Chapter 1-9: Cut the Rope: Part One

By the tacky decorations plastered on the walls and the poinsettias that resided on the counter at the nurses station, Christmas was around the corner. A week away to be exact. Holland was surprised she even kept track of the days anymore, they all seemed to bleed together. She didn't sleep much lately, so a sunrise meeting another one before she passed out was common to her now. 

She rubbed her eyes when a voice rose her from her sparse slumber. It was Gloria speaking sweetly, telling her that her father was here to see her again, and that he had some very special news for her. 

A positive encounter with her father twice in a row? She couldn't comprehend such a thing.

She shoved her arms through a jacket and pulled it around her as she stumbled through the hall to the front desk where she met Ares. 

"Hello Sleeping Beauty."

Holland raised an eyebrow and looked up at him, "You know who that is?" she said groggily. 

"Your mother has educated me on many things. I'd be lost without her."

"Yeah, yeah, we get it. You're in love and your whole life is perfect. High five."

He raised his hand and then dropped it a few seconds later, his expression changing based on his realization.

"So what's this 'news?'"

"As part of your Christmas present, your mother and I decided to sign you out. You can't do it yourself, you don't have the jurisdiction just yet, but with a parent's signature, you can finally come home."

Her heart tumbled in her chest like loose change in a dryer. She was going home, after all this time of begging for freedom?

"Dad, are you serious?" 

"Yes. Merry Christmas, Dear."

She smiled and let out a small squeal and hugged her dad before scurrying off to her room to gather her few things she was allowed to have. 

God, I finally get to get out of here!

Not after that thought ended, doubt began to sink into her mind. What if she wasn't ready? What about the friends she had made here? Lily? Eli? How was she going to tell them goodbye?

She sat on her plastic, lumpy mattress and pulled her knees to her chest, her toes dangling off the side of the bed. Eli poked his head around the door and was smiling, but it faded. 

"Hey..." 

She cocked her head up, "Fuck, it's like you have a radar of when I'm thinking about you, and then you just show up." 

He smirked, "You're thinking about me, huh?" 

Usually his charm would make her smile, but this time, she was aloof. 

"Eli...I'm leaving. I'm going home. My dad's out there waiting for me right now." 

It was in that moment that Eli Montegomery's world seemed to come to a screeching halt, the inertia almost throwing him off into the black void of space.

"You..You're what?"

"Yeah..."

"That's awesome, Holland. I'm happy for you." 

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. He was sitting next to her on the bed now, and she straightened her legs to lean over and hug him. He smelled like he always did, mint and hospital soap. It wasn't the most alluring, but it was his. And she liked it.

She pulled away and she lingered there, close to him, her heart beating just a little bit faster, like it always seemed to when he was around. She wanted to ask what he was thinking, or if he thought that she could do it, or if this really was goodbye. But she remained quiet. she rested her forehead against his, her eyes shut, her breath inhaling him, asking for him to kiss her just one last time. 

He leaned into her, his arms around her and he whispered to her, 

"Don't forget me."

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at his icy gaze for what had to be the millionth time. 

"I couldn't if I tried." 

He smiled, "Come on. I'll help you pack."

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She sat her bags on the ground and shut the door to her father's car that parked in front of the house. Her house. It felt so liberating for her to be out in the fresh air and not have a chain-link fence constricting her. Her mother was waiting on the steps and Holland ran to her, giving her a hug.

"Welcome home, baby. I'm so glad to have you back! Ares, grab the bags so she can get settled in." 

She stepped inside and it looked exactly the same, but felt completely new. She hadn't been able to sleep in her own bed, eat food that didn't contain mystery meat, take a shower for as long as she wanted, or even flossed her teeth without supervision in so long, she forgot what freedom felt like. 

After months and months of missing out on everything there was in life, the one thing Holland wanted to do most, was just get a good night's sleep. No random screaming throughout the middle of the night, no curfew for lights out, she could sleep with her door locked if she wanted, the possibilities were endless. After eating the best grilled cheese she had ever had, and taking an hour long shower just because she could, she finally fell into her bed. Her mind started to think about what Lily and Eli were doing right now, but the exhaustion had sank in faster than she realized and she was out within minutes of her head hitting the pillow.

The next day, the sun glistened through her window and she felt refreshed in a way she hadn't in not just months, but years. It was Monday, so by this time she would be eating breakfast with Lily, then go off to a therapy session. But now that she was home, what was she supposed to do?

Her phone vibrated next to her bed, and she checked the notification. It was a long text from Jesse, explaining how sorry he was for what had happened, all over some flowers. 

"You're just not you, when you're in there. I miss my Holland," she read aloud.

"What a crock of shit."

Throughout the day, she got numerous messages from Jesse, and finally she had to ask her mom if she had told him that she was out. 

"I did. Was I not supposed to do that, honey? I mean he is your boyfriend, I would think that you would want him to know." 

