strings attached ; firstprince

chapter one

"I'm not being your pawn," Alex murmurs.

"Believe it or not, but we're actually not talking about you," Nora says flatly.

"I don't believe it."

Nora rolls her eyes. "I'm sure there's going to be someone who will recognise him and that will try get in his pants."

Pez hums thoughtfully. "I hope so, if Connor isn't blocked in a week I'm never going to hear the end of–" Pez is interrupted by an obnoxiously loud ringtone coming from Pez's pocket. He pulls his phone out and looks down at his phone. "Speak of the devil."

He gets up as he answers, "Henry? Yeah, just wait there, I'm coming," Pez holds his phone to his chest and mouths "Gotta go," as he exits Alex's dorm.

"Tomorrow night is going to be interesting," Alex says to break the silence.

"It'll be painful to have you as the third wheel for the second year in a row, don't you think your college slut phase is overdue?" Nora asks amusedly.

"I pull," Alex says seriously.

June snorts. "Yeah, who? You're bisexual and bitchless."

"Watch, I'll pull tomorrow night!" Alex says defensively. "People dig musicians."

"Pull Henry," Nora offers with a smile that spells trouble.

"Ugh, no! Get that narrative out of your brains," Alex scoffs.

"You think you can't, huh?" June smirks.

"Reverse psychology doesn't work on me," Alex deadpans. June groans, her plan foiled.

"Okay, we'll see what happens tomorrow night," Nora says. "Will Alex go the whole night bitchless?"

"I bet you 20 that he doesn't pull anyone," June says to Nora.

Nora laughs and slaps her hand into a firm shake. "Deal!"

Alex gapes at them. "You guys did not just make a bet on my love life."

—

The air is cold at the end-of-semester campfire party. There are at least 300 people present and Alex can barely hear himself think. He always plays a few songs during this party every year since he's lived on campus and he's definitely a crowd-pleaser. It gives him a feeling that's indescribable.

Alex says his goodbyes to Nora and June and goes to find his usual setup, his guitar and mic already plugged into a speaker awaiting his arrival on a small stage set up in front of the fire. He plays a set of a few covers, ranging from Fleetwood Mac's 'Chains' to ABBA's 'Waterloo'. He easily builds a crowd, even getting people to sing along. He locks eyes with June and Nora, proudly watching him and he smiles just knowing he's going to win Nora 20 dollars tonight.

As he finishes his set, the crowd is hooting and hollering and he has never felt so alive. The buzz he gets for performing, even if it's just to fellow college students is an unreal feeling he can't quite describe. He feels on top of the world. Untouchable.

"You were amazing!" A petite brunette gushes to him as he puts the guitar back in its case. Alex smiles at her.

"Thanks, glad you liked it," He replies coyly. "What's your name?"

Her eyes light up. "Amber, and yours?"

"Alex."

"Well, Alex, do you want to get a drink with me?" She asks, twirling her hair between her fingers.

"Sure," Alex shrugs, following her to a cooler full of a variety of canned alcohol. Alex leans past her to grab a drink, quickly opening it and taking a sip that almost empties the can.