Ch. 2
"He's so perfect!", someone shrills suddenly, making me drop the cork screw I'm holding. Thankfully it was the corkscrew and not the bottle of wine.
I look up from my tray with a bored yet slightly annoyed look at my friend and co-worker Becky.
"Beck..I just have two questions for you. First, could you please do..", I trail off, to take a look at the TV and back at her. I notice her staring breathlessly at a man in a suit and tie on television, "...whatever it is you're doing any quieter?. Second question, is every guy perfect to you?"
"No just this one", she grins.
I roll my eyes, here we go again "And who might that be", I drawl lazily
"Him..Ashton McCoy", she points at the flat screen in the corner.
I look from my 'about to pass out any second now friend' to the TV
"That?", I scrunch up my nose. Becky turns to look at my somewhat disgusted face with her jaw dropped like I'd just thrown out her favorite Milani lipstick.
"What?", I try to defend myself " --you see them once you see them a thousand times. It's all the same", I sigh and return to my organizing. "I mean it's not like anyone has seen him in the last couple of years. We don't even know if he's still alive"
Becky grabs my shoulder, "How can you say that?", she whispers angrily "you better go home and wash your mouth out with soap"
"Yes mother" I laugh, "what do you guys see in him anyway?"
"Have you lost your eyes!", she screams "I mean look at him. He's so perfect"
"Perfect uh huh..right, you haven't even seen the way the man eats or whether he's so above it all that he looks down on everyone else", I shrug, making my point.
"Makes me want to jump in the TV and grab him", Becky muses, completely ignoring the words I'd just said.
"Good, because Mr perfect just walked in". y confused look was replaced with a smirk when Janice another co worker walked in to deliver the news.
"Stop joking", Becky says, gasping fervently for air and taking steps backwards
"Beck chill..you're gonna--". Just before I can finish, there is a series of Clang! and Shatter! sounds as Becky knocks over a bunch of pots and pans. "--crash into something", I finish with a sigh
I roll my eyes, with a wide grin at Janice who winks, "That never gets old does it Ally", She smirks, dumping her tray in the sink. "Funnier each time", I reply with my arms crossed.
"It's not funny", Beck whines, heaving herself off the floor. "I'm serious here. Ally, what if you meet him today?..or even you Janice"
I scoff, "Meet the Ashton McCoy today?"
I glance at Janice who's trying her hardest to contain her laughter. When that doesn't work, she grabs a glass of water and makes a loud snort.
"You guys think it's funny huh?", Becky says almost annoyed, "...then let's make a deal, $3000 if Ally meets Ashton"
"That not even remotely possible", I laugh, grabbing a couple of glasses from the rack. Janice places her empty glass of water in the sink,"come on, do you even know where you work?. This place is a fricking celebrity hang out"
I think for a moment, glancing in Beck's direction with a sigh, "Alright B..we'll see", I say, almost unsure of myself. We'll see.
✴
After my shift's over, I walk out the back door, just in time to receive a hello from the rain that comes pouring down. Luckily in front of Luigi's there's a tarp so I stand there for a while, waiting patiently for a miracle or something.
Few minutes later and it still doesn't look like the rain is stopping. I'm about to risk all odds of getting a cold and take a plunge into the rain when someone walks out of Luigi's with an umbrella.
Thank God!
It's unethical..yeah but as desperate as I am, I'm willing to try anything at this point so i hurry under the umbrella.
"What are you doing?"
At the realization that it's a man, I gulp really hard but I don't turn around.
"I'm really sorry, i just need to use this with you for a few minutes, you see--", before I can say anything else, he grabbed my arms and literally moves me like a book on a shelf and walks away. The rain is slowly seeping through all the corners of my coat but I don't care anymore. I might as well just go home, right?
As if on cue, I receive a text message from Jay asking if I'm done at work and I'm about to reply when someone almost knocks my cellphone from my hand. I look up, ready to yell until I see the guy from earlier standing there with his umbrella in an outstretched arm.
"You--", I start, but like before, he interrupt me. He took my hand and places the umbrella in it before shielding his hair in his hood and walking away.
"Hey --wait!"
"Huh, well that was weird", I muttered to myself.
But look on the bright side, I've got a new umbrella!
I texted back:
'It's okay Jay i'm fine. Sleep tight'
Delivered: 10:15pm
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
I love my apartment, it's really cool and...comfortable. Plus, it was the cheapest I could find so -. I don't have a ride, so I take the bus everywhere, literally. It's like my own ride.
[Ally's apartment... ⤴]
Just like Jay, Ava graduated from college with honours. She's 28 just like me and manages her mom's boutique. Me? oh, well I did go to college for about two years and...a half.
