Broken Inside

7 - The Start Over

She got up and went to the bathroom to answer nature's call. She splashed some cold water on her face to freshen up. Then she headed to the kitchen. The big clock above the flat screen TV showed that it was nine at night. 

Alex looked for food in the kitchen. There were many pizza boxes on the counter but it was all empty. She must have missed the dinner rush. She grabbed a banana instead and peeled the skin. The sliding doors to the balcony was wide open, letting in the night breeze. Alex stepped out to the balcony and looked up at the clear sky. She ate her banana while leaning on the railings. 

"Hi," someone greeted her unexpectedly.

She turned towards the voice. It was coming from the far end of the balcony, hidden in shadows. She could see the silhouette of a person and the fiery tip of his cigarette. Slowly, he stepped out from the shadow into the light. 

He turned out to be a very good looking black man, with buzz cut and scruffy beard. The cigarette turned out to be a blunt. He was wearing a sexy smirk on his face. "You must be the new girl."

"Alex," she introduced herself, offering her hand.

The man shook it and introduced himself. "Jesse. So that's something we have in common."

"What?"

"Unisex names," Jesse said and grinned wider.

Alex chuckled and turned back to watching the sky. Jesse took a long pull from the blunt then let out the smoke upwards. He offered the blunt to Alex.

She looked at it apprehensively. "I've never had one."

"Well then, tonight's the night," Jesse said, offering it to her again. He smiled and said, "Just try it once."

Alex sighed and accepted the blunt. Jesse took the banana from her and took a bite. She took a breath in and started coughing. 

Jesse chuckled as he chewed. "One more, take a deep breath, then release."

Alex followed his direction and puffed out the smoke. The blunt smells terrible. She handed it back to Jesse and he gave her back the banana.

"So how long have you been here?" Alex asked him.

"A year," Jesse said, puffing out more smoke. 

"Is it hard?" she asked him.

Jesse looked at her with that sexy smirk on his face again. "Very hard," he admitted, "But with a lot of rewards. You just need to stick with it."

Alex sighed thoughtfully and bite into the banana. Jesse chuckled and she turned to him wonderingly.

"Didn't anybody tell you not to eat a banana in front of a guy?" he said with a grin. 

"Why not?" she asked, taking another bite.

"Because it's so damn sexy."

Alex paused chewing and met Jesse's gaze. He was eyeing her lips with a hungry look on his face. She snorted and shook her head, looking away.

"What?" Jesse asked.

Alex sighed and asked him, "Was that really necessary?"

"What do you mean?"

Alex looked at him. "I thought only ugly people flirt, beautiful people don't."

Jesse flashed her a wide grin. "So you never flirt?"

Alex looked away from him but she couldn't hide her smile. He's good. She had finished her banana. She took the blunt from his hand and took another hit. "So where's everyone?" she asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Out," Jesse said simply.

Alex nodded and looked up at the sky again. She's trying to avoid looking at Jesse because every time she does, she felt a current running through her. She couldn't tell the colour of his eyes in the low light, but every time she met his gaze, she could feel them piercing into hers. 

She started to walk away and Jesse asked her, "Where are you going?" He was putting out the blunt in the flower pot.

"To bed," Alex replied, walking back inside. 

Jesse followed her. "It's still early," he commented. Then he chuckled and said, "Unless you don't want to be alone with me."

Alex turned to look at him and crossed her arms. "I didn't say that," she said defensively.

Jesse grinned. He walked slowly towards her, his tongue was running against his inner cheeks, his hands deep inside his jeans pocket. He paused about a feet away from her. 

He stood at half a feet taller, so their eyes were almost at the same level. Alex could see them clearly now. They were as blue as the sky on the clearest day. 

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice just above a whisper. 

Alex was drawn to him. She felt her breath catching in her throat. Her heart was pounding.

She couldn't stop herself. She leaned forward and kissed him.