pillow and Abby didn't want to go home. She told Rowan that her dad was apartment hunting which was leading to more fights so she wanted to be anywhere but there and they hadn't been on a drive in a while yet so she really wanted to go.

Rowan was filling up the car whilst Abby was roaming inside the convenience store. Rowan had already paid so she was ready to go as soon as she was done. As long as Abby was out by then. Rowan didn't know what the girl was looking for but she'd borrowed some money from Rowan before she went in.

Rowan got back in her car once she was done, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel as she waited for Abby to come back out. Abby seemed more on edge around Rowan and she didn't understand why. She seemed fine before, all until Hugo came back but that couldn't be it. Abby didn't see or hear anything so what was going on with her?

She was pulled from her thoughts when the passenger door slammed shut and Abby placed down what she bought on the floor. Rowan's eyes flickered to it, frowning when seeing the six pack of beer. "Abby―"

"Just drive." Rowan didn't and Abby sighed as she turned to Rowan. "You cope with cigarettes. This is how I cope so just drive already. I didn't ask to go on a drive if you were planning on staying at a damn gas station the whole time."

Abby was drinking all the way to Boston, finishing the sixth can by the time Rowan parked up outside the church. She was happier, drunkenly singing along to the songs playing but Rowan wasn't fooled. Something was bothering Abby and Rowan couldn't figure out what it was that made her drink this much. Sure, Abby wasn't blackout drunk―still able to form somewhat coherent sentences over the slurring―but she was past tipsy, staggering with every step she took once she left the car, which worried Rowan.

It worried her more than she liked to admit.

Rowan had only dealt with one drunk person before in her life, if not including Abby at the sleepover and on Halloween, and that was her father. Him being drunk was something she dreaded. Something she wished to avoid dealing with when it comes to her friends. She hates being around drunk people because of him but here she was, her arm around Abby's waist as she helped her into the church.

The doors of the church slammed shut behind the two, evoking giggles from Abby that Rowan didn't understand. Instead of going near the front where it was warmest, or even in the middle, Rowan helped Abby sit in the back pew and sat down next to her.

Abby looped her arm around Rowan's, resting her head on Rowan's arm as she looked up at her with a drunken smile. "Hi," Abby smiled, squeezing Rowan's arm softly.

Rowan looked down at Abby, sighing under her breath. "Hey," she found herself returning the greeting even though she was highly uncomfortable as of now. "Abby, what's wrong?" Rowan knew she shouldn't ask, that it would ruin whatever good mood Abby was in.

Abby let go of Rowan's arm and gripped onto the pew, looking down at the floor. "Y'know...at that Halloween party..." Rowan didn't turn away from Abby when she paused, silently waiting for her to continue. "I tried to give Press a lap dance," she laughed, a bitter tone underlining it. "He pushed me off. Said I have whale legs. Haven't stopped thinking about it since."

"That's why you're trying to get drunk?" Abby met Rowan's gaze with a small pout before heaving herself up and onto Rowan. "What're you doing?" Rowan asked softly as Abby's pout was replaced with a smile.