The Story of Alex: Retold

Chapter 1:

"Will you hold the line,
when every one of them has given up and given in?
Tell me, in this house of mine,
nothing ever comes without a consequence or cost.
Tell me, will the stars align?
Will heaven step in? Will it save us from our sin?
will it?
'Cause this house of mine stands strong." 

Every other post I scrolled through was of him. 

Lena did nothing else than run her mouth about him. 

In this small room, I found my freedom; there were no eyes on me, no expectations to live up to. 

No impossible bars set by him.

"That's the price you pay.
Leave behind your heart and cast away.
Just another product of today.
Rather be the hunter than the prey." 

"Alex? Are you ready?" Mom called from outside; I sat up in bed, straightening out the long sleeves of my orange blouse. 

Had she seen the tennis shoes on the bed again, I wouldn't have heard the last of it. 

I snatched my red snapback from off my dresser, heading out the door. 

---

Flo's cafe wasn't too far from the hotel where I usually stayed; the white and sky-blue walls of the joint vastly contrasted the clownfish orange/white theme of Mom's hotel lobby. 

The ringing of the small bell attached to the door quieted the noise of Dad's engine as he did laps around Willy's Butte. 

All eyes fixated on me. 

"Mornin', Sleepin' Beauty!" a familiar Southern accent called from the far end of the cafe; it was the least I could do to return a small smile. 

"Now now, she's still waking up, Mater; give her some time!" my mother joked with a coffee mug in her hand, leaning back against the blue leather of a booth, the gap shut only by her brown locks, which had been neatly combed into a low bun.
I dipped my hat in front of my eyes as I sat atop one of the high stools near the island.
Lena had yet to answer my "Good Morning" text. 

"How long are we gonna be gated for?" I retorted softly with a grin to my uncle. 

"Shoot, now don't act like I don't see you beaming, down at them fancy races!" Mater answered. "You love your paw!"

"Maybe when he lets me go home." 

With a shake of her head, Flo set down a plate in front of me, resting her fist under her chin with a smile, and pressing her elbow against the marble of the island.

"Happy birthday, baby." 

"Thank you, Auntie." 

"How's it feel?" Mom asked as she approached from behind, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.
I looked up at her.
She sighed.

"My little girl, all grown up and soon to be out of the Springs...I might cry." 

"I beg you not to."

"Aww, you do care." 

With a smirk, I stirred the eggs on the plate.

"I care more about Dad interrogating me as to why you're in tears." 

"Now, you support your mama, little girl," Flo scolded as she dipped a mug in the sink behind her. "You only get one."