Addiction

39

Mya's POV

I sat next to Harry on his bed as Jordan and Joy sat across from him. Jordan was watching his best friend with weary eyes and Joy was more focused on the actual composition of his room given that she'd never been here before.

"So," he sighed, "I think I owe everyone here an apology. Jordan especially."

He scoffed as he leaned back in his bean bag chair. Joy bumped him with her elbow.

"Yeah, fine," he mumbled, nodding at Harry, "go ahead."

"I didn't realize how empty I was until I talked to Mya a couple of days ago," he began, "I used drugs as a way to get my stress out when I should have just talked to you guys instead. You've all known me for a while, and granted, Joy you and I aren't as close as Mya and Jordan are to me, but I still love you the same."

Joy smiled and nodded in understanding.

"I don't even know if sorry is going to be enough to make up for the way I've been behaving these past couple of weeks, but I just need to know that I still have a chance to redeem myself with you," he whispered, wringing his hands, "I just don't want to lose the most amazing friends I've ever had."

Jordan stared at him a while longer before looking away. Joy sighed, looking at her boyfriend before looking back at Harry. She smiled and nodded.

"I'm going to be honest, we're not that close so seeing you do what you did, didn't exactly hurt me as much as it did Jordan and Mya, but still. It was inexcusable. You could have just spoken to us instead of keeping all of your hurt and frustration bottled up inside and then using drugs to get it all out. I had to deal with my friends being hurt every day and it stressed me out a lot, but you know what you did wrong, right?" she asked.

He nodded, "yeah I do."

"Then that's all I need to hear," she smiled, "just as long as you know what you did and that you need to change and you want to keep us with you, then I'm all good."

He smiled thankfully at her and looked hesitantly to Jordan. I sensed his nervousness as he stared at his best friend and squeezed his hand, scooting closer to him to offer a sense of support and comfort.

"Jordan?"

"I don't want to forgive you yet," he said simply, "I don't think you deserve to be let go that easily. There's also the fact that I straight up just do not trust you to keep your promise since you didn't have that capability before."

Harry slumped over and sighed before he nodded, "I wouldn't expect you to."

"Frankly, I don't even know why Mya forgave you that quick either, but I guess that's her choice," he said, glancing at me while I squinted at him, "you hurt her real bad, and me too. And what's to say you won't relapse again?"

"That's why we're going to help him," I said, "what kind of friends would we be if we just gave up on him because he hurt us?"

He rose an eyebrow at me, "you're telling me you're going to be willing to put all this behind you and look at him the same way?"

"No," I replied, "that's not at all what I'm saying. It's hard for me too, to be honest, but I'm still here because I know he can come back from this. Do you not believe in your best friend anymore?"

"He's not my best friend though is he? He prefers the company of people like Ethan," he sneered. Harry shook his head.

"Ethan is a manipulative asshole," he whispered, "I'm going to be better. I'm going to work my hardest to be better, and I promise I'll do my best to come back from this. I just need another chance man, please."

I looked over at Harry to find tears brimming his eyes and regret written all over his face. I felt bad and wanted to stand up for him, but this was something he had to do on his own.

"No," Jordan said, "not now at least. I'll let you hang out with us again, just know you're on thin ice. And in my eyes, I have more of a right to protect Mya than you do, right now, since you don't seem to cherish her the way you should. That okay with you?"

Harry looked down and nodded, "yeah."

I frowned at them both, upset at the situation that we were in. We were okay, but we weren't. Frustration flooded through me at Jordan's stubbornness but was quickly washed over with understanding. I could understand why he was like this; he was just being a true friend to us, and to Harry. It shouldn't be easy for Harry to win us all over, and I knew he was right in his thinking. But it still hurt.

"So if that's that," Jordan said standing up, "I'm gonna leave. I have homework to do. Joy, you coming?"

We all stood up, Harry brushing his hands on his jeans and wringing his hands together before he grabbed one of mine. Joy nodded before she walked over to Harry and smiled comfortingly.

"We'll help you get through this," she smiled before leaning closer to whisper, "Jordan's just being a hard ass. Give him time, he'll come around. "

Harry gave her a weak smile and nodded, and Joy gave him a quick hug before she smiled at me and turned and walked out of the room. Jordan gave him one last look, and nodded, offering a tight lipped smile and left.

I sat down on the bed and let out a breath that I didn't even know I was holding. Harry sat down next to me and sighed.

"That went better than I expected," he mumbled. I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Hopeful," he replied, "really hopeful."

I smiled and squeezed his hand, "me too."

---------------------------------------------------

Uni is kickin my ass and I have finals in two weeks fml.