Your Cheating Heart Will Tell On You

"Alex?" I choked out, not believing who was on the other line.

"Yeah, Zar. It's me." His voice broke and I heard sobbing. I felt my heart clench and I had to sit down. My baby brother. My brother I haven't seen since I got the fuck out of that hell hole.

"Oh sweetie, what's wrong?" I had an awful feeling, the kind that makes you nauseous and sweaty. I knew what was coming.

"It's mom, Zaria. She's dead. She's actually fucking dead." My throat clenched and I was shocked at my brother swearing. I just remember the little 11 year old boy I took care of when our mother was too busy getting high to notice us.

"She... Is Tommy with you?" I swallowed the emotions I was feeling. Those couldn't come out. Bad shit happens when you let your feelings show. Tommy is my moms boyfriend and played a role as a father for Alex once I left. I stuck around long enough to know he was a nice guy. Too nice for the woman he was with. Well I guess he isn't with anyone anymore... Nope, don't think like that.

"The cops are here and it's a complete shit show, Zaria. I-I didn't know who else to call." His voice was quiet, almost as if he was afraid to speak up. I sighed and breathed through the thickness in my throat.

"You were right to call me." I told him as I heard footsteps behind me. "How?" I breathed out the word, fearing if I spoke more I'd break down.

"She overdosed." He knew exactly what I was talking about. "I just came home from school today and she was dead. I tried waking her up. I tried and tried. I promised her if she got up, that I'd call you and ask you to come home. She missed you." The words just kept on coming and I felt my heart break more and more at every syllable. He sounded more like the little boy I knew, just with a deep voice. So vulnerable.

I swallowed and pinched the bridge of my nose, my heart racing as my free hand shook. "You need to get out of there, Alex. Go to..." I paused to think of one of his friends names. "Go to Seans. I don't want you around that madness." I instructed him, feeling a refreshing numb fall over all of my senses.

I heard him release a shuddering breath. "I don't wanna leave Tommy and Sara." He told me, and I furrowed my eyebrows. "Whose Sara?" I questioned and I heard let out a bark of choked laughter.

"Sara is your little sister, Zaria." I think I stopped breathing at this point. Sister? That was impossible. I felt a pair of warm lips press at the back of neck and strong arms snake their way around my waist. I could feel my whole body shaking now.

"Uh stay with them then, okay?" I told him as Sidney continued to place kisses on the neck. It was comforting in a way. I couldn't force myself to tell him to quit it at this point. "I'll catch the next flight out there." Sidney stopped and just stood behind me, his arms still wrapped around my waist. I wall all too sure that I would collapse if he let me go.

"Okay, okay. I'll see you soon." He hung up before I could tell him I love him. I let out one more shaky breath. I looked down at the phone in my hand and chucked it at the wall, clenched my fists as I watched it fall apart.

Sidney released me and I collapsed, my head breaking my fall before the darkness swallowed me whole.