January 15, 2024
"You mean to tell me you just spent a week and a bit with a random rich guy in the Hamptons because his dick was big?" Gabe asked as he sat in front of Addys desk since they had come back to work now after the holidays. Addy rolled her eyes as she looked up to Gabe after signing the pages in front of her.
"Yeah so? He was fun. Went back to wherever two days ago, which is good since Colin is coming back in a week."
"…don't tell me you are still leading that poor man on?" Gabe felt bad for Colin because he knew the guy was falling for Addy when all she wanted is sex. She shrugged.
"He is a good fuck, three months should be over soon so I will end it. Easy." She returned to her papers.
"…did you meet that guy on Christmas? After our call?" Gabe had been wondering the whole time since Addy had told him about this mystery man she disappeared with and no one heard from her for days.
"Yes, why?"
"No…no reason." He gave a tight smile which Addy didn't notice, he knew it had to have been because of the thing he said to Addy about her having some form of a feeling towards Zoe. He didn't say she liked her, just that she might actually enjoy her, she is actually caring for someone, having more than one friend, she is so adamant on letting no one close to her, she won't even have friends. Maybe that is why Addy went and had sex with someone, she didn't like the fact that she was enjoying someone's company when she doesn't even consider them at all a friend.
Gabe left without saying anything and Addy didn't question him.
Over on the other side of town, Zoe was in Blairs office as she too is back at work. Zoe lay on the couch as Blair did her emails and set things up, answering to a bunch of people. While not looking up from her laptop, she spoke.
"Have you thought about going back to teaching yet? Its been over two years now." Zoe sat upright on the couch. She frowned, why did she say that all of a sudden.
"Um, I have not. Why? Do you want me to start paying for more?" That made Blair look up to her.
"No, but it is time you get a job-
"I have a-
"A job you have a qualification in that you worked your ass off to get. Zo, you need to teach again, I know you miss it." Blair said as she looked at her friend.
They both knew what happened at her last school, she knew why she was scared but she knew her friend, she was meant to be a teacher.
"..I don't miss it." Zoe whispered, Blair raised an eyebrow.
"You lectured your custom on the production on coca beans."
"He asked!"
"No, no he did not- just think about it? Please? You can go work at a college or a state school-
"I don't want to Blair! Okay! I'm not ready!" That made Blair shut up and that made Zoe pack her things and leave.
19th January, Friday.
Zoe was sitting waiting for her date, she was at a very fancy restaurant, Addy paid so she didn't say anything. Speaking of her, she was still on her little crush about her, still having these funny feelings that she knew she wasn't supposed to have, Blair would have her head.
Blair.
She wasn't speaking to her, she made she sure worked the whole week. Ever since her and Addy became friends, Blair is unbearable. She can't stand to listen to her best friend talk her down like she is some child, like she can't think for herself or she is just… stupid.
Addison didn't see her like that, she didn't know how she said her. She wanted her to see. Did she? No. no.
No! she didn't want that- her heart suddenly raced at the thought of the older woman. Thinking about her smile she gives her, the soft turn of her lips that look soft, her eyes that give her gentle looks-
"Zoe?" She was broken out of her head and those horrible thoughts when she saw the woman she was supposed to be on a date with when she realized she knew her.
"Fuck me, you?" Natasha rolled her eyes, she didn't even sit as she crossed her arms.
"How the fuck do you know Addsion?" Zoe frowned
"How do you?"
"We fucked, duh. She didn't- have you and her-"
"No… she is helping me find- I didn't know it was you." She spat, the other woman rolled her eyes again as she sighed.
"…honestly I didn't think it was you either but I took a chance."
They were quiet for a moment. The noise of the dining room around them gentle as scattered conversations echoed and plates clicked.
Zoe felt uncomfortable.
She knew Addy had Colin over. She didn't want to talk to Blair. She didn't want to be here.
Still, she stood up and put her coat back on.
"Oh, come on, aren't you even going to try?"
