Page 9 of Toxic Wishes

“I got to go. Anything else?” I say, losing my patience with this conversation each passing second,

“Blake, I’m serious. If I find out that you’re using the money I give you to buy drugs, I’m not going to help out anymore. I know how dad can be, and I’m trying to talk to him, and if you listen to me for once in your life, listen to his bullshit until your eighteen, you can be home free and play the fucking banjo or whatever your heart desires.”

“Oh ya, because that would make you look more like a hero than you already are, wouldn’t it, Colt?”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“I know what you mean. I have to go. I’m having a friend come over. And don’t worry—the precious house will be fine, and I’m not using.” I ended the call without saying goodbye.

I looked down at my phone and was over the fight this morning. I know he would have made it here if he could since he missed my birthday, but I was just over it all. If Colt wanted to act like our dad was a monster to cover up his fuck up’s, that’s fine; dad has never laid a hand on me, so I found it hard to believe dad had anger issues, but then again, I barely knew my dad. I was just getting to know him, which was a slow moving train since Cliff spends all his free time with this new girlfriend of his. He has to since she pays for everything. But this also meant I was out of the picture. She and her new kids were his priority. Technically, my brother was the only one I had to confide in, but I was too angry to confide in anyone right now. Anyone except Abigail, and she didn’t just listen, she empathized with me. She knew exactly how it felt to be second best in your family. To feel invisible. Even though I didn’t understand why the monsters she called family, made her feel that way. Abigail may have an eating disorder, but she wasn’t impure—--Toxic like me.

I walk downstairs, and the front door opens when my foot hits the floor.

“Yo, what up,” Brooks says as he walks through the door. Duke and Edison follow right behind him. “Let’s get lit tonight!” Duke says as he raises his hands in the air.

“Where are the goods at, bro?” Edison asks as he opens my refrigerator door. “I only have beer and vodka; I’m not using, remember, hospital or rehab?”

“Really? Tell me Blake, did those biceps just form overnight?” Brooks smirks, squeezing one of my arms.

“Shut up, And you know how my dad wants me to go pro, so I have to get serious about playing football.” Even though I hated every second of it, if I didn’t take it seriously, I would be considered a failure in the family. I wanted to say fuck it, but when I witnessed how my dad and Colt bonded over the sport, it made me wonder what it would be like to have a piece of that connection too.

“So, who’s all coming?” Edison asks, popping open a beer.

“I invited Abigail, and she has some cousins she’s bringing. And her sister.”

“Nice,” Duke elongates the vowels as he opens a beer. “I need to get some action. My girl is such a prude it’s almost unbearable.”

“She said they have boyfriends, so don’t get too excited,” I say, walking over to the kitchen and grabbing a beer.

“And your point?” Duke says with an evil grin. He takes the beer from my hand and takes a swig before handing it back to me. Edison and Brooks plop on the couch. Duke joins them and takes out a white bag.

“Okay, time for some Brittany Spears.”

I stare at it from across the room, wanting nothing more than to do one line. Take the edge off, but I can’t. I shouldn’t even be drinking. I’m such a lightweight after having my system cleaned, it won’t take much for me to get drunk. It’s why I’m sticking only to beer tonight.

Fifteen minutes later, a few more people from high school showed up, along with some chicks they brought. I looked down and saw that I had a missed call and text message from Abigail.

We’re here.

My heart starts racing, and I’m not sure why I’m this excited to see her, given that I see her every day at school, but I jump up and quickly walk to the door. When I opened it, Abigail stood next to two tall girls and a shorter one, whom I immediately pegged as her sister.

“Hey,” She says in a low tone, then looks over to the girls as if she’s expecting some reaction from me, like I should care what they look like.

“Ladies, welcome.” I open the door wider and gesture for them to come inside.

“Dang. We didn’t know you’d been hanging out with the rich kids.” One of the girls says as they step inside.

“Ya, my dad finally stopped messing with the broke bitches, woke up, and landed a doctor this time,” I say jokingly. Even though my dad’s new girlfriend was indeed a doctor, the real joke was that it wouldn’t last longer than a year. Tops. For all my life, I have never known my dad to be single.

“Doctor, huh? Is your dad one, too?” the blonde, busty girl with a big mouth says. I can’t believe these girls were Abigail's cousins—not because of how different they looked from her but because of how shallow they were compared to her.

“No, he’s just a narcissist.” I motion to my friends on the couch. “Guys, this is Abigail and her friends.” I looked over at Abigail to help me out since she hadn’t told me their names.

“Jenna, Naomi, and Adalee.”

“I’m her sister,” Adalee says as if it’s not noticeable since they are shorter than the other girls. But Adalee is a little taller than Abigail.

“Where are your men at?” Duke shouts from the living room. The girl's eyes go wide from his bluntness.

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