Chapter Text
“So, Ms. Lane, how are you feeling?”
“I’m fine.” Jinx replied. Her therapist was being annoying. She knew it was their job, but did they have to be so boring about it? Their beige suit. The beige walls. Even the stereotypical cat hanging from a tree poster on the wall was boring.
“Ms. Lane, we’re here to help you. You’ve done good at staying clean for the past 30 days, but before we can consider discharging you, we need to know you won’t relapse.”
Jinx couldn’t help but roll her eyes. All she’d heard was how the staff of Zaun Rehabilitation were here to help her. Though she knew that wasn’t true. They were all there to collect a paycheck. She sighed and straightened up in her chair, “Like I don’t need pills to get through the day.”
“Okay, that’s a good start. While you’re out in the world, what would you do if you got a craving?”
“I’d either change my scenario, find a new thing to do, or start eating a snack so my hands and mouth stay busy.” The snacking option had been her best bet. Jinx’s ADHD made her fidgety, and caused her mind to jump from task to task faster than a road runner.
“That’s good. What about if someone offers you pills?”
Jinx groaned and readjusted herself in the chair, with her head hanging off one side and her legs off the other, “Obviously I say no. That one’s obvious don’t ya think?”
“It may be obvious, Ms. Lane, but it’s one of the biggest struggles with recovering addicts. They’re offered relief and after going so long without it, jump at the chance. And as I said earlier, it’s my job to ensure you don’t leave this facility and relapse.”
Jinx snapped up, done with the whole conversation, “No. I’m not gonna accidentally relapse. If someone offers me pills, I’ll refuse. If I’m stressed out, I’ll remove myself from whatever it is. If some cute guy or girl asks me out, I’ll say no because it’ll just stress me out, and cause me to accidentally relapse. I’ve done this whole schtick before and I just wanna go home!”
She hadn’t realized that she stood up and was almost yelling. Until after she saw her therapist sitting there with a surprised look on their face.
She slowly sunk back into her chair, and brought her knees to her chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get…” the last word caught in her throat.
“Stressed?”
“Yeah.” Jinx was obviously embarrassed now. Although she didn’t care about the therapist lady, she had never done anything against her so Jinx had no true reason to hate her. They’d built a small bit of rapport.
“Ms. Lane, due to my previous knowledge of you, I know that these facilities do stress you out, and I am inclined to release you.” This caused Jinx to perk up. “However, I’m instituting a weekly check in. I want to see you every Friday. The time doesn’t matter. Just come in, give the receptionist your name, and ask to see me. My door will always be open for you.”
Jinx couldn’t help but jump up out of her seat and wrap her therapist in a hug, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
She could feel her therapist gently pat her on the back, but it didn’t matter as she quickly bolted for the door
“Ms. Lane.” Her therapist held up a piece of paper with the word RELEASE on top and a signature on bottom, “you’ll need this first.”
Jinx doubled back and snatched the paper from her, “I knew that.”
“Remember, Ms. Lane, next Friday you need to be here for a check in.”
“I will!” Jinx exited the office into the white hallway. There was a thick, pale grey stripe that ran along the center of the wall, all the way down. She couldn’t help but bounce down the hallway as she made her way to her room, passing other patients who waved hello and orderlies who frowned at her. They hated her fun personality compared to everyone else’s doom and gloom.
Once she reached her room, she started packing her backpack. It was an old knapsack-type bag that had monkey faces drawn all over in various shades of pink, purple, and blue. There were clouds in a lighter blue that danced down the right side of the bag, which matched the ones along her arm and ribs. Due to being in a lower security rehab, she was allowed more privileges, such as the bag, her laptop, and her own clothes. On the downside, they were searched almost daily.
After packing her things: spare clothes, cards, free toiletries from the bathroom; it didn’t matter if she borrowed some stuff from here, it’s not like they don’t have plenty. She slung the bag over her shoulder and stepped back into the hallway with her things. Various twists and turns through the facility led her to a metal door that blocked the hallway. Next to it was a window with nurses and security guards behind it.
“OH LORIS!” Jinx yelled out.
“Hello Jinx.” The burly man croaked out. Everyone, including Jinx, could tell he was already annoyed with her presence.
She dropped her bag on the ground and slammed the release paper onto the counter in front of the security window, “Guess whaaaaaaaaat!”
“You’re being released.” Loris mumbled as he took the paper, “Thank the gods.” Jinx had barely heard the last part but decided to play along.
“Oh, come on! Show some enthusiasm Loris! You’re my favorite security person!”
