Unbreak Me by Poppy Drake

Author:Poppy Drake [Drake, Poppy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-05-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

I find the bar and order myself a vodka seltzer with lime. I’m not a drinker, but I need something to steady my nerves and my jittery hands. It took me almost fifteen minutes to finally leave the bathroom after Damien had abruptly walked out.

I had already been pitched into a sadness thinking about the loss of my parents, and then to add Damien and his confusing confession? It’s just too much.

Because if you hated me, you wouldn’t be able to see how much I actually cared for you.

What was that? Did that mean he did care for me? But he always avoided me! Whenever I would walk into a room, he would promptly exit. If we ever had family plans for dinner or an outing, he would make excuses to back out at the last minute. But now, as I replay all those moments, I begin to wonder: had he done all those things to make me hate him?

It’s all too confusing. There are far too many thoughts and feelings, and I want to — need to — dull them. I take a long sip from my vodka and soda and cautiously mingle through the thick crowd.

There have to be at least two hundred people here. Thanks to Uncle Robbie being one of the most famous and well-loved therapists in the Valley, this party is really a “who’s who” of the upper income tax bracket. I see a few faces I recognize, but more that I don’t.

I’m able to escape by pretending that my phone is ringing and I need to run outside to answer it. I’m obviously not going to win any Oscar with this performance, but no one seems to care anyway.

I find a quiet spot outside, a good distance away from the noise of the DJ and chatter outside. As people’s drinks begin to take effect, the crowd grows louder and the party grows wilder. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like this party will be ending any time soon.

I sit down on one of the marble benches dotting the perimeter of the backyard and take another long sip from my drink. As the liquid sinks to my stomach, I feel the jitteriness start to fade away. Now I understand why people enjoy drinking: it makes you feel good. And not just good: nice, warm and distracted.

A drunk couple stumbles by me, taking up residence at the bench just a few feet away. Their whispers and moans are enough to have me up on my feet and the remainder of my vodka soda down my throat.

I know I should be mingling, but I am not in the mood at all. How quickly this night fell apart. Just a few short hours ago I had been admiring my reflection in the mirror, feeling sexy and powerful, and now I’m wondering if I can hide in some bushes until daybreak.

But, I do have a Plan B: my beloved gazebo where I know I have a fully charged flashlight and a sizable stack of reading material.

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