"Look at you." Hawk grinned as he watched Alaska walked into school, a grin across her face, "You look pretty."

"Aw, you look pretty too, babe." she teased, wrapped her arms around his waist as a kiss was planted onto her forehead, "This feels so weird, I might go home."

"Absolutely not." Hawk said as he put a arm around her and pulled her down the hall, away from his friends, "People are going to start thinking i'm lying about us, believe me, I never shut up about you."

Alaska grinned as her arm when around his waist, "I signed up for the debate team."

"Did you really?" he asked her with a excited grin over at her, "You're gonna do so good, i'm gonna come to all of your games."

"I don't think they're called games." Alaska laughed as she stopped at her locker with a grin over at him, "But yes, please come and make sure I don't absolutely drag anyone."

"No way, if anything, i'll encourage you to drag them." Hawk said as Alaska looked at him with a grin. Hawks face fell when he saw the figure walking toward the pair. Alaska turned her head and huffed in disbelief when she saw Kyler standing infront of her.

"Hey, Alaska." he said with a half grin, "I thought you transferred schools."

"It's not any of your business, and she's not interested in anything you have to say. Back off before I make you." Hawk threatened as he took a step closer, Kyler whistled with a minor laugh. Alaska could tell he hadn't realized he saw the same boy he use to shove around and make fun of.

"What are you going to do? Piss in my bed?" Kyler joked. Hawk glared as he took a step forward before feeling Alaska grab his hand and keep him still, "Besides, she can speak for herself."

Alaska cleared her throat with a sarcastic smile plastered on her face, letting his hand go as both her middle fingers stuck up toward Kyler, "Do these speak for themselves enough?"

Eli grinned proudly as Kyler huffed with a roll of his eyes, walking off. Alaska laughed as she took her boyfriends hand, "First days starting off great."

"Let's make it even better." he grinned, pulling her toward the janitors closet, "It'll feel just like our first kiss."

"God, you're so horrible." Alaska said in disbelief but followed him into the janitors closet anyways.

"You realize you're dating a mega jerk, don't you?" an unexpected voice heard as Alaska left debate practice, looking over at Demetri who stood outside the door, "He just completely destroyed my science project."

"Oh, are you talking to me now or would you rather pretend you're not home when I knock on the door again?" Alaska asked with a look of disbelief, "I could literally smell you dude, I have a lovely sniffer!"

"Then you should be able to sniff out your boyfriends bullshit." Demetri spoke as he stood infront of her now with a look of disbelief, "And for the record, I was just avoiding getting my ass kicked when I ignored you at the door."

"Do you honestly think i'd hurt you?" Alaska asked with a look of disbelief his way, a glance of hurt in her eyes, "Maybe you're the one on drugs."

"Who knows what you'd do, didn't think Eli would try and kick my ass either." Demetri said to her with a sass in his tone before it fell, "Wait, are you taking drugs again?"

"No, Demetri! It with a figure of speech to express how absolutely insane you are for thinking i'd kick your ass!" Alaska spoke in disbelief up at her lanky friend, pointing her finger knowingly, "If I remember clearly, you threw me into that trophy case."

"Not intentionally, you jumped in the middle. You always hated the Binary Brothers sandwich yet you reenact it at the worst possible time." Demetri spoke with a scoff down at her. Alaska rolled her eyes in disbelief, "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"And I never meant to be a shit friend to you, but you can't even bother to answer the door when I want to try and talk it through." Alaska said with a hurt look up at him, "I know you're mad at me, but why do you just expect me to be at your beck and call when you want to talk but act like I don't exist when I want to."

Demetri went silent as Alaska stared as him a moment before shaking her head, "I gotta go, i've got a AA meeting."

"You aren't just a little bit excited? Six months is a huge deal for addicts." Beth spoke as she drove out of the hospital parking lot, Alaska in her front seat after asking for a ride.

