CHAPTER TWO

Alexandria's POV

Dresdenport was a dreadfully old town with less than a million people in it. I mean, as far as old towns go, it was dreadfully progressive. Okay, but I was born and raised here, and I knew how much of a gossip they could be.

Trust me, I had been a victim of a few.

I stumbled into Haven 9, anger in my blood. How dare Goldie do that to me? After how many days I spent covered in shit, piss and everything else I absolutely hated. It was just past four, so the bar was pretty filled up. I walked to the counter, sliding down on one of the seats angrily.

“Hey babe.”

“Hi,” I said quietly. Theo took one look at me and slid over a run and coke, my favourite order towards me. “Rough day?”

“Rough life,” I replied. I needed that money, and more importantly, I needed that recommendation. It was meant to be my ticket out of here, finally.

“Well, I must tell you,” Theo said, leaning over the counter. “You look stunning.”

“Can you please call my mother? I don't want to deal with you” I smiled, sipping the drink. Theo and I went to high school together, and he never left, staying back to learn bartending from his father, but I ran away—in the words of my mother—and attended college.

Best four years of my life.

I saw my mother's bright red hair before she turned around the counter. “Baby,” Mallory screamed. “You're here again.”

“Ugh,again? What, you don't want to see me?”

“No,” she chuckled, coming out of the backroom. A lot of men whistled as she passed, her long legs in those jeans shorts, a purple tank top and her hair in a space bun, catching their attention and if I was a man, trust me, I would be whistling too.

She did not look a day over thirty. I thank God she gave birth to me, so I inherited her bright red hair and blue eyes. “Are you okay?”

“No,” I cried, finishing my drink. Theo replaced it immediately and I thanked him internally. “Goldie acted like a bitch towards me.”

“Oh, hell no. What did she do?” Goldie and Mallory had never seen eye to eye, even when Margaret had tried all she could. She gave up when I was fifteen, and it didn't help that I may have insinuated part of why I left was because of her.

“She gave me only a hundred and fifty bucks,” I whispered.

Mallory went silent. “Dria, I told you to come work for me,” she groaned. “I begged you.”

I knew what she meant. “I don't want this mama. I want to teach.”

“Yeah, but what are you going to do now? Three months cannot just go down the drain.”

I sighed. “Can you please not tell Margaret? She tried to help me and I don't want it to seem like all her efforts are wasted.”

Mallory nodded. “Fine, but only if you can knock off that look in your face. You look drained, and you know your mother. She is like a hawk with you.”

I knew. “Yeah, I don't want her getting too angry,” I said. “It's just not fair.”

“You know, we could give you your—”

“I am keeping it locked till I'm twenty five,” I cut her short. The little fund my grandfather kept for me before he died had just one stipulation and no matter how tempted I was, I would not access it.

“Fine. Then let me lend you something.”

“No. Just leave me,” I sighed. “I'll soon be out of your hair, I just need to get drunk a bit.”

“You don't want to go home?” Mallory asked me.

I shook my head. My boyfriend would not be very pleased if I told him I had thrown the cheque in Goldie's face.

“I don't know why you date that sleaze,” Mallory hissed. “You know he has never been good for you.”

I rolled my eyes. “You just hate him because he bullied me, but that was a long time ago.”

“I will never forgive those who harm my baby.”

“Yeah, including the same bay,” I teased her. “I just want to be alone, and I want to spend time with you. I missed you.”

“You came here for the free booze, Alexandria,” she laughed, getting up. “Alright, I have to head back to the kitchen. Theo?” She called her bartender in training. “Remember, not more than four drinks, how many has she had now?”

Ugh my mother. “I am twenty one, mom,” I said. “I can drink as much as I want.”

“Not under my roof,” she smiled. “I don't know why you cannot just date Theo. He is so nice and he has always been smitten by you.”

“Yeah, except Jeff is the one for me. You know, since homecoming,when he changed and we talked and he asked me out?”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “At least I tried. Have fun, if you need anything, just come to the back. I have some invoices I am looking over.”

I nursed my second drink slowly while patrons came and left, trying to talk to me, but I barely paid them any mind.

Suddenly, there was a chill in the air. I stared towards the door, to see if it was open and sure enough, it was, but someone was there.

A man, much taller than any man I had seen, shiny silver hair with eyes that looked like a mirror stood at the entrance. Everyone grew quiet immediately, hushed whispers at the stranger in our town.

He was so freaking tall, when he strode in, even Theo tried to stand straighter. I stared at him, my eyes taking in the black clothes he had on, robe-like materials and his very peculiar boots.

He dragged out the chair next to me and sat down. “What can I get for you?” Those asked him.

“Whiskey,” he replied, his voice like satin. I stared harder at his boots, trying to recall where exactly I had sent them when suddenly, my cup slipped from my hand.

“Oops,” I blushed when the stranger's eyes came to me. “Sorry.”

He didn't reply, just fixated. “I was lost in thoughts, dare I say, those are some very nice boots. Real leather?”

“Yes,” he grunted.

“What animal?”

He turned to me, and I saw a small scar running down the side of his face. “Why do you ask?”

“Its very peculiar,” I replied. “And it seems very similar to a material my mother has, but hers is a purse.”

The man licked his lips. “Your mother?”

“Yes,” I smiled. “So tell me, what animal?”

He took a quick glance up and down me, and I blushed even harder. I was still wearing my office clothes, some dirty plain jeans and a yellow T-shirt, that certainly had some brown stains I was trying to ignore and hope wasn't shit.

“A basilisk.”

I rolled my eyes. “Geez you're just like her. Seriously, there is nothing special, I am a vain person,” I replied. A waitress came to sweep the floor, avoiding going near the stranger while Theo returned with two glasses, mine and his.

“Thank you,” he replied.

“So, where are you from?”

“I do not want to be disturbed,” the stranger said. I frowned deeply. “Just trying to make conversation. You know, since it is obvious you are not from around here and everyone is staring at you weirdly.”

Not like he seems to mind. There was another black scar running across his lips. “What did that?”

He ignored me. What were my chances that a hot guy with sex appeal was in my town sitting so close to me, ignoring conversation?

Apparently very high.

“Ugh, you know what? Fine. Enjoy your drink,” Inside angrily, standing up. “This,” I snapped. “His drink, on the house.”

The stranger hissed. “I can pay for my drinks.”

“Well, you can pay for the next one. This is on me,” I picked up my purse from where I dumped it. “Tell my mother I am going home.”

I couldn't deal with any more bullshit today.