"Pick up five," Aria grinned as she slapped down a Queen of Spades on the deck.

I narrowed my eyes and slowly picked up my additional cards, then pretended to organize them. I placed a Jack of Spades. "Skip your turn," Then put down a three of Spades.

Arias face was fixated with concentration. She put down a series of cards and relaxed into satisfaction. She knocked twice. "Last card," She said, taunting.

I smiled. I had cards that could be placed down to force her to pick up more cards, leaving her with no choice but to lose. I picked up a card from the fresh deck. "I can't place anything. It's your turn." I said.

Aria slapped down her final card, a four of diamonds. "Do you want to play countdown? Give you a chance to catch up to me?" She asked, a twinkle of hope in her voice.

I nodded. "So then you're on level seven." I stated.

"And you're still on eight."

"Indeed," I replied, pretending to be focused on my cards. "Can I ask you something?" I asked while picking up another card that I didn't need.

She raised an eyebrow. "That's new. What's up?"

"What happened while you were visiting your parents?" I asked.

Aria stopped rearranging her cards and looked up at me. "Why do you ask?" She asked, big eyed. She settled back into her cards.

"Because I know something is bothering you."

"How did you figure that?" She asked with a surprise, not daring to look up.

I gave her a warm smile while placing down a card. "You're not smiling as much." I said. "I can tell you're trying to play it off that you're fine but I also know that's a charade."

Aria had a crease in between her eyebrows. "How did you figure that out?" She placed down another card.

"Because I just know you." I said, simple. "Did something happen with your parents?" I hated the thought of her being unhappy. She's been acting off since she's returned; Not being as open as before and remaining quiet more than usual which has made me the talker of the two.

"Every time I see them something happens," She chuckles darkly. "But it wasn't them."

"Your brother?" I narrowed my eyes in worry. The last thing I'd want to hear is that her brother betrayed her. He was her main source of support. I'd hope to be that one day.

She shook her head. "It's stupid. I ran into my ex while I was visiting."

At first, fear crept up on me. She saw her ex, and I was scared to know what she was thinking when she saw him. But then I remembered a large detail of the loser she once dated. And I didn't fear my analyzing thoughts.

I clenched my jaw and picked up another card. "Ah. You mean..."

She nodded slowly.

"Did he hurt you?" I asked, harsher than intended. If he touched her...

She shook her head again. "No, not like that or anything. I don't know. When I ran into him, it just brought up a lot of memories. He made spiteful comments towards me, mocking me. I guess it just stuck." She frowned and placed down another card.

I sighed, staggered. "What did he say?" My jaw was aching from biting down so hard.

"That I was the one that put out for a bunch of guys that night and gave him an STD. That I was a bad lay, the ugliest he's had and all this other stuff that he spread about me. It shouldn't matter," she tried hard to dismiss.

She hadn't glanced up at me since her confession and it bothered me. It bothered me more to know that she was so put down that she had taken it home with her.

"Aria, you're beautiful." I frowned. She truly was. Possibly the most beautiful girl I've met. "Please don't let some low life shoot down your confidence. You're so much more than you feel, I wish you'd believe me." I couldn't believe such a person would spread lies like that, especially to someone like her. It was disgusting.

"It's your turn..." She whispered.

"You know, one of my favorite things about you is your confidence." I said and knocked twice to indicate I only had one card left. She remained silent. "And your eyes, those big blue curious eyes, so captivating." Eyes that were fixated on her cards and not me. "And that even when I'm nothing but a walking tornado, you can so easily walk into the storm and calm it." Still no response. "How you've freed yourself more and more throughout the time we've been hanging out. Your angelic laugh." I tilted my head to the side, and smiled blissful. "I could happily listen to you laugh all day."

Even though she was looking down at her cards, I could tell her facial expression changed. There was the smallest hint of a smile. She placed down her last card and moved on to level four.

"How much of a smartass you can be and yet, I can't get enough of it." I continued. "Fuck you can be so annoyingly right sometimes. And I-"

"Stop," She dragged out the word in a bashful voice. She looked up with a smile on her face. "You're so cheesy - You really mean all of that?"

