I Wish I'd Known (Chris Pratt Fanfiction)

Chapter 3

Paxton

The music in the club was pulsating through my body. I looked around the dance floor trying to find Sophie, but I couldn't see her. I closed my eyes and let the driving beat make my body feel alive. My feet killed and I was so hot that I felt like passing out, so I made my way off the dance floor looking for somewhere to get away from the noise, but the club was packed. I spotted an exit sign so I made my way there.

I pushed the door open and let the cool night brush against my olive skin. I took a deep breath and leaned against the cool brick wall, letting relief wash over me.

"I'm gonna feel this in the morning," I grumbled into the wall while rubbing my temples.

"Me too," a deep voice called out from the shadows of the dark alleyway. I jumped and clutched my keys with the bottle of pepper spray attached to it.

"My boyfriend is coming to get me, so stay away dude," I said shakily as a silhouette emerged from the darkness.

He chuckled, a low, warm chuckle that put me at ease. "Don't worry, I'm not going to try anything."

His face came into view and my once burning skin was replaced with goosebumps. He towered over me, easily standing at six feet tall. His shorter dark brown hair was messy, but it seemed to fall perfectly. You could tell he worked out because his body looked firm and chiseled. But his eyes are what caught me. They were a piercing green color that I couldn't help but get lost in.

"I--," I stammered, trying to get my bearings,"I'm sorry for assuming. But you are standing in a dark alleyway, so can you blame a girl?"

He chuckled, again, making my heart flutter,"No, I don't blame you," as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his dark-wash jeans.

"What are you doing out here anyways?" I asked.

"Same thing you are, I'm guessing. To get away from it all," He said staring up at the night sky that was full of stars on the clear night. 

I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply and exhaled a quiet, "Mhmm." When I opened my eyes, he was staring at me with a look that made my cheeks burn.

I walked the few steps over to him and stuck out my hand saying, "I'm Paxton. And you are?"

With a stunned look, he took my hand and said, "I'm Chris." The feel of his hand in mine was electric and I pulled back quicker than I wanted. He continued staring at me as if he was searching my face for something.

He finally spoke, "Do you not know who I am?"

I chuckled nervously saying, "Yeah, you are Chris. Didn't we just meet?" He looked confused and I kicked myself for the lame joke before speaking up,"Of course, I know you are Chris Pratt. But I thought you looked like you deserved to be treated like just Chris, the creepy guy standing in the alley, not the movie star."

He smiled a dazzling smile that made me melt, and whispered,"You have no idea how much I needed that."

I sat down against the wall and patted the cold cement next to me as if you tell him to join me. He walked over and sat close enough that I could feel the heat come off him and it sent shivers through me.

"Are you cold?" He asked, looking concerned.

"No, it's a beautiful night," I replied truthfully. I looked up, studying the constellations. I'm not sure if it was the left over alcohol in my system making me brave, or just how comfortable I felt with this man, but I talked to him with ease.

"When I was younger,"I started,"my dad gave me a book about constellations, and every night for a whole summer, I went out and found every single one." I stopped and pointed up towards the sky and continued, "My favorite one is right there. It's Cancer, and it's supposed to be a crab. It's my favorite because it's such a stupid story. He's sent up to basically annoy Hercules, and when it pinches his toe, Hercules steps on it and kills it. How dumb is that?"

I turn to look at him, and he's staring up where I was pointing, smiling and shaking his head.

"Sorry, you probably don't care about constellations," I said quickly looking away.

He nudges me, so I turned my face towards his chiseled features. In a low voice he says,"Constellations are my new favorite topic."

I sucked in a breath and quickly scrambled to my feet. "You probably have people waiting in there for you, don't you? I should let you go. Besides, it's getting late and I need to find my roommate and make sure she's alive and whatnot." I brushed the dirt off myself and peered up at the man that was now towering over me, even in my heels.  He reached over and picked a leaf out of my hair, and that action nearly made me combust.

"Can I see your phone?" He asked with a goofy grin. So I pulled it out and handed it to him. He called his cell phone while also adding his info. Handing my phone back, he gave me a smile and said, "I hope we can see each other again."

I nodded, unable to form a sentence.

He reached out his hand to shake and said lightly, "Hi, I'm Chris Pratt. I've recently became interested in constellations. Nice to meet you."

I giggled and fidgeted on my uncomfortable wedges. "I'm Paxton Jones. And I've recently become an official dark alleyway greeter. Great to meet you as well."

"Paxton," he said stated as if committing it to memory. I loved the way my name rolled off his tongue. "I hope to see you again."

Me too, I thought as he walked away. Me too.