~New Beginnings~
Moving sucks, especially when it's because you just lost your crappy job, and you have to move across the country to live with your little sister, and her two cats. And oh yeah, she just started dating someone, has a great job as a model and is now and has always been the popular, goody two-shoes one. So I'm driving to Seattle, and have her on speaker phone and she is gushing about her latest party and how everyone was there and wasn't I excited to be moving in with and all her amazingness? Someone, please kill me now I thought. I realized she had paused in her talking, crap. "I said is that ok? With Gabe and Thaz helping you unpack and all that? I have a photo shoot." Great, I got to meet two guys one of whom was the possible boyfriend and some other guy friend, they were probably both models also. "Sure sis. I'll be there about 10am tomorrow. Love you, bye!" I hung up before she could go on with her I'm 21 and perfect spiel.
I am neither 21, nor perfect. Closer to 24 and a starving artist, maybe. I really hoped the bedroom I was using would house my three small boxes plus all my art supplies. She drives a shiny new black mustang, I'm amazed my VW bus hasn't just fallen apart at this point. Which is what I would have lived in if my mom hadn't blabbed to my sister about my losing my crappy job and even crappier apartment.
I slept at a rest area, and woke up at about 3am, just 7 more hours and I'd get to be in fun-ville! Fuck my life. As I drove, I did notice that my sister was right about the Pacific Northwest being pretty, especially as Oregon gave way to Washington and the I-5 freeway wasn't too bad for a Wednesday morning. I kept telling myself it would all be ok, until about an hour away from her place. I had promised to call Gabe, I think his name was, and let him know I was close.
I took a shaky breath and dialed. Two rings. "Hello?"
"Yah, hi, this is Alice, Lindsey's sister, is this Gabe?" oh God please let that be the right name.
"Yes ma'am, are you getting close?"
"Mmhhmm, about 40 minutes away according to my GPS, which hasn't been updated since the Paleolithic era." I was thinking why I had said that, it's not even funny, when he laughed uproariously.
"Ok, well you are almost to Wonder Land, just keep following the white rabbit and don't get lost, see you soon."
I hung up and appreciated he had a sense of humor, sounded cute and not stuck on himself like a certain sister I was about to live with. Seattle is complicated, but I managed to finally find the large, expensive looking, condos. I pulled around back and saw two men leaning against a burnt orange 2015 Dodge Charger. I parked a few spaces away, adjusted my crocheted hat and hopped out, my multitude of bracelets making jingling noises. Okay, I am a starving artist and look like a hippy according to my sister.
They made their way over, neither was overly tall or looked like a model, thank God. "Welcome to Wonderland, Alice!" The amber eyed, way to adorable one with dimples, said with a grin. Any other time I might have rolled my eyes at how many times I'd heard that joke, but he seemed genuine, and not trying to make fun of my name, so he gets a pass this time I thought. The blue eyed blonde next to him was a bit older, with a sexy smile and an accent, eeek! "Balthazar, but you can call me Thaz." I shook both their hands and gestured towards the van. "I don't have much stuff, mainly art supplies."
"I love the van!" Gabriel said as we went around to the back. Again I looked and he wasn't teasing, huh, I thought. I opened the back and gestured to the three small boxes, and the 4 large plastic bins filled with art supplies. "Don't worry about the easels and such, I can always get those later." Thaz spoke up, "Not a chance, your sister insists on having an apartment on the 20th floor, and you weigh maybe 93 pounds?" Gabriel made shooing motions at me when I went to grab a box. I grinned and watched them unload the boxes, Gabe with two and Thaz got a large bin and box. I followed them inside and into the elevator. The doors had just closed, and Gabe sighed and looked at me. "Not to sound creepy but the keys are in my right front pocket." I smirked and enjoyed the look on his face as I reached in and retrieved the keys without hesitation, jingling them in front of them both.
Her door was almost straight across from the elevator, I quickly unlocked it then stepped back to let them in first. I followed them through a short hallway and into a huge open area with a kitchen to the right, giant living area to the left, and past that a door they were taking the boxes into. I was actually impressed with the size, but the view was amazing, I could see the space needle! My fingers itched for my drawing pad and pencils. I almost jumped when a hand squeezed my shoulder. "Gabe chuckled, "We will get the rest of your stuff," he held up a finger as I started to protest, "You've been on the road way too long and could use a break." Thaz waggled a finger at me. "And there is enough food in the kitchen to feed a small army, so stop taking the starving artist thing so literally and eat something." I gave them both a mock salute. "Yes sir!" They both grinned and headed back out.
Food, I thought, how I have missed you! I decided peanut butter and raspberry jam would suffice, along with a banana. I munched happily as I looked around my new room, queen size bed, large walk in closet and my own bathroom. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all, I hoped. I heard the door open and they came in, Thaz carrying two large bins and Gabe with the other bin plus my backpack and purse. Gabe handed me my keys. "I locked her up for you." I smiled appreciatively. "Thank you both so much! I don't think I would have made all those trips without giving myself a hernia." Thaz smiled and Gabe winked at me.
