Respite

All Night Long

The ruffling beside me woke me up. I was naked and my head was banging. Dylan was laying opposite me but he was sound asleep.

"Fuck."

I mumbled to myself whilst staring at the alarm clock. It's 11am and my family are going to wonder where the hell I got off to probably.

I checked my phone and swallowed the lump in my throat. 10 unread messages from Dianna, Eddie and Demi and 3 missed calls.

'Where are u?'

'Did u go out early?'

'I didn't hear u leave'

'Francesca'

I rolled my eyes and sat up. I really must get home.

Dylan groaned in his sleep whilst I got out of bed but didn't wake up. I collected all my belongings and zipped my bag up. I then got dressed in my old clothes and staggered out of his bedroom - my hair a mess and my makeup smudged.

I stepped over the numerous red cups and empty bottles of alcohol. This place is a shit hole, he's going to have fun clearing it up.

Finally, I made it out of the house and shuddered from the cold. It's only morning but it's freezing. I yanked my heels off and hurried back home.

Demi's car sat in the driveway alongside both Dianna and Eddie's. They care too much.

I opened the front door and heard the house fall silent. As soon as I closed the front door, Demi rushed into the hallway.

"Where the hell have you been?"

I forced a smile and tried to rush up the stairs, only to be haulted by Demi.

"Don't run off. Where have you been?"

"I just went out, okay?"

"Then why are you dressed like that?"

I looked down at my outfit and realised I wasn't getting out of it any time soon.

Demi harshly grabbed my wrist and tugged me into the living room.

"You're hurting me!"

"Do I care? No!"

We both shut up when Dianna and Eddie looked up from their laps and wiped their eyes. Demi shoved me down in the couch opposite our parents and loomed over me. 

Dianna began talking.

"I don't know what to do with you, Francesca. This was the last straw."

"I just went out, Dianna."

"Can you not lie to me, please? I checked on you when I popped to the bathroom at 2am and you weren't there. I tried to call you, text you, call your friends. Nobody answered or replied to me. I didn't know what to do."

"You didn't call the cops?"

"No, Fran. I thought it was just you being difficult so I thought I'd give it an hour or so. You didn't come back so I rung Rosie and she answered. She told me..."

Dianna's voice trailed off. Eddie placed a reassuring hand on his wife's thigh and she continued.

"She told me you stayed at the house with the guy. She had just got home. It was 3am, Fran, what do you think you're doing?"

Her voice remained unusually calm and it made me feel uneasy.

"I know what went on, I'm not stupid."

I dropped my gaze and Eddie spoke up. Demi remained silent, just staring on.

"I thought you were done with this? We all knew, although we didn't tell you. We knew you smoked weed and got drunk. We thought it was something you'd learn from, but clearly you haven't. We trusted in you to learn from it. Learn from Demi's mistakes."

"I'm sorry."

Eddie shook his head.

"Cesca, sometimes sorry just doesn't cut it. Tell me what happened last night."

I shook my head and Dianna narrowed her eyes.

"Now, Francesca. Tell us right now."

"No, mom. No, dad. Just no."

Demi interjected.

"Mom and dad have come up with something to get you on the right track."

Dianna coughed.

"What Demi said, Francesca. We are really disappointed in you. I don't even know what to think. So, we're doing this to give us time. Me and dad need time to think of what to do. How could you have been so silly?"

"Do what, Dianna? Do what?!"

My voice grew louder and Demi forced a hand onto my shoulder to subtly tell me to keep my tone down. Demi continued from where her mom left off.

"You're coming to live with me for a while, Francesca. Mom and dad need respite."