Oh My...

20.) Awkward

I managed to catch a late night bus and find my way home. Though, before I got to my street, I stopped at Goodies and bought a Colt 45 and a pack of Backwoods.

I sat on my front lawn and cracked open the beer. Unrolling the Backwood, I tried to steer my thoughts clear of tonight and what happened, but it was hard. I started to wonder if this was really better than Brooklyn, or if everyone was just wasting their time. I looked at the bottle with tired eyes--my second bottle since I promised myself I was going to change. I took a swig before dragging my gaze up the meet the rising sun. Beautiful colors broke through the thick Detroit smog, and I felt myself become overwhelmed with emotion.

I don't know why, but at that moment, I started to cry. I don't mean a few tears escaping from the corner of my eyes, either. I was shaking with broken sobs and wails, like I just saw someone die. I screamed into my hands, pain rocking my body and fear for the future making me roll into ball even tighter.

I don't know how much time had passed, but it felt like a million agonizing hours. Finally, Claire rushed out of the house and tried to pry me up. "Alex, you need to calm down." She said sternly.

"I hate this, Claire!" I cried. "This is all so hard, nothing is going right!"

"Alex, stand up. We'll talk about it inside. We don't want the neighbors waking up, now do we?"

I couldn't give a rat's ass about the neighbors, but I figured crying inside would feel a bit more private than crying outside. I rose onto wobbly, unstable feet. Claire hooked my elbow with hers and lead me to the door.

When we got inside, I crashed face first onto the couch. Claire stood over me with her hands on her hips. "Marshall?"

"He brings so much drama." I moaned, swiping my hand under my eyes. "He's so much, I hate him."

"How did you see him again?"

"I went to a club with Lindsay after I got weed, and it turns out he was there too. He got into a fight with this one dude he saw me talking to, and then we both got kicked out." I whimpered, "Claire, it was so embarrassing."

"I told you that boy brings trouble!" Claire scolded. "Go to sleep, Alex. You'll feel better in the morning."

I peered up at her. "And what are you gonna do?"

"Me?" Claire twisted her long hair into a bun. "I need to go to work."

I cocked my eyebrows together. "I didn't know you had a job."

"One of us has to," Claire huffed. "I took some days off because of your move in. I'm a waitress, and I'm about to be late." Her fingers brushed over my forehead. "I'll take you to the diner one of these days."

"You better." I playfully threatened, my eyes heavy with exhaustion.

Claire laughed. "Bye, Alex. Just hang low for a few days, okay? I'll be back by five."

Just before my aunt could walk out the door, I called out for her. "Wait, Claire!"

"What?" She demanded impatiently, twirling her car keys around her finger.

"What day is it? Like, the number part?"

"The twenty seventh." Claire replied without hesitation.