"Where in the Upper West Side do you guys stay? I am really surprised you live there." Zoe always heard this comment, no one ever expected much from her or Blair when it came to certain things, living space being the main, Addison wasn't the first the think they lived in Queens.
"West on 72nd Street, we sort of look out at central park." Addy knows where this place is, she knows this place is also pricey.
"How can you and Blair-
"It was Blair's grandmother's place before she passed away when we were in college, we moved in after freshmen year because her dad had already paid for us to stay in the dorms for a year." Zoe hates explaining how she lived with her best friend mainly because she knows she could never afford to live on her own, Blairs father pays for everything, the only thing he didn't pay for was Zoes college because she got in on scholarship. She never complains, she is grateful for Blair and her father's help, but she feels bad at the same time.
"You didn't need to get technical, it was just a question." Addy kept her gaze on the road in front of her, hands gripping the steering wheel, there was a bit of tension in the car.
"I know."
"Why did you explain it like that?"
"A lot of people assume Blair does things or I do things to make so much money we can afford the things and place we have…I just wanted to clarify." Zoe explained, Addy nodded to herself
"I can see Blair doing things, not you." She replied
"Considering I'm a bigger virgin than that guy from American Pie, I can see why you say that." At the end of that sentence, Addy slammed on the brakes, causing Zoe to push her arms out to stop herself from hitting her head, when the car halted, Zoe looked at Addy.
"What the hell is your problem!?" She screamed, the older woman looked like she'd seen a ghost
"How and why are you a virgin?!" She screamed back, 'really, that's why she slammed the brakes?!' Zoe stared at her.
"Really? You slammed brakes because of that, are you that low?" She asked, the car started to move again.
"No…I just didn't expect to hear that right now, I barely know you and I already know that. You're 23? How?" Addy was kind of impressed as well as shocked, she clearly has her own mind and Blair does not seem to get her to follow her as much as it seemed.
"I just…I never…it's not like I don't want to have…. I just don't have or have never…. can we not talk about this…" Addy looked over a bit to see that Zoe looked like she was trying to hide, she was making herself small. Addison knows that feeling all too well.
"Sure, sorry…" Again, there was a bit of tension, Addy deals with this at work a lot, she knows how to handle it. They were nearing the turn to go up to the West Side, Addison didn't know what more to say to the younger woman, yes, she can handle tension but she can't seem to handle it this time. Zoe wanted to ask Addy to drop her off so she could walk home, she didn't feel uncomfortable, she just felt inadequate, she knows Addison is older and has more experience is all aspects, she shouldn't be surprised that she got shocked that someone her age is still a virgin.
The rest of the drive was filled with a weird feeling in the air, Addison wanted to get it out of her car but she still didn't know how to, Zoe was considering jumping. They pulled up to the apartment buildings, Addy put her car into park, turned off the engine but didn't unlock the doors. Zoe frowned when she couldn't get out. She turned.
"Let me out?" She made her demand seem like a question, Addy was the one to frown now.
"Why are you asking me a demand?"
"I didn't mean to, why are you keeping me?" She asked
"I just want to say sorry before you runaway and I never see you again." She replied, Zoe didn't see her as the apologetic type.
"Sorry? For?"
"For making you feel uncomfortable. I shouldn't have made such a dramatic scene, it's not to me to judge on that, and I am sorry." Zoe pulled a thin smile, she didn't know what to say to her, sure, the question was a bit forward as they just meet or re-met and really don't know each other, but at least she is admitting she made a mistake.
"It's fine, it is just something I don't really talk about."
"I understand that, got a lot of those too." 'Really' Zoe thought
"Sure. Can I leave?" She asked, Addy looked like she was debating, but she unlocked the doors. Zoe opened her door, but didn't get out, she didn't want to be alone but she didn't want to stay with Addy.
"You can go, I'm not keeping you." Addison said to make it clear she can go as she wanted to.
"This is going to sound weird, I don't want to be alone and I really don't feel like being at home right now, but I really don't want to spend more time with you." That did sound weird Zoe. Addy was frowning, she didn't understand what she was meant to do here.
"I don't-
"Can we go to your place?"
"No."
