ᴍʏ ᴍᴏᴍ ɪs ᴡʜᴏ? ✔︎

Protective Jeri

| Jack |

Have you ever felt like no matter what you do, or what you could have done, it's never the right thing? Like, you'll always be making a mistake, you'll always be hurting at least one person, even if you're simply just the middle man?

Yeah?

Welcome to my life.

"What the fuck do you mean she was here earlier?" My best friend asks, as she paces the length of her bedroom, her hands running through her hair in frustration.

"I mean...she was here earlier? Sounds like you understood." I mumble towards the end, unable to contain my sarcasm, but Cody hears me anyway. Luckily she doesn't mention it, she simply sends me a death glare. "Would you please sit? You're making me feel sick." I smile as my friend obviously appeases, making it very clear she would rather be pacing.

"Why was she here?!"

"She said she wanted to talk to you."

"About what?" Cody asks, but I only shrug. "Ugh, you're no help!"

She flops back on the bed, laying down as she sighs dramatically. It gives me a chance to study my best friend. I can tell that she's stressed because she continues to run her hands over her face and through her hair. I can see her jaw clenching in a rhythm. She stands, gravitating towards her dresser, her hands rested on the handles of the second drawer from the top. She removes her hands, before moving them back to the handles.

"What are you doing?" I ask her, and her attention snaps to me before she turns back to the dresser, finally opening the drawer. She rummages for a few seconds before she pulls out what she was looking for, turning back to me, a pill bottle in hand. I leap from the bed, waiting for my friend's next move. It takes all of my own willpower not to march right to her and rip the bottle from her hands. I dont. I stand my ground, holding my breath. It feels like my heart stopped as I watch Cody examine the bottle. I watch as she licks her lips, and she lifts her head to make eye contact with me. It's deathly silent for a few minutes as neither of us utter a single syllable. The next move has to be hers.

As much as I want to, I can't force her to quit. If this is going to work, quitting has to be her choice.

I watch my best friend, the person who means the most to me in this world, as she takes tentative steps towards me. It's obvious that she's finding it difficult to look into my eyes. She takes one last look at the bottle in her hand as she comes to a stop, face to face with me, she shoves the bottle in my hand and takes a step back.

"Please, get them away from me." She breathes out as she looks at her feet and I nod, though she can't see it. I close the distance between my friend and I, lifting her head to make eye contact with her. I see that she's fighting multiple inner battles, she's trying desperately not to cry and it breaks my heart that she's in this position.

"I'm proud of you, Cody." I tell her sternly, showing her how geniune I'm being, and I pull her in for a hug. I kiss her temple, before I pull away, walking towards the door. "Just call her, you might feel better." I suggest, and Cody slowly nods though I'm sure she's not set on calling Kristie yet. I leave, and close the door behind me. I get two steps to the communal bathroom before I'm stopped by a raspy voice.

"What are those?" Alex asks, and I see that she's obviously pointing to the pill bottle in my hand. I understand her need to know what's going on with Cody and what drugs are around her daughter, because I feel the same way. However, there's still part of me that wants to cover for my best friend, and that part of me wishes that I had put the bottle in my pocket before I exited Cody's bedroom.

"I actually don't know." I tell her honestly, and I take the chance to really look at the bottle. "It's Percocet." I see Alex take a few steps towards Cody's room before I grab her wrist, pulling her away from the door. "Relax Alex. She gave me them to get rid of them. She didn't want to take them." I tell my best friend's mother and watch as she visibly calms. She sighs before she speaks.