-Julie-
After Alistair left, I returned to the van, knowing that Alistair wouldn't be that far away. My plan was to call him in later that night and pick up where we left off. Of course, it was with that plan in mind that I found myself impatiently waiting for Ryan to light something up or do something that would start the chain reaction of everyone else getting high.
Apparently Ryan sensed my apprehension, for it prolonged it as long as possible. But I could see the strain on his face, the desperation for another joint. I knew he couldn't outlast me.
Finally, Ryan broke and brought out his dwindling stash. That sent fear into my stomach, because I knew he would ask to stop at some point. I really didn't want to be followed by a bunch of druggies wanting their money.
Pulling off on the side of the road, I clambered out, the first whiffs of pot hitting my nose. Alistair was already there waiting, a look of disgust on his face.
"How can you take that smell?" He asked me. "It's so disgusting."
"Maybe it's because I don't have a super nose?" I asked, eyeing him to see if it really was true. Alistair merely nodded, either saying yes or acknowledging my question.
Alistair took my hand and lead me into the trees, which I realized were coming up more and more now. We were getting closer to the more wetter parts of the country.
"I was wondering if I could ask the questions tonight..." He began, looking me in the eyes. "There's so much that I want to know about you...so much that I feared I would never be able to ask."
Biting back my own questions for a later date, I nodded and sat down, crossing my legs.
"Go ahead and ask then."
"Well..." he looked away, his eyes taking on a worried look. "Why do you hang out with them?"
I looked down, holding back a sigh. I knew exactly who 'they' were.
"They're....my friends...." I started but then shook my head. "They're the people that accept me. They don't care about my differences."
"Yes but-" I held my hand up, cutting him off.
"I know, they do drugs, I get it... but once upon a time, not all of them did. Devin was, for a long time, my so-called 'clean-buddy.' Sure...he and Ryan were friends, but it wasn't like that. Ryan never forced him to do anything.
"But then...Dev's curiosity got the best of him...he dabbled...and then.... now he's at Ryan's level. The same goes for Kristen. God, she was gorgeous.... she was the school's queen bee. But...."
"But?" Alistair asked, cupping my cheek.
"But she fell in love with Ryan...she started doing drugs and she lost everything." I bit my lip and sighed. "I don't....want to be like them, but it's the way it is. I've gotten caught up in the wrong crowd."
Alistair's movement was too quick for me to catch. One second I was sitting up, the next I was pinned on my back, Alistair hovering over me, his now orange colored eyes blazing.
"It's not the way it is." He whispered. "You can change it."
"How?" I asked softly, hardly daring to raise my voice.
"You don't have to be with them. You may love them, but you value your future, right?"
I nodded, panting slightly.
"Then make the right choice for you. Either way you won't be alone."
Alistair raised himself, dusting off his arms casually. I merely looked at him, confusion evident on my face.
"I won't be alone?" I asked.
"Of course not." Alistair smiled softly. "You'll never be rid of me."
Hiding the blush on my face, I nodded and asked him to continue his questioning.
AN: Kind of quick. I'm desperate to finish this so I can focus primarily on my babies. Of course, it doesn't mean that this will go unloved. I'm going to write a sequel to this, of course. PLOT TWIST! :D
