Mike
What an intolerable girl! We kind of established a connection, but on the next day I found out that they moved out before the scheduled date. In another situation, I wouldn't care, but I was really upset that she disappeared without a word, without even saying goodbye.
What did you expect, idiot? Mrs. Moore was right that evening...
***
Evening. For some reason or the other, I showed up at her house again... The girl made it clear that she didn't want to have anything to do with me, but did that ever stop me? No... Actually, I have never been in such situations. Is it my dignity hurt or something else? I need to sort myself out - she will not get away from me.
I knocked at the door. A second, two, three... The door opened, and I felt some disappointment, though I tried to hide it.
"Good evening, Mrs. Moore," I tried to be as polite as I could. Who knows what rumors they have already heard about me.
"Hello! Mike, right?" She opened the door wider, inviting me to come in.
Surprise... I went in, looked around and smiled when on the coffee table I noticed those miserable flowers that I picked on my way here. What a shame, I should have ordered a more decent bouquet. Samantha had an apron on, which meant she was making a festive dinner, and it was strange because I had other plans for her daughter tonight.
She offered me a glass of juice and invited me to sit, settling herself in front of me.
"Mike," her look was full of determination, and I already knew what she was about to say. "Alana told me about your run-ins."
"I didn't doubt it." I couldn't hold back a grin, but then I realized that my behavior was tactless. Instead, I pursed my mouth and gazed into space.
Samantha pretended she didn't notice it and continued:
"The way you behaved on the way to the resort was extremely outrageous, and what happened in the parking lot was out of bounds. In a good way, we should report you to the police, Mike, but I am grateful to you for not abandoning Alana, but providing medical assistance, although technically you did kidnap her. Yet, I don't get why you've moved us to a different apartment."
"I like her, and I want to get to know her better. Is it so bad? Besides, this part of the resort has its privileges. Didn't you like today?" I looked at her challengingly, but Alana's mother was rock solid.
"That makes it look like you're stalking her. Try to understand, Alana had a difficult past, and you'll never get her attention, going about it this way. I think I don't need to tell you how many mistakes you've made, and they've already pushed her away from you, though any other girl would be fine. She didn't even take the gift, she left it on the steps. I still have it."
Now it's clear, this is the answer to my question of why they're cooking dinner at home. I sighed in despair, threw my head back, and closed my eyes.
"It had an invitation to dinner inside. That's why I'm here."
"You're beating the air," she said, turning away and raising herself from the couch. "Alana wouldn't go anywhere with you, and, I should admit, I wouldn't let her go, though she is a big girl."
What happened to her?
I needed to come up with some idea... I want to be with her, to look at her, to hear her charming voice, and I don't care about her weird behavior. Well, that's for later... Grandma! She is the key...
"Mrs. Moore, please leave your cooking for another time. I want to invite you and your daughter to a restaurant to celebrate her birthday. My grandmother will guarantee my good behavior; I'm sure Alana and she have a mutual affection for each other."
"You are right," she smiled. "Maybe that's a good sign. But let's see what my daughter says. Today it's up to her to decide."
I never lose, and I would not accept their sudden departure just like that. I even found their home address; it is not a big deal when your close friend's uncle owns the whole resort. But here I also had a bummer - Alana had already left for university. Now I know her parents. It is a pity Samantha was not at home. She would have been surprised.
I was sitting on the steps of my campus house and finishing my second cigarette when I heard the conversation between three guys going out. They were discussing some pretty first-year babe who joined us today. What nonsense! Are they stoned? The university law forbids it... Though I must admit, I was curious to see her. There was a rumor that our administrator Sheila had her eyes on that girl, and unfortunately, you can't get away from that bitch.
"Glad to see you, bro!" Alex's radiant smile almost blinded me. "I thought you'd come later."
"Hi! Yeah, I had to leave the resort and go somewhere, and then I got back here right away/ I didn't want to go home," I said as I tossed my travel bag under the bed and fell on its soft surface.
"I see. I thought you were keeping away from Miranda. I hear she was there on vacation."
"I know. We met. They came with the whole family. I could barely get rid of that snake. And her brother glared at me the whole evening as if I stole his toys."
"Why are you so wound up?"
"She ran away from right under my nose! Can you imagine?" My anger for Alana poured over me again. I have never been dumped before! And this time it was the exact opposite. "But ok, I'll go to the end of the earth to get her, and she will regret ever coming to the resort."
"What exactly do you want from her? Sex? From what you've said, I can state with confidence that you'll have a hard time even getting her to smile."
"Sex is last century. Let's set the bar higher. I want her love."
"And what are you gonna do with her, if she falls in love with you?" This turn in the conversation got Alex tense.
"Nothing," I shrugged, "I won't have to live with that burden."
"Bad idea, really bad idea. Can you imagine what's gonna happen to the poor girl? You can't play with people's feelings like that, Mike. It's mean, to say the least," Alex said, trying to defend the runaway girl.
