"Gentleman, I'll be your server for tonight. Anything you need just holler Trey and I'll be over here" I heard my best friend greet the table of guys behind me. "Can I get a Jack and Coke?" a familiar voice asked making me shoot out of my seat and spin around, my eyes locking first on the long hair and then the face of Aleister Black. "Jesus Christ" he muttered eyes roaming over me before he turned back to Trey who was looking between the two of us with wide eyes, now realizing who he was just speaking to. "Hold the coke, heavy on the Jack" he muttered before he pushed out of the booth, I started to walk away hoping I could get into the back before he caught up but was stopped less than two feet from where we just were, his long legs giving him a big advantage. "Leslie, I don't care why you're here. I don't want to know what you've done here or how long you've been here. Just go home." He growled his nails nearly gouging into the tender skin on my arm. "Fuck you. You don't get to tell me what to do anymore." I spat back ripping my arm from his grip covering up the sadness with anger, it's what I'm good at. "Don't you dare walk away from me Leslie." He yelled as I walked away from him, flipping him the bird before I pushed through the curtain to the back, leaving Trey to clean up that mess. I just wanted to finish up my shift so I could get as far away from that man as I could.
OTHER POV
"What just happened?" Adam Cole asked slightly shocked by the events of the last 10 minutes. "That's Leslie, and her ex-boyfriend Aleister." Trey started to explain taking Aleister's empty seat since the man had gone straight to the bar "Leslie was the super good-good girl all her life, even when her and Aleister started dating. She gave him her virginity, less than a week later they broke up. She thought it was because of her, but he really left to start his wrestling dreams. He just never told her that. I asked his mom." Trey paused taking a deep breath "Leslie was devastated, pretty much focused on school and work. She never went out, never did anything like that. She got into Harvard, focused on school got a degree in entertainment and then went back and got a degree in cosmetology." He paused again taking another breath "Her parents got divorced, they don't speak at all. The bills from the lawyer cost so much that they couldn't help her pay bills or anything so she moved in with me. Took a job here after she got turned down at several other jobs because of her style and that's that." He huffed "Okay...so her and Aleister still have bad blood or?" Johnny Gargano pressed still not sure what was happening "Oh yeah, she had severe depression and eating disorder after him because she thought she wasn't good enough. She tried getting a hold of him and he never answered, all of that boo hoo Nicholas Sparks stuff, that's the first time they've talked in like 10 years." Trey nodded "Wow" Adam sighed "Oh god, sorry what can I get all of you?" Trey asked everyone dropping the little episode for the time being.
END OTHER POV
Taking a deep breath I walked back out into the crowd now sans dress since my break was over and it was time for me to go back to serving food and drinks. I was thanking the heavens that Aleister and his friends had sat at one of Trey's tables and not one of mine because I probably would've broken down and cried then and there. "What can I get you gentlemen?" I asked sweetly fluttering my eyelashes at the high-end looking group of guys hoping for a large tip by the end of the night. "I'll just take a McGolden, and maybe a side of you" the only brunette of the group smirked making me smile brightly "bottle or tap?" I asked jotting down the rest of their orders while he decided "Bottle doll" he nodded smacking my butt as I walked away returning a few minutes later with their drinks. Taking a slight detour on my way to another table I stopped at Aleister's table and glared at the man "Leave it alone. I need the money." I stated staring down at him until he finally grunted in acknowledgement, moving his glare from the brunette man at the other table to the table top in front of him. "Thank you." I murmured before I walked off to check on my other tables, continuing my rounds until my shift was over at 1 a.m. Walking into the back I pulled sweatpants and a tank top on and grabbed my purse before heading back into the bar area to find Trey and tell him I was taking off. "Hey, I'm out. I'll see you later yeah?" I sighed resting my head on his shoulder as he paused his chatting with the table of men he had been taking care of all night. "You're not walking are you?" Adam chimed in making me roll my eyes with a sigh "Yes Dad, Like every night since I started here." I sassed crossing my arms over my chest not impressed with the nosiness of the group "Aleister can give you a ride home. It's safer, plus I don't know if I'll be home tonight. So I'd appreciate knowing that you actually made it home since you ALWAYS forget to text me" Trey scolded making me pout "Come on Trey, you CAN NOT leave me alone with him." I whined quietly "I can hear you" Aleister drawled "Shut up" I snapped crossing my arms over my chest as all eyes were locked on me "FINE! If it will make all of you happy" I sighed waiting for Aleister to get to his feet before I started for the door, tensing when he slipped his arm around my hips and pulled me close. "Don't." I muttered trying to push away but he only tightened his hold on me as we crossed the dark parking lot, his eyes stopping on every single person with a glare before we were stopping at the passenger door of an SUV. "I'd start explaining now." He growled bracing his hands on either side of my head as he stared down at me. "Even if I wanted to, I don't know where to start." I whispered "You don't control me anymore." I added afraid to look him in the eyes. Clearly he had other plans as he moved one hand to tilt my head until our eyes locked, "tell me from when I left." He prodded making me laugh sarcastically "Just take me home Aleister" I sighed "Promise when we get there you'll start explaining shit" he returned quietly making me sigh "Promise" I nodded moving enough so he could open the passenger door for me.