"Why? Got some chick waiting for you?" Addy gave a sarcastic face.
"I live in Upper East, we just came from there, I don't-
"You have to go back there-
"I thought you said you don't want to be around me longer than you need to be? Now you want to come home with me?" Addy made a valid point, Zoe wasn't making any sense at the moment. Zoe just sat back in the front seat, closed the door and sat. Addy stared at her, not starting the car.
"Really? Didn't take you to be a brat." She said, Zoe looked at her and gasped
"I am anything BUT a brat." She explained
"You are being a brat right now, just because I made a fair point that makes your point seem stupid, you want to prove yourself as 'My plan or no plan.'. I am not moving this car." Addy is a businesswoman; she can smell bullshit from a mile. Zoe was just wanting to get her own way by avoiding the morning conversation with Blair, and Addison knows this too; that's why she is calling her a brat.
"I won't move, no matter what you call me." Zoe sat with her arms crossed, like a child. Addy was not amused.
"Zoe. Get out of the car and go home." Addy demanded, looking directly at the younger woman. She didn't move.
"No."
"Zoe, get out."
"No."
"I will push you out." Addy threatened.
"You won't." Zoe replied, 'is she playing something here?' Addy wondered to herself, she had two options, or three.
Shove her hard out onto the curb, then drive away. Just drive back to her place and pretend she isn't there. Push her out of the car when it's moving.
The third option won't happen; she is just getting angry.
Addison thought and she actually liked both options, she was going to try push her out, if it failed, she'll do the second option. The older woman unbuckled herself, and turned fully to Zoe. Zoe turned her head to look at her, she frowned, 'what is she going to do?' she thought, next thing she knew, Addy was pushing her into the closed door, trying to reach for the handle.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Zoe shouted, Addy ignored her and continued to push her into the door, but Zoe retaliated and pushed her back, they just ended up pushing each other back and forth, making the car steam up.
"GET OUT!" Addy shouted
"NO!"
"AGH WHY ARE YOU MAKING THIS HARD!"
"I TOLD YOU-
"GET OUT!" Addy shouted once more, Zoe groaned and did a move she learnt from her self-defence class she and Blair took on a joking manner, she pushed her arm into Addys' throat and pushed her back into her seat then moved herself onto her lap, holding her back by her throat. Addison stopped fighting and stared at the new position she was in. This is not what she was expecting. They again stared into one another's eyes, trying to catch their breath.
"Uh, what is this?" Addy asked, still staring into Zoes' eyes, she will admit this is attractive but she was too pissed off to give in to any sudden urge right now.
"Something I learnt a while ago, are you going to stop now?" Addy nodded her head, and Zoe released her from the grip. But she didn't move back into her seat. Addison didn't even notice, nor did Zoe, that her hands went instantly to her waist. Holding her in the position she was placed in. Addy knew what to say to get her to move.
"Unless you are planning to do something in this position, I suggest you sit in your seat so I can drive." Zoe looked down and saw where her hands were, she looked back up and smirked.
"Says you with your hands on my waist." Zoe pointed out, Addy was now aware of her hands, she didn't move them, she lowered them, she won't do anything, she just wants to show a point, she moved her hands lower and lower, to where they were right under her ass, her hands actually cupped it perfectly. Addison heard a small gasp, Zoe didn't know why she made that sound, no one has touched her like that. Addy moved closer, right up to her ear.
"If you are going to act like a brat, I'll treat you like a brat. Move." And with that, Zoe moved back into her seat. Zoe cleared her throat and had to adjust her pants, she has been turned on before, but not from being called a brat. Addy saw the younger woman adjust her pants and smirked. Then the smirk quickly died when she realized that option one failed and now option two was in motion. Groaning, she started the car.
"Where-
"If you ask where we are going, I am going to throw you out of the car." And then they were quiet again the whole ride back to Addisons' place.
It was a little over 10 minutes past 10 when they arrived at the front of Addys place, a man walked up to Zoes side of the car and she screamed.
"AHHHH-
"Shut up! That's the valet!" Addison got out of the car regardless, and the man who looked to be going to Zoes' side of the car, was going to meet Ally on her side.
