The Secret Six

Chapter 5: A Chance Encounter

"Loss is nothing else but change, and change is Nature's delight." --Marcus Aurelius

Chapter 5

“Audrey?” Alex said in awe, perplexed that I was here.

Unable to think of much to say, I could only try and make the best of an awkward situation, so I said, “…Yo.”

Alex still stared at me, gawking like I was an unsightly sight to behold, “Why are you…?”

“Here?” I finished for him, receiving a hesitant nod from him, “I live here.”

He scoffed, looking around the shop, scrutinizing and obviously mentally dubbing it as an unfit living area, “In here?” He chastised.

I shook my head, rolling my eyes, sighing, “Above the flower shop, genius. In the apartment complex?”

His mouth dropped lower.

I frowned, curious as to why he was so confused, “What?”

“I live there, too.” He revealed, his eyes widened like two wide, rounded circles in a sea of green, “What apartment?”

“7B,” I told him, trying not to gape. I didn’t want to seem obviously shocked; with my luck today, I should’ve suspected that something like this would happen.

He pursed his lips, “4E,” he said.

I sighed with a sort of relief. At least he wasn’t too close to me.

“…But we just moved out of there, and now we’re in 7E.” He added sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck, hanging his head as if he was ashamed.

I couldn’t help it, and my jaw dropped. Just. My. Fucking. Luck.

Now, not only did I have to deal with a delusional grandfather who wandered off without notice at home, but I had to deal with a crazy, arrogant, and bothersome neighbor. I could practically see it now: me, tired after a long day at school; I come home, hoping for some peace and quiet, and upon entrance, I see Alex lounging in the spinning chair in front of the desk. As I close the door, he spins around, stroking a plush cat as a sort of joke; well, I could tell that it was not funny.

“Well, that’s just dandy.” I said sarcastically, slapping my forehead with the palm of my hand. I looked at him, seeing his eyes still wide as if someone had just clapped their hands inches from his face. I frowned, “What is it?”

“It’s just…” He took a deep breath, setting his hands on the counter and rolling his head back to the ceiling where he took a long, dramatic sigh. “I don’t want people knowing I work at this place.”

I frowned, wondering what was so wrong with working here, “It’s a flower shop, Alex; it’s not like it’s a burlesque house.”

He smirked, but it quickly vanished, and he crossed his arms, “That’s precisely my point.” He told me cryptically, “Incase it eluded you, a flower shop isn’t exactly the manliest of places to work.”

I rolled my eyes, this being precisely what I hated most out of people: the fear of social rank. It wouldn’t even seem to matter for the kid, as I thought about it; if Scarlett thought he was hopeless, than I was pretty sure the whole school must mimic her and believe the same. “I don’t you need to worry.”

“Why?” He wondered, looking at me with a smirk, “In case you haven’t noticed, testosterone levels aren’t through the roof here.”

“That’s true,” I agreed, shrugging it off, “It’s not a big deal though. No one’s going to care where you work.”