Chapter 2
The Party Girl
It was 9 o'clock, I had been home an hour and Katie was yet to talk to me. She was getting ready for the night and had hardly spared a glance in my direction. I knew she was mad, I guess she had every right to be. I knew how to handle myself though. I wasn't an addict. It's not like I needed it to get through a whole day. I went days without it and felt fine. I just needed it then, I just wished she would understand that. Katie hadn't experience the type of heart break I had. She didn't quite understand how he had basically destroyed me.
I got ready for the night; my buzz had already worn off. The come down was worse than I had hoped. I had cried in my car for almost 2 hours before I returned home. I was getting ready in my room when I heard the door slam shut. I called out her name, but there was no avail because she had left. I needed her now most and she was shutting me out. It was my own fault. No one understood what I was going through. I felt as if he had taken my heart from my chest and stomped on it.
I was ready and decided to leave. I knew I would end up going to The Vibe Club where Katie had most likely gone. After a few drinks I would buck up enough courage to apologise and if she was as drunk then she was likely to forgive me. It didn't matter if we didn't because the next morning she would go on as if nothing had happened. She was as resilient as a child. As much as her immaturity could sometimes be a burden, I wouldn't have her any other way.
I arrived at the club at 10 o'clock and the queue seemed on going. I cursed myself for not turning up with Kate since it was unlikely that they would let me into VIP without her. Just as I was about to give up and go home, a Rolls Royce pulled up at the side of the club and out stepped Monika in all her glory. Thankfully, she had noticed me stranded like a lost puppy and called me to join her. We walked in like we were royalty as cameras flashed us and teens called out her name. I was used to it, but the experience was once so surreal to me.
The club was booming and was packed with people. VIP contained the usual celebs that I associated myself with, but at that moment I was feeling too guilty to even be near Katie as she engaged in conversation with the other girls. Monika noticed me wandering to the normal part of the club and tugged my arm.
"Where are you going?" She asked with a devilish look on her face. I knew what she had planned.
Just as I had expected she began leading me into the bathroom. She pulled me into a stall and locked the door. Without saying a word she pulled out a bag of white powder and placed some on her hand before lifting it to her nose and snorting it in one swift motion. Monika was much more adjusted to the whole cocaine thing. I hadn't been doing it long, yet I had strange admiration towards Monika's professional drug taking skills and thought I would copy. She placed some on the back of my hand and I copied her actions. The horrible taste in the back of my throat was definitely something I wouldn't get used to. I needed a drink.
"I am going to the bar." I said as I unlocked the bathroom and left with her on my arm.
"Honey, you know you don't need to go to the bar. There's too much riff raff over there." She gave a sinister chuckle as she led me out of the bathroom and suddenly I was hit by the deafeningly loud music.
In minutes I had begun to feel the effect. Before I knew it, I was on top of the world as I began downing every drink that was pushed my way. Like every time, I was numb to everything except the thrill. My heart was racing, my blood was pumping, and I was on top of the world as I danced around the club without a care. I could see in the corner of my eye as Katie watched on while Monika and I danced around with a look of disgust before she left the club. I didn't care. I was having the time of my life.
Then, I crashed. I sat alone on the couch in the VIP. I had no idea where any of the girls had disappeared to, but all I knew is I was alone and I couldn't see any familiar faces to comfort me on my come down. My head was thumping from the blaring music and I felt as if I was going to pass out. I was sat alone for a while longer when I felt the presence of someone sat beside me. I turned to look and saw those recognisable blue eyes once again. I was more surprised than I was the first time I had seen him earlier this evening. I shook my head slightly and looked back to him to make sure he was still there and my brain wasn't just playing tricks on me. He just continued to stare at me with a look of concern and disappointment, one I was used to getting from my parents.
"Are you stalking me? I got to tell you, you were a lot better at that in Rosewood." I slurred before laughing at my own joke that he didn't find one bit amusing.
"Are you drunk?" He angrily questioned.
"It's a club, Ezra, loosen up." I giggled. When I found myself lost in his eyes again before my eyes began roaming his entire face. "You're so beautiful." I drunkenly smiled as I stroked his face.
His face softened on mine and without a second thought, or without any thought at all, I attached my lips to his. I could tell he was shocked by action at first before he began kissing me back. His kiss was so magical, I remembered it so well. It was as if we had never been apart when his lips caressed mine. I then moved closer to him, straddling his lap as I deepened the kiss which he willingly participated in as our tongues fought against each other. I then pulled away, grazing my teeth against his lips gaining a slight whimper from him that made me giggle before I continued to kissing him again.
"Aria, stop." He advised as he gently pushed me from him. "You're bleeding!"
I slowly brought my hand up to my nose and felt as the blood leaked from it. I looked down at my bloody fingers before I returned my attention to him with a look of fear in my eyes. That's when everything became blurry. I could see his mouth moving, but the only sound I could hear was the buzzing from the music. Then it went dark.
Ezra POV:
"Aria? Aria?" I called as she lay passed out in my lap.
