I Made a Promise

Chapter 77

~next day~
~Daniel's POV~
It was 8am. Skylar was still sleeping, she had a rough night last night. And from what I know, Maxx is still in his room. I was out in the kitchen, drinking some coffee.

Then I heard some noise behind me and saw Maxx come into the kitchen. He had his eyes half open as he saw down at the island.
"Hey, how you feeling?" I asked him.
"Like I just got hit by a train and then ran over by a bus." He rubbed his face.

I got a Gatorade from the fridge and put it in front of him, along with some painkillers.
"Thanks... how did I get home? Did Sky see me?" He asked me.
"You don't remember anything about last night?" I asked him.
"Not really... everything's kind of a blur..." he said.

"Well, you got home at midnight, your friend Chris dropped you off, and I brought you into your room. Gave you some Gatorade and Advil and you soon passed out." I explained.
"God... did Skylar see me?" He asked.

"No, she was asleep... and I didn't say anything." I told him.
"Thanks... I appreciate it... she'd flip out." He said, running his fingers through his hair.
"She has good reason to..." I told him.
He's been acting out a bit more lately. And Skylar's been ok with trying to be more calm with him, but then at night, she stressed to me about it.

"Look, I know I've been a real dick lately and I'm sorry... it's just... I don't know... I-... I just wanna feel normal... like none of this happened... leaving Chicago, not speaking to any of my family... my only brother dying... it's hard it's-..." he was saying, but I could see his head spiraling and he started hyperventilating and I went to him.

"Hey... it's ok... you're safe here with us..." I calmly told him. He grabbed me and put his head in my shoulder. I've never seen him like this.
"It's hard.. it's almost like it's not real.. in the most upsetting way possible... I don't know how to deal with it sometimes you know?" He asked me, his voice breaking and I could feel his breathing going heavy but short.

"Listen I get it... you gotta breathe... calm down..." I told him.
"It's too much sometimes, you know?" He asked me.
"Stop talking..." I calmly said, just wanting him to focus on his breathing.

Once we pulled away, I looked at him. His eyes were bloodshot red. He looked so tired and burnt out.
"Maxx you gotta tell me... have you been doing anything else besides drinking?" I asked him.
He looked up at me and shook his head.
"No, I don't mess with that stuff, alcohol sure but... no not what you're implying..." he told me.

I nodded my head.
"That's one good thing..." I told him.
He sat down at the counter and rubbed his face.
"I swear, this is the first time I've ever gotten this drunk... I usually get a little... you know, but never this bad..." he groaned.

I looked at the time. It was almost 8:30, I had to leave for work.
"Hey, I gotta go to work. But why don't you just stay in your room, and I'll explain to Skylar that you're just feeling under the weather and not to go in your room because I don't want her to get sick?" I told him.

He thought about it and nodded his head.
"Yea but... I'm feeling ok..." he said.
"Alright, just call me if anything." I told him.
He nodded his head and went to his room.

I went to mine and Skylar's room.
She was awake, on her phone.
"Hey, I'm heading out for work." I gave her a kiss.
"Ok, please be careful." She told me.
"Yea I promise... call me if anything." I told her.

~Skylar's POV~
It was a few hours later. I was making some lunch. Maxx was still in his room. Daniel told me he was sick.
I was just making sandwiches. I made a sandwich for Maxx and went to his room.

I knocked on Maxx's door.
"Hey?" I heard his voice.
I opened the door and saw him laying down looking absolutely terrible.
"Hey, are you ok?" I asked him, putting his sandwich on his desk.