"Here's your fix. Be careful. Don't use it all." The drug dealer said, handing her the tiny plastic bag.

Snatching the bag from him. Winter gave him his money." Like you care so much." She muttered under her breath as walked out of the building getting into her car. 

With shaking hands. Winter drove to her apartment as fast as she could. Not care about getting a speeding ticket at this time of night. All she cared about was getting her to fix it as soon as possible.

Parking the car in front of the building. She quickly got out of the car and walked towards the elevator. 

Ding! 

Stepping out of the elevator. Winter was about to walk towards her apartment but she was interpreted by a familiar voice. 

"Winter." An old lady called her.

"Fuck." Winter cursed under her breath as she turned around.

Winter walked towards the old lady with a smile on her face and said."Edith. Why are you awake at this hour? I told you to not wait for me." 

"How can I not worry about you? Winter. You changed. Something is happening to you and you're not telling me." The old lady named Edith said. 

Winter sighed. She hated it When Edith started nagging at her. Though she loved this woman as if she was her mother, she just hated it when she started meddling with her personal life.

"Do you have something to eat, Edith?" Winter asked the old lady rubbing her arms together trying to ease the pain she was feeling.

"Come in. I saved your share from lunch and dinner." Edith said entering the apartment followed by Winter.

"Where's George?" Winter asked, looking around the apartment.

"Sleeping. Like always." Edith replied laughing.

Winter my body started to sweat heavily. She touched her forehead wiping the sweat as she excused herself to visit the bathroom. 

Edith stared at Winter as she walked towards the bathroom with a worried look on her face. Put the food plate inside the microwave. She turned it on to heat the food for her.

----

Inside the bathroom. Winter closed the lid of the toilet and sat on it. Opening her bag. She took a small plastic bag. A spoon. Lighter. Tourniquet and a new unused needle. Putting the item on the bathtub rim with shaking hands. She opened the plastic bag carefully pouring the white powder into the spoon before she picked the lighter. 

Ten minutes later. Winter stepped out of the bathroom walking back towards the kitchen. 

"It took too long. Are you alright sweetie?" Edith asked, noticing the change in her. 

Winter took off her jacket and sat on the table."Hmm. I'm completely fine." She replied, running her hands through her short hair, smoothing it. "Why are you asking?" She asked me to pick up the fork to eat the delicious spaghetti dishes in front of her. 

Edith stared at Winter for a moment before she shook her head no."Nothing. I thought that you might have caught a cold. You always wear thin clothes even when it's freezing outside. Like tonight." She replied pouring her a cup of fresh lemon juice knowing that it was her favorite.

"Thank you." Winter thanked her. 

"Stay here tonight. The room is already made for you. I always change the bed sheets for you. I know how clean a freak you're." Edith offered to hope that she would accept.

Winter stopped eating and took a sip from the lemon juice."I'm sorry. But I have work to do. You know how I like to work with music on." She replied. The lie slipped smoothly through her lips.

"Alright. Then you have to promise me that you will stay over this weekend." Edith said.

"I promise. Now let me eat this delicious spaghetti." Winter said, taking a bit from her food. 

_____

Entering her apartment. Winter took off her shoes and walked inside towards her bedroom. Throwing her bag on the floor. She picked a clean towel from the clean towels that were folded inside the basket. She walked out of the room towards the bathroom. Taking off her clothes. She stepped inside the shower cabinet. 

After the shower. Winter dried her body and hair before she warped the towel around her body. Then she opened the clothes washing machine lid and started to put the dirty clothes in. Setting the timer. She walked out of the bathroom.

"Fuck. Already finished." Winter cursed under her breath as she searched for something inside her bag. She was looking for a certain small plastic bag."I should have another one here." She mumbled to herself as she looked around the room.

"There you're." She sighed as sat on her floor bed.

Looking at the white powder inside the plastic bag wondering what she was doing with her life. She was supposed to be one of the top engineers in the city. Bur looked at what she was doing right now. Doing cocaine. Wasting all her long years of studying and her parent's efforts and hopes for her.

That was the case every night. Reprimanding herself at night only to do the exact opposite the next morning and the next and next without doing something to stop it.