Chapter 1 : The New Year...New Things
It was the end of the New Year's Eve Party at The Devereaux Sisters' Place , the ladies of the bar-restaurant were cleaning up and giggling about all the awkward dance moves from the town locals ,they were sipping on Bourbon and stuffing their faces with left-over food
"Gosh I always hated this party ...no offense...it brings back memories ..of my worm-face boyfriend ditching me for my sister ugh" Camille said rolling her eyes and sliding her curvy body on the bar-top
The girls laughed
"He was a dick anyway...he even flirted with me..you know it was coming" Sophie said counting her money
"Hopefully in the new year I could pick Mr Right instead of Mr Wrong " Camille pouted
Sophie smiled
"What about you Hay ? What's your resolution?" Sophie asked
"Me? Ha! Men and me never work out..every guy I like either falls for my hot bestfriend or my sister...this year just want to forget men and focus on getting into Art School" Hayley said proudly
"Look at you...venturing off into the sophisticated Art World " Sophie teased
Hayley laughed
Camille flipped open the newspaper and gagged
"Guys!Guys! Guys! Did you see this?..that hottie Niklaus Mikaelson...is getting married to Caroline Forbes" Camille yelled
"Caroline Forbes? As in my high school bestfriend ..small town Barbie Caroline?" Hayley asked
Camille nodded "how did she get Niklaus Mikaelson?"
"Probably blowjobs" Sophie joked
"Oh come on guys let's face it..girls like Caroline get guys like Niklaus any day...she was captain of the cheerwhore squad..she moved to NYC to be a fricking model..she's friends with Cara DeLevigne...and Niklaus is multibillionaire Art Investor...they're are perfect" Hayley said rolling her hazel-eyes
"Yeah probably right..but hey didn't you take Nik's Art Class last Summer?" Sophie asked
"Yeah...he probably doesn't remember silly ,loser me" Hayley said wiping down counters
"Let's hope he has a brother for me" Camille laughed giving a high-five to Sophie who laughed loudly
"The article said they're getting married here" Camille said
"Really? The French Quarter ?interesting" Hayley said
"Besides doesn't his mom live here or something" Camille asked
"Yeah Esther Mikelson...she gives me the creeps beyond the creeps" Sophie laughed
"Well Caroline better invite you Hayley...after all you were bestfriends in High School " Camille said
"Oh please she slept with my ex-boyfriend Senior Year and then they showed up to Prom together..besides girls like that would forget pheasants like me" Hayley said bitterly
"I swear when I do get my PhD in Psychology...you would be my first patient...you got some serious issues" Camille said jokingly
Hayley rolled her eyes
"Okay enough gossip...shutup ,clean up and go home I'm cranky already" Sophie said laughing
After the early morning clean up at the bar-restaurant , Hayley crashed into her apartment at 3:30 am . Her body ache and she had tons on her mind,she managed to drag herself in and out of the shower . She rolled her crazy-sexed hair in a bun and threw herself on the bed pouting staring at her dark-open closet ,she got up and turned on the light inside and reach-forth for the box above it and pulled it out. She sat back on the bed with the box infront of her ,she bit her lower lip . She pulled out an old photograph of herself with Caroline , Elena and Bonnie..her old High School bestfriends ,she pulled out her vision-board of all the things she wanted in life ;she wanted to travel to Paris , NYC , London , Milan, she had dreams of attending an Art School in London ..which she couldn't afford since both her parents died and she had no choice but to find herself a job. She's been saving money for 2 years now just so she can have enough for the ticket and institution fees . She stuffed the vision-board back into the box and threw the picture back in . She threw her head back on the bed and dosed off until the next day
The next day was obviously New Years Day and every New Years Day the town had this extravagant Town Day fill with food ,drinks ,jazz music and off course men...hot foreign men . The girls of the Devereaux Sisters' Place were going to be extremely busy especially the fact Camille wasn't going to be working today ,so Hayley and Sophie had to do everything .
