mdma - michael clifford

part one.

Ember covered herself with her jacket, shaking her head slightly as her dad continued to talk to her in the car, only she had it muffled out. She sat her head on the window, it bumping up and down against the glass in her fathers old run down car.

"Ember?" she heard her fathers soft voice speak, making her finally look to him, "Did you listen to anything I said?" he asked with an almost worried look on his face. She sighed, shaking her head, "No, sorry dad, sorry I was just daydreaming." she shrugged, her dad nodding, "I understand, this is probably alot to take in right now.." he agreed, looking back to the roads as he drived, she took the moment to look her dad up and down, his face slim and body lean, going grey with his rimmed glasses sliding down his nose. He looked older.

"You know, this is not a bad thing, sweetheart, everyone has their own problems, and- I understand you aren't happy about this.. but I'm so happy you are trying to get better." he said with the smallest smile, only making Ember smile, he had that way with her, nodding she stayed silent as they pulled into the empty car park, infront of them, a small old looking building. The girls father stopped the car, looking to the sign by the door, in big letters reading;

"ADDICTION AND THERAPY CLINIC FOR YOUNG ADULTS".

They both sighed at the same time at the rusting plaque, "I'll pick you up in an hour, is that okay?" he asked, lifting his glasses off his face to clean them whilst looking to his daughter. "Yeah, thats fine," Ember agreed, reaching for her bag and stepping out of the car, "I'll see you then, love you," she smiled faintly, before closing the door.

As her dad began to drive off, Ember stepped close to the door, sighing to herself. She stood in loose jeans, a regular white tank top that unfortunately had a stain from her breakfast that day, and a jean jacket, chewing the skin on her bottom lip nervously.

As she was in thought, nerves going through her body to imagine what was behind the doors, a voice spoke from behind her.

"It could be worse,"

She turned quickly, slightly spooked, to see a tall boy, with brown hair and tan skin, looking at her blankly, before she could reply he shrugged, continuing, "you could be in AA, apparently thats way less fun." he nodded, agreeing with himself. Ember raised a brow, "Yeah.. doesn't sound too great."

"I'm Calum." he smiled, offering his hand for her to shake, an odd thing considering who shakes hands these days? but she did, "I'm-"
"Ember Levi." he finished for her, making her pause and retract her hand, yet he grabbed it none the less, shaking encouragingly, before she could even question his knowledge of that, he answered her curiousity, "We had gym together last year in school." Calum nodded, "Last person I thought I would bump into by the way."

She froze briefly, he knew her from school, which was an issue in itself. "Oh sorry, I didn't realise." she insisted quickly for damage control, to which he sniggered, shaking his head, "I wouldn't expect you to. Future Prom Queen who transferred for a year out to Italy or something? Didn't think we'd be two peas in a pod. Now I'm guessing that year out was less pasta and wine and more..." he gestured to the same rusty sign she had unfortunately already met.

She stared at him, her face turning red as she got a glipsme of the questionings she'd recieve when she returned to school. The truth being that Ember had overdosed at a party over a year ago, being rushed to the emergency room, she was met with questionings from doctors and her dad, the conclusion being found that she had been using for a while at that point, and with her condition, she had no other option but to be put into rehabiltation to recover. During her work in rehab, her now ex-boyfriend had a long list of lies and excuses of why she randomly disappeared on a random Thursday.