In my third year, mom became ill and all so I quit. It might not have been the best idea but my friends and their families helped out a lot but you can only depend on someone for so long. Enough of that now back to my current situation.
Ava is currently emptying my closet.
"How about this one?", she asks for the umpteenth time.
"Looks like a watermelon", I reply without looking up from my novel. It's Friday and Ava's trying to get me to go to her cousin's college party with her.
"This?"
"Too pretty"
With a groan, she holds up yet another gown, "too---"
"If you're going to say too red then don't because that's the last gown in there"
"Do i have to go?", I grumble as i stretch out on my bed.
"Yes, because all you do is work. Come on just go out today and loosen up for Chrissake"
"I am loosening up already..i'm reading a frigging novel, it counts as something don't you think so?"
"Well no..no i really don't", she blinks "now come on this is the last thing in there...you don't have a choice here"
"Nooo", I whine
"Shut up already and put these on", she shoves a peach blouse and deep blue skinny jeans with ankle boots at me.
"Go on already!"
Cussing with every tug, I finally put them on.
"Now don't you like what you see", she grins from ear to ear.
"I'm being forced to go out against my will so no...no i don't", I say with my arms crossed around my chest and a pout.
"You are so cute", she pinches my cheek with a sarcastic smile, " close your eyes"
"Yes mother", I roll my eyes.
"Pass the mascara?"
"Eyes closed remember?", I wave my hands over my face.
"Oh yeah..sorry"
*
"I'm going to bed", I murmur as I stare at myself in the mirror.
"No, no...you're not. Grab your purse"
With a long sigh, I shuffle to the bean bag and pick my purse, "just kill me already", I groan
"Then no one would go partying with me"
"How is that my problem?", I throw my hands in the air
"I think having no social life is getting to you. You really need to get out m--"
"Alright, alright I'm going. I'll have you remember, I was very social back in high school", I contend, my nose in the air.
"Yeah, until you got involved with bad boy Hansen and realized he was only using you for grades", she babbles on with her index finger moving back and forth in the air.
I flash her an unamused smile, "Thank you. Is Jay coming with us?"
"Oh um..well I uh--"
"You didn't invite him did you?", I ask arms crossed.
Ava just stands there sheepishly, trying to avoid eye contact with me. I sigh and take out my phone which she swiftly snatches from me.
"Hey, what was that!?"
"Don't call Jay", she sighs, her hand on her forehead.
"Why not?"
Ava stomps around lightly, probably in frustration, "Chad's gonna be there"
"Chad's going to be--ugh seriously Ava!"
"I'm sorry okay...just thought we could hang out you know since he works a lot these days. Also, I want this to be a peaceful night devoid of guys chucking blows at each other"
I stare at my friend's pleading face for seconds before letting out a frustrated groan,"just don't bring him within three feet of me"
"Sure", she replies cheerfully and scurries out of my apartment.
Things I do for friends.
~°~°~
I look around in disgust, "This is just going to be another sweat, lights and people grinding against each other like their lives depend on it kind of party..huh?"
"Duh, that's what we're here for!"
"Right", I grit my teeth
"Chad!", Ava screams
That's me cue.
Without being noticed I blend into the crowd and head straight for the garden, where I find people making out.. Pff college kids. I'm about to head back in the house when someone calls my name
"Alexa?"
"Greg?"
"What are you doing here?", he asks awkwardly, I can tell he's surprised or should I say embarrassed.
"Avery"
"Right..", he chuckles and runs his hand through his hair
Greg Lamar was one of those guys in college whom I never really talked to except in a few classes or when it was extremely necessary. We were rumored to be together.
"I'll see you around..", I smile, walking away.
"Avery?"
"Yeah?"
"You..", he clears his throat, "never mind"
I head straight for the bar to get a drink. Hopefully, all this would be over soon.
"Martini please...thank you"
I perch on a stool, my eyes closed, trying to block out the loud music. Chances are slim..to absolute zero
"Here you go miss"
I smile at the bartender. Just then, someone plops down next to me and I looked up from my glass.
"Martini..thank you"
"Have you not seen a man before?", he asks without taking his eyes off his phone. That's when I come to the realization that I'm staring with the glass still in my mouth
"Oh uh..sorry, I just uh..think you look very familiar", I cough
He snorts and takes a sip of his martini.
Rude much?
With a careful yet unnoticeable stare, I realize something...something really uncomfortable.
"Hey...you're that umbrella guy from yesterday". He turns slowly to face me and chuckles softly while muttering something.
"And you are such a pain". He gulped his last Martini and slammed a tip on the counter before turning to leave.
"And you are such a pain", I mimick mutely before rolling my eyes and gulping my drink.
Ah, how can someone that good looking be so arrogant? I groan and rub my temples.
I gotta find Ava.
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