“Hearing you say that is like hearing a doctor tell me I have herpes.” He handed her a clear bag with all her ‘illegal’ items. Mainly her phone, pocketknife, and wallet. One of the nurses reached over Loris, setting down a white paper bag.
Jinx visibly recoiled, “You have herpes? Are these your meds? Does your wife know you got it from your boyfriend?”
The nurse replied first, “Those are your meds sweetheart. Suboxone, Lithium, and Aripiprazole.”
Loris slid the paper back through to Jinx, “I’ll see you back here in a week.”
“Nope! I’m clean and staying that way this time.”
One of the nurses snorted before covering her mouth with her hand, running out of the room. Loris raised an eyebrow, “Haven’t you said that the past 3 times you got released from here?”
Jinx scrunched her eyebrows, “Yeah, but I mean it this time.”
“Sure you do. They all do.” Loris said after hitting a button that caused the doors next to her to open. “You know the way out. Don’t steal anything between here and the front door.”
She ignored him as she jogged through the door and down two more hallways, reaching the front door to the facility. Barging out into the open world was refreshing for her. Thirty days inside a stuffy building with no friends or crafts–just druggies and therapy– really altered the mind. She strolled to the right where some benches were placed on the sidewalk for people to sit. They were mostly used by people who’d gotten released and were waiting on rides.
Emptying everything from the clear storage bag took less than 5 seconds, with the clear bag going straight into the trash. The knife went into her pocket, her wallet to her bag, and her phone stayed in her hand. Turning it on, the display popped up with a picture of her, Vi, and Vander from years ago. It was a sweet picture that she loved, and it reminded her of days before she required drugs to be happy. She unlocked it and pulled up her contacts. Various names scrolled by until she reached the one she wanted. It was labeled as ‘Starshine Crownguard’. Her nickname for Lux. Pressing the call button, she put the phone to her ear.
After a few rings, Lux answered, “Did the chaos gremlin finally get released?”
“You know she did, bitch!” Jinx yelled back. She missed her best friend
“You need a ride?” Lux knew already. She herself had been here before when her family wanted her to get clean. It worked, and Lux had been clean for 4 years now. She was actively encouraging Jinx to stay clean as well.
“Yaassss please.”
“Alright. I’ll be there in ten.” Lux said as she hung up.
Jinx sat there, phone in hand, not knowing what to do with herself. She debated for a moment before she stood up and walked over to the main door of the rehab facility. Peeking through the door, she saw it was basic, with various fake plants and posters, maroon carpet, and fake wood paneling on the walls. Nothing caught her eye till she saw a poster of a cat reaching for a ball of red yarn, the word ‘FOCUS’ written down the side. The black letters were slightly offset from each other and would definitely benefit from some color. Jinx opened the door and looked around, making sure nobody saw her as she took the picture down and unclasped the back. Leaving the frame, she rolled up the poster and put it in the pocket on the side of her bag before stepping back outside.
True to her word, Lux pulled up in her trademark, white Bentley convertible. Jinx couldn’t help but take a minute to admire her best friend. Her shoulder length blonde hair that was mostly held back by a silver headband, the dark blue undershirt that was tight on her which would show off every curve the girl had to offer had it not been covered by a loose silver shirt that hung off her left shoulder. Jinx couldn’t help but internally curse that top shirt because she loved to peek at her friend’s tits. Jinx knew the black leggings Lux wore would show off her ass perfectly, had she not been sitting or covered by a short silver skirt. Jinx's eyes slid down to the knee-high boots Lux wore, knowing that there were probably ten more pairs in her closet as they were her favorite.
The top of the car was already down, just as Jinx liked. Jinx walked over, throwing her bag in the backseat and hopped over the car door, landing in the passenger seat. “This top is down so that top,” Jinx pointed to Lux’s shirt, “should be up.”
Lux giggled in her seat, “I’m not flashing the world, or getting a ticket for public indecency. Where do you wanna go? Home? Decent food?”
Jinx thought for a second before she pointed forward, as if she could control the car with her mind, and said, “Don’t care! Let’s go Starshine!”
Both girls laughed as Lux started driving out of the facility’s parking lot, neither of them having any real destination in mind. It was a long moment before Lux spoke first, her voice raised to combat the wind, “So are you going to stay clean this time?”
Jinx’s stomach immediately dropped. While she would tell everyone that she would try to stay clean, most of the time she hadn’t actually decided if she was trying until two days later, when she debated on texting her dealer. “I’m trying Lux. You know talking about getting clean is easier than actually getting clean.”
