Post by K.I.S.S. on Nov 19, 2014 23:34:04 GMT -6
Ashley Kenyon sits up on her sister’s couch and pops open a pill bottle. She stares at the little miracles and ponders taking one as the lights beat down on her. Sweat rolls down her face as she leans forward, setting down the pill bottle next to her as she brings her hands up to try and keep from getting sick. Suddenly as she sits back to try and move in such a way as to give her some relief, her sister, Bethany Kenyon, and their two best friends, Nikki Peltier and Jeszika Gautier walk into the room and sit down around her, looking somewhat worried.
Nikki Peltier: Still that bad?
Ashley manages a nod.
Ashley Kenyon: At times, yeah…
Nikki nods.
Nikki Peltier: What’d they give you for it?
Ashley nods to the bottle next to her.
Ashley Kenyon: Vicodin… though I’m trying really hard not to…
Bethany exhales forcefully.
Bethany Kenyon: Did you tell this one not to give you Oxy or?
Ashley shakes her head.
Ashley Kenyon: He just gave me a scrip and I filled it. Didn’t wanna use them all…
Jeszika smiles, nodding proudly.
Jeszika Gautier: It’s awesome that you don’t wanna just rely on pills but sometimes, you probably need to use one, Ash.
Ashley swallows hard.
Ashley Kenyon: I know, but I hadn’t needed one in a few days. I was hoping I was done with this stuff…
She reaches down to close the bottle when her boyfriend, Billy Hawkes, comes walking in from the kitchen with a bottle of water.
Billy Hawkes: Take one, Babe, you need it.
Ashley shakes her head but reaches out to take the bottle from Billy. As she does so, she notices his hand shaking.
Ashley Kenyon: Billy… why are you using your left hand?
Billy sits the bottle down and moves back.
Billy Hawkes: It’s nothing really, I just picked the bottle up with that hand.
Ashley stares at him, squinting from both the pain and in skepticism.
Ashley Kenyon: But… you’re right handed…
Billy tries to hide his hands even as Nikki, Bethany and Jeszika all turn their attention to him.
Bethany Kenyon: Billy, is something wrong?
Billy shakes his head.
Billy Hawkes: No, really, I’m.. I’m fine…
As he tries to take another step, his head starts twitching slightly. Nikki stands up, concern washing over her.
Nikki Peltier: Are you sure?
Jeszika shakes her head and stands up with her.
Jeszika Gautier: You don’t look so good...
Billy shakes his head and turns around.
Billy Hawkes: It… it’s nothing, it’ll… it’ll pass…
Bethany frowns from the couch.
Bethany Kenyon: How do you know it’ll pass?
Billy grits his teeth as he keeps twitching and shaking.
Billy Hawkes: Because… it has every other time…
Nikki frowns in alarm.
Nikki Peltier: How many other times have there been?
Billy balls up his fists as best he can, his left hand squeezing hard while his right hand doesn’t quite make it all the way into a fist.
Billy Hawkes: A few…
Ashley swallows hard.
Ashley Kenyon: How many, Billy?
Billy shakes his head.
Billy Hawkes: I don’t know…
Jeszika walks over to him and manages to get him to turn and face everyone.
Jeszika Gautier: How long has this been happening?
Billy tries to crack his neck.
Billy Hawkes: Since she shot me up…
All four ladies look at him in stunned silence. After a minute that seems like a decade, Ashley forces her way to her feet.
Ashley Kenyon: It was a bad dose?
Billy manages a nod.
Billy Hawkes: It was speed, God only knows what was in it especially since it felt really off and yet wasn’t… that weak but wasn’t that like… holy shit either.
Ashley starts to ask another question but stops herself when the pain in her head becomes too much to stand up anymore. She sits down, grabs the pill bottle and pops one before grabbing the bottle of water. She opens that, takes a swig and swallows as the other girls guide Billy to the couch. They sit him between the sisters while Nikki and Jeszika take their places on overstuffed leather chairs.
Nikki Peltier: How bad do these tremors get?
Billy shrugs.
Billy Hawkes: About like this, usually.
Jeszika cocks her head, wary of the phrasing used.
Jeszika Gautier: Usually?
Billy nods.
Billy Hawkes: The first couple had me on the floor.
Ashley’s eyes try to go wide.
