A/N: Shut up shut up shut up. I shouldn't have started a new story but listen! Me and my tumblr mother, kokinu09, were just talking and then I casually mentioned this story idea and she got happy so I am now writing a story dedicated to my tumblr mother. This story is about Addison and Zed and…aside from the summary, that's all I'll tell you about it. As the story goes, you will learn more. This chapter is a little short just because I wanted to get it out but all the others will be a lot longer!

human!au

It's the middle of the night. He should be sleeping, but instead he's sitting at his desk with his physics textbook and notes open, his desk lamp barely keeping his eyes from straining. He's studying for a test that won't be there for another two weeks but he can't sleep and can't watch television without waking up his dad.

Down in the alley, there's laughter followed by the unmistakable sound of two pebbles hitting a window. Zed knows without looking what's going on—his neighbor, Addison, is yanking her bedroom window open and hops out to join her two friends in the alley. Zed is tempted to go and look, out of curiosity, but he knows he's right. He's seen it, twice. The first was the first time it happened three months ago, and the second was a few nights ago, from the same curiosity that was drawing him to his window now.

Addison is in the alley with her friends—Bree he knows but it's too dark to see who else is there. There's enough light coming from his lamp to illuminate Addison's face, laughing and beaming. She catches him watching and smirks, gives him a two finger salute, then runs down the alley with her friends.

Zed goes back to his seat, but he can't concentrate anymore. Addison Davis is stuck in his head now. It starts out small, but turns invasive and unstoppable. He can't get rid of every minuscule interaction he's ever had with his amazing, cool, rebellious, pretty neighbor. All of which he can count on his two hands.

With studying out of his mind, he sighs and stands. 'I should go to bed,' he thinks. He's got a clear view of Addison's bedroom from his window. It's been the same view since he was seven, only now she kept her curtains open all the time, even when she's changing. It was a problem the first few times Zed had looked out his window and gotten more than an eyeful, but by now he knows when he shouldn't be looking, which usually ends up being a few minutes after they get home from school.

Zed flicks off the lamp and moves in the darkness to his bed. Addison sneaks out every few nights; there's no pattern to the days, but she's usually with college kids so Zed suspects she's going to some raging college party with lots of drugs, alcohol, and sex. It's logical, really. She may be the daughter of the former mayor and the chief of police, but she was wild and unpredictable in the best way possible.

'Stop thinking, go to sleep.'

Zed had to be up and at work by nine thirty, but it never stopped him from being dressed and outside by eight forty-five every Saturday. Lizzie Gonzalez, the owner of Brain Foods, shows up exactly twelve minutes later with a box of bagels. She's going to hit seventy-two in a few weeks and is the sweetest little old lady Zed knows. Zed stands so she can unlock the doors and let them both in, while she greets him with, "Good morning."

"Morning," he mumbles, still tired but smiling.

Mrs. Gonzalez fishes the keys out and takes a moment to unlock the door. Zed slips behind her and holds it open, making the older woman smile. "Always a gentleman."

Heat spreads up his neck and across his cheeks. He ducks his head bashfully and walks inside, locking the door behind him. He'll go back and open it in fifteen minutes for the rest of the morning crew.

"You hungry, Zed?" Mrs. Gonzalez asks. "I brought bagels!"

"No thank you, I ate at home."

"How could you pass up free food?" Mrs. Gonzalez asks incredulously. She waves him off before he can say anything. "I'll fix you a bagel and some coffee. Go put your stuff down."

"You don't—"

She points a finger at him and says, "Don't argue with your elders, Boy."

Zed bites his lip to keep from laughing and instead nods. "Okay. I'll be right back."

He heads to the back, going past the store room and into the employee break room. He puts his jacket and backpack in his locker and makes his way back to the front. Mrs. Gonzalez has set up the bagels and cream cheese on the counter that he's gonna have to clean before they open, and she's at the coffee machine, making him a pot.

"Help yourself, Sweetie," she tells him.

"Thank you," he mutters.

