Sad_Girl
Blue Crack Supplier
It's been awhile since I've updated because things have been topsy turvy around here, but I'm back and I hope the story will progress at a more regular pace again now.Thanks for all the wonderful support you all have given me for this story!
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**The following is a work of fiction. No offense intended to anyone, it’s all meant in good fun. Strong language, semi-adult themes
Chapter Sixteen
“Did I just see Larry leave?” Holly asked, her eyebrows raised in a sign of interest. The door hadn’t even swung closed behind her yet. Alyx nodded and hummed a note of agreement. “What was that about?” Holly demanded, grinning at Alyx as if expecting to hear some juicy gossip.
“About?” Alyx said, sighing deeply as she rose from her seat at the foot of the bed and moving the bags off of Holly’s bed. “It wasn’t about anything. He carried the bags back here for me.”
“Uh-huh. And then….” Holly asked, leaning over to prevent Alyx from looking away from her dismissively. Alyx tried to focus on sorting through the bags, but Holly would not desist. Finally, the smile that had been trying to take over Alyx’s face won the battle and Holly let out a victorious ‘ah-ha!’
“Nothing! I don’t know what you even think would have happened.”
“Oh, stop! I’ve seen the pictures you draw of him, the way you look at him.” Holly argued, setting down on her bed once it had been cleared of shopping bags. “You couldn’t want that boy more if you’d been lost in the desert and he was a tall glass of water.”
“No, I don’t!” Alyx objected, the smile still making her cheeks bulge betraying her lie. Holly just chuckled at her as Alyx sank down onto her own bed, covering her face with her hands. “Is it really that obvious?” she asked, peeking through her fingers. Holly grinned and nodded in affirmation, making Alyx groan.
“It’s not a bad thing.” Holly told her, slipping out of her shoes and jacket. “Why should you have to pretend you don’t like him? You’re single, he’s single.”
“He’s five years younger than me, for one thing.” Alyx argued, letting herself fall backwards to lay on her bed. “And we work together, and… he’s Larry.” Holly giggled at this.
“Well, there is that little fact. I can’t imagine Larry having sex; he’s too… clean and tidy. Sex is entirely too messy.” She joked. Alyx choked on her laughter at this, both girls laughing too hard to speak for a moment.
“You’ve put some thought into it, then?” Alyx finally managed to say.
“Well, you know, sometimes it gets pretty boring on the road. You need to occupy your mind somehow.” Holly replied coyly.
“Hey, what are you doing here, anyway? I thought you’d be spending the night with Edge.” Alyx asked, sitting up as it occurred to her. Holly sighed, her smile fading quickly.
“I don’t know. He got all weird and quiet on me. For as much as he tells me he likes me, sometimes I wonder.”
“Oh, luv, believe me he likes you. He’s just the sort who proceeds with caution. He does a lot of thinking about a thing. Sometimes, I imagine, he thinks himself right out of actually doing things.” Alyx reassured her. “You may have to be the one who makes the move.” She added with a wink.
“Are you going to be the one who makes the move on Larry?” Holly teased, and Alyx fell back against the bed, covering her face with her hands again so Holly couldn’t see the grin which she could not fight. Just the suggestion of something between she and Larry made her smile stupidly.
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“Let’s take a walk.” Bono suggested, tired of sitting still. He and Alyx had been talking most of the morning, the other three listening more than adding to the interview.
“Where?” Alyx asked, gathering her camera and tape recorder as she scrambled to keep up with him. The others rose in a more leisurely sort of manner, more accustomed to Bono’s hyper-active spur of the moment decisions.
“Central Park.”
“In November?”
“Why not?” He asked, flashing her a boyish smile. Everything was an adventure to this young man. Everything became an adventure when you were with him, as well. It was one of the many reasons so many people were so very fond of him.
They ended up taking two cabs to get the entire group to the place where Bono wanted to start their walk through the park. Larry complained about the cost, and Bono gave his driver a nearly fifty percent tip. Alyx had to laugh at the two of them, in comparison.
They were night and day different, in many ways. Larry with his fair hair and smooth, gentle facial features; Bono beside him with his mop of wild reddish brown curls. His face was more sharply defined; more dramatic, though no less handsome than Larry’s.
