A Force Of Gravity✅

44

-Will-Present-

"C'mon, you're close to me
C'mon, so talk to me
C'mon, lie with me."
-You and I by Rhodes

Hangovers are most likely the worst thing ever. I never usually have them, considering every time I have one I cure it with even more alcohol. But last night I had gotten so drunk that I feel like death.

I'm supposed to be in school right now but instead I'm just lying here on my bed, wishing for the drumming in my head to stop. I never should have gone to that fucking charity gala. It was torture seeing Rose after the horrible things I said to her.

She thinks I'm an asshole, that is good. She hates me again, that is great. We are back to our old rival ways, that is fucking amazing. Perhaps my father is right, I should be living out my teenagers years with alcohol and girls.

I place a cigarette between my lips and search for a lighter without opening my eyes. I light it and start inhaling the fumes. The world is spinning around me but I'm happy to just lie here, not doing anything.

Slipping the duvet off me, I stand up and stretch out my muscles. I keep the cigarette between my lips as I switch on my phone. It's lunch time, meaning I've already slept through half the day. Ben, Cooper and Brooke have messaged me and rung me, asking where I am. But not Rose. She wouldn't, not now.

I throw on my school uniform, deciding that I may as well go to school although it is only for an hour. I slip on some sunglasses to cover the dark shadows under my blood shot eyes. Then I head downstairs and jump into my car.

*******************************************

The humid heat is uncomfortable and the burning light of the sun is killing my head. My sunglasses do nothing to dull the searing pain. I stroll into the school, a scowl on my face.

I notice the several people hanging around the hallways and entering the cafeteria and I'm pretty sure lunch has only just started. People turn to talk to me but I'm in no mood for small talk so I barely glance at them.

Searching through the cafeteria, I notice my friends aren't at their usual table. I groan, remembering that some students are being forced to prepare for cotillion on Tuesday's and every person I consider a friend is there right now.

I pause in the hallway, debating whether to leave again or not. But I know that as soon as I get home, I will get back into bed and drink an entire bottle of whiskey again. So I stroll back down the corridor in the direction of the sports hall.

As I enter, I notice different students either writing their presentation statements or practicing to ballroom dance or other boring things to do with manners. I notice the four of my friends in the corner, most likely sitting out as all five of us been taught all this shit since we could talk and walk. Our mother's are all part of the society that organises it.

I head over and slouch down in my chair. Rose glances up, we lock eyes and then she pulls away again. Brooke turns to me and frowns.

"You do realise that school is mandatory and not something you can just come along to whenever you want." Brooke mumbles childishly and I roll my eyes.

"I only missed a couple hours of ballroom dancing." I say. Ben is sleeping in his chair, his head tilted back and his eyes are shut. Cooper is staring at Caspian from across the room, a big, dazed smile on his face.

"You need to write your statement that will be read out." Rose tells me, her tone sharp and cold. She doesn't make eye contact, she just chucks a piece of paper and a pen at me. I frown.

"I don't think I'm going to cotillion, it's a girl thing. Who cares if we are welcomed into society or not?" I complain and Brooke rolls her eyes.

"Our parents do and you have to come." Brooke orders, her forehead pinched into a frown. Her bright hair is tied up into a ponytail so her cheekbones look sharper.

I remember the time when we were around eleven, someone asked me if I would ever go out with Brooke. I almost threw up all my insides. This fiery little red bird is like my sister, annoying as fuck, but I can't help but love her.

"Just write the fucking statement." Rose snaps. "Your mother keeps calling me, trying to get me to get you to write the statement and it's getting annoying. I don't know why she thinks I can force you to write it."

"She should write it herself." I grumble but Rose glares at me and gestures to the piece of paper. A hand swoops past my head, making me jerk and I look up to see that Ben is awake. He grabs the piece of paper and starts writing on it, causing all four of us to stare at him in surprise.

"William Henry Cole will continue being a raging alcoholic and will spend all his money like he uses girls, thoroughly and quickly." Ben says slowly as he writes, causing Rose and Brooke to smirk in amusement. Cooper starts joining in too, giving him ideas. "He will eventually be forced to marry some rich bitch and drink himself to death."

"That's more accurate than anything my mother could have written." I comment, a smirk on my face and Ben grins cheekily.

"Billy shouldn't have been allowed back after what he did to you, Brooke." Cooper complains, his brown eyes darken with anger. We all tilt our heads to look in Billy's direction. He is dancing around with another girl that isn't his current girlfriend, his hands on her ass.

"His parents are too rich for him to be suspended again, let alone expelled." Brooke mumbles, her eyes fixated on Billy. Ben frowns beside her.

"Your parents are richer, is there nothing they can do?" Ben asks but Brooke shakes her head.

"I don't want to press charges against him, it will take too long and I will have to keep going to court until he is charged." Brooke states but Rose rolls her eyes.

"If he isn't going to get expelled then he should at least get sent to jail for a few nights until his father bails him out again." Rose says but Brooke gives her a deadpanned look, as if they've had this conversation over and over.

"Do you want this?" Ben says casually, passing a doughnut to Rose. Rose pauses, her eyes fixated on the doughnut. She will probably push it away like everything else but to my surprise, she hesitantly picks it up and takes a bite. Her movements are slow, unsure, as if eating this doughnut will make her gain ten pounds.

She finishes the entire thing in seconds and my lips twitch as I feel the urge to smile. That is the first thing I've ever seen her willingly eat in weeks. The others don't notice as they are too busy talking about Billy. Rose glances up and locks eyes with me again. I don't say anything.

Fuck, I want to kiss her so badly right now. But I can't, all because of my father. Perhaps if I sneak off with her somewhere, my father will never know. But even as I think it, I know he will find out somehow. He always does.

"Rose, Brooke, Cooper, Will and Ben, up on your feet and practice dancing. You can't just sit here doing nothing." One of the society women states, her hands placed on her hips angrily. We all groan but stand up anyway.