Tripping: The Wasted Series, Book 1

28. Poe

Hey all! Sorry this chapter is so short. I promise next one will be a lot longer... I hope everyone had a great Christmas/ Holiday! Thanks for reading. And if you like it comment and vote! If you don't like I still don't mind constructive criticism.

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I have been in this hospital for three days now. I have been confined to my room because I have to withdraw from the heroin. I have never felt so awful and disgusting in my entire life. I am either feverish and so hot I need to have all my clothes off because it feels as if I am suffocating or I am so desperately cold I have goose bumps everywhere and as many blankets as the staff will allow me. My days are spent changing my clothes due to the sweats or cold sweats and the nurses come in to change my sheets and stuff regularly. I am lucky to make it to the toilet a lot of the times and I have a pail right next to me when I get sick. I really can't take it. The staff tells me only a few more days until it is out of my system, but all I can think of is that I just want it. I would feel so much better and I wouldn't be stuck here. Why did I ever ask Lanie to take me here?

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The days blur together. My body feels like it can function again. But there is a nagging in the back of my brain that says to get out of this place and get high and I would feel a lot better.

I can finally have visitors. Of course one would think their parents would be the first to show up, alas no. And I know they won't. Mom said I got into this mess myself and since I am 'old enough' to be traipsing around with 'men' and sleeping with 'them' I can handle detox by myself. And dad... Dad is in denial I just know it. So if he doesn't see me here that means I never was here.

One of the staff members comes in to tell me I have a visitor. I know it will be Lanie, but I am secretly hoping it would be Tripp. Maybe to break me out. Ha.

I am right. Lanie.

"Hi, sweetie," she begins, "you look so so so much better, Poe. I am so glad you are not addicted anymore. One of the nurses told me that you detoxed and got all that crap out of your system." She smiled. I think to myself did the nurse mention my brain still craves it? Probably not. And I can't tell Lanie that. She will be so nervous when I get out. So I just tell her, "Yeah. I detoxed."

"I was wondering if, um, maybe you've talked to Tripp at all?" I ask meekly.

She sneers at that. "No," she spat. But I think she is lying. She has a little 'tell' and it tips me off when she is being less than truthful. She starts scratching the back of her neck. Which is exactly what she was doing while she was answering me.

"Please, Lanie, have you talked to him? I don't want to get back with him," I know I am lying to myself but I have this attraction to him that I never admitted to myself until I was locked up in here alone.

She stares right into my eyes, "You won't get back with him?" She questions tentatively.

"Never. Look at me? I am feeling better and looking better and that poison is no longer in my system." I droned on, not believing a single word I was telling her. But, you know what? I've come accustomed to lying. It feels second nature to me now. I can seriously say, and I know this is quite pathetic, the only person I haven't lied to in the past few months has been Tripp.

Lanie looked at me for a moment. Looked into my eyes trying to see if I was telling her the truth. She is really gullible. She would believe someone if they told her that Spongebob Squarepants was a reality t.v. show. She sighed. "Yes, Poe, he called a few days after you admitted yourself into the hospital."

A few days, I thought to myself. He didn't realize I was gone? "So, um, what he say? What did you tell him?" I ask her as if I was bored with the conversation.

"He just asked me if I had seen you around because he hadn't seen you in a few days. I told him you were real sick. And he just chuckled and saidunder his breath that you ran out of dope. Then he asked me if you were with me or back at your mom's. And I told him you checked yourself into rehab. Next thing I hear is a snarl from him and asking me which one. But I wouldn't tell him. He got ticked off so he hung up on me. You know Poe, he is an ass, right? You know that? He doesn't care for you. You are his lifeline right now. You got him money..." She trailed off looking somewhat annoyed.

I figured she was agitated because I conned her into giving us money. "Lanie, I'll pay you back as soon as I can. Everything. Okay? I am so very sorry." I break down and start tearing up. As I think back, I really cannot believe I did that to her. What kind of person does that to a best friend? Me apparently.