AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lucas’s gaze falls on the bag in Alex’s arms. I grimace and stifle the need to groan.Of course,I think with a shake of my head.Hunter is off the wagon. It all makes sense now. The grumbling, the booze getting, the tense mood.
Fuck. What are we going to do?
Chapter 22
HUNTER
Beingsoberistiring.I’ve been itching for a drink since last night. Every place we passed, there was a bar, calling my name, taunting me, taking my attention away from Rachel and the bros. I thought I could do this. I’ve been looking forward to this trip since I arrived in Chicago. How was I able to do this again? It should be like riding a bike, right? It definitely doesn’t feel like it. Rachel is only here for a few days. I should be able to go a few days without a drink, right?
Wrong.
My gaze swivels to Rachel and I watch her hum an irritating tune while she stirs the green bean casserole. There’s a small pot of cranberry sauce next to her, just waiting to be reheated. The dinner rolls sit on a pan to her left. It’s Thanksgiving. I should be happy to be spending it with my friends and girlfriend.
Instead, I’m counting down the minutes until they leave or fall asleep so I can finally have a taste of the rum sitting in my closet. I should have made this trip shorter, but I suppose it was too late given the tickets were already bought before I began drinking again. I should have booked them several very long tours. I frown. That wouldn’t work. They would wonder why I wasn’t with them.
I run a hand through my hair to keep my fingers from twitching. Sweat drips down my cheek and it’s not even hot. Am I detoxing right now? I close my eyes, not wanting to face reality.I’m fine,I tell myself.Everything is fine.I tilt my head back and look up at my perfectly white ceiling, wishing I didn’t have to hide myself in front of these people. They’re supposed to be my support group, my family, and I am treating them like they’re cockroach I want to squash.
I inhale deeply and then again, trying to calm that desperate need clawing at the back of my head, telling me to make an excuse to go to my room and grab my rum.It’s only a few days,I continue telling myself, like that’s really going to help. Maybe eating something will help. I lean to the side, getting a good look at the time still left on the oven’s clock.
For fuck’s sake. Five more hours until dinner?I wipe a hand over my face and clench my jaw to keep from moaning. I don’t need Rachel worrying about me. She already suspects something. I know it.
“You hungry, Hunter?” Lucas asks from his place on the couch.
His hair is wet and slicked back and he’s wearing a wrinkled button-down with jeans. He eyes me, a suspicious look on his face, like he knows something is wrong.
I shrug and feel something like a smile pull at my lips, although I have a feeling it looks more like a grimace. “Yeah, I guess so.”
He continues staring at me and I have half the mind to ask why. What have I done to offend him? He’s spent the whole morning making himself look pretty. Shouldn’t he be happy and content?
Voices waft from the other side of my front door and I frown, recognizing them as Seth and Alex.
“Can we please talk about this?”
Well, that sounds like Alex. Are they fighting again? I look heavenward, praying they aren’t. If Alex and Seth are back to arguing, I will definitely need a drink.
“I’ll get that,” says Lucas while bounding up from his seat and striding briskly toward the door, looking like he owns my apartment.
I turn to Rachel and she flinches when our eyes meet. Has she been watching me? Why? Rachel smiles shyly back at me, something I usually find adorable, but can find no pleasure in now. She seems to notice and her smile slips away, making me feel guilty for being an asshole. I watch her return to the casserole, adding more pepper and salt with a resolute sniff.
“We’re back,” says Seth, giving me a strange look while entering the room.
Alex follows closely behind him, holding a large brown paper bag. Seth opens the refrigerator and Alex places several cans of beer inside the door.
“Oh,” Rachel says gleefully when Alex pulls out a bottle of white wine. “This looks nice.”
“I got red, too,” Alex says in that grating, overly cheerful tone. “We can do a little taste test and see which is better with the turkey.”
Seth rolls his eyes while my hands fist at my sides. A taste test? Without me?Why are you angry, Hunter? You’re the one who told them to go get booze, like an idiot.My teeth grind as I watch Rachel with Seth and Alex, acting so joyful with their perfect little lives. I wish I can tell them all to get the fuck out, but I brought this on myself.
Calm down, Hunter,I tell myself while taking several deep breaths.You can get through this. You can drink, too. Make an excuse and go to your bedroom. You know you want to.
“You okay, bro?” Seth asks, looking genuinely concerned.
“Yeah!” I say in an overly peppy tone, my feet already taking me toward the hall leading to my room. “Absolutely. Totally fine.” I take out my phone and point to it while adding, “I’m going to call Dad for a few minutes, if you guys don’t mind. I’ll just be in my room.”
“O-okay,” Rachel says softly.
I can feel all four pairs of eyes watching me as I stride toward my room. My excuse was lame, but it was the best I could come up with. I’m desperate. I need some release. I lock my door before running to my closet. My hands push my clothes to the side, my fingers quivering as I wrap them around the bottle. I take several swigs, groaning as the liquid runs down my throat, warming my insides and taking away the ache in my head.
