*knock knock knock*

I tap my foot on the floor, nervous of what I was about to do.

It'd been so long... was I prepared to do this?

The door in front of me swings open, and a slim, dark-skinned boy with a short high-top leans against the door frame.

"Adira?" Ace says "Didn't expect you back so soon, did you leave something?"

I inspect his face momentarily, looking for the boy I fell in love with a year ago. Looking for what I saw in him back then. Then, without hesitation, I plant my lips on his. First I get a feel of them, they're softer than I remembered, more delicate, but then I dare to use my tongue.

At first he just freezes, and I can't blame him, I just threw myself on him. Then he lightens up, using his tongue as well until we're gelling together just like old times. His mouth tastes of Mountain Dew, his signature drink that I know he doesn't go a day without having. It's a bitter-sweet taste, kind of how I feel right now, actually.

After a minute or so, we break apart, panting. What a waste of oxygen, I can't help thinking. But I wasn't done yet.

I push past him and enter his flat, already unbuttoning my shirt.

"Er... Adi... That was a suprise, I guess.... Everything alright?"

"Fine," I reply, struggling with the last button

I spin around to face him in just my bra, and he blushes.

"Adira, what's going on?" I'm being reminded of how cute he looks when he's confused.

I laugh "Isn't it obvious...?"

"I-I.. Well, I mean yeah, but... shouldn't we talk first?"

I model walk towards him slowly, his eyes not sure where to look.

When we're just inches apart, I press my finger against those lips.

"Shhh." I whisper "I didn't come here to talk."

He's dazed, confused. He's not sure what's going on. But at last he gives in, a smirk creeping onto his face. He takes off his shirt quickly, and I notice his abs immediately. He's been working out, I think.

Then we stumble towards the sofa in a frenzy of clothes, skin, and kissing. I don't even register the next few minutes, only that we're now butt naked and on top of each other.

"Miss me?" I smile, panting.

"God, yes."

***
A few hours later I wake up and feel his skin pressing against mine. Part of me thinks 'that was crazy what was I thinking', but another part of me knows that I'm too deep to back out now.

I shuffle off the sofa trying not to wake him up; his sofa is so cramped it's difficult, but I manage. Then I try to salvage my clothes which are thrown across the floor and start dressing.

"Don't leave so soon..." He mumbles, rolling off the sofa and hugging me from behind. He starts to kiss my neck softly.

"I... I need to talk to you." I shake him off, and he stops, reaching down and putting on his trousers.

I turn to face him and look into his innocent eyes. I feel terrible, but it's for a good reason.

None of us speaks, we just breath. But then Ace breaks silence.

"Does this mean... we're back together...?"

"Ace," I need to come clean to him "Will you help me storm Newman's house."

His face changes in an instant. "What?"

"Will you help me raid Newman's house? And steal some of his oxygen, and give it to poor people-"

"Wait, wait wait, did you even listen to me before?"

That look of confusion is clear on his face, but then it changes to realisation.

"Oh my- Did you...? Did you have sex with me just so I could help you with this?"

I look down. I knew I was being stupid. This is just gonna give him more reason to say no and then I'll never be able to complete my plan and then I'll never get justice for my mother and all those other people who've died because of them-

"Adi, I'm really shocked. You know I would've said yes anyway."

Excuse me?

"I thought that you wanted to get back together with me. I thought you'd forgiven me, but all you wanted was to lighten me up. Was that your plan? Seduce me into helping you?"

When he puts it like that, it does seem quite cruel.

I don't dare speak, or I fear I will make things worse.

"Honest to God, I would've helped you. I mean, why wouldn't I help you? But the fact that you think I'm so shallow as to fall for such a trick is- is... unbelievable."

Yeah, it is unbelievable. What was I thinking.

"Ace, I'm so, so sorry. I didn't- I didn't think. I thought."

"You thought what, Adi? That I hated you? Ok yes, I was hurt when we broke up, but it was my fault in the first place, you had every right to. I was a mess, but I got clean, and I've been trying to show that to you the past few weeks but you just give me shade, like, what gives?"

"What gives? What gives is that last time you were high I had to rush you to the hospital. You almost died."

He sighs "I know, I know. I was a piece of shit back then, ok? But I'm different now, why can't you see that?"

"Because, Ace. Because every time I look at you it takes me back to that day I found you on the floor. Your blood oxygen was 109%. You were barely breathing, I- I thought you were dead-" My voice breaks.

Oxygen abuse isn't uncommon these days. People overfill their oxygen monitors above the limit for a high, but anything over 105% threatens to be lethal. Back then Ace was out of control. When he was high, he was dangerous, with a short temper and a tendancy to get violent.

Ace's face looks embarrassed, but mostly empathetic. I don't think he's ever considered how hard it was for me. I look at his solemn face and try to hold back my tears, but they come anyway, not like my tears earlier, though. These tears fall slowly and gradually, and my breathing is controlled.

Ace moves towards me and embraces me, and I rest my head on his shoulder. It's hard but comforting; I think a shoulder to cry on is exactly what I need right now. We remain like this for some time as I slow my crying and feel his warm chest rise and fall softly.

"A-Ace? Will you still help me? If not for me, at least for my mother?"

I sense him thinking. My mother always liked Ace back when we were dating, but when we broke up and I told her why, she understood. Nobody deserves to go though something like that.

After a while he answers. "Ok. For your mother."