[ WP ] Character who has never drank , attends alcoholics anonymous , faithful , for comfort for something other than substance/drug . Tell their story .

*Ironically, I could use a beer right now. * Alex reached into his navy blue quilted blazer, retrieving a recently opened box of Marlboro reds. He drew a cigarette and brought it to his lips, quickly feeling every pocket on his person for his lighter. *Shit. * 
 
 `` Need a light?'' Alex turned, seeing a young man walking towards him, extending his left hand, holding out his lighter for Alex to use. 
 
 `` Thanks.'' He said with a brief smile as he took the lighter. The silver Zippo lighter was clearly worn, taking Alex three tries before it lit. 
 
 `` This is your first time huh,'' The young man ruffled his short blonde hair, smirking at his correct assumption. `` I can always tell, newbies are always really stiff and somber. Name's Chris.'' He said, giving Alex his right hand to shake. 
 
 `` Alex. Does it usually start so late?'' He mumbled, cigarette still between his lips as he shook Chris's hand. 
 
 `` Yeah, Mrs. H, our usual chairperson, she's a counselor at Palmer High so she runs a couple minutes late.'' He squinted his light blue eyes, looking out behind Alex, who, seeing Chris's gaze was concentrated on something behind him, turned around. `` That's her right now actually! Let's go.'' The two walked into the small building behind the church, a large single room, most likely used to teach the small children on Sundays. In the center of the room, there was a semi-circle of chairs formed around one. Little by little people starting wandering in, some familiar to the sight and others, like Alex, slightly taken aback by their own presence there. 
 
 When everyone settled down, after greeting familiar faces and some introducing themselves to new ones, Mrs. H began the meeting by reading the Alcoholics Anonymous Preamble. Alex was surprised by how little he knew of the procedure. After the Preamble, there was a group prayer, followed by the well known Serenity Prayer, which was also recited by the veterans of the group. It was only when the praying and literature reading was done that the famous part of AA meetings began. It began with a man named Eric, who was eight months sober and on the fast track to getting his life back into order. He had struggled to gain the trust of his wife back, but fought tooth and nail to maintain a healthy marriage for his three year old daughter. Chris never stopped whispering to Alex, telling him the story of every person he knew there. *Maybe this was a mistake. It does n't seem like the right place. * 
 
 `` Would anyone else like to speak? Chris?'' For the first time since Alex met him earlier, Chris' face had all the joy and color drained from it. After a deep breath, he pursed his lips in thought, before finally speaking. 
 
 `` Hi guys, my name is Chris.'' The group responded back with a hello before letting him continue. `` I'm an alcoholic. I started drinking when I was thirteen. Stupid circumstance led to the worst decision of my life. I was trying to be cool and at my first party with high schooler's I had my first beer. Ever since then I'd been drinking day in and day out, I could n't even brush my teeth in the morning without a couple shots to wake me up. It was n't until I got Mrs. H as my counselor during my senior year that I tried getting help. She finally saw through all the shit in my life and all the lies I'd set up and suggested I come here. I was sober for 23 months.'' Suddenly Chris closed his eyes, inhaling sharply, clearly trying to hold back tears. 
 
 `` It's okay Chris, you can let it go. You're in a safe place.'' She gave him a nod, signaling for him to continue. 
 
 `` I'm so sorry Mrs. H,'' Tears began to flow down Chris' now red cheeks. Alex was visibly stunned, suddenly sitting upright in his seat. `` I tried so hard not to do it. But-'' He turned silent for a moment, collecting himself before going on. `` But when I saw him just talk about my mom like that. Like she was never even a person -- like a fuckin' piece of meat that just so happened to now have died on his table. I could n't take it. I threw away my chip and went to Noel's bar. I must have had a dozen double Jack's. I do n't even remember getting into the car. I do n't even know how I turned it on. I do n't know why I ran that red. All I remember is seeing that woman's face hit my windshield. I still see her everywhere I go.'' He wiped his tears with the back of his hand and inhaled quickly through his stuffed nose. `` I did n't stop. I just kept going. I could have killed so many other people. When I woke up the next morning, I knew I needed to get help. I turned myself into the police, did my 6 months and community service, and I've been sober now for 8 months, and I hope to keep that going, one day at a time. Thanks guys.'' He smiled through his drying tears, sitting back in his chair only to realize Alex had left some time in his speech. Enraged, Chris stood and exited the building. He stopped shortly when he saw Alex taking a drag from another cigarette, a tear rolling down his tan face. 
 
 `` What the hell man? I was pouring my damn heart out and you do n't give me the common fuckin' courtesy of staying through?'' Chris stomped towards Alex, aggressively using his hands to emphasize his words. 
 
 `` It was you.'' Chris' eyes widened. He froze almost mid-stride. `` You were the drunk driver that killed my wife.'' Alex's voice was broken, a mixture of seething hatred and sorrow was welling deep within him. Chris' mouth gaped open, his left hand soon covered it. `` I was waiting for her in the car on the other side of the road. She just wanted to pick up a nice bottle of wine, it was the anniversary of our first date. It was the perfect night, until I saw her body just go limp in a bloody goddamn mess when you hit her.'' 
 
 `` Oh my god.'' Chris could barely muster the three words as he collapsed to the ground. 
 
 `` I was so mad. I hated you for all those months. I did n't even know what you looked like, but I hated everything about you. My wife, my Natalie, the girl I spilled my beer on the first night I met her, the girl I told I would protect with my life. You could n't take me. You could n't have killed me and -- and now she's just there, in the ground, she wo n't ever smile again, she wo n't drink my juice in the morning and complain about the bacon I make her being too crunchy, she wo n't tell me her terrible jokes that I laughed at because I loved her. Because you took her from me.'' Alex dropped his cigarette and rubbed it out with the sole of his beige suede shoe. He walked over to Chris, still slumped on the ground. `` I wanted to kill you, I wanted to kill myself. It took me 6 months to realize she would n't have wanted that, though. As much as I wanted to I realized I could n't hate you. You were nothing to me, I did n't know you had blond hair, I never even looked you in the eyes. The hate I felt was towards myself. It was poisoning me. When I heard the guy that killed Natalie got out of prison and was attending AA meetings, I started going all over town. Not to find you, not to hurt you in any way, but to give you forgiveness.'' Alex held out his hand for Chris to stand up. 
 
 `` You-'' 
 
 `` No.'' Alex interrupted. `` I ca n't forgive you, not yet. You're just a kid. I know what it's like to lose someone you love and I know how low a person can fall. Knowing what you went through, I understand, but I ca n't forgive you. But what these last eight months have made me remember is that,'' Alex paused, a genuine smile returning to his face, for the first time since the night his path crossed with Chris'. `` That Natalie would forgive you, because that's who she was. That's why I loved her. And do n't ask me how I know, but, she forgives you Chris.'' 
 
 Chris's eyes welled up once more, his jaw clenched as he attempted to hold back his tears. Alex placed his left hand on Chris' shoulder, offering a silent comfort. 
 
 `` You showed me how much Natalie changed your life, and really, that's all I wanted, what I've been searching for these past months. I just needed to know her death was n't just a horrible accident in a horrible world. I needed to believe it had meaning. You gave me that faith, Chris, and for that I thank you.'' Alex turned and began to walk away, drawing another cigarette from the box and lighting it. Chris remained frozen, silently crying in relief and sorrow. 
 
 `` I'm keeping the lighter.'' Alex exclaimed, showing it with his right hand as he continued to walk away. Chris sniggered as his wiped away his tears and staring up into the early night sky, he saw the clouds giving way to the stars shining down.