Alyx snapped several pictures of them, side by side; Larry looking at Bono out of the corner of his eyes and scowling impatiently. He was cold, she could tell by the way his hands were shoved down into the pockets of his coat and his shoulders hunched as he held his arms tight against his sides for warmth. Bono, on the other hand, had his hands in the air, gesturing as he spoke emphatically about the leafless trees against the city skyline. His denim jacket hung open, sliding back on his shoulders and offering little to no protection from the cold.
Adam strolled along behind them, a cigarette between his first finger and his middle finger, his thumbs hooked casually through the belt loops on his jeans. He looked as casual and completely at ease as if he had taken plenty of mid-morning strolls through the world famous park. The wind played with his blonde curls and sent the smoke back into his eyes when he raised the cigarette to his lips for a puff. He blinked the burn away, his already bloodshot blue eyes seemingly impervious to the smokes usual effects.
Edge fell back behind Adam, his head tilted forward as if he were studying the sidewalk. Alyx jogged ahead and snapped a few more candid shots of the four of them. As she watched them draw closer to her through the lens, Larry glanced up at her and smiled, nearly sending her heart into arrhythmia. She was grateful that the camera was big enough to mask her face, so he couldn’t see her reaction.
She found it hard to believe anyone could wield so much power over her with those silver-gray eyes and something as simple as a smile. She stepped aside as they drew closer and fell into step with them.
“So what do you think of New York?” She asked, her teeth chattering slightly as she put the camera strap over her neck to hold the camera while she rubbed her hands over her arms. It provided a little warmth, though not enough. The cold made her skin seem to shrink, resulting in goose-bumps on her arms and hardened nipples showing through her shirt. She tried to keep her arms folded across her chest, but she was still self-conscious about it, and uncomfortable.
“It’s the greatest city on the planet.” Bono replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her up close against his side. His body warmth felt good, but their proximity made her even more self conscious. “There’s no other place like it.”
“Quit manhandling her! Here.” Larry abruptly stepped around Bono, slipping out of his warm wool coat and offering it to Alyx.
“No, I’m fine, really…” she tried to object, but as soon as Bono released her, Larry was draping the coat over her shoulders.
“You’re freezing.” He scolded. “Why didn’t you bring your coat?”
“I didn’t have time to think about it.” She told him with a laugh as Bono and the others continued to walk, leaving the two of them behind. She took half a step, intending to try and catch up with them, but was stopped by Larry’s hesitance. His hands lingered at the collar of the jacket he’d just helped her put on, his eyes locked on her face. No. Not her face, but more specifically her mouth.
Her breath stilled, her heart began to pound, and the world seemed to spin around them. Her mouth suddenly felt dry, and she licked her lips nervously. She heard a small sigh escape Larry’s lips, saw something flash in his eyes, but before she could be sure what it was, it was gone.
“Are you hungry?” He asked, taking a step back, letting his hands fall away from the coat and breaking the spell.
“Erm…uh… yeah, sure.” She replied, stammering as she recovered from the daze he’d put her in.
“Why don’t we take off and get lunch now?” He suggested, now rubbing his arms to try and warm himself up as she had been doing moments ago.
“Sounds good. Let’s do it before your lips turn blue from the cold, too, eh?” She said, smiling as he attempted to be macho and brave the cold without his coat. He smiled a tight lipped smile and nodded as they hurried to catch up with the others. Larry quickly explained that they were going to find someplace warm to have lunch, and before any of them could try to tag along he made it clear they were not invited.
“You guys go ahead and go back to the hotel. We’ll be back there in a while.” He told them matter-of-factly. Adam smirked at him as he lit another cigarette and Edge lifted his eyebrows in curiosity. Bono grinned at Larry, making him nervous about what his friend might be about to do or say.
The two of them hurried off in the direction from which they had come, and it wasn’t until they were in a cab that he let out a breath of relief. They all liked to tease and give each other grief, but he was anxious enough about this without his mates playful comments.
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“Just a minute!” Holly called from the bathroom as she straightened the collar on her new black dress. There was just enough gold detailing on the dress to make her think of a cloudy night sky with just a few of the brightest stars shining through. The knock on the front door repeated and she let out a huff of frustration. She hurried to open the door, hopping as she slipped on her little black pumps to complete the new outfit which she had spent too much on. She threw the door open, her irritation at the knockers impatience written clearly on her face.
