Hooch [a n.j.h. fanfiction]

Ryan's car swerves into the parking spot. She takes her keys out of the ignition and sits in her car for a while, thinking. Am I really doing this? She remembered that she was doing this for Cecil. For now. Eventually she would get out of doing this. She decided she had been in the car long enough and got out. She walked through the big glass doors of the building. She saw a receptionists' desk and decided to ask her for help instead of wandering through this large building.

"Hi hon, what can I help you with?" the receptionist said, quite loudly.

"Hi can you tell me where the AA meeting is? I've never been here before and I have no idea where I am going," She whispered. She was quite embarrassed and didn't want to announce to the world that she was attending a stupid AA meeting.

"Sure hon, Alcoholic Anonymous meets in room 234. Take the elevator up to the upper level, and take a left," the receptionist practically yelled.

People turned and gave her strange looks before turning back around, doing whatever they were doing before.

"Thanks," Ryan said before turning around and muttering "bitch" under her breath.

The elevator ride was nerve wracking and Ryan began biting her nails. She approached the door of room 234 and placed her hand on the handle. She took rapid breaths, and her heart was beating a million miles an hour. She couldn't explain why she was so nervous. She must've been standing there for quite some time.

"Are you going to go inside or not?" a voice spoke up behind her. She turned around and was met with a boy with blond hair. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed and showed up.

"Uh yeah. Sorry."

She entered the room and saw chairs in a circle. About half the chairs were filled and most of the individuals were older. Some looked well put together, with suits or dresses Their hair was in place and by looking at them, you wouldn't be able to tell they were just like her. Some look like they came off the streets.

A man stood up from one of the chairs stood and spoke. "Hello! Welcome! Have a seat anywhere, the meeting will begin in a few minutes."

Everyone had spaced out so there was one chair in between all of them. That meant Ryan had to choose who to sit by. She chose the closest seat and quickly sat down. She began picking at a loose string from the sleeve of her hoodie to distract herself. She picked her head up and noticed the blonde boy was staring at her from across the circle. They locked eye contact and he tilted his head to the side. Ryan noticed a look of curiosity in his eyes as he looked at her. The words from the leader broke their gaze.

"Let's go ahead and begin the meeting. I just wanted to start by welcome! Our time together is short, only an hour, so today we will introduce ourselves. If we have more time we'll figure out something else to do. My name is Terry. I'm 45 years old and I was an alcoholic for 15 years. I started drinking when I was 20 and got help when I was about 35. It took me about five years to recover and I've been clean for about 5 years now! I just wanted everyone to know change is possible and I am a living example of that! Alright we'll go clockwise."

More introductions followed. The more that people talked the less nervous Ryan felt. A new feeling entered her. Boredom. The more people talked the more Ryan realized she did not want to be here. It was Ryan's turn to introduce herself.

"Um, hi. I'm Ryan. I came here as a favor to a friend."

Everyone looked at her expectantly and waited for her to say more. +

"Um okay, how old are you, Ryan?" Terry questioned.

"Twenty-three."

"Oh so you're in college then? What are you studying?"

"Film." Ryan purposely kept her answers curt so he would move on.

"Alrighty. Next?"

She looked across the room and the blonde boy once again. He sent a smirk her way, and she returned it. The two continued to silently flirt with each other for the remainder of the introductions. Until it was his turn.

The two were silently playing chopsticks to cure their boredom.

"Next?" Terry said to the boy. He wasn't paying attention, so he repeated himself louder this time.

"What? Sorry," the boy replied.

"Introduce yourself, son."

"My name is Niall, and I'm 22."

Hmm 'Niall' Ryan said to herself. It suits him.

The meeting finally ended and Ryan rushed out to her car. She didn't want to spend another minute in that building. She was glad she took the seat right next to the door. She was unlocked the car door and as she was entering she heard someone call her name.

"Hey, just so you know, I was going to win that round," Niall said, smirking at her.

"How? You lost all the other ones," she said smirking back at him. She entered her car and drove back to her apartment.

Ryan was laying on her couch going through her mail. She opened an envelope to reveal a check from her parents and another from her sister. She smiled and hurried back to her car with the checks in hand to head to the bank. She cashed the checks and immediately drove to the liquor store down the street from her house. She put some of the money up for bills, and all the rest went towards the only thing in life she loves. The only thing that makes her feel alive. She drove back to her apartment and laid on the couch drinking away her worries and insecurities.

'Back to the same old tricks' she thought.

Notes

lmk what you think of this :)

word count: 996