"I could keep going. Don't let someone so insignificant put you down. You deserve the world. Trust me." I said, keeping a genuine voice even though I had thoughts of violence towards him.

"I do trust you," She said. "Thank you."

"I like that smile," I commented simple and picked up a card that I didn't need to. "You should keep it."

"You're right. For once," She giggled. Then sighed. "He's an asshole. I just hope he doesn't do that to other girls like he's done to me."

I frowned momentarily before replacing it with a cold face. He took something from her that she could never get back, and no matter how okay she says she is, it's something that will affect her for the rest of her life.

"Say the word and I can have him taken care of." I picked another card, then put down two spades.

"You know people in California?"

I nodded slowly. "I know a lot of people."

There was a brief silence in the room. She grinned suddenly and placed down her last card. "I win."

*

The snow was heavy, puffy white polka dots defaced the sky. I didn't mind this weather, it was mild but cold enough to have the snow start to pile up on the ground. Every house had lights decorated on their trees and roofs, celebrating for what has just passed.

I couldn't believe I've been back in town for six months and people still avoided me. I hadn't done much wrong since returning. I helped Tony get out of a gang and threatened a few people, but I hadn't gotten in any fights. Yet, I was still given dirty looks left and right, and they still had a look of fear in their eyes when they saw me. Sometimes it sucked. I was trying to behave myself but no one believed it.

I parked my truck on the side of the road and somehow ended up wandering around a scrap yard, a forty minute drive from town. I didn't know how I ended up here, I was supposed to be going to a narcotics meeting.

Under the soft coated snow, a hunk of black wood was underneath. It looked to have just been placed there not too long ago. I wiped the snow off and inspected it. I had a spark of inspiration come out just from looking at it. It looked like the one I used to have.

A sixth sense appeared and I glanced up on instinct. My suspicions were correct, there was a man dressed in all black facing towards me from a distance. He had broad shoulders and his spine was as straight as a pole. I narrowed my eyes in an attempt to distinguish the stranger. His face was cascaded in a shadow from the hood of his jacket. I could only see the bottom of his chin.

He was staring at me, as I stared back at him. Who was that? His direction was becoming irritating, and I contemplated asking for his name or what the fuck he was looking at. I decided against it as I realized it could just be someone from town, and if that was the case, he was probably keeping his distance like the rest of them.

I sighed, annoyed. Was it possible that he was observing me just as I was observing him? Innocent curiosity maybe. Still though, he seemed to have meat on his bones and it would have been nice if he offered a hand to get this giant object on the back of my pick up.

What the fuck was a stranger doing in a scrap yard all by himself?

I shook my head. Probably the same thing as I was doing. Paranoia, paranoia.

I glanced in his direction once more, to see that he wasn't there anymore, but there were footsteps in the snow that indicated where he was going; Behind a bunch of junk and out of view. Odd.

I took it home and set it down in the garage, instantly sweating from how heavy it was. I spent all day on it, tuning it, fixing it to perfect. I hadn't worked on something like this in a while, and I had doubts of being able to perfect it. Lucky for me, I'm good with my hands.

I grabbed a stool that was sitting in front of the manmade desk and sat down. I ran my hands over the white and black keys, nervous to test it out. To my suspicions, it played perfectly. I was rusty as I hadn't played in almost five years; Nash owned a lot of expensive things and a piano was one of them. I used to play almost daily, even when I was the most wired. It was a piece of me that I liked to hang onto - music was a release.

I didn't know what I was playing, and mainly it was just made up pieces that I've written in the past. I was surprised that I didn't forget the notes, but hell was I ever rusty. I was happy that no one was home to hear the disgrace. This would take more practice to get well again, and when I get better, maybe I'd write a song for Aria one day. She tends to like to steal my musical creativity and hold them hostage in her possession. She'd like that, I think.

I hadn't seen her since the twenty-fifth of December, she had gone home to see her parents for two days. She was probably miserable. But, she'd be back tonight and it was a strange feeling to be excited to see someone this much.