"I don't know what he is to me anymore, Mom. I guess he has you fooled into thinking he is this great guy, because he's the one that got me into stupid shit in the first place." 

"Are you serious, I had no idea, Holland. I'm so sorry." 

She sighed, "It's okay, Mom. It's not your fault, you didn't know. He knows how to use his charm to get what he wants." 

But I'm waking up now.

"Now that I have my life back, I'm going to break things off with him. All he ever did was drag me down and I don't want this fresh start to have anything to do with him." 

All she sent was 'We need to talk. Soon.' And within minutes he was replying saying that he was busy tonight, something about a party, and that if she really wanted to talk that badly she would come and find him there. 

She rolled her eyes, trying to avoid the creeping discomfort in the back of her thoughts. Last time she was at a party with Jesse, things didn't end well, to say the least. But she was different now, stronger. The rose colored glasses were beginning to crack and fall apart. She wasn't so naive to his allure anymore. 

He sent her the address minutes later and she reluctantly texted him back saying 'Fine. See you there.'

For the last time.

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Although six or so months had passed, Holland didn't miss parties. She threw on some light makeup, jeans, and a sweater. She wasn't here for the booze, sex, or whatever else the scene entailed. She was here because she finally had the courage to break away from something that broke her for so long. 

The music was loud in her ears as she pushed the door open, people crowding around her instantly. She didn't notice any of the people there, not that she cared.

Get in. Break up. Get out.

When she found him, he was in the kitchen, leaning over some girl who had on too much lip gloss with her back against the wall. Her fiery red hair took Holland back six months in a matter of seconds. It was the girl who had ran off in the woods that night with Jesse. He was inches from her face, his solo cup almost spilling over from his lack of attention and sobriety. 

Had he been this 'friendly' with her the whole time Holland was away? Longer?

She swallowed a lump in her throat, pushing down anything that was trying to arise. She was done letting him hurt her. She didn't care about firetruck hair or what she wanted with Jesse. She could have him. 

Holland went over and cleared her throat. Firetruck rolled her eyes and went off toward the drinks. Jesse's eyes widened before his smile did the same. 

"Hol! Look at you! You look fantastic!"

"We need to talk, Jesse." 

"Aw, come on, don't ruin the fun! Have a drink!"

"I'm not here to drink. I want to talk to you."

"God, why are you so serious all the time? Lighten up, Hol. You used to be fun."

"And you used to be a decent guy. Guess we've both changed." 

He blinked, unsure of what to say back to that. She'd never said anything like that before. She'd never had a backbone. 

"One shot. Just one shot, Holland, and then we can talk all you want. Final offer. Take it or leave it."

He pushed himself off the wall and went over to a platter bombarded with shots and handed her one. It was an amber liquid, and she smelled it, forcing herself not to gag when the scent hit her. Fireball, without a doubt.

"You're a child," she grimaced, downing the shot and slamming down the glass on the counter.

"There. Can we fucking talk now?"

He had a stupid grin on his face, nodding, "There's my Hol that I know and love. Lead the way." 

She pushed through the crowded rooms until they got upstairs to a bathroom. She left the door open, because no one was sober enough to care about their business and she wanted a quick exit just in case things went south. 

Before the second syllable of her words came out, he interjected.

"I'm sorry I'm so shitty to you. You deserve better. I want to be the guy you deserve but I'm not. I'm just me. I just want you to love me and my flaws." 

She was sure she was going to know what to say and how to say it when she walked into this house, but now she was speechless. He'd apologized, but he'd never said for what. She never wanted it to come to this. She didn't ever want to feel as if she had given up on him. But she couldn't save him. She could barely save herself. 

"I do, Jesse. But you keep me at an arm's length and tell me you love me when it's convenient for you and expect that to be enough for me. I've given you everything and there's a difference in having flaws and just being a straight up dick. You're so self destructive you keep Death himself on his toes."

He looked like he was in pain, like Holland was taking a pick ax and excavating his emotions. He had never opened up to her, but there was a reservoir of instability and emotional chaos deep inside him and it was peeking through now. He blinked away what could have only been a tear and pulled out a credit card and a small baggie from his pocket.

"I can't do this. I need a hit. It's the only thing that makes me feel good." 

He stood up and lined the powder on the counter, dragging his face across it. He looked over his shoulder, looking at her sitting on the rim of the tub, 

"You wanna feel good with me, Hol? Just like old times?"

She slowly stood up and walked over to the sink and peered over at it. It was right there, she could do it, and no one would have to know. Her heartbeat rose to her throat and the cravings came to haunt her at her weakest hour, making her hands tremble.

Her hands settled on either side of the set up and she took the credit card from him. She cut the snow into a perfect line and pushed it, along with the plastic card and the bag off into the open toilet bowl.

"Fuck you, Jesse. Don't ever talk to me again."