"This is where you live?" Aleister asked as we pulled up to the kind of sketchy apartment building. "Yeah, I mean Trey lived here first, I just moved into the spare bedroom after him and his girlfriend broke up" I shrugged unlocking the door and letting him walk in first before I relocked the door and then dropped my keys and purse on the small table just inside the door. "Let me get changed and then we can talk" I sighed going to move past him except he stopped me with a hand on my stomach. "I don't think so, you're in sweatpants and a sweatshirt. I still know you, you're going to strip them off and sleep in your bra and underwear if you keep your bra on. We're gonna sit down and talk now." He stated pushing me towards the couch and plopping down on it, patting the spot right next to it, pulling me down beside him when I didn't sit right away. "Well, you broke up with me a week after I gave you my virginity." I started blandly "And then you left with no reason or anything. You never answered my calls or text messages. I ended up with depression, insomnia and Anorexia. I stopped hanging out with people and talking to people, focused on school. Got into Harvard. Got a degree in entertainment and cosmetology, then my parent's divorced, none of us talk anymore. A year and a half ago I ended up in the hospital for almost a month because I tried to kill myself but my body was too weak from my Anorexia and couldn't heal as fast." I took a deep breath "When I was finally told I could go back to work I tried to get a job but nothing would hire me because of my scars and how I looked. SO I got a job at the club with Trey. You can leave now." I finished starting to get up until he pulled me back down onto his lap. "Me leaving had NOTHING to do with you" he sighed "Well...that's not true it was nothing like you think, but it had everything to do with you." He muttered "I left to pursue my wrestling career, but I wasn't going to hold you back from school by keeping you committed to a long distance relationship. I loved you so much and I didn't want to have you sitting around waiting when you could be out living." He explained a laugh bursting from my lips.
"That is the most bullshit thing I've ever heard come out of someone's mouth." I snapped "You can leave or sleep on the couch. But stay the fuck away from me" I snarled pushing away from him and escaping into my bedroom before the tears could fall. "Leslie please just come out and talk to me." Aleister called from the opposite side of the door. "Go away" I snarled throwing my sweatshirt at the door hoping the thud was loud enough to get him to leave. "I'm not going away" he cooed, the sound of a body sliding down the door on the other side making the tears fall faster. "You left so easy the last time" I returned sitting on the bed cross legged, wondering if he was going to realize that there was no lock on the door. "I had to." He snarled making me laugh "That wasn't your choice to make Aleister." I cried, "It was my choice if I put myself through a long distance relationship while in school. It was my choice and you took it away from me" I continued trying to hide the sobs "I would've followed you to the end of the world and back. I would STILL follow you and that's what hurts so bad." I spoke "Even though you hurt me so bad I would still die for you." I sniffled jumping as the door opened "You don't have a lock on this?" he asked baffled at how easily it opened "The one on the front door is just for show, it doesn't actually work" I shrugged wiping my face, a low growl sounding in his throat. "I swear, you are" he broke off pinching the bridge of his nose and taking a deep breath. "One fight at a time" he muttered to him closing the door behind him, stripping off his jeans and shirt as he walked towards the bed. "I told you to stay away from me. To leave or sleep on the couch." I snapped holding out a hand to keep him at arms length, the muscles of his stomach rippling against my palm sending unwanted feelings between my legs. "There was a mouse on the coffee table so no thank you to the couch. And now that I know the lock on the front door doesn't work I sure as hell am not leaving" he stated wrapping his hand around my wrist and pushing me back onto the bed "So you're stuck with me" he murmured crawling over top of me holding me to the bed with his hips.
"Get off of me" I whispered afraid to move and break whatever spell we were under. "Not a chance doll. I lost you once, now I'm back and I'm not losing you a second time." He whispered "You're stuck with me as long as you're living in this apartment" he shrugged, my jaw dropping open "That's not fair" I pouted finally pushing him off trying not to smile as his laugh filled my usual empty and sad bedroom with happiness. "Leslie, I am sorry for everything I put you through. I never meant for that to happen. I just wanted you to have options and not be tied down because I was following my dream." He sighed back to being serious as he tucked me into his side. "You are really bad at this whole don't touch me thing" I sighed as I curled into his body stealing heat from him "I'm happy for you Aleister, I really am" I whispered "I just wish I could have been there for you to reach your dreams, support you through the ups and downs" I shrugged the best I could. "I know you can't help me reach mine…but maybe I could help you reach yours" he murmured making me sigh "I don't have dreams anymore Aleister, they died the day I did." I stated darkly climbing out of bed and leaving the bedroom not wanting to be near him again. "Leslie, stop walking away from me." He growled following after me again "So you can walk away but I can't?" I sassed crossing my arms over my chest "I don't have dreams anymore Aleister. I'm a stripping waitress. That is my life. This shitty apartment with no locks is my life. The mice running across everything we own is my life." I stressed "I am happy for you. That you made something of yourself and have a home and cars and a good life. I am. But that's your life." I continued "And this is mine. We're in two different worlds now." I shrugged "I think you should leave now" I whispered holding an arm out to keep him away as he stepped towards me. "You don't get it Leslie." He growled easily pushing past my barrier and holding me to him "I am not leaving you. Not again." He whispered ducking his head and pressing our lips together, my defenses crumbling as I fell into his arms and the feelings his kiss was bringing out.