"Why? Just proves i'm six months clean from something i'm completely ashamed of." Alaska spoke, holding her five month sobriety chip in her hand. She was hoping Beth wouldn't bring up the six month chip, having it only a month away. Most of the addicts in Alaskas group had a huge celebration for their sixth months, though the Lee girl was seeing it differently.

"Hey, you shut it. Your addiction isn't something to be ashamed of, it's not your fault. Six months is huge, we don't have to celebrate but at least feel proud of yourself." the redhead woman said as she turned onto the highway, punching the address into her GPS. The sunset was setting, a orange flooding the valley.

"I just don't feel excited like I should." Alaska spoke with a shrug of her shoulders, "I just feel sick and angry."

"That's reasonable, we all felt like that at some point." Beth nodded her head as she glanced toward Alaska, "But what helps is by noticing huge differences about yourself from being sober."

"What? You mean weight gain and anxiety every time I hear a bottle of pills rattle?" Alaska questioned in disbelief before she sighed and shook her head, "I'm sorry, i'm being a dick."

"No, you're a complete dick." Beth corrected with a grin toward the teen, "But I like you anyways."

Alaska gave a smile her way before speaking up, "What keeps you from going back? To drugs, I mean."

"My son." Beth said with a half smile, "I'm finally getting to see him again with his dad around, the courts are allowing it now. If I start using again, thats it's, I never see my baby anymore."

Alaska gave a sad smile as she nodded, "He's lucky to have you, he'll know that one day."

Beth smiled at the road as she turned the wheel, "Whats yours? Your friends?"

"Yeah." Alaska spoke up, her voice getting higher a second, "My friends, they keep me away from drugs and all. They're great, all of them, really."

"Nice ramble." Beth teased with a impressed look, "Now tell me the truth."

Alaska flushed as she looked out the window, "You'll tease me."

"Absolutely I will." Beth laughed as she glanced over at Alaska's red face, "Oh god, is it your little mohawk boyfriend?"

"His name is Eli." Alaska spoke with a laugh toward Beth who shook her head, "I don't know, dude. He just brings me back, no matter how hard something gets, I won't start using if I have him. Even just thinking about him keeps me sober. It's like this complete shit universe then this random ball of happiness just right there in the middle, keeping me attached to the real world. I don't know, I know that sounds cheesy and all, but he's what keeps me sober."

Beth grinned her way with a laugh, "Absolutely cheesy, but sweet. He's good for you, I can see it by just the way you talk about him. You're in love with him."

Alaska was silent for a moment as she stared out at the sunset as a smile grew on her face, "Yeah, I am. I really am, Beth. I-I just love him."

"Yeah, you love him!" Beth yelled with a cheer.

"I love him!" Alaska yelled as she laughed loudly, "I love him so much!"

"Yup!" Beth cheered as she met the destination the GPS took them too and slowly down, "You better tell him that, tomorrow isn't always gonna be there."

"But I always use to tell him I loved him. I mean, he was my best friend before he was my boyfriend. What if he just thinks I mean it like that again?" Alaska asked worried as she unbuckled her seatbelt with a worried look Beths way, "He doesn't really use his head much."

"If he feels even the smallest bit like you do, he'll know." Beth said as he put a hand on Alaska's face with a grin, "I have a pretty good feeling he feels it too."

Alaska went red as she smiled. Beth looked around in disbelief, "You sure this is where you want me to drop you at?"

"Positive. Thanks for the ride." Alaska grinned as she leaned over and kissed Beth on the cheek, "See you at the cookout tomorrow."

Alaska waited for Beth to drive off with one final wave before making herself into the district county juvenile detention center.

•

kylie speaks

god, this chapter
make me smile
for some reason.

you see, i have huge
mixed emotions about
e5 bc yk... *snaps arm*
is gonna happen, meaning
we're gonna loose my
comfort ship but it's
also the same episode
my favorite friendship
is gonna come back to me
so... yk... mixed emotions.