Ashley Kenyon: Honey…
Billy nods, bowing his head in shame.
Billy Hawkes: I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I thought you had enough on your plate with what Jones did to you and didn’t need to hear my shit on top of it.
Ashley takes his hand in hers.
Ashley Kenyon: You still should have told me!
Billy nods guiltily.
Billy Hawkes: I was afraid you’d just think I was using again and overdosing or stroking out or something.
Ashley exhales forcefully as she leans back against the couch.
Ashley Kenyon: I really hope this shit kicks in soon…
Everyone nods their agreement until a realization dawns on Bethany.
Bethany Kenyon: Did you just say you weren’t using?
Billy nods.
Billy Hawkes: Yeah… couldn’t do heroin if I wanted to…
Bethany frowns.
Bethany Kenyon: Why not?
Billy holds up his right hand.
Billy Hawkes: My hand doesn’t like to cooperate that much.
All four members of Arsenal manage to sit forward, cocnrnm looks upon all four faces.
Ashley Kenyon: Honey…
Nikki shakes her head.
Nikki Peltier: Have you been to the doctor?
Billy shakes his head.
Billy Hawkes: Not for me, no.
Jeszika nods forcefully.
Jeszika Gautier: You need to go, Billy.
Billy starts to shake his head.
Billy Hawkes: I can’t afford…
Bethany cuts him off.
Bethany Kenyon: If you say you can’t afford it, Ashley and Jezzy are gonna wanna slap the shit out of you and Nikki and me are gonna let them do it! You’re sitting here between four of us who could all pay for it ourselves and if you think Jonas wouldn’t take you himself too, I should call him and let him slap the shit out of you too!
Billy nods acceptingly.
Billy Hawkes: Ok.
Ashley squeezes his hand.
Ashley Kenyon: I love you, Billy, but you gotta tell me when something’s wrong like this. We can’t have you walking around unable to use a hand just because some stupid bitch didn’t know what she was buying and shot it into you without a second fucking thought of what it would do!
Bethany, Nikki and Jeszika nod their agreement and within minutes, all five are in Bethany’s SUV. Twenty minutes later, they arrive at the hospital and take seats in the waiting room. An hour later, Ashley walks out into the parking garage with her phone’s camera turned on.
Ashley Kenyon: Pauly O’Connor, I understand why you would stand by your friend even when she does stupid shit to others for the hell of it. I get it, really I do.
She nods as she steps away from one car and towards another.
Ashley Kenyon: I would do anything for my sisters in Arsenal and I know you feel the same way for Aerynn…
She pauses ands glares into the camera.
Ashley Kenyon: And I realize this is like the selfie from hell but I count it as a small victory that I can even look into this thing after what Vince Jones did to me…
She closes her eyes, shaking her head.
Ashley Kenyon: Aerynn, I tried, I really did…
She raises her free hand up even as it balls into a fist.
Ashley Kenyon: I tried to put aside what you did when we first met and I even tried to give you the benefit of the doubt when you and Jezzy started having tift that really didn’t make any damn sense but now…
Her free hand hovers for a second as she tries to search her thoughts.
Ashley Kenyon: Now I’m standing at the hospital where more small victories are happening as I record this. It’s a small victory that you didn’t kill Billy when you shot him up and it’ll be a small victory if he isn’t crippled for life because of what you shot him up with. I don’t know what the fuck your problem is but if you wanted to fight, all you had to do was ask! I don’t have the same sort of thought on it that Bethy does and I know you love to just throw down so what did you need to go after Billy and Carrie for?
She trails off before waving her now open hand dismissively.
Ashley Kenyon: Yeah I know, I’ve heard all of this happy ending bulldshit but that’s what it is! you don’t think the rest of us have seen the way you look at that guy who just started hanging with you and Pauly…
She frowns, racking her brain for the answer.
Ashley Kenyon: What’s his name… Shonn?
She nods forcefully.
Ashley Kenyon: Logan might have pussied out but your two best friends in the world showed up and one of them is making eyes at you, I’d call that a pretty fucking happy ending so what the fuck are you babbling about when you say you didn’t get one and so neither will we?
She shakes her head in disgust before glancing back at the door.
