We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

“I’m better,” I assure Alex. “I’m still stressed, but I’ve stopped working double shifts.”
“So, you’re actually sleeping at night?” I hear him sigh after I don’t answer. “And how’s the therapist helping?”
Therapist. Alex hates them, but he’ll never regret going to see one. “I don’t know. She sent me to a psychiatrist who prescribed me with Celexa.”
“It’s working?” I can hear the uneasiness in his voice. He hated the therapist because all she recommended was drugs to fix his problems.
“I don’t know. I haven’t been taking them. I don’t like the idea of antidepressants after they only made things worse the first time.”
“Yeah, I understand,” Alex responds. “I’m really proud of you, you know. You could have done what I did about it.”
“You were fifteen, Alex. I’m twenty-three.”
“You’re birthday is coming up,” he reminds me, changing the subject. I sigh.
“I know. I don’t want to get older.”
“Babe, twenty-four is still so young. I’m twenty-four. Don’t make me feel old.” We share a small laugh. “I’m going to try and make it home for your birthday, though.”
“Don’t you have a show that day?”
“Yeah, but it’s only a few hours away. If I leave early enough in the morning, I should be able to spend most the day with you.” I smile a little and put fresh water in the pitcher of sunflowers on the kitchen table.
“You don’t have to do that for me.”
“I don’t have to, but I’d like to.” I can hear the smirk in his voice. “I’ve got to go, though. Sound check. I’ll talk to you later, yeah?”
“Sounds good.”
“I love you, Virginia.”
He’s said he’s in love with me before, we’ve drunkenly said we love each other, but this might be the first time he’s flat out said it since we got back together. Sober. And not just mentioning he loves me.
“I love you, too.” I wait until he hangs up for my cue to touch the ‘end’ option on my phone. The door to the apartment opens, and Cody walks in, dropping his bag next to mine on the floor.
“Your brother is awesome,” he begins, heading for the fridge and pulling out the milk carton. He takes a giant swig.
“Using a cup is awesome.”
He rolls his eyes. “I got a raise today.”
“What? Cody, that’s awesome!” I quickly rise to my feet and embrace my brother. He laughs and hugs me back.
“How are you?”
I nod slowly. “Better.”
“Have you stopped?”
I nod slowly. “It’s been a week.” Cody smiles.
“Good. You haven’t been taking the Celexa, though.” I nod. “Why not?”
“Remember what happened last time I took something?”
“Yeah…that makes sense.”
“How was school?”
“Boring, as usual.” He sits down at the table. “Can I talk to you about something?” I nod and sit down across from him. “How did you just up and move so far away from home without looking back?”
“Well, Rachel came with me.”
“Didn’t you get homesick?”
I rest my arms on the table and nod. “Yeah, but it was something I needed to do. For me.”
“I just miss my friends, and it’s hard making new ones so late in the school year. I miss my band…”
I smile sadly. “I know it’s hard.”
“I haven’t even gotten to drum in so long. I’m going insane.”
The light bulb goes on in my head, and I immediately pull out my phone. “Shit, wait. I can’t call right now,” I remind myself. Sound check.
“What?” Cody wonders. I shake my head to tell him to forget about it.
“Let’s go out tonight for dinner.”

I listen to the phone ring. “Ri, pick up,” I mutter.
“I think you have the wrong number,” I hear Rian joke. I let out a laugh. “What’s up, Gin?”
“I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Go on…”
“Cody really misses drumming, and I was wondering—“
“You know our garage combination. There’s a spare key taped under the freezer door in the garage. Tell him to have at it.”
I smile widely. “You’re the best, Ri.”