Chapter 2

When Alice got home from school, she found her older brother in the exact spot she's left him in this morning, curled up on his side, taking up the entire big sofa opposite the television. 

He rolled over and groaned when he heard the clatter of her bag dropping onto the kitchen table. 

"Alice, Alice," he called out in his most weak, pathetic voice.

'That must mean he wants something, and I can't say no because he's suffering so much,' Alice sighed to herself. She tried to tell herself off, reminding herself that she loved her brother, and his pain was immense.

'It is self-inflicted though,' the mean, bitchy part of her brain piped up. It couldn't just stay quiet.

If this was his first detox, she might have felt a little more sympathetic. But no, this was his third rodeo. Every time her parents would get their hopes up, only to have them dashed. 

"What do you need Eddy?" she asked, trying not to let her impatience with him show.

"Pokémon spaghetti," he replied in the same weak, croaky voice.

'Pokémon freakin' spaghetti,' Alice screamed internally. It was all he could eat, and since it was designed for kids and had about 50 calories per tiny can, she had to make it around ten times a day.

Alice searched the cupboards. Usually, Mum would keep a fairly decent stock of the crap, but today just had to be the day they were out. 

"We don't have Pokémon," Alice shouted. "There's Peppa Pig or Noddy?"

"I only like the Pokémon ones," he groaned pleadingly.

"They all taste exactly the same!" Alice cried, becoming frustrated. She had homework to do and friends to meet. Messing around with stupid kids’ food for her useless brother was not her top priority. Still, if she refused, she knew Mum would punish her for it.

"They don't," Eddy cried, holding his stomach. "It hurts so fucking much. I hate it. I really hate it."

Alice felt her stomach sinking. She felt bad for him, but what could she do or say?

"I'll nip to the co-op and get some more Pokémon spaghetti," Alice gave in at last. 

The shop has only a five-minute walk away, but it was absolutely freezing outside. Why he couldn't have done this detox in the summer was anyone's guess. The bad weather couldn't be helping the cold chills and hot sweats much.

Alice pulled on a sweater, thick winter coat, scarf, and hat. She never bothered with gloves as they hindered her ability to smoke. Lighting on up, she took the opportunity to have a cigarette on the short walk over to fetch the spaghetti.

Back at home, she was happy to see her brother had moved a few inches, propping himself up in his multiple sleeping bags. He looked like some sort of abominable worm man, with his pale head poking from the cocoon of blankets.

It only took a few minutes to prepare the meal in the microwave, but Eddy insisted on having it hob heated, insisting that the microwave rays destroyed the nutrients. Alice was highly dubious this slop contained any nutrients to start with, so conceded to his wishes and did it the long way. 

When she passed it over to him, he slid an arm out of his cocoon and smiled gratefully. He picked at the pieces with the fork, depositing them into his mouth one by one.

"Hey Eddie," Alice asked, remembering her earlier conversation with that prick Caleb. "You didn't offer to suck Caleb Spencer's dick for drugs, did you?"

Eddy chocked as the forkful came to his lips, dropping the mini-Pikachu onto the sofa.

He started to chuckle, a forced and awkward laugh if she'd ever heard one.

"Did he tell you that? What a dick, man. What an absolute dick," Eddy laughed, shaking his head.

"Oh my God," Alice cried, feeling her cheeks turn scarlet. "You mean to tell me you actually said that to him? That is so freaking humiliating."

"It's not even close to the worst thing I've done for drugs," Eddy admitted.

"He goes to my school you know?" Alice huffed. 

Eddy didn't seem to care, or to be particularly embarrassed.

"Great, well, I'm going to deny it, so, if anyone asks you... it never happened," Alice demanded.

"Actually," Eddies face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Caleb would probably have some tamazies. Can you ask him for me?"

"What's a tamazy?" Alice frowned.

"Just a pill to help me sleep. Honest. I've even got a proper script for 'em," Eddy swore.

"So why do you need more?" Alice asked. She hated when her brother put her in this position, pleading with her to get obscure drugs. Her mother would kill her, but honestly, if Eddy wanted something, he would get it one way or another. At least this way he didn't have to do anything embarrassing. 

