The next morning I awoke. This time I was happy. I was excited. I inhaled deeply and felt the fresh air flying into my nostrils. I tossed the covers off quickly and ran to the shower. Instead of feeling tired and drained I danced. I sang. I used my towel as if it were a dance partner. I blew dry my hair pulled on my Faded Glory Pants, Pouncing Leopard Top, and Misbehave Subrina-2 T-Strap Thong Flat Sandals. I straightened my hair and took the initiative to add a little eyeshadow and eyeliner today.
There was a quick knock on the door and the I opened it and smiled at Billy.
"Morning." He said tiredly. "You look nice."
"Thanks and good morning to you too. Thanks again for helping me today." I said.
"Ah don't worry about it." He grunted picking up two of the suitcases. "You just better hope that I see you on Raw Monday night." He smirked.
"Oh you will Billy. You will." I said grunting myself as I picked up the other suitcase. We made our way out to the campus parking lot where lots of people were pulling out. Leaving for spring break. One of the greatest college vacations known to man. He popped the trunk of his car and placed the bags inside.
"So let's say that you and this Jeff Hardy fellow actually are friends." He said.
"We are." I interrupted.
"Okay whatever. Anyways, how long have you two known each other?" He asked.
"We've known each other for five years." I told him. "Since I was a freshman in high school." I added.
"That's a pretty long time. So he's what? Nineteen, twenty?" He asked.
"Twenty. He was a sophomore. He hung out with some pretty lame people." I laughed as we pulled out of the parking lot.
"I can imagine. You guys were friends." He laughed.
…...
The car ride with Billy was pleasant, but I was more excited over the plane ride. I loved flying on planes. Especially knowing that I had a wonderful surprise waiting for me at the end of the ride. I settled down in my seat and decided to rest my eyes a little.
::Flashback::
"Please Jeff." I smiled as I watched him. He zipped up the front of his biker outfit and bit his bottom lip.
"I don't know Addy, it just doesn't seem safe." He sighed.
"This coming from the so-called risk taker?" I teased. "You don't sound so risky to me." I laughed.
"Yea well I'm a risk taker of my own life, not other peoples." He said stepping up to me. He kissed my forehead and smirked down at me.
"Well I wanna be a risk taker too. Just like my idol." I smiled. "Please Jeffy. Please." I whispered. He stare at me for a minute before sighing in resolve.
"Fine." He said.
"Yay!" I cheered clapping my hands. I followed him to the bike and situated myself behind him. I pulled on the helmet he handed me and wrapped my arms around his waist.
"Hold on tight. Don't let go of me for anything." He said.
"Promise." I said. He nodded and the engine revved. We sped off into the makeshift tracks deep in the woods. The sights were flying by my shielded eyes. I could see the hill coming up before us and my heart thumped loudly in my chest. I was scared, but I could feel the adrenaline. It was pumping in my veins and my body was soaring. We were speeding up and I could feet it. My arms tightened around him even more and we reached the hill and shot up it like a missile into the sky. A wide smile slid across my face and I felt something deep inside of me. Crazy feelings were running wild within me. Crazy because they were caused by a simple jump on a bike. Even still, they were there. When the bike came down I felt my heart racing with fear and excitement again. We touched ground and the bike spun on it's wheel as Jeff's foot came down to stop it. The engine stopped and he stood. I hopped off the bike after him and tossed the helmet to the ground. I ran my hand through my hair and spread my arms in the wind.
"Have fun beautiful?" He asked. I looked at him, the smile never leaving my face and I nodded.
"Yes handsome. I had fun."
::End of Flashback::
I re-opened my eyes and looked around.
"Miss." A lady called. Her voice seemed faint and distant. Her vision was blurred. I wiped my eyes and blinked a couple times before realizing she was a flight attendant.
"Miss, the plane has landed." She smiled.
"Oh...thank you." I groaned. She nodded and left me. I gathered what little of my things I had with me and exited the plane. I walked over to the luggage station the receive the rest of my bags and then I went to wait for him. Oh how I couldn't wait for him.