"Hay would you work tables 9 , 11 and 5 please ...I've got request for gumbo so I need to be in the kitchen" Sophie said fumbling for her apron
Hayley sighed and picked up the tray to serve each of the tables the drinks ,hot wings and hamburgers.
Sophie popped the ingredients in the pot full of gumbo . Her bestfriend Shabine jumped her in the kitchen
"Oh shit..you scared me woman " Sophie laughed hugging her
"Well I thought I stop by..give you a hand around this old place" Shabine said smiling
"Omg you're my life saver...would you watch the gumbo...I got some customers at the bar counter" Sophie said fixing the apron around Shabine's waistline
Sophie walked out of the kitchen ,infront to the bar counter ,she wiped her hands on the back of her Applebottom jeans
"What can I get you ,Sir?" Sophie asked the well suited man at the bar counter on his phone
He sat there staring at the brunette ,forgetting his caller on his cellphone and hung up. Sophie smiled softly.
He quickly tried to grasps his words
"Um ..yes a Whiskey" he said feeling embarrassed
Sophie blushed alittle while she poured the drink infront of him
"New in town?" She questioned
"No...actually..here for a special occasion"he said smiling sipping the drink as she placed it down
She smiled .
"Its amazing how everyone comes in here for the Town Day celebrations...must be a good eating place"he said trying to form a convo with the pretty bar-maid
She chuckled "well I am Sophie Devereaux...I do make the best gumbo on Bourbon Street"
He smiled "Devereaux and the owner of this place...you do quite well for a woman"
"And I take that as a compliment" she said smiling
"Elijah Mikaelson" he said extending his hand
"Mikaelson? As in Niklaus Mikaelson" Sophie said shaking his hand in curiously
"Oh no..are you one of those women..that will freak out over the fact Niklaus is my younger brother...cause you should know he's getting married" he said
She laughed which was the most beautiful thing to him
"I could tell he was the one who stealed all your girlfriends back in High school" Sophie said still giggling
"You have no idea Miss Devereaux" he said pouting
"I'm aware your brother is getting married...so no interest at all" Sophie said smiling
They stared at each other for a split second
"Well enjoy your Whiskey ,Mikaelson ...I should get back into the kitchen" Sophie said about to turn around
"Wait? ...its Town Day...there's usually a Art &Music display downtown...I was wondering if you would like to come ...with me...if you want? I mean we just met and this is strange" he fumbled
She laughed ,she thought it was cute how he was baffled around her
"Its New Orleans ..everyone is friendly around here...of course I won't mind joining you...the display usually is exquisite"Sophie said smiling
"Great well I'll be there by 7" he said smiling
"I'll meet you there"she smiled and continued walking to the back of the kitchen
He smiled and left the bar
It was Hayley's break...so she decided to go to the Art Gallery two doors away . She had heard Niklaus Mikaelson had two new pieces inside waiting to be sold for more than her car worth . She walked carefully around the big white room ,looking at every piece . She came across one that striked her inner core , it was dark but yet unique but vulnerable . It sent her mixed vibes to her soul . She stood there trying to give a final analysis in her head about the piece
"Not everyone like this piece" Niklaus Mikaelson voice said next to her
Hayley almost freaked out at the voice of the soothing British hunk but yet she remained calm
"I personally think its your best ever " she said glancing next her
"Really? You like this?" He asked
"I admire it..very simple yet unique...its like this piece is telling me...you're looking for something in your life you haven't found it but you're still waiting" she explained while staring at the piece
He looked at her in complete astonishment
"Um do I know you from somewhere?"He asked
" I took your Art Class last summer" she said
Folding her arms
"Miss...Marshall right?...you were the one who started the paint fight" he asked laughing
"Yours truly! But please call me Hayley"she said laughing remembering the paint fight they had
"Hayley...you study Art?"He asked
"I could only dream...I have other things on my plate...for now I'm just an admirer.."She said smiling about to walk away
"Well I'm glad you like this piece...you're the only one who understood it"he said
"I'm good at interrupting things...and Congratulations on your engagement..."Hayley smiled walking away
He smiled ,he felt he had to meet this strange ,artistic girl again.