“Wow!” Edge breathed, his eyes washing over her, soaking up the sight before him. Holly blushed, immediately regretting her frustration. Edge’s green eyes shone in the dimly lit hallway, and he made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.
“You’re early.” She told him with a gentle smile, hoping to excuse her greeting.
“Am I?” He asked, checking his watch. “I think you’re running late.” He teased, flashing a smile at her that made her heart flutter. “Are you close to ready? I made reservations for nine o’clock.”
“Reservations for where?” She asked, grinning impishly. She’d been trying for days to get him to tell her what he had planned for tonight, but he hadn’t given her so much as a hint.
“You’ll see, soon enough.” He replied. Holly went into the bathroom to check her hair in the mirror once more while Edge found her coat. He helped her into it and ushered her out of the building and into a waiting cab.
“The World Trade Center, please.”
Holly felt like a real country hick, seeing a skyscraper for the first time as she stood beneath the twin towers looking straight up. The shiver that traveled down her spine had nothing to do with the chilly night air. For the first time, she felt just how small she was compared to the great expanse of the world. Edge wrapped an arm around her waist and she rested her head against his shoulder briefly, letting him know how impressed she already was.
They went in and found the express elevator, surrounded by velvet ropes and were greeted by a uniformed attendant who asked what their destination was.
“The windows of the world restaurant.” Edge told him, and they were guided onto the elevator along with an older couple and were soon ascending to the 107th floor. The moment the doors slid open Holly felt as if she’d stepped out of reality and into a dream. The floor to ceiling windows revealed the entire city spread out beneath them, all lit up like a Christmas tree.
She glanced over at Edge and could see the same amazement in his eyes as she felt. He saw her looking at him and turned to smile at her.
“This has got to cost way too much!” She whispered to him as the waiter showed them to their table.
“I may have had to borrow a little from Paul.” He admitted. “But it was definitely worth it.” They spent so much time looking out at the city, pointing at the Empire State building and the Brooklyn bridge, that they hadn’t even opened their menus when the waiter came to ask for their order. The wine list was more impressive than the menu itself, but they could’ve been serving cold oatmeal and it wouldn’t have made the night anything less than spectacular.
“It’s The Edge, right here on top of the world!” They heard Bono’s enthusiastic greeting as he approached their table. Holly saw the look on Edge’s face go from surprise to dismay and eventually to anger before she turned around just as Bono reached their table. It wasn’t Bono that Edge saw, though, and to be fair Holly barely noticed him as well. It was Adam who drew their attention.
“I didn’t know you were coming here, The Edge.” Bono said jovially, shaking his friends hand as if it had been months since they’d seen each other, and not hours.
“No one did.” Edge replied through a grimace. “Except for Paul.” Paul, who was not unlikely to have let the information slip to his good friend, Adam.
“Holly.” Adam greeted her with a slight nod of his head, reaching up nervously and touching his lips as he often did when he wanted a smoke but did not have one handy. Holly’s skin tingled, as it always seemed to do when she was around Adam without warning. If she knew she was going to see him, she could steel herself against the things about him that tempted her.
“Hi.” She told him, her green eyes lingering on his full lower lip a moment longer than it should have. She looked away too quickly, as if she were embarrassed by what she saw. The host who had been showing them to their seats cleared his throat impatiently, and Bono patted Edge on the shoulder and wished them a nice dinner. Adam nodded at Edge as he passed his seat, and the two of them were led to a table across the room.
After dinner they took the elevator to the top floor, where they could wander about and examine the view more freely than in the restaurant. The city sprawled out before them, all the way beyond the distant horizon. To the North was the harbor, the statue of liberty standing her vigil in proud silence. There were very few people in the observation deck with them, and it felt very much like they were literally on top of the world.
“I’ve never even imagined something so breathtaking.” Holly said, her voice a whisper as if in respect for the years of labor that had been put into building the city they were looking at. The lives played out there, the millions of people with millions of dreams and goals and loves, all spread out there amongst the dots of light.
“I was thinking the same thing.” Edge told her, his fingertips grazing the sensitive skin on the back of her neck. She shivered at the sensation, turning to smile at his exaggerated compliment. The city lights were reflected in his mysterious sea green eyes, and any amusement she had found in his words vanished as soon as she met them with her own.