What was going on? I knew for sure that Aria was not just drunk. This wasn't the Aria I knew, but I couldn't dwell on that, I had to make sure she was okay. I cradled her in my arms and carried her out of the club. Thankfully, the streets were empty and I was sober as a judge. I gently placed her into the passenger seat of my car and checked her pulse. Her pulse was racing. I had no experience in drugs, but I knew I couldn't take her to the hospital. The consequences of that would be far too vast. I was at war with myself.
"Aria, can you hear me?" I called to her, but there was still no response. "Fuck." I screamed as I ran my hands through my hair.
I buckled the seatbelt over her unconscious body before I closed the door and jumped into the driver's side. I took a few deep breaths and drove her the only place I could think to go; my apartment.
I had seen this on Pulp fiction, but there was no way I could help her in that way. I had nothing to revive her if she dies. Holy fuck, she can't die. I will not let her die. Maybe I was over thinking it. Maybe it wasn't the drugs that had done this. Maybe it was just the alcohol. God, I hope it's just the alcohol.
I had reached my apartment and frantically exited the car as I ran round to the passenger seat and carried her out. I brought her into my apartment and laid her down on the couch. I knelt beside her head and began lightly tapping her face in the hope of coaxing her awake. Then, as I was about to give up and have a mental break down, her eyes began opening.
"Aria." I let out in a breath of relief as I stroked her cheek.
A small, feeble smile grew on her beautiful lips as she looked up at me with the same adoring gaze I used to wake up to every Saturday and Sunday morning. How did she still manage to look so beautiful in this state? I continued to stroke her cheek before I leant down and kissed her forehead, never wanting to pull away. I thought that I had lost her. I thought I had lost her before I even had the chance to say I was sorry or explain myself. I thought she was going to die hating me.
"Let me get you a drink." I got up and grabbed a bottle of water from my refrigerator before handing it to her and returning to my initial position on the floor beside her head. "How are you feeling?"
She sat up slight before sipping the cold water, "Okay. A bit dizzy." She solemnly replied.
"I guess that's normal." I nodded as I stroked her hair. "Aria, did you consume anything other than alcohol tonight?"
For a minute I hoped she would say no. I hoped she had an excuse for her nose bleed like accidentally scratching the inside or something, anything other than the latter which is that she was snorting cocaine. I knew I was deluding myself if I thought it was anything other than that, but that just wasn't Aria. She was so against all of that. It just didn't make sense to me.
I noticed how she stalled a bit, looking sheepishly at her fingernails. Her look gave me all the answers I needed, but I wanted to hear her say it. I needed her to admit it for me to actually believe it because my heart was at war with my mind. The girl I loved would never do such a thing, but it was the only logical explanation for such a spontaneous nosebleed considering the circumstances.
"I took drugs." She coyly confessed.
I know, it was pretty obvious but hearing those word escape her lips had me frozen in disbelief. I thought back to that innocent girl I had fallen in love with and looked back at the girl beside me and to me it just didn't add up. It was like someone had taken over Aria's body. Everything looked the same, but her mentality was different. I couldn't help but feel as if maybe I was to blame for all of this.
"Sorry, I just need a minute to process." I said as I stood up from the floor and sat on the arm chair opposite the couch she laid on. Then, all sorrow left me as I was filled with anger. "Why would you do something so reckless? How long has this been going on for? Was this the first time? Please tell me this was the first time." I spat, causing her to jolt slightly at my sudden rage.
"You have lost the right to ask me those questions." She rebuked as tears began streaming from her eyes.
"Aria, I am your friend. I am trying to look out for you."
She scoffed and shook her head at me in disbelief. "You are not a friend, you are nothing."
I felt as if my heart had just imploded in my chest as her words reeled in my head. I had deserved it, I guess; then again she didn't know the entire story. It wasn't the right time to tell her. I was too pissed off to explain everything to her. Instead I sat in complete silence as I watched her cry into her hands.
"Take me home." She finally said with a sniffle.
"It's 3 o'clock in the morning. You can sleep in the guest room." I dismissed as I stood up from the couch.
"No, I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to see you. I don't even want to be in the same room as you. Just take me home so we can go about our lives without causing anymore inconvenience for each other." She screamed as she stood up from the couch and began heading towards the door when suddenly she lost all balance and fell to the floor.
"Yeah, you're not going home." I said with finality as I made my way beside her and aided her to the couch.
"I hate you so much." she muttered.
If words could kill consider me dead. I had a feeling that she hated me, I mean who wouldn't, but I just hoped she didn't. You know what they say, hope breeds eternal misery. I was exactly that, miserable. I was miserable without her in my life and, after I thought I might have lost her forever tonight, I wasn't going to allow her to go around hating me for much longer. I was persistent in winning her back. I loved her, I never stopped loving her.
I would like to say that I will be updating 'Maybe It's Not Meant To Be' soon, I have just been very busy lately and have been experiencing some really bad writer's block, for that I am sorry. Thank you your reviews, they mean so much. I have decided to continue writing this story, I hope you enjoy it. Thank you all again.
- Tasha x