"New lady friend?" Ricardo asked, He was the front man at the reception and did valet, since moving in her, Addy became friends with him, he was always kind to her and she was always nice to him, she saw him as a father figure considering he calls her out on things and is the one with better advice than Gabe, his wife tends to agree on calling Addy out on things.
"Her? HA! No, she is a stray I picked up, or a stray who won't leave me alone. She insisted on coming to my place as I was dropping her off!" Ricardo laughed at the woman, he waved a greeting wave to Zoe.
"Maybe she likes you, she looks sweet, maybe she is the change you were talking about?" He suggested
"No way in hell is she that change. Have a good night, Ricardo." Addy said as she handed the keys over to him, and made her way to the building entrance, forgetting about Zoe, as she said to herself, she would do. Zoe watched her walk in and went to open her door, but had it opened for her, and there stood a man with a kind smile. She returned the smile.
"Thank you…"
"Ricardo. Don't mind her, she isn't as bad as she seems." Zoe thought she was hearing things.
"I have barely spent 3 hours with her and I can't stand her, how dare you say that!" Zoe made a joke, Ricardo smiled.
"Give her a small chance, not many or any do. She's had…she's had very tough life, she puts on an act to not hurt herself. She isn't so mean. What is your name?" 'To not hurt herself?' that was the only thing she really heard
"Zoe. Zoe Cardwell, nice to meet you." Zoe said with a kind smile, Ricardo smiled back and went on his way to park the car, Zoe then made her way to the lobby of the apartment building, and saw Addison standing wating for her.
"Aw, are you waiting for me?" She made a joke. Addy looked up from her phone then rolled her eyes, then slide her phone back into pant pocket. The elevator dinged and they went inside, and up they go.
The first thing you see when you walk into Addisons apartment was a staircase, Zoe frowned, not really thinking that her place all that big, she is one person and one person doesn't need a lot of space. As they walked through, Addy took her shoes off and made her way up stairs, Zoe took the coat off and side eyed the behind of Addy, she has a nice walk. Zoe shook her head and made the move to take her own shoes off, then walked to explore. She looked to the left then right, as if she was crossing the road, she saw a closed door to the left then to the right she saw a couch, a huge one, this must be the living room, very modern, she walked to have a look about. She saw there was a small dining room and then through there was her kitchen.
"I wonder if she cooks." Zoe said out loud, Addison was upstairs in her bedroom, changing into comfortable clothes, throwing her stuff down and changing into her tank and sweats, then sat down on her bed, she rubbed her face with both hands, groaning. She wanted to relax but remembered there is a woman, most likely wandering downstairs. Getting up, slowly walking to the stairs and down to find her, luckily the office door was still closed, Zoe was staring out the living room window, she made herself fairly comfortable on the couch.
Zoe didn't know she was being watched by the older woman. Addy didn't say anything, she moved to sit near Zoe. Leaning on her elbow as she continued to watch her, the soft light of her living room lights glowed, it showed Addy that Zoe was a lot prettier than she actually thought. Zoe turned her head, she caught the older woman's gaze, Addison smirked.
"You made yourself home fast." She said, still watching her.
"I just sat down on the only place I thought appropriate, didn't think you would want me to sit on the kitchen counter?" She made her explanation seem like a question. Addy lightly chuckled
"You seem to have a small habit of making your sentences come out as questions."
"You haven't known me long enough to pick me out on stuff." Addy rolled her eyes.
"Whatever, why didn't you feel like being alone tonight? Blair must leave you alone a lot with her lifestyle, what is so different about tonight?" Addy was asking only because she was still mildly pissed at the younger woman for driving her home then just ended up not going home, the drive was useless. Zoe stared at her for a bit then looked out the window.
"I don't like being alone, and I am barely alone, yes Blair goes out but its only on Saturdays, she hasn't really gone out like tonight in a while, we have been date hunting for me, I don't like being alone and well… we did sort of fight at Gabes." Zoe said while staring out the window.
"You know there are two reasons why people don't like being alone. One option being they don't like their own company or option two, the loneliness is too much for them to deal with so they avoid it at all costs. I'm guessing it's option two for you."
Zoe didn't say anything, maybe she was right or she was just being a bit of a know it all, this isn't something she talks about, for many reasons.