Blood Money - HO

•8•

*Aria's Pov*
There's a knock on my door, and I groan, not wanting any human contact right now.
I pause my show and move the bowl of Doritos off my lap, walking to the door.
I open the door, familiar blue eyes scan me in my lavender pajamas that I've had since I was 17.
"What are you doing here Haz?" I ask.
"You're right, I'm sorry I said we had sex. It was childish and stupid of me. I'm always so worried about what everyone thinks of me and I let that get in the way, I completely understand why you are upset and I am so so sorry" he says. Genuinely.
I stand there silently, looking at his pleading eyes and hopeful expression.
"Come on in" I say, opening the door a little more. He gives me a small smile and walks in.
I shut the door behind me and instantly regret inviting him in, quickly being aware that I'm in pajamas, in the dark with friends playing on the tv and lots of snacks spread across the coffee table.
"Excuse.. this" I laugh, gesturing to the whole room.
"Believe me, you're living my dream life" He says, sitting on the sofa, i walk over and sit facing him.
"Crappy apartment is your idea of a dream life?" I ask.
"Hmm Id say that's a conversation for drunken night talk number three" he says.
"Well I just so happen to have some half drunk bottle of blue raspberry vodka" I say and he laughs.
"Let's do it" He says.
I hop up and go grab the bottle and some glasses.
"Alright, drunken night number three can now begin" I say, as we pour our drinks.
"Okay first things first, why are you sitting in the dark binge eating and watching friends?" He asks.
"My professor tried to hook up with me" I say.
"What?" He asks.
"Yeah he assumed that because I'm a stripper I'd be willing to fuck anyone" I say.
"That's fucked up! You should get him fired!" He says.
"That's what everyone keeps telling me" I laugh. "I think I'm just going to switch classes"
"You know I'm professionally trained in 5 forms of fighting, I could come down and have a word with him" Haz smirks.
"Yeah that's not gunna happen" I shake my head.
I drink the liquid quickly, feeling myself relax a bit.
We sat in my dimly lit living room, chatting away, I told him everything. About the accident when I was 17 and how my mother was in a coma. That I started stripping to be able to pay her hospital bills.
"It was difficult" I sigh. "And she was my only parent, my dad never was around. No siblings either."
Haz sympathized with me which I appreciated even if it made me uncomfortable.
"What about you? Do you have any siblings?" I ask.
"A sister" he says. "I don't see her too often though"
"I wish I had siblings, I've always wanted a cool brother" I say.
Haz gets quiet but I shrug it off. I don't want to read too much into small things.
"So you still owe me your night three story, why do you want to live in a tiny apartment?" I ask him.
"Honestly, id just like to be a normal 23 year old for once, people my age are still in college, dating, starting their careers, and learning to live on their own, being allowed to do whatever they want" he explains. "We have so many rules, I had to grow up quickly, I never got the chance to be reckless"
"Well why don't we change that?" I say and he raises an eyebrow at me.
"What do you suggest?" He asks.
"My friend Petra, she has a beach house with a few friends, she loves throwing parties" I say.
"And?" He says.
"So let's throw a party at the beach house, lots of booze, lots of different people, and Petra has little to no rules" I say.
"That actually sounds amazing." He agrees.
I pull out my phone and dial Petra.
"Hey, party tomorrow night?" I say into the phone.
"Yes! Absolutely!" She beams, I could hear the excitement in her voice.
"Great! See you tomorrow"
I hang up and Haz smiles widely.
"You, darling. Are absolutely amazing" he says.
"Look just don't tell anyone else about this because even though I trust you, the rest of those guys scare the hell out of me" I say honestly.
"Do you not feel safe at the house? He frowns.
"Can you blame me?" I say.
"I understand why, I just don't want you to be scared, we're not going to hurt you" he says. "I know you always hear crazy things about mobs but it's not like we hurt innocent people"
This is the first time I truly felt like Haz wasn't 100% normal. He did have a bad streak in him.
"Look why don't you come over tomorrow before the party for a bit, when everyone's just chilling out, I promise you'll see we're not that bad"
"I don't know.." I say.
"Please" He says and I contemplate.
"Fine" I agree.
Our night went on, he started telling me stories about him and Tom during childhood. It's so weird to think that Tom was a normal kid at one point. He's so clean cut and business minded that I could never see him being any different.
"We ended up fighting one of the football players that night" Haz laughs.
"Now that sounds more like you guys" I say.
"I miss when things were simple, when I didn't have to be this person that I know I'm not"
"Then don't" I say, his expression confused.
"Too late for that" he laughs.
"You don't owe Tom your life" I say.
"He's my best friend.." he says.
"What about your happiness? All I ever hear is how you do all of this to keep Tom in your life, you've made so many sacrifices. Yet what has he sacrificed for you?" I say. I can see his expression change one more, He spirals.
"I just never thought of it like that." He explains.
"Maybe you should start."