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ā€œYou need to let it go now
Before you drown
I know that you won’t understand
But you need to let go of this hand
‘Cause I’m going down
And I don’t wanna take you down with meā€

Provence’s legs trembled as she tried to push herself up off of the floor. Even with Hal’s hand helping her to balance, she could feel the gradual pull of the floor on her as she tilted to the side. She blinked twice as she looked up at what appeared to be two of her orange friend, smiling sheepishly.Ā ā€œCarry me?ā€

She watched as one of his thick eyebrows curved in an arch, taking note of the slight tug of a smirk on his lips.Ā ā€œYou are utterly hopeless, aren’t you?ā€ he teased, but still allowed her to crawl onto her back, her slender legs, wrapping themselves around his hips and her arms around his shoulders.

ā€œGood thing I have you to take care of me!ā€ Provence restedĀ her head chin on the stop of Halloween’s head, leaning into the slender muscles of his back.Ā 

ā€œYou could at least tryĀ and help me out with that.ā€Ā 

It hurt to hear him say that. She knew that he didn’t mind coming to get her. That he would do it every night song long as it meant she was safe. But the guilt flared inside of her stomach because she knew. Provence knew that she took advantage of his kindness towards her. She pressed a kiss to the side of his head, taking in the soft scent of his hair.Ā ā€œHey Hal,ā€ she spoke softly against him,Ā ā€œthanks for everything.ā€Ā 

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ā€œSometimes I get so high
Falling is the only out I see
And I don’t wanna take you down with meā€

ā€œEmber is looking for you,ā€ Hal said.

ā€œEmberĀ shmeber,ā€ Mango replied, scrunching her nose indignantly.Ā ā€œIf he wants me to be home at night, he has to stop bringing blue boy over. The berry is a screamer Hal. He does so in French. My poor virgin ears can’t handle it.ā€

Provence laughed behind her.Ā ā€œVirgin ears? That’s a good one Mango. You’re one of the dirtiestĀ berries I have ever met.ā€

ā€œYou know what?ā€ Mango started then shook her head,Ā ā€œTea. But I’m still not leaving.ā€

Hal sighed,Ā ā€œWhat do you plan to do? Sleep here?ā€

Mango looked over at the discarded mattress in the corner behind her. ā€œI could just sleep here.ā€

ā€œMango,ā€ Hal replied, his face contorted in disgust, the mattress had faded to a shade of brown-grey that made him not only wonder how it had been there but also fear for what had been done on it.Ā ā€œDo you want the plague? Because I’m pretty sure that’s how you get the plague.ā€

ā€œFine, I’ll go home, but if they’re doing it when I get there, I’m calling you so you can suffer with me.ā€ She forced herself up from Provence’s lap, sticking her tongue out at Hal as she passed him by.Ā 

Hal crouched down next to Provence, giving her a concerned smile.Ā ā€œDo you think you can stand?ā€ he asked.

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ā€œWhen I close my eyes
I’m fighting in the dark
Trying not to break your heartā€

Hal could hear them long before he could see them. The sounds of their laughter drifted through the air guiding his steps. He found them, on the floor, of course, the bottle of vodka in hand, Mango trying to calm her waves of laughter as Provence pressed the mouth of the bottle to her lips. He wondered if their position on the floor was because they were too drunk to care or too drunk to stand. Intuition told him it was the latter.Ā 

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ā€œSometimes it’s like an ocean
And it gets too deep
And there’s no way that now you could rescue meā€

How many times had they done this now? Halloween had started to lose count, but he knew it had been at least twice this week already. At least he knew he could always count on Bergamot–you better call me Monty–Mint to call him whenever Provence got out of hand.Ā 

ā€œHow bad is it this time?ā€ he asked, almost afraid to know the answer.Ā 

Monty hummed, a noise Hal was surprisedĀ he could hear over the steady beat of the music,Ā ā€œIt’s not nearly as bad as last time. She seems pretty tame, at least for now. Mango showed up so they snagged a bottle of Vanilla Skyy and snuck off to the back of the pool house.ā€

Bless Mango.Ā 

ā€œWhere are they at?ā€

ā€œThey snuck off towards the back, where they keep the old Mermaid statue.ā€

ā€œThanks, Monty, you’re a lifesaver.ā€

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ā€œThis life is like a razor
When it cuts, I bleed
But it’s in my hand and I’m doing it to meā€

It had become a ritual for her, slipping through her window in the depths of the night. Provence was always careful, taking quiet steps to ensure that no one would hear her leave. She sometimes wondered if all the care was necessary. Would they even notice if she just disappeared? An answer that she fears would be no.Ā 

Every time it amazed her how easy it was to slip into a crowd, to blend into the waves, just another body in a sea of people just as lost as she was. The benefit of living in a town where the main claim to fame was the local university: there were always new faces and she would always be forgotten.

Provence poured herself another drink, the deep bass of the music humming through her body, making her feel electrified. This had become the only place she felt sane; drink in her hand and the music pulsing through her veins.Ā