Forever and Always

5) An asshole named alcohol

Hey guys, it's Aria! 

What you all are about to read is a flashback. It will be from 9-year-old Zavier's point of view.

mention of alcohol and abuse ahead

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8 years ago....

Me and Bridgette are huddled together under my Star Wars blanket in my backyard tree house.

The memory of Bridges' dad screaming is still fresh in my mind. I heard it from my house. Well yeah, we were neighbors but still, It was really loud.

Mom says that Bridges dad is something called an alcoholic. I'm not sure what it is but when he goes into an "episode"  (That's what Mom calls it), Bridge comes to me or our friend Abby's house.

Bridge's Mom, Abby's mom and my mom are best friends. And she says Bridge needs to come with us, people her mom truly trusts, while her mom tries to calm down her dad.

Bridge hates when her dad goes into an episode, But today was actually the worst. Because before Mom could go to knock on the door, it's slammed open.

Her dad stormed out and got into his car. Unless then 5 minutes he was gone. She had never done that before.

Mom went really pale, and she rushed inside. I followed suite.

Bridgette's mom was on the floor crying. She had a big bruise on her arm. I had seen bruises like that on Bridge too. but she never told me where she got them from.

Mom ran over to Bridges mom ,and gathered her in her arms. She then turned to me and said, "Honey, why don't you go and find Bridgette?"

I practically ran from there. When adults cried, it really freaked me out.

I found bridge in her mom's room, looking at the window. I stood beside her silently. 

She turned towards me slowly and her eyes looked dead.

"He left.", She said.

Her voice sounded dead. It scared me.

I took her hand and we went downstairs. Mom was there waiting for us.

"Honey", She said. Bridge looked up. Mom continued. "Your mom is in her room. You can come with us or you can stay here."

Wordlessly, Bridges hand tightened around mine and she looked up at me. 

Her pretty eyes, now gray, were shiny with tears she wouldn't shed.

"She's coming with us", I told Mom. Bridge nodded.

As soon as we got to my house, Bridge tolls on my arm and we went to my tree house. She held onto my hand the whole way.

Inside the treehouse,  I hugged her and then she started to cry.

for a few minutes, Bridge cried. And I held her.