The Devil (BOOK I + II)

8 | "Why Was Alcohol So Bad But So Good?"

Chapter Eight
   "Why Is Alcohol So Bad But So Good?"

"you may not control all the events
that happen to your, but you can
decide not to be reduced by them."
— maya angelou

┏━━━━━━━┓

When I woke up the next Saturday, I continued to lay under my covers, staring out the window. It looked dreary outside, similar to how I felt. But I couldn't explain why I felt upset.

Well, I probably could. But I was stubborn and didn't want to admit anything to myself.

Maybe because I'd have to dye my roots soon? I always hated having to drag Sydelle over to fix them up.

Luckily, Sydelle used the key I gave her and invited herself inside my studio apartment, almost at ten in the morning. So, I locked up my sadness in a nice box and watched as she strode toward my bed with a wide grin.

"Happy 21st, mega-slut!" She shouted before throwing herself on top of me.

I'd gasped for air, shoved her off the bed and laughed. She took my hand and helped me get out of bed, and within thirty minutes, I was dressed in a ruffled, red floral, slip wrap dress.

My light brown hair was kept down, but I used bobby pins to make sure it wouldn't get on my face. I applied mascara, eyeliner and lipstick while Sydelle ranted about a date she had a day ago, and by the time I was slipping into my sandals, she was dehydrated and drowned a bottle of water.

"So what exactly are we doing today?" I asked as we stepped out of my apartment.

She stood behind me and watched as I locked up. "Lunch, mall and club!"

"Club?" I glimpsed over my shoulder to smirk. "Syd, you know I'm not drinking, right?"

"Yes," she frowned and stepped back, giving me enough space to move away from the door. "But you like dancing, and you can get some kick ass, alcohol free drinks."

I laughed and began walking. Sydelle slid beside me and matched my pace. "Deal." I waited until she started grinning before bumping my shoulder with hers. "We're taking the stairs, by the way."

She threw her head back and groaned. "Only because it's your birthday."

With a smirk, I fastened my pace and twisted to the right, in front of the door leading to the stairs. I opened it first and held it for her, waiting until she fully entered before closing it shut.

We began jogging down the steps simultaneously, and after checking out to make sure the stairwell was empty on all ends, I glanced back to my cousin.

My lip pursed when I saw her brows drawn in thought. "Everything okay? Please don't tell me you're already tired."

Her eyes locked on mine, now glaring. "No," she snapped annoyingly. "Your lack of faith in me hurts, Lee. Hurts."

"Poor baby," I cooed, rotating when we reached the half landing before continuing down the steps. "Do you want a bottle?"

"You know what? Yeah, I want a bottle of wine. Give it to me, slave."

I laughed and shook my head. "We really need to deal with your alcohol problem."

She gasped defensively. "I don't have an alcohol problem!"

"Says the girl who once drank a whole bottle of wine. By herself."

"It's not that hard," she pouted as we reached another half-landing. "And it was seven-fifty millilitres. Wine drunk is the best drunk."