After Forever

Chapter 70

Hardin

Saying goodbye to them was hard. Even Vance. I guess I didn't expect to be back at a place like this ever again. But I guess when you're an addict it's always a possibility.

"I hope they told you that you would be having a roommate." Says Julian

"No, no one told me anything." I reply.

"He's great you two will get along well." Says Julian as we walk up the stairs.

"I'm sure" I reply as we turn the corner.

"Here we are" he says.

"Charlie this is your roommate Hardin." Says Julian.

"No fucking way." I yell as I drop my bag to the floor.

"Is there a problem?" Asks Julian as he tries to stand in between Charlie and I.

"Hardin, I know what you think...but it wasn't me." He says as I get more and more in his face.

"You fucking killed him." I yell as I throw a punch. And just everything goes black and I just keep hitting him and the next thing I know two big ass dudes are throwing me and him to the ground.

"The cops are on their way." Says Julian.

"Fucking great." I reply.

I swore if I ever saw Charlie I would fucking kill him for what he did to Gio. And I have had some low points in my life but holding Gio in my arms as he died is something I have never been able to shake. As much as I have tried to bury it. Tried not to think about it. His 18 year old lifeless, helpless body still feels heavy on me.

You see Gio was a kid I met in rehab. Truly just a kid he was just 17 years old when I met him. I met him on my 90 day stint and he got out the same day I did and he didn't have any family but a sister who was studying abroad. So I invited him to live with me and he turned 18 while we were in there so they didn't care where he went.

He lived with me for a year. His sister got back from her study abroad and had one more semester of college left.

So he continued to live with me until she was done with school. His sisters name was Julianna. And she was studying music and she had an incredible voice and we instantly hit it off.

We went on a date to an arcade (her choice not mine) and we took goofy photos together the first time we went out in one of those photo booths. We would hangout and she would sing and I would play guitar. She was the one who helped me get started on my music and she bought me my first soundboard.

She was super appreciative of everything I was doing for Gio.

Closer to the end of her semester we noticed Gio acting different and so I questioned if he was using again and of courses he denied it like any true addict would.

One night I was staying the night by Juliannas dorm and when I got back to my place the next morning I saw Gio lying on the floor. I tried everything to get him to wake up. I did everything to try and help him but it was too late his pulse was faint I called 911 and it felt like forever until they got there. He was 18. 18 fucking years old. He felt like my little brother. I fucking loved that kid.

And Charlie sold to him. Fuck, Charlie used to sell to me. After Gio died I did everything to find out who sold to him and what they gave him and if you threaten enough people they will tell you what you want. And when I finally found out it was Charlie. I wanted to fucking kill him, just like I still do but it was as if he dropped off the fucking face of the earth and I was never able to track him down probably because he knew I was looking for him and so were the cops.

All those thoughts flooded to me until I am snapped out of it by a cop lifting me up off the ground and turning me around to slap handcuffs on me and throwing me in the back of the cop car.

This honestly must be a record of the fastest time someone has been thrown out of rehab.

This is fucking bad. So fucking bad.

When I get to the police station and get processed. They ask if I want to use my phone call.

Fuckkkk is all I can think. Whoever I call this isn't going to be good but I decide to call Vance. I guess we will see how this goes...

"What the fuck Hardin." Is all I hear into the phone.

"I know I'm sorry. Can you just come pick me up." I say back to Vance.

"You weren't even gone for a fucking day and you are in jail already. How is that even possible?" He asks

"It's bad I get it but I can explain everything I just don't want to stay here." I say.

"This might be the best place for you right now" says Vance.

I don't want to fucking beg.

"Please Vance. I can't stay here." I say into the phone.

30 seconds left Scott says the officer.

"You don't really have a choice." Says Vance.

The phone goes silent. "Looks like time is up"

Fuckkkkk I say as I hit the phone down.

The officer brings me into a holding cell and I am just praying someone comes before they transfer me.

And I guess I am in here until my court date because hours pass and no one.

This is just great.