…...
She looked just as gorgeous as ever as I watched her there from afar. I knew she was waiting for him. Waiting patiently, but I couldn't help but to stand there and smile at her. My friend. My best friend. The woman I shared some of the greatest moments of my life with. The woman who held some of my greatest secrets. Addison Gregor. I hadn't seen her since she left for college. We talked over the phone of course, but it was nothing in comparison to the real thing. The real thing was just too amazing to be without for too long. I sighed to myself finally deciding to go and approach her. Memories that should've been faint came back to me as I gently shoved my way through the bustling crowd. Memories that made me wonder why she still chose to hang around me.
::Flashback::
"How could you do this Jeff?" She screamed at me. I sat on the ground in the chilly air with my hands in my hair and my head between my knees. I knew she'd be mad. I knew she'd hate me. God how could I do this to her? How could I screw up this bad?
"I'm sorry Addy." I said quietly.
"Sorry doesn't cut it!" She said throwing herself to her knees on the ground in front of me. "You could kicked out of school for this and lose whatever chances you had of doing something great with your life! And for what? A stupid fix? Because you wanted to get high!" She cried. I hated seeing her like this. Broken down and hurting. She was like this because of me. I caused this pain and I couldn't stand myself for it.
"Addison please, I know I fucked up okay, but it's not like I intended on getting caught." I said in defense.
"Oh so because you didn't plan on getting caught makes it better?" She asked. I sighed.
"No. That's not what I meant at all." I stood and kicked the dirt in front of me. I could feel the rage inside my blood. It was rising quicker and boiling. It was about to overflow. All of this had happened because of a drug inspection we had at school. Stupid me left them in my locker and the drug dogs caught whiff of em. The principal and the police were hounding me for hours. I was too ashamed of myself to say much of anything and I definitely wasn't about to say anything incriminating. I was scared. The risk-taker she made me out to be. The daredevil she called me. I was finally scared of something. No, not finally. I had always been scared of something. I'd been scared of losing her.
"Addy please." I begged. "I'm so sorry and I swear to God and you that I won't do it again. Please just forgive me." I went to her and wiped her tears away and kissed her cheeks. "I'm so sorry baby. Look at me Addison. Tell me you forgive me. Tell me you still love me. Tell me you're still my friend. Tell me anything, just don't tell me goodbye." Her beautiful brown eyes finally met mine and I something flashed in them. She nodded her head at me.
"I still love you. I would never tell you goodbye. I promised you and you promised me. That's why I'm going to tell them it was me." She said. I frowned in confusion and shook my head.
"Tell them what was you?"
"I'm telling them I planted the drugs without you knowing. Just in case we had a check I stashed them in your locker so I wouldn't get caught. That's what I'll say. And if you try and tell them otherwise then I will not speak to you for a very long time. You have a lot going for you. Your dad would kill you, my mom would be mad, but she'd get over it. I'm taking for this." She told me. My insides churned inside of me with agony.
"Addy-"
"No. It's happening. Please Jeff, you've done a lot for me already now just let me do this for you."
…...
I couldn't speak or breathe the next morning as I watched her sell her future away in a bundle of lies. She was taken away in handcuffs and all that anger from the night before had finally spilled and all I saw was red. Our eyes had met in the hall before they took her and I could feel the wetness on my face. I had ran to the bathroom to drain myself of my tears. To calm myself, but people were in there. Ted and some other loser.
"Yea man she just got taken away in handcuffs." Ted whispered.
"I always knew that girl would be a druggie loving whore when she got older, never knew it'd happen so soon." The other boy grinned.
"Well it's just a first offense so she'll be back after two weeks." Ted said.
"Yea, now that I know what she likes maybe I'll offer her a little for a piece of that hot little ass." The boy snickered.