She knew from experience that this wasn't going to work. The only reason Eddy had done the detox was that Mum had threatened to kick him out if he didn't. It hadn't been her first go to, she'd begged and pleaded with him for months before getting to the point of stone-cold threats.

"Just ask him for me, please?" Eddy persisted.

"Whatever, I'll ask," Alice sighed.

She didn't want to. 

'I can just say he didn't have any,' Alice thought. The only problem was, she couldn't lie to save her life and Eddy could read her like a book.

The following morning, she caught a glimpse of Caleb and his gang hanging about by the bike sheds. He was sitting above them, watching them do some tiktok dance and laughing.

She paused, wondering if it was even worth asking him for a favour. He'd either laugh in her face or, more likely, tell her where to go.

Picturing Eddies face stretched in pain and misery; Alice decided it was at least worth a try.

"Are you lost?" Caleb asked as she approached. He jumped down from his position on the wall and stamped out his cigarette. 

"My brother asked me to ask you if you have any, erm, tamazies?" Alice asked.

"Naa, but I've got a load of diazes," Caleb said.

"Is that... the same thing?" Alice frowned.

"Pretty much," Caleb shrugged. 

"What are they?" Alice asked. "I mean, what do they do?"

"Types of benzodiazepines," Caleb said. Noting Alice’s confused look, he went on to explain that they were drugs used to treat anxiety by inhibiting a neurotransmitter in the brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid-A.

Alice looked down at her feet, not wanting to admit she had no idea what he was talking about.

'Maybe he is as smart as Dylan said,' Alice thought, feeling stupid.

"In short, they are a type of tranquilliser, and they can be used to treat addiction," Caleb added, finally clearing up her confusion.

"Oh," Alice said. 

'I guess Eddy was telling the truth for once,' she thought.

"So, can I buy some from you?" Alice asked.

Caleb made a scoffing sound but said nothing.

"It's for Eddy... not me," Alice pressed. She could understand why Caleb wouldn't want to do business with her.

"They are two quid a pill, so a sleeve of ten is twenty quid. Normally. It's forty quid to you," Caleb sneered.

Alice gritted her teeth and checked her purse. 

Two twenty pence pieces and a couple of mints floated about the satin lining.

"Turns out I'm broke," Alice muttered.

"What were you hoping to pay me with?" Caleb laughed. “Murray mints?”

"I was sure I had money in there," Alice frowned, trying to remember what she had bought besides ciggies and Pokémon spaghetti. "Sorry. I didn't mean to waste your time."

"Here, he can add it to what he owes me," Caleb said, passing her a sleeve of small blue pills. "Tell him he has till Friday to pay me."

Hiding the pills in her purse, Alice nodded as she turned to leave.

"Oh, Alice," Caleb called her back.

She turned and looked up at him, figuring he wasn't going to say something mean or threatening.

"I don't have to tell you what happened to the money in your purse, do I?" Caleb asked.

Alice knew. She didn't want to think her brother was stealing from her again, and so soon after the detox.

"Just... don't sell him any drugs," Alice asked, staring at the floor. "Please, Caleb."

“You honestly think you get to ask me favours after you called me a scumbag yesterday?” Caleb asked.

Alice sucked in her breath and dropped her shoulders. She wasn’t about to apologise like a bitch and was still firmly set in her opinion of him. People like him were scumbags.

"Besides, there are other dealers in this town, right?" Caleb asked with a smug half-smile.

Alice nodded, glancing up at him briefly. She noticed the way his lips puckered when he smiled, and how his top lip was as full as the bottom.

‘He has a perfect cupid’s bow,’ Alice thought dreamily.

"For now there are, at least," Dylan added, giving Caleb a sly look.

Alice wasn't sure what he meant by that and didn't care enough to ask. She just wanted to get away from Caleb and his annoyingly perfect lips.

‘At least he was kind enough to give you the pills,’ Alice thought. She wasn’t worried about her brother owing him money. What was he going to do? Call the police and report him for not paying for his drugs?