"No, I have more self-respect that this- also, I didn't even think you liked girls! You were very, very against it in college, then again, you did have a thing for Blair- hang on, is that why you went out tonight?"
Natasha seemed like she had been caught, this made Zoe scoff as she pulled her coat on further.
"Great. Just great." She said as she walked past her.
At Addisons.
Addison rubbed her face as she just came again as Colin lay down next to her, panting. They shared a look and then a laugh.
"I have a question." He turned to his side as Addy looked up at him.
"Yes?"
"I know you mentioned a sister, is there any-
"If you are going to ask if you can meet her, or my family, no." Now Addy had more of a reason to break this off. He frowned as he watched her sit up, lighting a cigarette. He did the same as they both sat against the headboard.
"Why?"
"Complicated."
"…can I have a name of them?" why did he care so damn much? She thought. Blowing smoke out her lips as she sighed.
"Parents are Dean and Margret Marlow. My sister is a little over a year older than me and her name is Allison… I have a bad relationship with my family." She admitted as she didn't look at him, he hummed.
She now looked at him and hummed with a frown.
"What?" she asked
"Your parents can't like you, they named you something so similar to your older sister."
Now she scoffed and then made quick to kill her cigarette.
"Gee thanks for the information, get out." She demanded as she stood up and got dressed, Colin was confused.
"What-
"Out! Now! I don't want you here!"
"I am sorry! I didn't mean to offend you-
"Well, you did, get out. Now." She picked his jeans up and threw them at him as he grabbed them. Clearly shocked as he didn't fight.
Making quick to get dressed and leave. Not looking at her as she looked out the window. He wanted to comfort her, he thought they were on the same page and both had feelings.
No. this was not the case.
"Addy-
"You can stop coming around… I don't want to keep doing this." She said with her back to him, he frowned. His hand gently on her shoulder as she was turned around.
"Hey, I am sorry for what I said, I didn't mean to be rude, I am sorry, don't do this-
"Colin, I am using you. Can't you see that?!" She laughed, her hands up in the air. He frowned still.
"What?"
"Are you dumb? Is the muscles really making you that dumb? I am USING you. FOR SEX! This hand gesture is not a relationship. I do not have feelings for you, thanks for the dick but I don't want anything more! I see now that this has gotten too far-
"Wait… wait you don't- this is nothing? The looks, the calls, the late nights-
"I used you! Geez I wanted sex and then I thought, I like his dick, I will keep him around, but this is too much!" She didn't see how hurt he was by this.
He stepped back, shocked and hurt.
"You are heartless. How- how can you do that!?" He shouted
"Easy! Fuck and then forget about you while I have sex with someone else!"
"You were sleeping with other people!?" great, they are fighting. This is what Addison avoids.
"Yes! We weren't dating, we never put a label, just because I kept up with you, I am automatically yours?" She shouted
"I don't- how can you do that! Why? Why would you do that to me- to anyone? Do you even consider anyone's feelings!?" She scoffed at his words
"Go cry about it somewhere else-
"Let me get this straight for my own clarity, you would rather have countless, meaningless strangers in your bed than have one person who means something to you!?" That made Addy shut up.
Was that bad? She looked away from him and he laughed.
"… I don't want one person who means something to me because that means I have something to lose. This is easier. Simple. Feelings make pain and pain complicates and compromises things." She said simply as he just stared at her.
They didn't say anything. The noise of the city behind them.
"…you have a problem. I hope you realise it before it hurts you." He said before walking past her and basically storming out her apartment, she ran after him, suddenly feeling bad.
"Colin-
They reached the front door as Colin opened it, they looked at each other, then at the now open door as there stood a very confused Zoe.
"um.. I can leave-
"Don't. I was leaving." Colin said as he brushed past Zoe and to the elevator, Addy watched him leave.
Her shoulders slumped. She knew she could have been a lot nicer than this. He didn't need that, he was a good guy. Too good for her and she was actually the problem.
Zoe looked at Addy now as the older woman was rubbing her forehead.
"Come in." She said quietly.