| March 3 | Saturday Morning |

~ Sam's POV ~

"Oh my God! I'm sorry!"

The slamming of the door startled me awake. I jumped up ready to fight.

"W-What the-"

"Samantha Carson," Megan hissed as she stood near the door with nothing but a robe on. "Who the hell is in our living room?"

At first, I couldn't quite wrap my head around what was going on. Someone was in our living room? I had no idea-

Wait.

Shit.

"Shit," I muttered. "Shit, babe, I'm sorry. I didn't tell you last night because you were sleeping, but I had to pick up Mariah, and she was drunk off her ass. I couldn't let her drive home, so I let her crash on the couch..."

Even though I was telling Megan everything, she didn't look impressed. Not one bit. And judging by her wet hair, I guessed it was because she had taken a shower, and then threw the robe on to go and make breakfast.

She pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. "Well, she's awake, and ready to go."

I stood and began slipping on clothes.

"I'm sorry," I apologized again. "I'll bring her to her car right now. We can talk when I get home?"

"Yeah."

I rushed out the bedroom door and looked at Mariah. "Let's go," I said as I grabbed my keys.

We walked outside in silence. I knew the situation had probably startled both Mariah and Megan, and there was a sense of shame in Mariah's aura. I had felt that many times before.

It wasn't until we were on the road that she broke the silence.

"I didn't mean to piss off your girlfriend," she said.

"She's fine." I squeezed my wheel. "I mean, she will be fine once we talk."

"You didn't tell her you came get me?"

"I didn't tell her you were crashing on our couch."

Mariah fell silent as she rolled down my passenger window and lit up a cigarette, automatically offering me one. I took it without hesitation.

We drove in silence for a few more minutes before I rolled up in Jinx's parking lot. I looked over to Mariah who was smoking her cigarette exceptionally slow and wondered what the hell had happened last night.

"Do you wanna talk about last night?" I asked.

She just exhaled smoke out the window.

I didn't expect her to talk. She had that look on her face that I'm sure I had worn so long throughout my life. The stoic demeanor, as if she didn't feel anything, when in reality she was dying to let everything out.

But after a few minutes, she broke the silence.

"My mom kicked me out for good," she said. "I'm never allowed to live with her again. I flunked out of college because I suck at school, and my friends suck for letting me go home with that guy..."

I knew when her voice trailed off that last night was not supposed to happen, but I didn't know what to say. Her friends shouldn't have let her go, that was a given, but for all we knew Mariah could've insisted, her friends unaware that she was too drunk. I know I used to be a pro at hiding how drunk I really was. It was almost scary.

"I can't tell you what to do, or how to live your life," I started. "But fuck, Mariah, sometimes you need the blunt truth."

I could feel her eyes on me now, so I looked at her.

"There were plenty of times I could've died back when I was in high school," I revealed. "If not for drinking too much, then the drugs I was doing."

Her face indicated she hadn't predicted my response.

"I was searching for something to fill the void my mother had left." The air left my lungs at the revelation. "And no matter how hard I searched, it didn't heal until I started healing myself."

Mariah rolled her eyes, but I knew it was because she was trying to hide the fact that there were tears on her water line. Her hand that held her cigarette trembled, threatening to drop it out the window. She took a shaky drag and exhaled.

"It's not as easy as it sounds," she replied.

"I know." I sighed. "I know it's not, but you're not alone, Mariah."

She finished her cigarette and flicked it's remains out the window. I realized I had stopped smoking mine halfway and dropped it as well.

Then she rubbed her eyes and grabbed her stuff. "Thanks for the ride. I owe you."

And she exited my car without another word.

I watched her get into her car and drive out the parking lot, leaving me confused on how I had done this to the people that loved me all those years ago. I could only imagine how worried they had been about me all the time. Especially Shawn.

~ Flashback ~

As I paced through the upstairs hallway of the house, it felt as if life was moving in slow motion. If I had known that the Xanax would make me feel like time was moving backwards, I wouldn't have taken it.

Guess it was too late now.

I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket, but by the time I could get it out, I had already missed it.

Shawn – one missed call.

Shit.

I leaned against the wall and focused on the bass rattling the frame of the house. I didn't even know where I was, which wouldn't be a big deal if I had just stuck to drinking. But Ross was here, and his friends offered me something to "take the edge off". Fuck, I was so screwed.

The only good thing about this drug was the fact that it was tough to find the will to panic. Everything just felt so... neutral. Like nothing really mattered. And since it made you feel like nothing mattered, even the thought of dying didn't really scare me.

But I needed to get home. It was two in the morning, Shawn was still awake, probably worried sick. I shouldn't be doing this to him.