Ashley Kenyon: I would have called it a victory before if we just managed to survive the Children. It would have been a small victory, but it would have been one nonetheless. You were supposed to help with that and we were all willing to call you sister, Aerynn. we NEVER turned our backs on you and now, I’ll consider it a small victory if we just get to kick your ass for this…
Sighing heavily, Ashley turns and starts walking back in the other direction.
Ashley Kenyon: It might be a small victory if it happens, but small victories tend to add up in the end…
Nikki Peltier: Still that bad?
Ashley manages a nod.
Ashley Kenyon: At times, yeah…
Nikki nods.
Nikki Peltier: What’d they give you for it?
Ashley nods to the bottle next to her.
Ashley Kenyon: Vicodin… though I’m trying really hard not to…
Bethany exhales forcefully.
Bethany Kenyon: Did you tell this one not to give you Oxy or?
Ashley shakes her head.
Ashley Kenyon: He just gave me a scrip and I filled it. Didn’t wanna use them all…
Jeszika smiles, nodding proudly.
Jeszika Gautier: It’s awesome that you don’t wanna just rely on pills but sometimes, you probably need to use one, Ash.
Ashley swallows hard.
Ashley Kenyon: I know, but I hadn’t needed one in a few days. I was hoping I was done with this stuff…
She reaches down to close the bottle when her boyfriend, Billy Hawkes, comes walking in from the kitchen with a bottle of water.
Billy Hawkes: Take one, Babe, you need it.
Ashley shakes her head but reaches out to take the bottle from Billy. As she does so, she notices his hand shaking.
Ashley Kenyon: Billy… why are you using your left hand?
Billy sits the bottle down and moves back.
Billy Hawkes: It’s nothing really, I just picked the bottle up with that hand.
Ashley stares at him, squinting from both the pain and in skepticism.
Ashley Kenyon: But… you’re right handed…
Billy tries to hide his hands even as Nikki, Bethany and Jeszika all turn their attention to him.
Bethany Kenyon: Billy, is something wrong?
Billy shakes his head.
Billy Hawkes: No, really, I’m.. I’m fine…
As he tries to take another step, his head starts twitching slightly. Nikki stands up, concern washing over her.
Nikki Peltier: Are you sure?
Jeszika shakes her head and stands up with her.
Jeszika Gautier: You don’t look so good...
Billy shakes his head and turns around.
Billy Hawkes: It… it’s nothing, it’ll… it’ll pass…
Bethany frowns from the couch.
Bethany Kenyon: How do you know it’ll pass?
Billy grits his teeth as he keeps twitching and shaking.
Billy Hawkes: Because… it has every other time…
Nikki frowns in alarm.
Nikki Peltier: How many other times have there been?
Billy balls up his fists as best he can, his left hand squeezing hard while his right hand doesn’t quite make it all the way into a fist.
Billy Hawkes: A few…
Ashley swallows hard.
Ashley Kenyon: How many, Billy?
Billy shakes his head.
Billy Hawkes: I don’t know…
Jeszika walks over to him and manages to get him to turn and face everyone.
Jeszika Gautier: How long has this been happening?
Billy tries to crack his neck.
Billy Hawkes: Since she shot me up…
All four ladies look at him in stunned silence. After a minute that seems like a decade, Ashley forces her way to her feet.
Ashley Kenyon: It was a bad dose?
Billy manages a nod.
Billy Hawkes: It was speed, God only knows what was in it especially since it felt really off and yet wasn’t… that weak but wasn’t that like… holy shit either.
Ashley starts to ask another question but stops herself when the pain in her head becomes too much to stand up anymore. She sits down, grabs the pill bottle and pops one before grabbing the bottle of water. She opens that, takes a swig and swallows as the other girls guide Billy to the couch. They sit him between the sisters while Nikki and Jeszika take their places on overstuffed leather chairs.
Nikki Peltier: How bad do these tremors get?
Billy shrugs.
Billy Hawkes: About like this, usually.
Jeszika cocks her head, wary of the phrasing used.
Jeszika Gautier: Usually?
Billy nods.
Billy Hawkes: The first couple had me on the floor.
Ashley’s eyes try to go wide.
Ashley Kenyon: Honey…
Billy nods, bowing his head in shame.
Billy Hawkes: I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I thought you had enough on your plate with what Jones did to you and didn’t need to hear my shit on top of it.
Ashley takes his hand in hers.
Ashley Kenyon: You still should have told me!
Billy nods guiltily.
