The Inceptive Flame⎪✓

❨08❩

♀︎

A groggy groan escapes my body as I turn around in the unfamiliar bed, my body is aching and every single movement of it sets off a new wave of nausea. Drink they said, it will be fun they said. Or I said, minor detail. Rubbing my eyes I try to open them and get used to the bright light streaming through the white curtains, my hatred for white curtains is on another level right now. They don't keep the sun out, as much is confirmed. 

Luckily, I recognize the room as Relly's and her snoring form is hiding under a blanket next to me, this definitely helps my nerves. Not that I would ever sleep around while drunk, but my memory of last night still hasn't made an appearance. It will and when it does, I will probably be embarrassed enough to last me a life time. 

My phone buzzes once on the floor and I quickly locate it in my pants, it's a text from my dad telling me that my mom left the hospital completely distraught yesterday and he wants to know if she is okay. Well I don't know right now, but I surely have to hurry home and check up on her.  

I don't answer him as I tug on my clothes from last night, not having anything else to wear. My feet silently pad across the floor and escape her room, without waking anyone up. Voices from downstairs peak my curiosity, and when I leap down the stairs to find Dani and Brock making out on the couch I roll my eyes. 

"Should have known, good morning, guys. Do you even know it's morning? Like, have you been away from sucking faces long enough to know that the sun is now torturing the sky?" My teasing doesn't go unnoticed as Dani flips me off, Brock smiles at me and nods his head. 

"Morning, Dakota. We noticed, yeah, but thanks for the heads up," He says in his morning voice, it actually annoys me how stubborn they are about getting together. 

"Now, Kota," Dani smirks at me and I am tempted to run away, "Do you remember what you agreed to last night?"

My eyes widen, "Anything I say under the influence of alcohol is not valid."

Brock laughs as Dani raises an eyebrow at me, "Except for this, you even said that you would say that today."

"What are you on about? What did I say?"

"Have you checked your emails?" She smirks and looks at the phone in my hand. 

Without giving her a second more of my attention, I open the email app on my phone. The first mail that pops up is a huge 'CONGRATULATIONS!', reading it through my eyes jump out of their sockets. 

'Hi, Ms. Moore. We are happy to announce that you officially will be joining the cheer team for Hetdale High School during the last semester of your senior year, we hope you will have some great experiences with your new teammates. Love, Relly.'

"I cannot dance!"

"Neither can I, but both of us volunteered apparently and Relly is serious about it," Dani laughs, at least we are in this shitty situation together. 

"Well fuck.." I whisper as my best friend nods along.

"I have gotta say though, I am very excited to see the two of you in those little uniforms," Brock cuts in with a smirk, Dani slaps his arm playfully as I roll my eyes. This is not happening.

"Yeah, great. I will leave you to it, now I have to run home and hopefully die before fucking cheer practice Monday," I groan, walking towards the front door. Dani yells out a declaration of love after me and I send one right back at her before hurrying away. 

The fresh air is greatly appreciated right now and I decide to run home, the worry for my mom bubbling under my skin. Reaching my house after five minutes and many weird stares from strangers, I unlock the door and jump inside. Glass breaks under my shoes immediately, the entire place is completely trashed. My heart pounds in my throat, making it hard for me to breathe. 

"Mom?" I yell out, desperately hoping for an answer.

A groan comes from the living room and I run in there, spotting my mom crouching against the wall in the corner. A bottle of whiskey clutched tightly in her hand, her red eyes find me standing in the doorway, probably looking shocked as hell. This cannot be what our life has come to, she owes it to dad to be at her best for their daughter. 

My eyes glance over the living room, the couch is filled with stains from her drinks, the glass table is broken. The floor in the entire house is filled with broken glass, this is the exact replica of what our family is now. Two months ago we were happy and thriving, now we are struggling to get through the day. 

My mom stands up on her own, supporting against the wall as she takes a long sip of the whiskey. Makeup is smeared down her cheeks and her hair has puke in it, the revelation that she is completely smashed hits me like a train. Her unstable steps towards the stairs give me anxiety and as she falls onto the floor on her knees and hands, she hisses in pain by the bottle smashing underneath her fall. 

"Shit," I wince and hurry towards her, grabbing her hands I see the shards of glass have cut her. Minor cuts, but there are lots of them and it has to hurt. Tucking her arm over my shoulder, I guide her up the stairs and into their bedroom. She collapses on the bed as I run into the ensuite bathroom where they are hiding the first aid kit. 

Once I get back mom is fast asleep on the bed, her hands are bleeding so I get to work immediately. Removing the small shards of glass and placing them on a napkin next to her, I disinfect her wounds and she doesn't even wince, I wonder how much she must have been drinking to be this numb. Something her and dad talked about last night ought to have made her this upset. 

Tears well up in my eyes when I safely wrap her hands in the bandage, the shock of everything going on slowly registers in my mind, but I cannot allow myself to dwell on it. My priorities are on fixing the house and texting my dad back that we are fine, his health can take a serious toll from worrying and that would definitely be the worst fucking thing that could happen. 

Shaking my head, I leave my mom to sleep it out, making sure that she sleeps on her side. I can't live with myself if she chokes on her own vomit. Grabbing the necessities from the closet in the hallway I get to work, this never happened. None of this ever happened.