Desolation Row [MxM]

The next morning, I stumbled into the kitchen from my room, seeing Charlie standing at the counter with a phone book as he flipped through it. When he heard me, he glanced up and gave me a small smile.

I knew what he was looking for. But I still had to ask as I shuffled my feet. “What are you looking for?”

Charlie sighed, tapping the page he was on a few times before he shrugged a little. “I just, I think rehab is your best bet, Vic—”

“No,” was my immediate response, taking a step back and shaking my head quickly.

“It's the best option we have, especially if you want to get clean.” Charlie argued, raising his eyebrows. “And you do want to get clean, right?”

My silence was apparently answer enough for Charlie, because he turned back to the book, flipping through a few pages.

I remembered last night perfectly well. From going to the party, sitting with Joel, calling Charlie, and then having basically a complete mental breakdown. I knew I needed to stop. I needed to get better. This wasn't healthy. I hesitated before speaking again. “How long would it take, do you think?”

Charlie looked at me again, thinking for a second before he shrugged again. “Depends on you,” he answered. I nodded to that slightly, then made my way over to the couch, sitting down on it. I felt edgy, and fidgety, and just all around anxious. Like I needed to do something, but I didn't know what to do. Eventually, I got an idea, and stood back up to wander back to the kitchen.

“Can...can I use your phone? To call Sophie?” I asked. Charlie glanced over at me, raising an eyebrow again.

“Sophie?”

“Yeah, I just. I've been really rude to her, lately, and I—I want to apologize,” I said in a small voice, shrugging a little. Charlie watched me for a second before he exhaled quietly, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing his phone before handing it over to me. I went back to the couch, sitting down again and trying desperately to remember her number before I managed, typing it in and holding the phone to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Sophie, hi. Um, it's Victor.”

There was a slight scoff on the other end, and it was quiet for a second before she spoke again. “Sure you aren't too 'busy' to talk to me this time?”

“Sophie, I...I'm really sorry. I shouldn't've been like that, to you. I just—I miss you guys, and I was um, I was wondering if maybe you could come visit, soon?” my voice sounded small even to my own ears, and I waited impatiently for an answer before I heard a heavy sigh.

“Okay, Vic. I forgive you. It's Sunday, so I can be up next weekend. Does that work?”

“That—that's great, yeah. Thank you.”

“You're welcome. Should I bring Alex and Jake?”

“You can, if you'd like. It'd be nice to see them.”

"Even after the stuff with Alex?"

I shrugged to that before I remembered she couldn't see me, and cleared my throat a little. "Yeah. Stuff happens, Soph, I get that. No use getting mad over something that's already happened."

“Okay. I've gotta go to church, so I'll see you soon, okay? Take care of yourself.”

I barely got in a goodbye before Sophie hung up, but I'd take it for what it was worth as I sighed heavily. Charlie wandered into the room, leaning against the doorway to the kitchen and crossing his arms over his chest. “We'll start looking for rehabilitation centers after the weekend. I want you in as soon as possible, since you're gonna have to retake your Junior year anyway.”