Addiction

Chapter 3.

"Who did you leave with last night?" Ryder asks drinking one of my dad's beers from fridge. I wish he'd stop coming over here eating and drinking everything in the refrigerator.

"I left with Hayden."

He laughs in amusement, "You slept with him?"

"No, of course not, and he was pissed."

Besides these last few days, I never went out to bars and clubs. I always focused on school and my grades, I didn't make time for much else. Even with my ex-boyfriend, I spent more time on school then I did with him. Reign, my absolute best friend in the world, is the reason why Jake and I got together. She met Jake in law school, and thought he and I would make a cute couple so she set things up. Luckily for her I thought he was hot, smart, and very funny.

"You shouldn't be messing around with people like him." His gets serious with me. "You should be careful who you mess with. I know him Alice, he isn't the type of person that you need in your life."

"I'm not even going to see him again. He has these rules—" I begin, but then glare at him, "Ryder if you really cared, you wouldn't have brought me there last night."

"I'm going to head out," He sighs, "call me if you need anything." He leaves the beer bottle on the coffee table. I curse him out for not putting the bottle on the coaster but he ignores me and leaves the house.

Ryder has been making me go out to the bar because he thinks I'm depressed after my break-up with Jake. I'm not depressed, I just prefer not to waste my time getting drunk and partying when I have a lot of more important things to spend my time on, like school for instance. I'm in my final year of college and I don't need to start getting distracted now.

I do want to find someone nice and caring. Someone who wants me for me and not just for sex. In this day and age, that's hard to find. At the moment I'm not looking for anyone to fall in love with or to date. The last guy I thought I loved ended up hurting me and he turned me off of relationships for a while. Right now, I'm just looking for a guy who is fun and knows how to have a good time without trying to have sex right away.

- Hayden's point of view -

Last night, Lina asked me what I was going to do about Alice. Lina knows I can't handle being turned down or led on and nothing happens, it bothers me until I do something about it. This hasn't happened to me in a while—actually ever. And I sure as hell will not let her get off that easy.

"What's the girl's number?" I asks Ryder who was sat on my couch eating food from my fridge. We talk once after a few years and suddenly we're friends again and he can just come to my house and act cool with me.

"What girl?" He chews obnoxiously loud.

"Alice, your friend from last night." I rub the sides of my temple, trying to ignore his loud chewing.

"Oh, why, you falling for her?" He asks laughing with a mouthful. Repulsive.

"Ryder, I don't have time for your questions." I bark at him, annoyed by his presence, his chewing, and just him in general. "Just give me her number so I can take her out, and keep all of your question and comments to yourself."

"Chill Stymest, you don't get to fuck a girl once and suddenly you're in rage."

"How do you know I didn't fuck her?"

He shrugs me off muttering, "This is nothing but trouble," before giving me her number.

"Hello?" She answered.

"You remember me, don't you Alice?"

"How the hell did you get my number?" Even though I can't see her, I know she's smirking.

"Go out with me tonight." I say ignoring her question.

"No, are you kidding? I never gave you my number." She says laughing. Each time she says no, I get annoyed and also excited knowing I can't have her, which in turn makes me crave her.

"Okay, I'll pick you up tonight at seven thirty." I say not taking her no as an answer.

"But you don't know where I live."

"See you tonight." I say before hanging up on her.

"You asked her out?" He asks soon as the phone call ends. "On a date? The Hayden Stymest asking a girl out on a date. And she isn't Lina? Wow."

"Lina?" I cock my head to look at him. What the hell does Lina have to do with this?

"Everyone already knows you and Lina are going to end up together. Well, besides George, he says you're going to end up alone and miserable with a STD or something."

Why is he still here? Right, I need information from him. "Give me Alice's address."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because if you don't, I will cut off the only thing that's important to you." I threatened him and smirk once he writes her address on a small sheet of paper. I don't actually have the power to cut off his supply of money so he can continue to make his art pieces, but he doesn't seem to catch my bluff.

"You have no chill." He comments while sliding the paper over to me.

"Why are you still here? You're useless now." I say and he flips me off.

_________________

It was 7:32 and Alice didn't even bother looking outside as I honked the horn repetitively. I told her seven thirty, why am I still sitting here two minutes after. I get out of the car shutting the door behind me. I knock on her front door and ring the doorbell a few times. "Who is it?" I heard on the other side of the door.

"Hayden."

The door swings open and she grunts before rolling her eyes at me, "How did you get my address?" She folds her arms over her chest waiting for my answer.

"I have my ways." My eyes rest on her body. The red dress stopping mid-thigh and hugging her hips. Her cleavage creeping through the top of her dress. Her rose aroma filling my senses as she walks past me to get to my car.

"You are a creep." She mutters. I look away from her body as she steps into the car closing the door behind her.

"I've been called worse." She scoffs looking back at me before getting into the car. I go around to the driver's seat, driving from the front of her house.

"What is this?" She asks, resting her head back on the seat, as she zoned out everything except the music.

"It's called music."

"I know that you idiot." She says laughing, "I mean this song, what is it called?"

"'All I Want' by Kodaline."

"I really like this."

"It's nice isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's something about music like this that I love."

"It's like every song takes you to a different place, even if you never been there it just takes you away. It's relaxing and peaceful but still rhythmic and just enjoyable."

"Mm." She hums, I reach to turn the stereo up just as she does, our fingers brushing over each other's. She flushes pulling her hand away and I turn up the volume.

I enjoy seeing the effect I have on her just by my hand touching hers, I can't wait to see the effect I have on her when I'm inside of her. We sat quietly, the music being the only noise in the car, as I drove her to my favorite restaurant.

____________________________________________________

[a/n]

if you ever feel like a failure just remember; Kanye West banged his head on a street pole and Justin Bieber walked into a glass door, twice.