"So this is really all your stuff?" Gabe asked, a bit tentatively. I nodded. "Yup, you know starving artists don't accumulate much." I winked back. Thaz grabbed his phone. "Take my number in case you need anything and Gabe isn't around, especially since your sister is usually way too busy… doing her own thing." I pulled out my phone and put him in it, pretending I didn't see the look Gabe gave Thaz after that comment he made. "Got it!" I sighed and looked at the stacked boxes and bins, then at the guys. "Is it wrong that all I want to do is nap and not unpack?" Thaz laughed, "Hardly, considering you drove almost straight through from Florida. We'll leave you in peace, but don't hesitate to let us know if you need anything?" I nodded affirmatively. "I will, thanks again guys." The door was no sooner shut then I was crawling out of my clothes and into bed, asleep within minutes.
~He said, She said~
I have no idea how long I was out, but it was dark, and the city looked beautiful. I rubbed my eyes and debated getting dressed, mainly so I could feed myself. I listened and the condo was eerily quiet. My hovel in Florida was on a busy street, and I was used to all the traffic and people sounds. I found the light switch and started rifling boxes for something remotely clean to wear. I settled on my favorite dark azure skirt that I knew matched my eyes perfectly. And of course my white peasant blouse and where had I put my other dark blue crochet hat? I finally tracked it down, along with some sandals. Yup, I thought as I looked in the mirror, I am such a hippy. I laughed at myself and walked out into the living room, slightly surprised to see Gabriel stretched out on the couch, reading. He looked up and tilted his head slightly, eying my outfit.
"I like that skirt, brings out the blue in your eyes," he commented offhandedly, a smile playing at his lips as he went back to his book. I smiled all the way to the kitchen, and debated what food I could eat that would not test my subpar cooking ability. I heard meows and saw the two Siamese cats eyeing me. "Oh, hey little kitty cats!" I exclaimed in a falsetto voice. "You want to be part of my stir fry, I Wok you really good." I was startled by Gabe laughing, and I looked up he was clutching the counter and holding his stomach. "Oh, Alice, I think you and I are going to get along entirely too well." I giggled, then gestured towards the cats. And using a really bad Chinese impression I said, "Oh, most delicious kitty cat flambé I make for you nice American man, if I know how to cook that is." Gabe looked like he couldn't breathe, and I was gasping for air by the time we finally composed ourselves.
"Tell you what," he gasped, "I cook, and you entertain?" I nodded and wiped the tears from my eyes. I did a mock bow. "Yes, I entertain you kind American sir." He waved a spatula at me, and motioned towards the cupboard. "Plates up there. Get drinks." He was still huffing with laughter as I set the plates on the bar, and looked towards the, oh look a wine fridge, alcohol selection. "I'm guessing she doesn't have any scotch?" He grinned and opened a cupboard and pulled down a brown bottle. "No, but I do." I sighed happily and poured us both a drink, handing him his as I sat down at the bar and watched him getting stuff out for dinner.
"So what time is Lindsey coming home?" I asked. He shrugged, his back to me, and I noticed the nice tone of his trapezius and deltoids through his tight black t-shirt. He didn't say anything about Lindsey. I decided to drop it, and change the topic. "Gabe, can I ask you a kind of, I hope I don't sound creepy, kind of question?" He turned and arched an eyebrow, a slight smile forming. "Sure?"
"You have really amazing muscle tone on your back and I'd like to do a sketch of you with your shirt off." The look on his face, and I felt like a creeper. "Oh, God, Gabe, I really didn't mean to freak you out. I draw people all the time, I'm really sorry…" he held up the spatula and the smile came back to his face, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's ok, I'm just not a big fan of… I mean I don't get undressed for just anyone." He turned back to dinner and I bit my lip and wanted to face palm. Maybe he thought I was some kind of pervert? I wondered if my sister had said something to him, I loved her, but I also knew her opinion of me and what she called my "free-love lifestyle" was less than stellar.
"Alice?" I looked up from where I was staring holes into my empty plate, and into his soft amber eyes. "Yeah?" He swallowed, and took a deep breath. "It's just, your sister may have mentioned, well…" he had that look, and I knew it all too well. My sister was always a good girl, and reveled in telling everyone while we were growing up what a slut I was. Which, I am not, but fuck, that's pretty much I am sure what she told Gabe, and probably Thaz also.
"It's ok Gabe. I already know my sister probably 'warned' you about me. I am sure she told you that I can't keep my hands to myself, and that you should watch your back, am I right?"
He sighed. "Pretty much."
"Well, you believe what you want to believe. I am not a slut and I am not easy." My voice quivered. "And I am no longer hungry." I got up from the bar and went straight to my room, locking the door and kicked off my sandals and slid under the covers, pulling my pillow over my head. Fuck my life.