"Dude, if you plow her you gotta promise to let me get in on that action. She might be a freak, but she does look good." My mind was reeling and my hands were clamped down on the sink so hard that I thought I would break it. I was shaking with rage and my knuckles were turning white. My jaw was locked and my teeth were gritted. I was seething.
"Yo Jeff man, you okay?" Ted asked. He laid a hand on my shoulder and I snapped away from the sink and swung at him catching him in the eye. I swung again and caught his gut before grabbing his shirt and tossing his worthlessness into the stall door.
"Don't you ever talk about Addison that way again. If you do, next time you won't be so lucky."
::End of Flashback::
…...
How could she still be my friend after all of that? Hm, I guess that's what makes a best friend. The fact that when you say you'll always be there no matter what, or that you'd risk yourself for the other, and then actually, literally doing just that. It was amazing. Purely amazing.
"Addy." I called clearing my throat. She looked up and at me and her face lit up as she dropped her bag to the floor and ran into my arms and I accepted her.
"Jeff! I missed you!" She exclaimed full of excitement.
"Ugh I missed you too darlin'!" I said setting her back on the ground. I kissed the top of her head and looked her over.
"You like?" She asked.
"I love. You look amazing Addy." I told her.
"I can't believe we're going to spend the whole spring break together!" She cheered.
"I'm going to make sure you have the best spring break of your life kid." I ensured.
"Kid? Cool it now big shot, you're only a year older." She laughed.
"But I'm still older." I told her. "C'mon we should get going. Where's your bags?" I asked. She waved her hand behind and I easily looked over her tiny shoulder. Three large suit cases waited behind her and I raised my eyebrows and blew out a steady sigh.
"Well then, I guess that's a um- reasonable amount of luggage."
…...
We left the Boston airport and made our way to the hotel where all the other WWE superstars and divas were. I had already cleared it with Vince to have Addison on the road with me and backstage with me. He encouraged her coming. We would be sharing a room together. It only had one bed. It was a big bed, big enough for two. It didn't bother her though. We didn't mind sharing. We'd done it before.
::Flashback::
"Are you sure about this?" She asked me. I smiled at her again and nodded.
"Addy it's fine. As long as you keep quiet my parents will never know you're here." I whispered. She breathed a shaky breath and nodded. Finally she subsided to laying down on the bed under the covers. I waited a moment before actually climbing under the covers myself. Addison's mother and her little sister were at her aunts house. She hadn't wanted to go, but she hadn't wanted to stay at home alone either. So I had let her stay at my house. It had been a stretch, but we had done it.
"Can we play a game?" She asked almost as soon as I finally got settled in the bed. I looked at her and shrugged.
"What game?" I whispered.
"Truth or dare." She whispered back. I nodded and there began our game. It had actually been more truth rather than dares. It was my turn again and I looked at her as I tried to figure out my next question. Then it hit me. She'd been the most innocent thing I'd ever known and I was almost positive there had to be some sin within this little sixteen year old.
"Who was your first time?" I asked. She smiled shyly at me and looked away immediately.
"I um..I haven't had my first time yet." She said quietly. I chuckled in disbelief.
"Liar." I said.
"I'm not lying Nero." She smiled slightly.
"Okay well then who was your first kiss?" I asked next.
"I think it was my turn." She said.
"Just answer the question." I smiled.
"Fine. I haven't had that either." She said looking away again.
"Oh c'mon, now I know you're pulling my leg." I said really not believing her this time.
"I'm not. Guys are usually too worried about messing up their image to be seen with me. So why would I waste my time chasing a kiss from them?" She asked. I merely nodded getting her point now. My tongue darted from my mouth licking my lips.
"Well, do me a favor?" I asked. She nodded. I scooted over so that we were closer. So our faces were closer.
"After this, I want you to say Jeff Hardy." I leaned in and kissed her. At first she just laid there, but then she slowly started to kiss me back. Her hand snaked up my side and into my hair. I teased her lips apart and she allowed to probe further into this sweetness. My mouth was on fire and she was only adding to the flame. So I put the fire out and slowly broke the kiss apart. I watched her afterwards and she seemed to have a certain longing that defined her at that moment. Her eyes hazed over and she cuddled up closer to me leaving her head in the crook of my neck.
