Learn To Love Again

Chapter Eight - It's True

Chapter Eight

As soon as I got home, I raided the house for more alcohol. I couldn't comprehend what had just happened with Aimee and with Rachel and to be honest, I didn't want to. I know it was a stupid idea but I felt the need to drink my troubles away so that's what I did. I drank until my head hurt and went to bed hoping that I didn't have to think about her. It didn't work. I was just left with a terrible feeling, one that I had done well to avoid for the past couple of years. Heartbreak.

I woke up at about 10 AM, my head was banging and it took a lot of effort to get up but I instantly regreted it. The feel of my feet touching the floor as I jumped out of bed was magnified a million times and thepain pounded through my body, getting to my head the most to the point where I almost fell back.

I decided to to check if my parents were in and headed across the landing to their room, hoping that they weren't there. No sign of life. I went downstairs in attempt to cure my hangover and get breakfast and there was a note on the kitchen island. 'Son, it's a nice day so your mom and I have gone out for breakfast, didn't want to wake you seems like you had a long night. P.S tidy up after yourself next time you decide to mess up the house. Dad.' Fair enough, I wasn't yet in any condition to leave the house so I was glad he made a good call.

I made myself a banana milkshake with a bit of honey then I had syrup pancakes with orange juice. After that, I felt slightly better but the banging in my head wasn't anything compared to the ache in my heart. Jeez, I hadn't even been with this girl for a week and I was all torn up and soppy! I decided that the next step was to go for a long overdue workout so I got myself dressed in my gym gear and cleaned up, then I wrote a reply note saying I'd gone out. I needed to get my mind off my hangover completely and I hadn't worked out for some time so I called on my personal trainer Mike.

"Hey Brad, you haven't been here in a while. I can see you've lost those abs you worked so hard to get, used to be clear through your shirt." He joked.

His words rung through my ears as if spoken through a megaphone, "Mike, don't shout at me please, it's really rude."

"Ooooh looks like someone has a hangover! Come on, you have got a lot to make up for." He lead me straight to the fitness room and after the warm up, he had me straight in lifting 50kg weights on the bench press. If I had been working out more regularly, I would have used heavier weights but Mike wouldn't let me.

After about an hour of pure physical torture, I took a break and checked my phone to see if mom or dad would have told me if they got my message. There was a missed call from Rachel. After all the workout and struggle to rid myself of the hangover I actually ended up forgetting about her and last night and she just had to remind me. A few seconds later, I recieved a text.

From Rachel x: Brad?

That's all it said. What was I supposed to make from that? Did she want me to give her a chance at all?

To Rachel x: Tell me it isn't true...

She hadn't replied after about ten minutes and I could tell she was avoiding the answer so I texted her again just as a final message.

To Rachel x: You didn't deny it then and you're not denying it now. I'm humiliated, thanks a lot Rachel.

She didn't reply straight away and I didn't expect her to at all so I just got back to working out for another couple of hours before going home.

When I arrived, mom and dad were back watching tv together.

"Hey, I'm back."

Dad turned around as I spoke, "Oh hey Brad, where have you been?"

I pointed at my outfit and gym bag as I replied, "Isn't it obvious dad?"

He looked a little uneasy, I guess I shouldn't have been that rude."Yeah, um good. I'm going to my office, if you need me I'm up there." He stood up and went upstairs.

I just nodded as he walked out and sat next to mom on the sofa.

"So, what's up?" She asked, trying not to sound overly curious.

I shrugged, "Nothing, been to the gym had a workout you know, haven't been in a while."

I think she gave up trying to make me talk about my feelings on my own accord and just asked me to do it anyway. "How about you tell me what's really going on. Like why you came back from a party where there is plenty of alcohol, which by the way, you shouldn't be drinking and still manage to rid the house of it all?"

I shrugged and avoided eye contact, "I just felt like drinking ok."

She turned properly to face me before she spoke, "Brad Jones, you're not a regular drunk and you certainly do not get yourself drunk under this roof at your age is that clear?" Since when did she start playing the responsible mother anyway?

"I don't need a lecture about it, I feel bad enough already."

She sighed sadly, "Listen, I know my own son well enough to know when something is bothering you so spit it out and we can talk."

"Fine. At the party, Rachels friend revealed that she had basically dated me to get to Zack and I thought it was a joke but when I asked her, she just stood there looking so guilty. And, to top it off, when I went to think in my car, I saw her leave the place with Zack. That's why I'm not happy so drop it." I huffed.

"Oh honey! That is terrible, I'm so sorry." Great, all I needed was to be showered with pity.

"Don't be. She just reminded me why I stopped dating, I needed that."

"No Brad don't you ever say that. You will find your perfect girl one day and she will make you realise why nothing else ever worked out."

I didn't really care, I just shrugged it off, "Yeah maybe." I got up and went to my room, I didn't want to talk about it anymore.

I ended up spending the rest of the day up in my room playing video games and as predicted, Rachel didn't reply to my text. I was going to have to break up with her and that was going to be tough. There was something about her that I really liked and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Shame she couldn't honestly give me a chance to figure it out.

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A/N: Sorry, this chapter is just a bit of a filler really but there is a lot more to come so don't be too disappointed. Comment and let me know what you thought!

Paula :)