The One That Got Away ✔

Chapter Two

Before Kyle and I ever dreamed of dating, my friends and I would hang out by the tattoo parlour, under the bright stars. Above us were navy blue and jet black swirls in the sky, contrasting against the blood moon. When I was younger, I believed the moon controlled my behaviour, the stars predicted my future and the weather reflected my emotions. Now as an adult, I'm not so sure.

"You know what" my friend Jerry half-smiled, leaning his head against the brick wall behind him. "I think, I wanna get stoned..."

Jerry's dark clothes allowed him to blend in with the shadows. He only dressed like that when he didn't want to be seen doing something he shouldn't.

His girlfriend, Sia smirked at him "I think you're already stoned" she took the dope filled cigarette from his mouth.

Sia wrapped her lips around the top and takes a swift drag, looking down at her black mini skirt and fishnet stocking.

There were eight of us in the alleyway at two in the morning, just outside a tattoo parlours parking lot. Sharing one dope cigarette. Kyle would complain that the smell of the smoke was horrendous and so he always kept a safe distance away.

Sia handed Kyle the cigarette. He waved his hands, passing on his share.

He was the only one who ever passed.

Instead, Sia gave me the cigarette like she didn't want to let go. I took it from her, putting my lips around the tip. When I inhaled, I felt a rush. Not as hard of a hit as the stronger stuff that we've tried but when you're desperate, it gets the job done.

I closed my eyes for a split second when taking a drag. "Hmmm"

I pass the cigarette to my friend Kenny who stood beside me is his black joggers and dark green sweater. He's the one who would usually supply us with what we needed.

"Hey, I hear there's a liquor store down the street" Gemma licked her lips while twirling her red hair. "Low security"

Gemma was the one who sparked most of the bad ideas than convinced us to go along with them.

I looked over to Kyle who stood awkwardly on the side, hugging his coat to his body. He didn't belong with those people. He was too good of a person with too much of a bright future to get mixed up with people like that.

"Let's go for it" David laughed as sliding his hands into the pockets of his denim jacket.

"I'm in" David's girlfriend Pauline agreed while throwing her arm over David's shoulder.

"So what are we waiting for?" Jerry cried, pulling the bottle of scotch away from his lips and giving it to David.

Pauline now held the cigarette butt, chucking it across the parking lot. The eight of us begin walking down the street to the nearby liquor store. The empty bottle of scotch is then thrown across the street by David, shattering the glass.

My hair got caught in the cold breeze when I looked over to Kyle. He walked beside me, looking down at his feet uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"Nothing" he shook his head.

Kyle was too smart for those kids; the only reason he hung around them for as long as he did was so he could take care of me. I guess it worked; he stopped me from doing some crazy shit— took me home when I had too much to drink or was too stoned to think straight.

That night the gang robbed the liquor store and surprisingly never got caught. I wasn't there, about two minutes later I threw up and Kyle walked me home.

"Kylie, I feel sick" I wept while walking down the sidewalk.

"That's what happens when you drink too much, Lexi" he sighed.

I frowned. "Than maybe I should stop drinking..."

Kyle looked over to me with a knowing look and a small smile.

"We both know you wouldn't last a week"

"That's true" I laughed, linking our arms. "Have I ever told you how cute you are?"

"Only every night you get high", he smirked, "which I find extremely concerning"

I breathe in his strong musky scent when pulling his arm closer to my body.

"Well, I find the fact that you find it extremely concerning...Extremely concerning" I slurred my speech.

Kyle laughed.

"How much did you drink?" He asked.

"I don't know" I shrugged.

That should have waved some kind of red flag for me. I know it did for Kyle. I should have realized that my drinking was getting uncontrollable, but I didn't. It was excused as just having a little fun.

"Maybe you should try to cut down?" Kyle suggests.

"You're such a square" I raised my hand to my forehead creating an L for a few seconds before dropping my hand.

He nodded then looked down at his feet "yeah, I know..."

Those people were more my friends then they could ever be his. I didn't see just how much he was hurting at the time.

I looked up to see the dark path in the distance. The broken street lights made it impossible to see six feet ahead. My legs were tired and shaky from all the pot that I smoked and the liquor I guzzled.

"Kylie" I sighed, "I don't think I can walk any longer"

"We're only two minutes away now, Lexi" he informs.

"Kyle, I can't" I struggle to keep my eyes open.

He nodded emphatically.

"Alright," he squatted down, "hop on"

I jumped on to his shoulders with my arms around his neck. He held my legs as they dangled off his chest.

"I love you, Kylie," I say half unconsciously, "you take care of me"

"I love you too, Lexi," he said.

When we arrived at my home, I was too wasted to recognize it. Kyle knocked on the front door slowly and fearfully.

The door swings open and my mother stands furious under the frame.

"Oh god" She cried, fixing her posture.

She stood in her red robe beside her boyfriend Tom. He looked at me with kindness and empathy. Tom was the closes thing that I had to a father.

"Hey, mum" I waved, "Hey, Tom"

"Jesus" she sighed, pulling me off Kyle's shoulders, "let's get you to bed, now!"

"No, the night is so young'' I argued.

My mother grabbed my arm roughly, dragging me to my bedroom. I looked over my should to see Kyle standing under the door frame, across from Tom.

"To bed, now!" Mum ordered, squeezing my arm.

"Thanks, Kyle" I heard Tom say from across the house, "I don't know what we would do without you"

Kyle reassured them that I was always going to be okay. That's the only reason Kyle hung out with my friends, so he and my parents knew that I would always come home safe.