"Jeff Hardy."
"And don't you forget it."
::End of Flashback::
…...
"Jeff, do you remember Sarah McDonald." She asked me.
"Yea what about her?" I snorted.
"She's made it her life long dream to torture me." She sighed.
"What do you mean?" I frowned.
"She's in my photography class." She said turning to look at me.
"Seriously?" Sarah and I had had a thing in the past. She'd be a past lover of mine and she'd always blamed Addison for us breaking up. She said Addy took up too much of my time. The way I had seen it though, I didn't have any time. I'd used most of it for school and the rest of it had been used to make love to her whenever she asked. No. Demanded. I'd missed spending time with my Addy over the two months that Sarah held me hostage in her 'love' trap.
"Yes!" She exclaimed. "I was at the Starbucks kiosk one day talking to Billy. He's my coffee man." She explained. "Anyways as I was leaving I looked down to read a message on my phone and then she shoved herself into me and spilled that scalding hot liquid all over my shirt."
"Did you punch her in her face?" I asked grinning at her.
"Ugh I wish. I'm trying not to get in trouble." She smiled. "So instead I turned the other cheek and punched the wall back in my dorm." She told me. I chuckled at her. Addison had always been one to take her frustrations out on objects instead of others. I had taught Addison how to fight to protect herself against the girls at school. They were always bullying her and it made me sick.
::Flashback::
"Oh look girls it's accident Addison!" Sarah chided.
"Daddy admitted he made a mistake a ran away!" Her minions snickered. I could see the pain on her face. Addison hated when people talked about her dad. It was soft spot for her and they know it. That's why they targeted it. Sarah and her bitches got up and made their way over to the Addison who sat by herself at the lunch table. She preferred it that way.
"Hey Addison." Sarah grinned.
"Go away." I heard Addison say.
"Like daddy did? He didn't want you and nobody else does either so do us all a favor. Kill yourself." She hissed. Addison hastily got up from the table and stormed out of the cafeteria. I watched as Sarah and the dogs followed. So I followed. They had gone out to the hallways. I saw Sarah grab Addison by the shoulder and spin her around. She kicked her in her gut and one of her puppets shoved her into the lockers and struck her across the face. Sarah craned her arm back to take a blow at her before I grabbed her arm. She looked at me as if I had lost my mind.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"Leave. Her. Alone." I growled.
"Jeff...baby. What are you talking about? Are you defending her?" She asked. Now it was my turn to look at her like she'd lost her mind.
"Yes, I'm defending her. You've got to understand something, she was here before you and she's my friend. You will respect her and that's the end of that." I said tightening my grip on her wrist. She frowned and pull herself away from me. She walked off angrily and her friends of course followed. I looked to Addison. She was still against the lockers leaning over with her hand on her bruised cheek. She sniffled and her body shook. I felt bad. I could've prevented this.
"Addy." I said. She looked at me. Wiped her nose. And then smiled.
"I'm fine." She lied. "They can't hit that hard."
"You sure you don't wanna go see the nurse?" I asked. She nodded her head and wiped her tears away wincing when her hand grazed her cheek.
"I just wanna go home." She said. I nodded and took her under my arm and we left the building together. We drove in my car out to our secret place in the woods. To the old barn we'd found out there on one of our adventures. We went there and we lied down on the pallet we'd made on the floor and she fell asleep quickly.
::End of Flashback::
"I really think you should start taking up for yourself Addy. Let these girls know you're a force to be reckoned with. I said as she curled up on the bed with me.
"Jeff, they're not worth my time." She sighed.
"You always say that." I smiled.
"And I keep hoping that you'll believe it one day." She giggled.
"Goodnight Addy." I said kissing her head.
"Goodnight Jeffy."