His hand was still against the back of her neck, nimble fingers gently massaging the rarely touched skin. Without another moments hesitation, Holly wrapped her arms around his neck and caught his mouth with her own in a passionate kiss. When they drew apart, a throaty chuckle escaped his lips in surprise at her eagerness.
“Can we go back to the hotel?” She asked, resting her forehead against his, their noses touching.
“I thought we’d go to a night club first…” He told her, pausing for a moment before adding, “..but if you’re too tired…”
“I am.” Holly agreed with a coy smile. “I am exhausted. I can’t wait to get into bed.” His cheeks flushed deep red as he chuckled, but his laughter was not in amusement. He was happy, and he was completely in the moment. Tonight, despite some small setbacks, was about Holly and Edge and nothing and no one was going to come between them.
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The elevator ride took a full minute, though it felt more like ten to the would-be lovers. It was nearly torturous to not touch now that it was clear that they both wanted to be a lot closer. In the cab on the ride back to the hotel, Holly teased Edge with butterfly kisses against his neck and breathy whispers in his ear.
Crossing the lobby to the elevators, their arms were wrapped around each other and they seemed to be attached at the hips as they stayed as close to one another as they could without tripping over each others feet. A few heated kisses were exchanged in the elevator when they found themselves blissfully alone on the way up. This elevator ride was pitifully short, and the space between the elevator and reaching the safety and privacy of Edge’s hotel room was twice as long as they remembered it.
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Edge rolled away, onto his side, wrapping an arm around her waist and resting his head against her breasts.
“I love you, Holly.” He told her, holding her so tightly that she was surprised it wasn’t impeding her ability to breathe. Her throat closed up and her chest ached at his sweet declaration, and it took her awhile to force a reply. Finally she swallowed hard to moisten her throat and ran her fingers through his soft hair.
“I love you, too.” She told him, hoping he could not hear the doubt and fear in her voice that she felt in her heart. As he drifted off into a comfortable slumber, still draped over her possessively, Holly chewed on her lower lip nervously. Wasn’t it supposed to feel good when someone declared their love for you? She was just filled with the overwhelming urge to flee. She looked over at the clock and saw that it was barely one a.m.
She sighed and wished more than anything that she had a cigarette right then. It was going to be a long night.
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Adam was chain smoking and pacing the floor of the small hotel room incessantly. Larry had been sitting on his bed watching his mate walk back and forth for over an hour now. He’d asked him what was bothering him, though he already knew. Adam assured him nothing at all was wrong, but then immediately returned to pacing.
“It’s 2 in the morning, isn’t Bono coming back to the room tonight?” Larry wondered aloud.
“He said since I needed a bed tonight, he’d find somewhere else so I could stay here.” Adam replied distantly.
“Where the fuck does he stay when you need to crash here? I think there was only one night when the two of you were both here.” Larry asked, his fingers drumming absently against the bedside table.
“I don’t know. He’s Bono, he’s always been able to find someplace to sleep. He’s like a bloody alley cat, that one.” Adam replied.
“I know, but… I mean, I can see that in Dublin or London even. Cities where he knows people. But out here on tour?”
“He’s probably passed out on a table in the restaurant or on a public toilet somewhere. We both know he’s done that before.”
“And someone always finds him and sets him right. He’s always brought back to the room, eventually.” Larry argued. Finally, Adam sat down on the chair in the corner of the room, considering Larry’s questions.
“You think he’s got a girl?” He asked, and Larry’s mouth twisted into different expressions as he considered the possibility.
“It’s not unlikely, I suppose. But why would he not tell anyone?”
“Maybe she’s ugly.” Adam joked, making Larry smile and roll his eyes.
“I don’t think that would stop Bono from talking about it.” Larry laughed. “I have trouble imagining any such situation which Bono would be able to keep quiet about.” Adam nodded thoughtfully.
“I think we have ourselves a proper mystery.” He said with a yawn as he rose from his seat. “Which deserves a bit of investigation. But not tonight.” He added as he stripped out of his clothes and climbed into bed, drawing the blankets up over his head, everything but a few blonde curls disappearing.
“Right. G’night, Adam.” Larry told his friend as he turned off the light. He had been trying to find something to distract Adam’s troubled mind, but the more he thought about Bono, the more he truly wondered just where he was on nights like this.
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