I just hoped that she didn't run into her ex again. It was a dangerous thought to think about what he'd do to her if he came close to her. Even though I cut contact ties from most people I knew, I'd still be able to contact them if I needed to. And I would; I would send people after him if he came close to her. If he made her cry again.

I shook the thoughts away when I realized I was playing a deeper sound, an angrier sound. I switched back into gentle keys.

I wonder if she was excited too, but I doubted that greatly. She was probably fixated on just leaving her hometown, not a thought of me in sight.

I paused playing and checked my phone to see missed calls from Tony. What the hell did he want now?

"You still coming tonight?" Tyler appeared behind me, startling me.

"What?" I asked, my heartbeat racing from the unexpected.

"New Years party at my dad's partners penthouse. It's going to be a big one." Tyler grinned. He knew I remembered.

Fancy businessmen in suits, carrying around colorful drinks. I'll fit in perfectly.

"Oh, right," I said, glancing down at a few texts from Tony. "Uh, yeah I'll be there but I have to do some things first." I said, finally looking up at him.

"You bought a piano?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I saved it."

"Oh." He said. "Just show up before Midnight, okay?" He squeezed my shoulder and began walking in the opposite direction to leave me at peace.

"Wouldn't miss it," I said absently.

"Aria will be there too," He nonchalantly said, voice an octave higher than necessary.

It sparked my interest though, exactly what his intentions entailed. A New Years tradition with Aria in the same room as me; This party sounded a lot more interesting than a second ago.

"Will she now?" I shrugged.

Tyler smirked. "An open window."

Indeed, it was.

Something that I always felt uncomfortable in, was a suit and tie. I felt like such a phony. But, as Tyler constantly reminded me, it was a black tie event which meant I wasn't allowed to wear my black leather jacket. I suppose it was a good thing, I wouldn't want to be completely out of place with more eyes fixated on me.

I sighed as I stared at myself in the mirror. Tyler's suit was slightly tight on me due to having larger muscles. It was a good thing he was naturally a bigger fellow with a tall size to him. At least it was a black.

My hair was growing a slight bit longer than I intended, seeing as locks were starting to ever so slightly curl around my ears. I'd have to get a cut soon, but I liked having the option to cover bits of my face if I wanted to - which I always wanted to.

Part of me curses at myself for agreeing to go to this party. Usually I'd spend my New Years Eve black out drunk and high rather than making small talk about conversations I couldn't care to learn about. Tyler is lucky he has a piece of my cold, dead heart.

I was excited to see Aria. I had to keep reminding myself that she would be there. Her and Lacey were going to meet up and get ready together. And if Lacey was involved, then they were going to look like absolute bombshells - No doubtingly grasping all eyes on them. I was oddly excited to think about Aria wearing heels and being a little higher up to my face. It'd make things easier at midnight.

Enough of the party though, I had to do something first.

I rolled my eyes at myself as I parked my car outside of Tony's pathetic excuse of a house. If he were to have saved his money and been less reckless, he would be able to afford something very fancy with all the hours he pulled at work. It's too bad.

Tony was bug eyed.

His teeth were chattering, and he was sweating.

"What are you wearing?" He asked, a smile crept on his face, momentarily forgetting his previous thoughts.

I narrowed my eyes. "You're tweaked."

Tony looked around the house before settling back on my face. "I fucked up," He confessed.

I rubbed my face and shook my head before grabbing a seat at his kitchen table and pouring myself a drink. "The fuck did you do now, Tony?"

I swear if I had to use more of my money to get him out of trouble... It'd be me that was the idiot.

"I was clean since that day, you know? I was doing well, I was going to work. I was talking to a lady. She's a real looker, Eli, you'd think so. I know I do. She actually likes me too, you know? I was doing really well." His eyes were drooped but his body was still shaking.

"That's great, Tony." I muttered. "Fucked that up, did you?" He seemed to be on more than just blow.

He slammed his hand on the table, hard and swift. "Don't!" He yelled.

I stared at him while sipping on the whiskey.

