"My addiction ruined a lot of relationships for me. I lost a lot, but I'm trying. I'm four months sober for the first time in my life."

   Iris zoned out as the man sitting to her right kept talking about his addiction problems and finally being sober, and all the bridges he had burned. This was not the brunette's first time here, nor would it be here last. Iris had been coming to meetings for the last three years. It didn't matter that she had gotten clean—she still needed them.

  The woman had heard all of the stories though. She could recite everyone in rooms story line by line. They never changed.

  Iris, however, never shared the fucked up details of her addiction. She sat tight lipped, placing a polite smile on her face and shaking her head when the leader of the group asked if she wanted to share next. If it were up to here she wouldn't even be here with these people, listening in a too brightly lit room with brunt coffee and stale air.

  But, the judge had ordered her to take these stupid fucking meets for five years, a sentencing her public defender told her was 'extremely lenient'  in Iris' case.

  Iris had scoff at his words. Five fucking years sharing feelings with strangers and listening to their stories was lenient? She wondered what extremely harsh would have gotten her instead.

   "Thank you, Joe." The blonde man who often lead their meetings smiled as he placed a comforting hand on the teary man's shoulder. "Iris, would you like to go next?" He questioned, his eyes focusing on her light brown ones.

  He had been trying for years to get her to open up and speak, to say something besides her name and what she was addicted to, but it never worked. Kozik knew you couldn't push an addicted to share what they didn't want too, and the sad brunette across from him definitely didn't want to share.

  Iris forced a smile on her lips and shook her head. "Not tonight."

  A small sigh left Kozik's lips as he stared at the brunette. She had becoming to the meetings for the last three years, and while he knew they were court ordered he couldn't get her to share anything with the group. Of course, most already knew Iris' story. It was plastered all over Charming's newspaper and every local news station for months after it happened.

  The biker felt bad for her. He couldn't even imagine what it was like for her day after day knowing everyone in town looked at you like a pariah.

Kozik believed that addiction bought out the worst in people. He believed the drugs and alcohol made people become the worst versions of themselves that they never knew could exist. He knew that all too well when he was battling his own addictions. The shit he did to those he loved the most would haunt him forever and he'd spend the rest of his live apologizing and making it up to them.

  "Okay." Kozik nodded, looking away from the brunette. "Ally, would you like to share?" He turned his attention to the young woman with an encouraging smile on his face.

  Ally nodded and Iris once again zoned out once the young woman began to talk as tears rolled down her sullen cheeks.

      It was another hour before the meeting was finally over. Iris was more than happy to leave and do her nightly routine of grabbing an actual cup of coffee before heading home for the night.

  The brunette tried not to show her face much in town, she knew what everyone thought of her—not that she blamed them. She thought of herself the same way—worse even. No matter how terrible anyone in Charming thought of her she could assure them she thought a million times worse about herself.

   She had become a recluse of sorts. Only going out for these fucking meetings and when it was essential. No one wanted to see her and she didn't want to see anyone either. Sure, she could of just moved and start over where no one knew her, but that was the easy way out. Iris stayed because she deserved to be reminded of what she did everyday.

   "Iris."

  The brunette let out a soft sigh at the sound of her name. Everyone else had grabbed their parting doughnuts and left with the promise of seeing each other next week like it was some fucking club they all enjoyed going to.

  "Yeah?" She asked while hoisting the strap of her bag higher up on her shoulder, waiting for the blonde biker to speak.

  Iris had always found it odd that Herman Kozik was the leader of their meetings. He was a member of Samcro, the motorcycle club everyone in town was so afraid of — unless they needed them. Iris never really cared either way about the club, they didn't bother her so she didn't bother them.

  She had been best friends with Jax Teller's ex wife at one point in her life, but that's another story.

   "Do you like coffee? And I mean like actually coffee not this bullshit we have here." Kozik laughed as he held up the still full pot of coffee.

  Iris raised an eyebrow at his question. "Yeah."

  "Wanna go grab some?" He questioned in a hopeful tone.

  Kozik was trying—hoping even that  he could get her to open up. Maybe one on one would work better than a group setting. The blonde knew it wasn't healthy for her if she kept everything bottle up inside.

  A small laugh left her lips as she stared at him. "Oh, you're being serious?" Iris quickly stopped laughing as she watched him rub the back of his neck.

   "Yeah."

   Iris shrugged, nodding her head. "Okay. I guess."

    She knew he would why she didn't share in group or that this was mostly a ploy to get her to open up and share, but Iris had been alone for so long that she craved attention. She had gone so long without a friend or much interaction with other people besides these stupid meetings, and even then she didn't talk to anyone else.

   Before everything happened, Iris had been a people person, and maybe that was the addict part of her that made her love being around people and doing things. Now though, she locked herself away hating herself and everyone else. Yet, her body craved for attention. It physically hurt her to see people in the store acting normal or couples touching each other.

    "I only get coffee from the diner on Main Street though." Iris stated matter of factly as they exited the building together.

  The diner on Main Street was the only one at this time that wouldn't be filled with too many people. It also just happened to be a plus that it had the best coffee in Iris' opinion.

  Kozik nodded as he slipped on his helmet. "I'll meet you there." He told her with a smile before getting on his bike and driving off.

  A sigh left her lips as she watched him ride off. She hope she wasn't going to regret saying yes.

  ______

an —
I've been wanting to write a Kozik fic forever but never got around to it so here a two shot that will hopefully hold me over until I actually do lol. This two shot might actually end up becoming a full story but I'm not sure.