“I know. I never mind picking you up from rehab, hell, I encourage you to call me. But I don’t wanna be the one who has to identify you in a morgue because they found your body in an alleyway because either you overdosed, or someone gave you bad shit.” Lux looked at Jinx with sorrow and endearment in her eyes.
She wanted to promise her best friend that she’d stay clean, but Jinx knew that was a promise she didn’t know she’d be able to keep. Right now the voices were silent, and they had been for a while. She was on Suboxone for her addiction, lithium for her mood swings, and aripiprazole for her schizophrenia. They’d sent her home with a month’s supply. She was doubtful she’d make it that long. All the meds separately were fine for a normal person. But Jinx wasn’t normal. The concoction always makes her feel like shit.
Jinx quickly shook off the negativity and replied to her friend, “I’ll try Starshine. I won’t promise that I’ll stay clean, but I’ll try.”
Lux smiled, “Thank you.”
The girls rode in a comfortable silence until Lux pulled up to a restaurant in lower Piltover. The sign was in weird lettering and read ‘Shimmer & Hex’. Their conversation drifted towards Lux’s new outfit, and she started gushing about how it was the latest trend. People were going for an old-school armor look and that’s why her crop top and skirt were bright silver instead of grey. The two sat down and the waiter took their orders. Jinx ordered an alfredo-based pasta and Lux ordered a steak and salad.
“Are you going to tell Vi you’re out?” Lux said.
Jinx could help but stare at her, dumbfounded. Nobody ever brought up Vi. It was like an unspoken rule, since Vi is half the reason she relies on drugs to function. Lux only raised an eyebrow, forcing Jinx to respond, “I don’t know. She’s probably having a grand time with that rich, bitch girlfriend of hers.”
“Hey, be nice. I’m friends with that rich bitch. Our families run in the same circles.”
“I don’t know how to be nice.” Jinx said as she stuck her nose up in the air. Jinx knew she didn’t actually hate Caitlyn. She had no reason to. She just didn’t like her either–it was a feeling of indifference. But, she also had a reputation to uphold, so she terrorized her sister’s girlfriend as often as she could.
The two girls paused as their waitress set their food in front of them. As soon as she left, Lux continued on between bites of food, “Well maybe if you got to know her, you wouldn’t hate her.” Just as the last word left her mouth, Lux immediately perked up “OH! What if I set up a double date for us?! We could go out, eat at a fancy restaurant, maybe drink a lot, have some fun!”
Jinx liked the idea, “That sounds fun, but I can’t afford it. I need to get a job and stuff. Vander won’t let me stay at his place unless I can prove that I’m staying sober, Silco’s is a one-way path straight off the wagon, and I’m not asking Vi if I can stay with her. I’m not there yet. Plus, we’re not dating so you can’t call it a double date.”
Lux waved her hand dismissively, “I can make it a double date because I’ll pay for you. It’s not like I don’t have the money to waste. Besides, I was going to secretly pay for lunch anyway.”
“Nooooo. You picked me up, let me treat you to a meal.” Jinx moaned.
Laughing Lux said, “Girl, you need to use that money to get a place to live. Not waste it on food.”
Jokingly, Jinx picked up her knife acting like she was going to stab Lux, “If you pay for this, I’ll stab you.”
The blonde girl bounced her eyebrows, “Wouldn’t be the first time you put something in my body, though I do think that would be the sharpest.”
Almost immediately, Jinx felt her face heat up and she put the knife down, “Lux we’re in public! Besides, my therapist says no new relationships until I’m a year clean.”
Lux reached over and placed her hand on Jinx’s, “No new relationships. This isn’t new. We’ve fucked before and you know you had fun, so we’ll probably do it again.”
Jinx laughed and waved off her friend, “I did have fun. You’ve given me some of the best sex ever. But if I’m going to keep my promise to you of trying, then I should listen to my therapist.”
She watched as Lux visibly recoiled from her words and Jinx was afraid for a moment that she had hurt her best friend’s feelings. Lux continued sitting there and smiled, “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to say that.”
Both girls finished their meal, with them having a small, but playful fight over who’d pay. Jinx celebrated when she won, not seeing when Lux slipped a fifty dollar bill into her bag.
As the two drove to Lux’s apartment in upper Piltover, Jinx wondered where’d she go and how successful she’d be this time around. She really wanted to try. Not just because Lux asked, but for herself. She recognized that her dependency was bad and could one day kill her. She’d just have to do her best and listen to her therapist. She had to keep in mind that she had a support system – people who would be there for her. Vander, Vi, and Lux would all help her, even when she would inevitably self-destruct.