Zed laid there for a couple of hours, wondering if Addison would come by. She hadn't for the past few nights…maybe he'd ruined his chances with her. Ever since their little disagreement after he ate her out, she'd been extra distant. Maybe he was just so bad at it that she wasn't sexually attracted to him anymore.

He let out an exasperated groan as he tossed the now soggy bag of peas on his nightstand. "I won't be the type to sit and wait around my whole life," he decided, "I have to talk to her."

He changed back into his jeans, threw on a T-shirt, and headed for his window. After very slowly climbing out, careful not to make any noise that would alert his parents, he stayed crouched when he turned toward the road.

It was well past 10 o'clock so it was pretty dark out, except for the street lamps and the moonlight. His heart was racing from the adrenaline rush. He'd never snuck out before. He tried to stick close to the house, then the trees, then sprinted across the street in hopes no one would see him, then behind Addison's tree, until he could finally sneak up to her bedroom window he'd seen her smoking out of the first day.

He peeked in, her light was off so it was hard to see. He lightly tapped the window pane, and waited, praying that was actually her room and not her father's. A chill ran down his spine and he started questioning all his life choices as the seconds dragged on and he began spiraling into an existential crisis, debating if he should just run back and dive into his own window to never leave the house again till he withered and died.

His panic was interrupted by the sound of the window sliding open and his wide, fearful eyes were met with confused blue ones.

"Zed? What are you doing here? Hurry! Get inside before someone sees you!" She whisper-yelled, pulling his arm in an attempt to speed up the process. Zed climbed in, just relieved he'd picked the right room, his overpowering nervousness already settling.

Once he was fully inside, sitting haphazardly on the floor, Addison slid the window closed with a sigh. "What are you doing here?" She asked again, in her normal tone this time.

"Shh! I don't want your dad to kill me!" He whisper-yelled in a panic again. Addison laughed.

"Calm down. He's already passed out. Every time he sees my mom he gets completely obliterated to drown his sorrows. You're safe." She assured him with an eye roll. "But if the Patrol were to see you sneaking around our house, they might shoot you." She added. Zed paled, making her laugh again.

"I-I'm sorry. I can go i-if you want me to. I, um, I just couldn't sleep and-" Addison made a scoffing noise that cut him off.

"Wanted a late-night booty call?" She finished for him. Zed blushed furiously and shook his head.

"No no! Not like that! I was just, I was worried I'd upset you the other night since I haven't seen you even at school until that fight." He explained. Addison blinked in confusion.

"Really? You snuck out to make sure we're good?" She asked for clarity. Zed avoided eye contact but nodded in confirmation.

Addison didn't know what to think. First, he sneaks over to her house where he knows she lives with her Police Officer father, and, second, it's to make sure she's not mad at him. Was he a saint or something? Or was this an act to mess with her?

She sighed, coming to sit in front of him with her legs tucked beneath her. "Listen, Zed, you're a really sweet guy and, I'm not that sweet of a girl." She started, Zed's face fell but her own eyes were avoiding his so she hadn't noticed. "I've done nothing but cause you problems since you moved here. I don't wanna be the reason you fight with your family, or corrupt your innocence, or get you suspended, or get kicked off the football team, or any other things that I could possibly fuck up for you." She finally looked up and was shocked by the soft smile he had on his face.

"W-what?" She asked nervously. Zed shook his head. Maybe she didn't mean it that way, but he was hearing that she cared about him and didn't wanna be a burden, which she was far from in his mind. He got up on his hands and knees to close the gap between them.

"You've also shown me not everyone sucks in this stupid town." He said softly.

She sucked in a quick breath then closed the last few inches separating their lips, careful of his injured nose because she knew how much that hurt. Her hands cradled his jaw, his pulling her towards him until she was straddling his lap. She kept her kisses soft and delicate, trying to keep his face in the least amount of pain as possible. Even if he didn't seem to be taking the same precautions, wincing every time he accidentally brushed his nose across hers.

They stayed like that, tongues dancing and hands roaming, for longer than Addison thought she'd ever only kissed before. The emotions she was feeling confused her but she just tried to ignore them and enjoy the way kissing him felt.

Eventually, after about the sixth time he'd bumped his nose against hers, he finally pulled back.

"I'm sorry. But I think I gotta stop." He apologized as he held his throbbing appendage.

She giggled, gently removing his hand and tilting his head up so she could see. With the lights off, she couldn't get a great view, but the moonlight let her see enough that he didn't have much swelling which was a good sign.

"I don't think it's actually broken. But you're definitely gonna be sore for a while." She explained, then got up off him. "I'll go grab the peas, make yourself comfortable on my bed if you want." She offered as she left the room.

Zed got up and took the opportunity to look around a little, not to snoop but to look at the things she had out on display. Like the shelf of trophies and a little framed 4x6 picture of little Addison, maybe 6, with blonde hair sitting atop her dad's shoulder while her mother smiled up at her. The picture showing a completely different story than what he saw earlier in Principal Lee's office.

"We looked picture perfect, didn't we?" The sudden voice made him jump slightly. Addison giggled and took his arm to guide him to the bed she'd instructed him to go to in the first place.

"Yeah, they seem to really hate each other now." His observation wasn't really wrong, but for some reason, she felt the urge to correct him.

