September 21st, 2017, 9:47 a.m.
Alex sat in front of the tv, spooning mint chocolate chip into her mouth methodically while the impossible hallmark love story unfolded before her.
Her white hair was almost gray with grease, and her glasses sat crookedly on her nose. “I can't believe this…” she mumbled, spooning another mouthful of ice cream in, “They put way too many shirtless scenes in this movie for an actor who isn't even hot.” She lifted a paper plate off the over crowded table full of leftover takeout and trash and threw it half heartedly at the tv and watched it flutter to the ground like a pathetic butterfly, “Boo,” she cried, “Find someone who actually has abbs.”
The faint sound of Pink Floyd, muffled by a mound of dirty laundry, rang out. Alex leaned forward and paused the movie before rifling through shirts and bras that hadn't been washed in weeks. Finally, she unearthed a small flip phone and hit the green call button.
“Hello? Allie Forthwall here, who am I speaking to?”
“Allie, it's Izzy, we need to talk.”
Alex groaned, “Oh c’mon Izzy, I'm fine, just leave me on my own for a bit.”
Alex could practically hear her friends frown, “Unexceptable. Allie, I can't believe you're spending your spring break moping that Chris what's-his-name has a girlfriend.”
“I love him Izzy!” Alex cried, “He broke my heart!”
“You've never even met the guy!” Izzy screamed into the phone, “How can you be in love with someone you've never even talked to?”
Alex sniffles, “That's not true! I spoke to him once!”
“Saying hello or bumping into him doesn't count.”
Alex frowned, “Whatever, I still think he shouldn't be dating Mallory, I hear that girl has about four boyfriends now, she doesn't need Chris.”
Izzy sighed, “Listen girl, I'm coming over and picking you up. Then, we're gonna have a single girls outing with Caity, got it?”
She wrinkled her nose, frowning, “Izzy, I haven't showered in three days and I have no clean clothes.”
“Then shower before I get there and I'll bring you some of mine. Be there in fifteen minutes.”
Alex sighed, resigning herself to a day of shopping at clothing stores she couldn't even afford to look at and mindless gossip. She glanced wistfully at her unfinished movie. “Fine, see you then.” She said, and she hung up her phone before slowly unwrapping herself from her blankets. “Sorry, Midnight Kiss On A Paris Balcony, you'll have to wait till I get back.”
Alex dragged her feet all the way to the bathroom, grumbling. She closed the door, removed her glasses, and looked at herself in the mirror. Bright blue eyes, almost glowing, reflected back at her. The eyes that startled all those who met her, just like her parents. Alex could hear her mother's voice in her head,
"Wear these glasses sweetie, they were made special for you, they hide the glow of your eyes."
“But Mama,” She had complained, "I don't need glasses, and I'll look like a nerd!”
Her mother had frowned, "Alexandra Rose Valstorm, you will wear these glasses or you will not leave this room for the next millennium.”
Alex still hated those glasses, they made everything blurry and made her eyes go cross. But her mother had drilled wearing the glasses into her head so hard, she found it hard to spend a day without them; for fear her mother would pop up around the corner and ground her for the next millennium.
Alex sighed and turned the shower on. Stripping down, she carefully stepped over the cracked tub and into a rush of hot water. Alex closed her eyes and let the water rush over her. This was the first time in a long while she had been on her own. For most of her life, Alex had been hidden inside her parents mansion. Until the day she finally turned 18 and moved out. It was thrilling to be free, harder than she thought it be, but thrilling nonetheless.
A knock at the door let Alex know how long she had been in the shower. “Come on in!” She shouted, believeing it to be Izzy, “The door's unlocked, I’ll be out in a minute!” Alex finished washing up and stepped out into the steamy bathroom. She wrapped her hair in a towel, threw on her bathrobe and glasses and stepped out.
Only to come face to face with a man she had never seen before. H was dressed in a police uniform, dark waves peeking out from under his hat. He stared at her with intense eyes.
“Alex Valstorm? My name is Dalian Garcìa, I'm from the D.B.S., and you, are in terrible danger.”
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