California Dreaming
Chapter 06
It was a week before Alyssa could bring herself to try talking to George again. He'd remained his usual gruff self during sessions, not talking or opening up about anything in his life. Occasionally he would talk about his daughter - in fact, Ava seemed to be the only thing George did want to talk about.
It was a warm, sunny afternoon and the twenty-three year old blonde was feeling better than she had in years. Part of her supposed it was the sobriety - or at least, that was what Jeff had her believing, anyway. It had been about two months since she'd had her last drink or gotten high, and she had to admit, it was pretty nice not having to worry about fulfilling that need. Being sober had given her a new appreciation for things she'd been taking for granted - the sun, and how warm it could feel on her skin, for example. The trees, and how they looked so damn magnificent.
George, and how heartbroken she was for him.
It was that heartache that had her approaching him this Sunday afternoon as he sat in the corner of the yard, a cigarette dangling lazily from his lips as he wrote something out on a piece of paper. She wondered if it was a letter for his daughter but then remembered that his ex had taken off with the little girl. She made a mental note to keep that to herself as she walked up to him, sitting next to him on another chair.
"You're looking peachy as always. What's got you so happy these days?"
His tone didn't sound sarcastic or snippy like it had a week ago, and Alyssa couldn't help but smile in response as he dropped the pen and paper for a moment, lifting his gaze to hers.
"I guess this whole sobriety thing isn't so bad, after all. You should try it." She teased him before biting down on her bottom lip before lying back on the chair. He chuckled, shaking his head before snubbing out his half-smoked cigarette.
"And lose all this charm? You've gotta be joking."
The two of them sat in silence for several moments before George sat up, looking up at her again. "Lyss, I just wanted to say I'm s--"
"Don't," she cut him off, shaking her head. Their eyes met, and she reached for the cigarette he'd just put out. "You don't need to apologize, George."
"I was an asshole."
"You were," she agreed. "But I've been a bitch to you before, too."
Silence settled over them for several moments before he shook his head, pulling his glasses off. This took Alyssa by surprise - she'd only ever seen him without his glasses once, and it had been his first day at rehab. He hadn't been in much of a talking mood then, and she hadn't been certain that she'd ever get to know him at all.
"At least let me take you out to dinner once we get out of this place, yeah? To make it up?"
She could tell that George was out of his element here. A guy like him, looking the way he did, she was certain that he never really had to ask women out. She was sure they dropped like flies around him - and she was sure that he had plenty of experience. It was probably uncomfortable for him to be properly asking someone out for once. The blonde arched her eyebrow, a playful smile on her face.
"I'm not a cheap date. It better not be somewhere like McDonald's or Taco Bell." She joked. The look on his face eased up a bit and she could sense the relief on him at her joke.
"I'm sure we can figure something out."
Before Alyssa had a chance to reply, Jeff opened the patio door and called for everyone to come inside. Some people were leaving treatment today, while others were arriving and they had scheduled a mandatory meeting for this afternoon. George stood up and for the first time, he waited for her to walk with him instead of just going in without her.
It was a warm, sunny afternoon and the twenty-three year old blonde was feeling better than she had in years. Part of her supposed it was the sobriety - or at least, that was what Jeff had her believing, anyway. It had been about two months since she'd had her last drink or gotten high, and she had to admit, it was pretty nice not having to worry about fulfilling that need. Being sober had given her a new appreciation for things she'd been taking for granted - the sun, and how warm it could feel on her skin, for example. The trees, and how they looked so damn magnificent.
George, and how heartbroken she was for him.
It was that heartache that had her approaching him this Sunday afternoon as he sat in the corner of the yard, a cigarette dangling lazily from his lips as he wrote something out on a piece of paper. She wondered if it was a letter for his daughter but then remembered that his ex had taken off with the little girl. She made a mental note to keep that to herself as she walked up to him, sitting next to him on another chair.
"You're looking peachy as always. What's got you so happy these days?"
His tone didn't sound sarcastic or snippy like it had a week ago, and Alyssa couldn't help but smile in response as he dropped the pen and paper for a moment, lifting his gaze to hers.
"I guess this whole sobriety thing isn't so bad, after all. You should try it." She teased him before biting down on her bottom lip before lying back on the chair. He chuckled, shaking his head before snubbing out his half-smoked cigarette.
"And lose all this charm? You've gotta be joking."
The two of them sat in silence for several moments before George sat up, looking up at her again. "Lyss, I just wanted to say I'm s--"
"Don't," she cut him off, shaking her head. Their eyes met, and she reached for the cigarette he'd just put out. "You don't need to apologize, George."
"I was an asshole."
"You were," she agreed. "But I've been a bitch to you before, too."
Silence settled over them for several moments before he shook his head, pulling his glasses off. This took Alyssa by surprise - she'd only ever seen him without his glasses once, and it had been his first day at rehab. He hadn't been in much of a talking mood then, and she hadn't been certain that she'd ever get to know him at all.
"At least let me take you out to dinner once we get out of this place, yeah? To make it up?"
She could tell that George was out of his element here. A guy like him, looking the way he did, she was certain that he never really had to ask women out. She was sure they dropped like flies around him - and she was sure that he had plenty of experience. It was probably uncomfortable for him to be properly asking someone out for once. The blonde arched her eyebrow, a playful smile on her face.
"I'm not a cheap date. It better not be somewhere like McDonald's or Taco Bell." She joked. The look on his face eased up a bit and she could sense the relief on him at her joke.
"I'm sure we can figure something out."
Before Alyssa had a chance to reply, Jeff opened the patio door and called for everyone to come inside. Some people were leaving treatment today, while others were arriving and they had scheduled a mandatory meeting for this afternoon. George stood up and for the first time, he waited for her to walk with him instead of just going in without her.