Chapter 2
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Seuxal referances, drug references
Category: Drama, romance
Summary: Michelle begins her story: When they met.
Disclaimer: All characters are original characters and copyrighted by me, though some are based on real people.
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�I know that it�s difficult for you Michelle, but you will feel better afterwards. I promise,� said Mr. Richards.
I catch my breath and wipe my tears. �I�ll be alright.....here I go. I first met Hayden when Suzy and I were at a party for one of our friends�"
Suzy was my best friend who also happened to work with me at the bar. We were alike in some ways, but we definitely had our differences too.
Suzy had quit school at 14 because she hated it. I left school three months ago because I had to-- I didn�t have enough cash to pay for my apartment and go to school too.....but I have always wanted to go back someday.
Suzy was taking drugs, mostly when we were working. She always was on ecstasy or cocaine. I didn�t take drugs and I never even thought about trying it. I saw her frequently vomiting in the bathroom at the bar because of it and I couldn�t understand how she could love taking that shit.
Suzy and I had been getting coffee one afternoon to chat a bit. She had been telling me a story about a client. Suzy always talked about how much she loved her job because it was such quick and easy money. She was 19, same as me, but she was already doing contact dances. She was one of the most sought after girls at the bar and she loved it.
We got our drinks and headed to a table next to the window. It was summertime and people were out and about in Toronto, enjoying the weather. We were making our way to the table, when Suzy's cell phone rang. She answered it and she began to beam like she had won the lottery. She closed her phone and grabbed me by the hand to lead me outside.
�Hummm�can you tell me why we ran out of Starbucks like that?� I asked, taking back my hand.
�Josh is having a big party at his house and we are both invited!!� She was still beaming.
�Why you didn't you tell me before?! That's awesome!" I exclaimed.
When we arrived at Josh�s house, the party had already started. Some people were already drunk and loud music pumped from the speakers. We made our way to the kitchen where we found Josh who appeared to be very cozy with a tall blonde girl.
�Hey Casanova!� Suzy yelled at him.
He turned his head towards us and when he recognized us, his eyes lit up and he ran over to hug us. We were chatting for a moment when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and my eyes widened as I recognized who it was. Jamie! I had gone to elementary school with her, we always use to chat a lot during our classes together. I hugged her and noticed two men behind her who were very, very tall.
�It doesn�t help that I�m only 5'3."
Everybody laughs as I go back to my story. I noticed one guy was wearing dark jeans with a blue t-shirt and the other was wearing a black polo shirt, dark jeans and a black cap. I was trying to see their faces in the dimly lit room when Suzy�s voice brought me back to Earth. �Who are those two young men behind you girl?� she teased. Suzy has and always will be a flirt. She loved it when she intimidated men with her attitude. I could see both men and started to giggle. Even if I couldn�t see his face, his smile was bright and very gorgeous. Jamie stepped back a little bit and took the hand of the man in the blue t-shirt. �This is Joey, my boyfriend and this is his friend, Hayden.� She said. Neither me nor Suzy had paid attention to his name. We just shook their hands and began to chat with them like everyone else. We didn�t see the look that Josh gave to Jamie when they noticed that we hadn't even recgonized who Hayden was. They were very nice. Jamie and Joey were such a cute couple and Hayden seemed to be a bit more on the shy side.
Josh gave us a beer and we continued to talk with everyone, going back to the middle of the party. I let out a scream of excitement when I heard my song and led Suzy and Jamie to the makeshift dance floor in the living room. We were dancing to the beat when I caught his glance for the first time. I couldn't make out the full features of his face but he was cute; a beautiful face with a square jaw, a cute little nose in the middle, above a delicious mouth with two plumps lips and the most mesmerizing and piercing blue eyes that I�ve seen in my entire life. He was watching us dancing and he was talking with Joey and Josh.
I told the girls that I was thirsty and had to get a drink. I walked in the kitchen and got a glass of water. That�s when I noticed Suzy. She was talking on her cell phone in such a hurry, grabbing her things and my arm at the same time as she hung up.
�We have to go to the club now. Sally doesn�t feel good. She can�t stop throwing up and Barry wants us to do the show,� Suzy said.
I was disappointed but helped her find Josh to say our goodbyes for the evening. Suzy excused herself to the bathroom.
�I hope that I will see you soon. I�m very happy that I got to see you tonight,� Jamie said, giving me a hug. I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen to give her my number.
�You are leaving already? Joey asked with surprise.
�Yes, we have to go to work.� I replied.
�Where are you working?� Hayden asked suddenly.
That was the first time in my life since I had been working for Barry that I was ashamed to tell someone what I did for a living. He wasn�t exactly intimidating to me. I didn�t know what it was - I didn�t even know him. I was about to reply when Suzy came back from the bathroom. We said our final goodbyes and just before we left, Joey grabbed Hayden�s cap. We were in the brightly lit kitchen now - we recognized him immediately. Our eyes widened and Suzy's jaw dropped as I looked at him in surprise.
�Oh my god�.you�re�..you�.you are�.� Suzy could barely speak. She was in shock.
I was holding my own to remain calm - it was hard for me believe that he was here at this party with a bunch of us 'common' people. I never thought that he was some kind of cocky and arrogant actor but I never expected this either. Suzy grabbed my arm and began to jump like a little girl.
�OH MY GOD M, IT�S HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN. OH MYGOD I HAVE LOVED YOU SINCE 'LIFE AS A HOUSE'�� Suzy was beaming like a child at Toys R Us.
Luckily for her, Hayden wasn�t angry that she was acting like she did. He still seemed a little bit shy but he was smiling. When he looked at me, I I just stood there, not sure what to say or do. I was still looking at him with wide eyes. Suzy�s voice made me realize that I was still looking at him. My head turned in her direction but I found my gaze going back to Hayden. I grabbed Suzy by the arm and we walked to the main door.
�M?� Josh called after me.
I turned my head back and looked at him. �Are we still on for coffee tomorrow night?" he asked.
�Yeah sure-- my apartment- 7PM.� I looked at Jamie. �If you want to come, you are welcome as well,� I said to her.
We left the party and headed to work. The night went by like every other night at work. I did the stage dances, made quite a bit of cash and finished my shift in the private client area. When I was finished, I found Suzy, lying on the bathroom floor, leaning on the toilet bowl, her hands were gripping the seat tightly.
She was wreaked of alcohol and cigarettes and was pale as a ghost�
I sighed to myself as she looked up at me.
It was evident she was on drugs again�as always.