"They don't hate each other. At all actually." She said with a sigh, offering the bag of peas she'd gone to grab. Zed took it from her hand and gently placed it along his aching nose.

"So they love each other but can't get over their disagreements." He said in understanding. She made a noise of disgust.

"Love doesn't exist." Addison scoffed. Zed blinked.

"Is that what you think?" He asked curiously. She nodded.

"My dad cried every night for months after my mom left. I heard it every night. And he's the one who told her to go!" She hated this. Her eyes pricked but something inside her was pushing onward.

"And my mom." She let out a dry laugh. "She tells me all about it. All the arguments and how horrible my dad is. And how I-I'm just like him. I-I just cause them both a headache." Her voice grew weak and cracked.

Zed scooted closer to wrap her in a comforting embrace, peas dropped forgotten on the other side of the bed. "You are not a burden Addison." He whispered, kissing the top of her head.

Addison turned and buried her face into his chest as the dam broke. The barrier keeping all her feelings and insecurities at bay shattering so easily when she talked to Zed. Why was she so weak around him? Or, maybe, it's not weakness?

Her brain felt so foggy with all these old and new thoughts racing across her mind. All she wanted to do was cry, to hide away from reality. With Zed.

She gripped the fabric of his shirt and hoisted herself up connecting their lips. Her kisses were fervid, her mouth moving over his in urgent need. He returned the affections but with the slightest skepticism of her intentions.

His suspensions were confirmed as her hands slid down his torso to the button of his jeans. He broke apart from her lips and held her back almost at arm's length to stop her. He kept a soft expression as he examined her distraught features.

"Addy, I know you're not actually wanting to do that stuff right now, right?" He asked gently.

Her still glossy eyes searched his in confusion but ended up tearing up worse. She shook her head and dropped her forehead into the crook of his neck as she cried even more.

"Please don't leave yet." She begged in a whisper. Zed pulled her flush against him and held her tight.

"I'm not going anywhere." He promised.


"I'm not a cuddler." She grumbled as she was indeed cuddled against his chest. He chuckled from his spot laid back on the bed with the peas once again held against his nose and Addison under his arm.

"But doesn't it feel so nice?" Zed teased, squeezing her tighter and nuzzling his cheek against her hair. She giggled and tightened her own hold around him.

"I guess you are kinda comfy." She playfully relented. Zed removed the pea bag as she tilted her head up and he bent down to plant a feather-light kiss to her lips.

"I'll accept 'kinda'." He joked. "I am gonna corner the market of Addy cuddles though." She giggled again and laid her head back down on his chest, adjusting slightly closer for an even more comfortable position.

"Don't get used to it, Pretty Boy." She said lightheartedly. Zed chuckled as he replaced the makeshift ice pack back to his face but didn't argue. She'd come around. Hopefully.


Zed let out a big yawn, only about the tenth in the last half hour. He knew it had to be getting super late and needed to get home before long. Not that he wanted to.

His time with Addison has been his personal dose of bliss; deep talks, getting to know each other on another level, and genuinely bonding as they cuddle cozily on her bed. This tough girl exterior she put on was a mask, a suit of armor for the huge heart she hid in her chest. Zed was just lucky enough to see her show it.

But all good things must come to an end.

"I should be heading home." He sighed, giving her shoulders a tight squeeze before letting her go.

"Awww…can't you just…stay the night?" She tried convincing him, her big, pleading, doe eyes making his stomach flutter.

He let out a breathy laugh and shook off the butterflies. "I would, but I'm pretty sure your dad would lock me up and lose the key if he caught me in here with you."

Addison sighed heavily as she sat up off of him a little more. "You're right," the annoyance on her face, however, quickly shifted to curiosity as her brow lifted. "Ya know, most guys would be scared off when they found out my dad's the chief. But you~," she mused, tapping the tip of his nose so lightly that he barely felt it, "you snuck into his house. You're pretty brave, Superstar."

Zed laughed and she did too. He never wanted this night to be over.

"Not brave enough to get the shit beat out of me by your dad and mine once they find out," he countered jokingly once they settled.

"Yeah," Addison giggled, sliding off the bed so he could as well. She instantly felt cold, missing his warmth more than she thought she could.

Sidestepping to get out of his way, they head over to the window where he'll make his exit. She kept her gaze down in disappointment until Zed wrapped her in a tight embrace. Her eyes widened for a moment, then she softened, returning the hug with a squeeze around his middle. Of course, it didn't last nearly long enough for her liking as he pulled back and climbed out the window.

"Zed, wait," she called out softly to stop him.

He turned back, her hands immediately cupping his jaw to gently guide him back to her lips for one last goodnight kiss. His eyes slid closed, melting into her affectionate kiss that lingered for a long moment. His hand lifted to tangle in her hair but was interrupted before he could when they quickly broke apart as a car drove down the street.

Zed had plastered himself to the side of the house in fear but Addison giggled. "It wasn't a patrol car, they didn't even slow down, I think we're safe." She said quietly, giggling again when his shoulders relaxed from his heavy sigh of relief.

"Good. I better get back while I have the chance." He smiled up at her. She gave him a small nod before stretching down for a quick peck this time. His smile widened when they pulled away before he took off sprinting across the street.

Addison watched him from her windowsill until he was out of sight, safe back in his own room. She let out a sigh as she closed her window, deciding to try and lay down. Knowing sleep wasn't going to come easy for her tonight.