"Oh, come on! Are you mother Theresa? Decided to work as my consciousness? I'll just prove that even girls like her give in when there's a chance of a stable, comfortable life with a rich guy. That's it."
"And that's it? Then what? You'll throw her out like garbage? Player, I'm appealing to your reason and what's left of your decency, stop. Stop destroying people's lives."
"She's different, Farrel. This girl's not as simple as she seems at first glance. It seems this one's built reinforced concrete walls around herself and thinks no one can get through. Of course, it will be even more interesting to break them down."
"You're going to fall first, Mike," Alex said thoughtfully as he took in my state of excitement. Only once before did I have such an intense interest in a girl...
"That won't happen again... By the way, where is Jessica?"
Alex silently scanned the room and looked like he was thinking about something. After my question he paused, staring fixedly in front of himself.
"She got a new roommate today. I think they'll spend the evening getting to know each other," he said. He cleared his throat and continued: "Especially now when something is wrong with Jessica, but she doesn't want to talk about it. You know since she was a child, she's used to asserting herself."
"I guess the administration's going to have a big problem since there was an instruction to reserve the room for the girl," I said and grinned at the thought of this situation.
Suddenly, we heard women's voices and laughter in the hallway. One of them belonged to our friend, the other one was barely audible. I suspected was the new roommate.
"I'll get Jessica," Alex said and disappeared out the door, and I, being a boy, sneaked out to peep at the girls.
When I opened the door wide enough to get a view, I felt chills. My feet stopped dead, and my heart was in my mouth. And it was not because of the stunning figure, whose wet clothes stuck to her like a second skin. Not because of the genuine smile and glowing eyes, that I did not get to see in such a short time recently. Not because of the amazing voice, that reached the deepest parts of my soul. No... Goddamn, I was shocked at the sight of the person that I saw in front of me!
What is she doing here? Is Moore the one Jessica shares a room with? Why did they accommodate her in the house? Why the hell didn't Alex say anything? Asshole, I'll get through with him...
I noticed that my friends were approaching me, and sat down as if nothing had happened, though I felt the hellfire burning inside me. When these two bodies came in and I transfixed my best friend with my look, he realized that brotherly blood was about to be shed.
"Wow, why are you so angry? Can I greet you at least? Or will you bite?" Jessica sat on my lap and hugged me. "Hi! Welcome!"
"I heard you're in a bad mood, but it doesn't look like it."
"The problem's solved, and I'm happier than ever before!" the blond let out a scream, jumped off my lap and started going round and round the room like crazy. "You came back early, I expected you only by the beginning of the semester, or even later."
"Plans changed," I said and shifted my gaze on my friend, who looked as black as thunder. I don't get it, does he have a crush on Alana? I'm dead set, she is mine alone. "I hear you have a roommate. Is she pretty?"
"She's the best and incredible!" I was shocked how Moore affects people. How long has she been here, a day? And her roommate is singing her praises already. "I'm warning you right away – I'll never let you approach her! You won't spoil this girl."
"What if I fall in love? Will you break your brother's heart?" I pouted and made a trustworthy face, but Jessica was an unassailable fortress. "Will you at least introduce me?"
"Not now. I have a competition in a couple of days, and I need to get ready. All right, kisses to everyone, I have wine and nice company waiting for me tonight! Don't get too bored, guys," the blond said and fluttered out of the room.
Stony silence hung in the room until Alex decided to break it.
"In my defence, I can say that I was also shocked when I saw her. She moved in this morning. Sorry, I didn't know how to tell you."
"Forget it! I'll go for a smoke," I said and went outside, trying to think how to show up in front of her in the most spectacular way. And I thought I had a plan. I hoped Jessica will take this modest girl to the club.
Alana
Two days flew by quickly. From morning till night we were in the club. Jessica introduced me to the group, and the girls accepted me with a warm welcome. I was surprised that people could be so hospitable. The atmosphere itself was inviting to productive work.
We were afraid that the ex-member of the group could sell the show to the competitors, so we created a new routine in secret. Jess got her phone out and played my dance from the 'audition', which completely surprised me.
"You should go into in choreography. What we just saw is really cool," one of the girls said, and everybody agreed. It was nice to hear words of encouragement, but actually, I didn't associate my future with dancing.
We made two routines, and the way they worked out, made us want to show them to the public as soon as possible. Was I worried? Of course... I have never been to clubs, and I couldn't even imagine how I would survive such a crowd. Even though Jess tried to make me feel at ease and supported me in every way, I still had this feeling of anxiety, like something bad was going to happen.
Just don't think about it...
Having gone back to our room, Jess and I just fell exhausted on our beds, to get new strength before tomorrow's event. Automatically I put my arms around the pillow and felt something under it. I took it out, and in the darkness, I couldn't understand what it was. As soon as I turned on the light on my phone, the object fell out of my hands.
What is this small mint candy doing under my pillow?