Long Distance

Joint.

[Aria]

"Please tell me this isn't what I think it is." I said, eerily calm. I wanted so badly for Mason to just tell me that it was just a tea bag or something but even I knew it wasn't.

"Why were you going through my stuff?" He demands, taking me back by surprise. Was he serious right now?

"I wasn't going through your stuff and that's not the point!"

"Give me that!" He slips on his briefs and steps towards me, but I take a step back.

"No," I say. "Mason, what the hell?"

"Why were you in my bag in the first place?" He screams and I flinch.

"Why should it matter if I was in your bag? We're supposed to be in a relationship, supposed to trust each other. Mason, why do you have this!" It comes out more like a demand than a question and I move the bag behind my back as he tries to grab it.

"Give it to me."

"Not until you tell me why you have this!" I was still slightly yelling and I was so thankful that my mother wasn't home or she would have burst through the doors already.

He doesn't say anything as he grabs my arm, trying relentlessly to grab the bag. I push past him and run into my bathroom, quickly lifting up the toilet seat and dumping the contents of the bag inside and flushing it.

"What the fuck, Aria!" He pulls on his hair as he looks at me and I start to shake with rage.

"Mason, how could you? Why would you even dare to do something like that knowing how I feel about drugs and knowing what it did to your family?"

"Because I needed a way to relax, to stop myself from constantly worrying about you!"

"Drugs are not the answer!" He looked down at me not replying but just nodding.

"I know," he huffed. "I'm sorry."

I grab his hand, making him look down at me.

"I forgive you," I sigh. "But promise me you won't become that guy."

"I promise," he replies.

[Mason]

I lied. I lied to her face. I knew damn well I had been smoking for a couple weeks now, but I couldn't tell her that. I didn't blame her for being disappointed since I felt the same.

My father was a drug addict who put drugs before his own family. And now I was following in his footsteps. The truth was I didn't smoke to get my mind off of Aria, I did it because I was hooked on the feeling and I couldn't stop.

I needed to get my hands on more. I was starting to crave it, and the more time I went without it, the shittier I'd feel.

_____________

Aria walked into the room insisting we go to a party tonight. I hesitated at first but then agreed realizing I could get some pot.

After getting ready and waiting impatiently for Aria to do her makeup, we hopped in the car and drove to whoever was having the party tonight.

I couldn't really say I missed these parties given that New York had its fair share of bangers every weekend. We stepped out of the car and I wrapped my arm around Aria's waist before stepping up to the door and entering.

"Ar!" Madison immediately attacks Aria in a hug and Matt is not too far behind.

"Sorry, Mase," Madison says. "But I'm just gonna steal Ar from you for about the whole night."