Billy Hawkes: I was afraid you’d just think I was using again and overdosing or stroking out or something.
Ashley exhales forcefully as she leans back against the couch.
Ashley Kenyon: I really hope this shit kicks in soon…
Everyone nods their agreement until a realization dawns on Bethany.
Bethany Kenyon: Did you just say you weren’t using?
Billy nods.
Billy Hawkes: Yeah… couldn’t do heroin if I wanted to…
Bethany frowns.
Bethany Kenyon: Why not?
Billy holds up his right hand.
Billy Hawkes: My hand doesn’t like to cooperate that much.
All four members of Arsenal manage to sit forward, cocnrnm looks upon all four faces.
Ashley Kenyon: Honey…
Nikki shakes her head.
Nikki Peltier: Have you been to the doctor?
Billy shakes his head.
Billy Hawkes: Not for me, no.
Jeszika nods forcefully.
Jeszika Gautier: You need to go, Billy.
Billy starts to shake his head.
Billy Hawkes: I can’t afford…
Bethany cuts him off.
Bethany Kenyon: If you say you can’t afford it, Ashley and Jezzy are gonna wanna slap the shit out of you and Nikki and me are gonna let them do it! You’re sitting here between four of us who could all pay for it ourselves and if you think Jonas wouldn’t take you himself too, I should call him and let him slap the shit out of you too!
Billy nods acceptingly.
Billy Hawkes: Ok.
Ashley squeezes his hand.
Ashley Kenyon: I love you, Billy, but you gotta tell me when something’s wrong like this. We can’t have you walking around unable to use a hand just because some stupid bitch didn’t know what she was buying and shot it into you without a second fucking thought of what it would do!
Bethany, Nikki and Jeszika nod their agreement and within minutes, all five are in Bethany’s SUV. Twenty minutes later, they arrive at the hospital and take seats in the waiting room. An hour later, Ashley walks out into the parking garage with her phone’s camera turned on.
Ashley Kenyon: Pauly O’Connor, I understand why you would stand by your friend even when she does stupid shit to others for the hell of it. I get it, really I do.
She nods as she steps away from one car and towards another.
Ashley Kenyon: I would do anything for my sisters in Arsenal and I know you feel the same way for Aerynn…
She pauses ands glares into the camera.
Ashley Kenyon: And I realize this is like the selfie from hell but I count it as a small victory that I can even look into this thing after what Vince Jones did to me…
She closes her eyes, shaking her head.
Ashley Kenyon: Aerynn, I tried, I really did…
She raises her free hand up even as it balls into a fist.
Ashley Kenyon: I tried to put aside what you did when we first met and I even tried to give you the benefit of the doubt when you and Jezzy started having tift that really didn’t make any damn sense but now…
Her free hand hovers for a second as she tries to search her thoughts.
Ashley Kenyon: Now I’m standing at the hospital where more small victories are happening as I record this. It’s a small victory that you didn’t kill Billy when you shot him up and it’ll be a small victory if he isn’t crippled for life because of what you shot him up with. I don’t know what the fuck your problem is but if you wanted to fight, all you had to do was ask! I don’t have the same sort of thought on it that Bethy does and I know you love to just throw down so what did you need to go after Billy and Carrie for?
She trails off before waving her now open hand dismissively.
Ashley Kenyon: Yeah I know, I’ve heard all of this happy ending bulldshit but that’s what it is! you don’t think the rest of us have seen the way you look at that guy who just started hanging with you and Pauly…
She frowns, racking her brain for the answer.
Ashley Kenyon: What’s his name… Shonn?
She nods forcefully.
Ashley Kenyon: Logan might have pussied out but your two best friends in the world showed up and one of them is making eyes at you, I’d call that a pretty fucking happy ending so what the fuck are you babbling about when you say you didn’t get one and so neither will we?
She shakes her head in disgust before glancing back at the door.
Ashley Kenyon: I would have called it a victory before if we just managed to survive the Children. It would have been a small victory, but it would have been one nonetheless. You were supposed to help with that and we were all willing to call you sister, Aerynn. we NEVER turned our backs on you and now, I’ll consider it a small victory if we just get to kick your ass for this…
Sighing heavily, Ashley turns and starts walking back in the other direction.
Ashley Kenyon: It might be a small victory if it happens, but small victories tend to add up in the end…