He picks out an everything bagel and plain cream cheese. He leans on the counter to eat, and a few minutes later Mrs. Gonzalez slides him a mug of coffee. They have a light conversation like they do every Saturday morning. Mrs. Gonzalez goes to the back to take inventory while Zed opens the door for the morning staff to come and starts setting up for breakfast.

During the week, Zed works in the store room and the kitchen. He's always the tallest one there and can reach the shelves most people need a step ladder to get to. But on weekends, he gets to work the counter until he gets off at three thirty. He doesn't have to worry about screwing up someone's food or burning his hand on the oven. He just hits a few keys and sends in orders. Or, on really good days, all he had to do is make a few drinks or call out complete food orders.

It's a slow morning; Zed sits on a stool behind the counter, reading the Saturday paper. The bell above the door rings maybe twice every half an hour. Zed knows it'll pick up around noon, once the lunch crowd hits and he won't be able to stay seated. For now, he's enjoying the silence and the paper and being able to sit down for a bit.

The bell above the door rings; out of habit, Zed looks up to see who's come in and is shocked to find Addison Davis, in all her glory, sauntering in. She was a sight to behold, in her baggy camouflage pants and her skin tight white tank top and her chains all over her pants. She puts her hands on the counter and smiles wickedly, the stud in the corner of her lip sparkling in the bright lights.

"Hey Zed."

He lets out a high pitched squeak and immediately blushes. There's no way she didn't notice, but she doesn't say anything about it which makes him feel a little relieved. He clears his throat and says, "Uh, hi."

Addison giggles, which sounds like absolute music. His heart races; he never thought someone could be so adorable yet so fierce all at once.

Addison raises an expectant eyebrow at him. It takes him a minute to realize that he's on the clock and supposed to take her order. "Oh! Um, can I get you anything?" he asks.

Addison shakes her head, which confuses him. He doesn't understand why she'd come to a restaurant if she wasn't getting food. Before he can voice it, though, Addison says, "I need a huge favor from you so please don't say no

because I'm desperate."

"What?"

"At around noon I think, my mom is gonna call your dad and invite you and your family over for dinner tonight," Addison says, as if she were exposing some top secret plan to bust them out of jail. "She's a bored housewife and she's trying to reconnect with her neighbors or some bullshit. I personally think it's a part of her scheme to run for mayor next year, but that's not the point."

"Uh huh?"

"I need to go out tonight," she says. "Which I can't do if she's having some stupid dinner party."

"Okay."

"But she won't let me out of it. So I figured you could help me by maybe pretending to get sick or something so we have to cut it short. Then I get to go out!"

Zed purses his lips, not seeing what he gains in this deal. 'You get to make Addison happy!' his brain tells him. 'She's actually talking to you! Maybe she'll ask you for more favors!'

"I know you're wondering what you get," she says. "So I figured…you could come with me."

His eyes go wide in surprise and panic. Addison doesn't seem to notice and keeps talking. "It's just a show, but it's like, an hour away. It'll be fun, you'll like it. And there's really good food, not the crap my mom will feed you."

"Uh…"

"I really need this, Zed," she adds. "And I know you wanna go! I've seen you look out the window when I leave at night. I know you wonder where we go. Take a chance and just go out with me."

Addison throws on a pout that shouldn't even be legal. It's insane how adorable she looks with her lips and eyebrows pierced, pouting of all things. So of course he agrees, and Addison goes from pouting to beaming.

"Thank you! Gimme your number so I can text you the details."

Zed nods dumbly. Addison smirks and raises an eyebrow, sliding him her phone. His hands are shaking and he messed up typing in his phone number several times, but he finally manages. Addison thanks him one last time, then leaves.

He has no idea how on earth he's going to pull off a whole night of hanging with Addison. He can't even talk around her. This is a bad idea.

From the coffee machines, Wynter teases him and asks, "Zed, what have you gotten yourself into?"

"Shut up!"

Wynter laughs. "Zed, you've been completely red since she walked in!"

"Shut. Up. Please."

Wynter lifts her hand as a signal of a white flag. "All I'm saying is that you're gonna have to tell me all about this disaster," she says.

Zed is ready to throw some old receipts at her, but a customer walks in and he has to put on a smile for them.