Chapter Sixteen

Same Disclaimer...I own nothing.

Thanks to all the usual people. I couldn't do this without them.

And to let everyone know, I officially finished the last chapter of this story last night. So, you don't have to worry about me not finishing it. It's done already, just needs to be beta'd and posted.

EPOV

I laid on the couch, my eyes drooping lazily as I watched the ceiling fan spin round and round. The air around me was thick and smoky, and to be honest, something around me smelled. It could possibly have been me.

I had no idea how long I'd been here. When I left Bella's yesterday...the day before...last week... I had no idea where I was going. I just knew that I needed to get away from there fast. I didn't need Carlisle seeing me the way I was and I knew that was exactly who she was on the phone with when I ran off.

I drove until I reached Garrett's house. I worked with him at the local hardware store and I knew that no one in my life knew about him or where he lived. Neither Carlisle nor Bella would be able to find me here. I'd be safe until I could straighten myself out.

As soon as I stepped inside Garrett's house he could tell something was up with me. I told him that I needed somewhere to stay for a while and he graciously offered me the couch, along with all the alcohol and weed I could stomach. While I had dabbled in the heavier drugs while in Chicago, I knew that I definitely didn't want to go back down that road again, so I stuck with weed and liquor.

From somewhere in the room I heard my phone go off. I groaned as I sat up slowly, my body sore from being in the same position for God knows how long.

"You gonna get that?" I heard Garrett say from the chair in the corner. I stood up from the couch and stretched, scratching my naked torso and wondering where the hell my shirt was.

"Hell no," I told him. My phone had been constantly ringing or beeping as texts came through. All of them were either from Carlisle and Esme or Bella. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk to Bella. I just had no clue what to say to her.

"I'm sorry I accused you of cheating on me."

"I'm sorry I kicked you out of my car in the pouring rain."

For some reason I didn't see that going over too well. And I knew what Carlisle wanted. He wanted to take me to some fucking treatment facility where they could 'fix' me.

I slowly made my way toward the bathroom down the hall, stepping over half full liquor bottles and crushed beer cans. I had no idea how Garrett lived like this all the time, but I knew I needed to leave soon.

I shut the door to the bathroom behind me and pissed like I hadn't done it for days. When I had finished washing my hands, I looked up and saw my reflection in the mirror. I had dark purple bags on the skin under my eyes and they were bloodshot. I was sure that it had been only a few days at the most, but it actually looked like I'd lost weight. Of course, since stopping the meds I hadn't been really eating much or taking care of myself.

I bent over and splashed some water on my face before walking out the door and into the hallway. When I sat down on the couch to let Garrett know I was going to head out, I suddenly felt a hand slide up my thigh.

I jumped back and eyed the girl next to me. She had blonde hair and was wearing a very familiar shirt. As a matter of fact, the only thing it looked like she was wearing was said shirt.

"Hey you," she said as she leaned toward me. I slid further over to the arm of the couch, letting her hand fall from my thigh. I furiously fan my hands through my hair, trying to figure out just what the fuck had happened.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I said, slapping my forehead with the palm of my hand. I closed my eyes and tried to remember anything about the previous night.

I slouched back on the couch and took another gulp of the liquor from the bottle in my hand. I welcomed the burn as it coated my throat.

Garrett had just walked back to his bedroom with some girl he invited over. She came with a friend. I had no idea where that girl disappeared to. I just knew that I was alone in here, sitting on the couch, drowning my sorrows in copious amounts of alcohol.

I took another gulp of liquor and threw my head back on the couch, closing my eyes. I suddenly heard footsteps coming into the room. I opened my eyes and lifted my head to see who had entered.

"Hey there," she said as she walked toward me...completely naked. I groaned loudly and threw my hand over my eyes. Bella and I might have been arguing or whatever, but there was no way in hell I was gonna get blamed for this shit. I'd never cheat on her, that much I knew.

I reached over to the side of the couch and grabbed the shirt I had discarded earlier and threw it at the girl.

"Put this on and leave me the fuck alone," I told her as I stood up and walked out to the front porch.

"Thank God," I muttered to myself. I knew that I would never cheat on Bella, but who knows what they'll do when they're drunk and high off their ass.

"What's wrong? You didn't think you'd actually fucked her did you?" Garrett asked me, laughing. I turned to him and shrugged my shoulders as the girl walked out of the room, probably to find her friend.

"Nah, man. I knew you'd never forgive yourself if something like that happened, so I made her leave you alone. You don't need any more shit piling up on you," he said as he stood up. The two girls had come into the living room ready to leave and he walked them to the door.

While he was outside, I grabbed a clean shirt from Garrett's closet and took a quick shower. I knew that something like last night was bound to happen again if I stayed here, so I needed to leave.

"Where ya' headed?" Garrett asked me as I headed back into the living room.

"I guess I'm gonna go into work. I'm pretty sure I'm scheduled to work today. At least I think I am," I told him, laughing a bit. Honestly, I had no idea if I was supposed to work today or not. Hell, I had no idea what today even was.

"Ummm, yeah, about that," he said as he ran his hand nervously through his hair. "You got fired yesterday. You hadn't been in for a few days and they just told me to tell you not to come back."

"Fuck!" I should have known this shit would happen. I'd probably never be able to find another job. I had a hard enough time finding that one. No one really wanted to hire a high school graduate with absolutely no experience and no further education.

"And your dad stopped by the store too. He wanted to know if anyone had seen you. They told him that you'd been staying with me," he said apologetically. I groaned and wanted to slam my head against the wall over and over. This was exactly what I needed. Carlisle would probably arrive at any moment and whisk me off to somewhere I never wanted to be again.

But I knew that even though I never wanted to go back there, I needed help. I couldn't live like this anymore. It was a big mistake stopping those pills before I was ready. I shouldn't have quit cold fucking turkey. I should have weaned myself off them gradually. I knew better though. Next time, I'd get it right.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and I could almost bet who it was behind it. Garrett walked over to the door and opened it, allowing whoever it was to step inside.

"I'm just gonna head in to work and let you guys talk," he said as Carlisle walked around the corner. "Just make sure you lock up before you leave."

We stood awkwardly together in the room for a few minutes, neither one of us speaking. I finally spoke the only words I knew to say, but knowing full and well they would probably mean nothing right now.

"I'm sorry."