Beach Love [Sequel to Unexpected Love]

Beach Love part 6

Chapter 6

"AJ?" I gasped breathless as my college books started to slip out of my hands. I could almost visually see Brady rolling his eyes behind me, but I didn't care all I could see was AJ.

The familiar face turned around, but my stomach did a flip when he did, and not a good one either. He was very pale, almost nicotine looking, and his eyes were bulging out of his head. He looked in pain. Or he looked very druggy. His eyes scanned the crowd once, then twice, then he continued walking.

"AJ!" I yelled again, and this time I started running toward him. He slowly turned around and I threw my arms around him, my books now officially falling to the ground.

My nose tried to inhale his familiar scent, but could not. His familiar, almost vanilla scent, was gone. Instead, my nose filled with a nasty smell. I could smell smoke of some kind on his gray sweatshirt. No way did I want to even know what kind of smoke it was. There was also a distinct scent of alcohol.

My eyes found his and he looked a little bewildered. "May I ask, who is this?" He asked, even his voice sounded raspy and...not himself. He's obviously been smoking, his voice showed. "It's Amber." I whispered and pulled away, not being able to stand the intensity of the stench.

"I'm sorry, you must have the wrong guy. The only Amber I've ever known was..."His eyes went cross-eyed for a minute, then straightened out. "Amber?" He mumbled. "Yes, it's me. I moved back. Why are you like this? Have you got tired of living? Why'd you choose to just...throw yourself away like this?" I pounded. He just smiled, his eyes scanning my body up and down.

Before I knew it, his lips crushed mine. My mouth filled with a taste of alcohol. From AJ's mouth, no doubt. His lips even felt different. More...chapped and hard, rather than soft and secure. My instincts just took over me and I shoved AJ off of me. Wiping my face off, I stared at him in disbelief. "What is wrong with you? Never mind, because I know what's wrong with you, what's come over you? Why are you doing this to yourself?"

AJ just stared back, panting. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I forgot my manners. Hey chick, what's up? Haven't seen you in two years. Now let's go, I know where the best closet is." He winked at me and took my hand. I immediately pulled it away. "I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me what's going on. And don't you already have a girlfriend?" He just chuckled. "Don't be stubborn Amber, and yes, I do have a girlfriend. But I've never stopped loving you. Remember what I said before you left, I will never stop loving you." He smirked and then grabbed me around my waist. "Now, let's go to that closet. Or better yet, my dorm. There's a bed in there." He chuckled.

The rest of the college students didn't seem to be paying attention to us, but I wanted to keep it that way. "AJ, let go. Now." I sternly confronted. His arms strengthened. "Why? Why are you so afraid of me, Amber? Remember me? The love of your life?" I shook my head. "You are not the love of my life. AJ is the love of my life. Not this crack addicted, smoking who knows in hell, idiot. Now, if you excuse me, I don't want to be late to my first class." My voice started raising, my pitch was getting higher. From my shoulders down, I started getting goose bumps and my fingers and toes started shaking.

"Hey, is everything okay over here?" My hero asked. I let out a sigh of relief. I could always count on Brady. "Everything's fine. Who are you?" AJ challenged. Brady looked to me, waiting for approval. I nodded in return. "I'm her boyfriend."

My eyebrows raised a little. Wasn't quite expecting that but it worked. AJ's eyes turned to me, a total look of betrayal crossed his face. "He's your boyfriend?" He asked in disbelief. "AJ, I'm not messing around. Get to your class and mind your own business. Right now." Looking into his bloodshot eyes was painful. I knew this wasn't really him. It was the drugs and alcohol talking. It was almost like he was silently screaming out for help to get him out of this. I want to. I don't want to see him in pain like this. But like people say, once you start you'll never be able to stop.

"Fine. Mark my words, this is not the last you'll see of me." My mouth opened to start to speak but I felt a finger shut it closed. "Don't say another word. I'm going." AJ warned. This new him scared me. Not just scared me, but terrified me. I'd rather be with a whole group of football players who I didn't even know and were all pissed off at me then him. Who knows what he'll do next. Then he turned around and walked away.

I let out a breath of air. Unknowingly, I was holding my breath. Probably didn't want to inhale the stench any longer. How could this have happened. This is not him. My mind could not grasp that this was AJ.

A pair of familiar, warm hands wrapped around my waist. "Nice taste in boyfriends." Brady whispered into my ear. His breath sent shivers down my spine. "Well, I dated you once, didn't I? That was probably the only smart choice I've made." I replied to his sarcastic comment and held his hands securely so that he couldn't remove them. "Yeah, right. At least I'm not a creep like him though." Brady threw his head in the direction where AJ was entering the school. A sigh escaped my mouth. "That's not the guy I know and love. He's in there somewhere. I can sense it. He's just so into those drugs and..." I exhaled, irritated.

"Well, maybe you need to get him out of it. Help him out." I shook my head and met Brady bright, hazel eyes. I couldn't help but think about when AJ had those bright gorgeous eyes. Just a different color. My lips formed a slight smile. "No, I don't think so. I think I need to scare him out of it." I said, as a new and possibly dangerous idea formed in my mind.