He averted his eyes and changed his expression, relaxing. "Sorry." He mumbled.

I remained silent.

"I met up with Sam last week." He said, his eyes still on the table.

I frowned. For fuck sake.

"What the fuck, Tony?"

"He came to me, he came up to me. We used to be friends, you know? We all did, don't you remember? He's not looking too good, he's not. He's lookin' real sick these days, I must say. Heroin must be catching up with him."

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. I didn't care about Sam, he almost forced me back into being a drug dealer. He almost got me and Tony killed.

"Are you selling again?" I asked, ignoring his other antics. I wouldn't be able to help him this time. It was risky enough the first time.

"No, no, no. No." Tony tapped the table, continuously. He couldn't stop moving. "He asked, because Billy asked. But I said no. I listened to you, Eli, I'm not going back there, I don't want to die yet. Especially now, I thought I was doing well, and I really like this girl, you know?" He frowned, jittery. "I don't want to die."

"So you're just buying then?" I shook my head. "That's how you got in debt the first time."

Tony shook his head. "It was just a bit, I want to stop. I did stop. I just fucked it all up, fuck I always do!" He yelled, frustrated and slammed his hands down again. "Eli can you be my sponsor? This girl doesn't like drugs, and she won't talk to me unless I get help, you know? And I want to do better, I don't want to be this way. I don't want to die." He rambled again.

I was becoming irritated by his constant reminders of this girl he was seeing. I couldn't care less about her. She would be smart to just get out while she can; Tony was too weak to change completely. Then it hit me... His sponsor?

I laughed. "You want me to be your sponsor?" Me? The guy who has dipped into everything you can get your hands on? Me, the one who can barely keep his head above water by himself? I barely even like the guy lately.

"You told me you weren't doing anything. You're doing well! Please Eli, I don't want to die."

I narrowed my eyes again and leaned forward on the kitchen table. "Why do you keep saying that, Tony?"

Tony paused and peeked in my direction. "Here you go, buddy," He pushed the bottle of crown to me.

"Why'd you really call me here, Tony?" I growled, low.

His laugh was nervous. He glanced at his phone and looked back up. "He's here."

I creased my forehead, unsure by what he meant.

But when the door opened, everything made sense. Tony wasn't wrong by Sam's appearance. He looked ill. His skin was an odd greyish yellow color and his clothes were baggy on him. Hair was starting to thin, and his cheekbones were starting to sink. Did I look that bad a year and a half ago? Fuck.

I finished my drink and slammed the cup on the table, with such force that it shattered on impact. "What the fuck are you doing here?" I stood up.

Sam cowardly stopped in his tracks.

"He told me he needed to talk to you," Tony jumped in, nervous.

I stepped closer to Sam, he stepped back.

"Eli..." Sam mustered out. "I came here to warn you," He said.

I shook my head, feeling a nice buzz from the booze. I didn't want to hear about anything the fucker had to say. He was a liar, he was a snitch, and he was not to be trusted.

"You may want to leave," I warned.

"You don't understand, I want to make things right!" Sam begged.

I laughed at that. "You're doing a good job of showing that by giving Tony blow, eh?" I nodded my head to Tony.

"It's Billy-" Sam started but became interrupted by my fist connecting to his face. I wasn't going to let him convince me that he was in trouble to lure me back into trouble. I wasn't going to be fooled twice.

Sam staggered backwards and frowned. "What the fuck!" He yelled and stepped forward to me, throwing a punch that I caught mid air. His moves were easy to anticipate.

I threw hand down and elbowed him in the jaw.

I glanced at Tony, which Sam took the opportunity to hit me in the face, my tooth piercing through my lip. I felt blood instantly pool in my mouth and I spat it in Sam's direction.

"Fuck you," I muttered and forcefully kneed him in the stomach, letting him fall to the ground.

"Please-" Sam choked out. "I have..." he stumbled out, interrupted by coughing. "It's not safe..."

Tony jumped from his position and ran up to Sam to check on him. He didn't say anything to me. I couldn't tell if he was relieved by my actions or more terrified.