Yet, I couldn't stop.

I stumbled downstairs and focused on my breathing. I had heard if you mixed alcohol with Xan than it was possible to stop breathing altogether. So, in order to not die, that's all I had to do. Focus on breathing.

In, out. In... out.

I found my keys lying somewhere on a table by the front door, and decided I needed to get the hell out of here. Ross would understand. He'd probably be mad I was about to drive, but oh well. Shawn's house wasn't far.

But when I walked outside, there were two guys sitting on the porch, one of them I recognized because Ross had introduced me earlier. Bad thing was, I couldn't remember his name.

"Woah, where are you going?" he asked.

"Home," I forced. "My brother is calling me."

"You're not driving." He snatched my keys. "Hell no."

I moved forward. "Gimme my keys."

"No, Sam."

"Gimme my fucking keys," I demanded. "I'm fine."

The guy looked at his friend, and for a moment it looked as if he was about to give in, but he didn't.

"Let me go get Ross," he said. "Don't you wanna tell him bye? It's not like you live in Chesterfield anymore."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever."

Him and his friend left me alone on the porch as I leaned against the railing. I hated this new town. Baldwin, Missouri. It's where I had ended up considering my brother lived here and I no longer wanted to live with my parents after the... incident.

And now that the summer was almost over, I would be starting up at a new school as well. New people, new teachers, and new bullshit to get into.

That's when the front door opened, Ross stepping out with my car keys in hand. I went to grab them, but his hand retracted.

"Not yet," he said. "Wait a few hours."

"Ross-"

"Sam, if I let you get on the road I'm basically allowing you to kill yourself," he stated. "Come inside."

Ross was the sense of reason. He may have been a drughead, but he knew a trip when he saw one. And he knew whether people were in their right mind or not. I couldn't find the strength to argue with him.

I followed him to a guest bedroom and immediately felt the need to lay down.

"You shouldn't have taken Xan," he said while sitting next to me. "If I had known you were drinking before, I wouldn't have let you."

"Stop parenting me," I mumbled.

He sighed. "Sam..."

I could feel my body slowing down, and I hoped it was just because I was completely exhausted, and not because I was slowly dying. If anything, Ross knew more about this than I did, so I trusted I was in good hands.

"Make sure I don't die," I said.

"I will." He placed a hand on my back, probably to make sure it continued rising and falling. "You'll be fine."

That's when I finally allowed my eyes to close. If I died, I died. It's not like I would be missing out on much. I mean, my parents didn't give a shit. The only one would be Shawn, but he was strong. He'd get over it, right? And it's not like I had any friends here who gave a shit either.

I'd just be another lost-cause-teenager, which wasn't far from the truth.

And then my body fell into darkness.

~ Flashback ends ~

Most of that night had been fuzzy from the drinking, and the only reason I somewhat remembered that trip was because Ross told me the next day. Shawn had been livid with me because I hadn't come home, and then grounded me for the rest of the summer.

Not like I hadn't deserved it.

I pulled up to my apartment and sat in my car, wondering if Mariah was on the same path as I had been. Was it my responsibility to help her? I felt it kind of was, as if this was how I could pay my debt back for all the times I was given a little mercy.

I took a deep breath and realized I would deal with things when they came, and right now I needed to deal with Megan. She deserved an explanation, and probably another apology, considering she had probably walked out half-naked, not expecting someone to be on our couch.

I walked inside and saw her dressed, on the couch with Charlie. Something inside of me quivered.

"Is she okay?" Megan wondered.

"I don't think so," I answered while cautiously sitting on the couch. "She's going through a lot right now."

Megan sipped her coffee silently.

"She reminds me of how I used to be... in my dark days."

Megan knew about the shit I had gotten myself into. I had told her everything I could remember. About the drugs, the girls I would sleep with, everything. She had come to terms with it and forgave me, but I knew it was something that she hated thinking about.

"If that's the case, you can't fix her," Megan said. "Just like no one could fix you. She just has to realize it on her own."

I knew Megan was right, but I just wanted to look out for her. Make sure she didn't get into anymore predicaments.

"I know," I finished.

Then I leaned into my girlfriend and wondered where I would've ended up, had it not been for her.

***A/N***

Exciting news, guys!

So, as some of you may know, I am working on a brand-new story that I'm really excited to share, but I kind of wanted to ask y'all a question first...

Should I release the book cover and first chapter? Let's say... tomorrow?

Vote and comment to let me know! I hope you guys are as ready as I am and are enjoying PRIDE month!

Also, stay tuned for more "Everyday Adventures"!

Much love,

Lauryn