Two
"A Second Chance Meeting"
(( Alex ))
Alex swirls the red wine in her glass - blatantly ignoring the waiter whom frequented at her table - deciding that the view outside was much more pleasant to look at. She had barely reached the restaurant when the down pour began, feeling lucky she didn't have to result in holding a newspaper over her head like most people were doing. It was quite the scene, she admitted. This was a nice distraction from her already stressful day, but afternoon drinking was the real life saver here. She was trying to forget about the work load she left on her desk, where the designs were becoming impossible to fit with the measurements.
But before she think further about it, she already spotted a furious and wet maned women. Alex was doing her best not to laugh when Nikki sat down opposite of her.
"The weather reporter this morning lied. Sunny they said, all day they said." She ranted, trying to tame her now frizzy hair. "Now look at me. Practically a wet dog in jeans."
"It's the middle of October. In New York if I might add. You should expect this."
"You know I travel a lot, how am I suppose to keep track? And I don't see you with an umbrella either. Your point is invalid as far as I'm concerned."
Alex brought the tip of her glass to her lips, tasting the liquid with care, while watching Nikki force her hair into a messy bun and in the process ordering a beer. It was rather entertaining to watch.
"This place isn't all to bad, huh?"
"I take it you come here a lot."
"I come here to meet women, classy women."
"Every women in here is with someone, as I've collected so far." Alex caught Nikki's heavy grin, and then with the shake of her head she continued, "Of course that means absolutely nothing to you. Men must hate you."
"Women too."
They both laughed. The lightness in the air was refreshing, Alex thought. When the waiter returned with Nikki's drink, they had decided to order.
"Just because you're a one girl wonder now, doesn't mean you get to judge those of us who are not." Messy bun took a long drag of her beer, almost draining half the bottle in one sip. "And if I recall- you had quite a few places back in college."
"I'm not judging." Alex hid her smile behind the rim of her glass and Nikki squinted her eyes with a silent look. "Okay- okay, maybe a little. But that was back in college."
"Sure, sure. Speaking of one girl wonder now, how is Clare?"
"Clare is fine, well good, and all of the above."
"I'm waiting for you to tell me how the proposal went."
"What are you talking about?"
"You popping the question." Nikki was visibly serious and this left Alex even more confused.
"I haven't proposed to anyone." Alex quickly said, wanting to speak about something other than this. Anything but this.
"Huh, someone told me that you were going too, forget who though."
"And you believed them without checking with me first?"
"That is what I'm doing now? I guess I believed it because you have been dating for two years?"
"Well I don't plan on proposing any time soon so."
"I don't see what the problem is? Clare is gorgeous, optimistic, fun, works at a great bank, and not to mention she puts up with your crazy ass. Mom loves her too, and she doesn't like just anyone."
"Are you dating her or am I?"
Proposing, was she really fucking serious? Alex hadn't even thought about the chances of that happening. Ever.
"Alex the point is, she makes you happy. Why won't you fully commit to her already?"
"Can we stop talking about this? You're really making me wish I never left my office."
Where was all of this coming from, she questioned. Nikki never gave a damn about any of her relationships and Alex was grateful for that. Now- now it didn't make any sense.
"Why do I get the feeling this is about that women."
This peaked Alex's interest and Nikki caught on to it rather quickly.
"Holy shit. I'm right aren't I? It has been five long, long- years!"
"This isn't about her. And can you please lower your fucking tone."
Alex was quick to look around them, hoping that they didn't draw any attention.
"Don't lie to me. You need to stop waiting around for someone who isn't going to show up. "
The waiter interrupted Alex just as she was about to ask yet again, if they could squash the argument they were having. He placed each of their plates in front of them before he ran off. Something told Alex he had overheard a part of their conversation and she wasn't the least bit happy about that. Annoyed and aggravated even, they simply ignored one another as they tended to their meals. But she knew that Nikki was burning to talk more about it, eating away in that messy bun of hers, and Alex was dreading the moment she brought that women up again.
She never accused her to be the problem. Never.
Five Years Prior
(( Alex ))
She was never fond of parties. The late night college ones filled with free beer, cheap snacks, and forced small talk. She still goes, of course, but only to ditch the cover creases of her sheets – where her never ending melancholy holds her. It always started with another slurring friend on the other line, stating the infamous whereabouts to these particular parties. And then here she stands every time with a beer in her hand- away from the ruckus – feeling almost regretful for ever leaving the quiet confines of her room. She couldn't pin point what she was currently upset about, upcoming exams? Or maybe it could be for the simple fact that she doesn't like parties, loud people, drunk friends, screaming music, and Doritos? She was still trying to fit the pieces together herself. And just when she thinks of escaping the horrid time, she finds herself staying, because her voice is all to beautiful and welcoming to leave behind.
"You know the party is that way right?" She says with a smile.
If forever existed, she could tell you that she imagined forever in that millisecond of catching her composer. Alex swore it was more than just her blonde hair, tanned skin, and maroon knee high dress that she couldn't help but notice had complimented her curves perfectly. It was about the way she felt when her eyes found hers. The light blue seeping through her own and suddenly the feeling was almost unbearable.
"That explains why it is so quiet over here." Alex speaks, trying to hide how open she feels.
"Right, because you are suddenly abandoning your youth for?"
"For my hearing." She was quick to say. "How can anyone hold a conversation in there?"
"Oh, you haven't seen it yet? Everyone is practically eating each others faces that there is absolutely no room for talking." The blond releases a genuine laugh, revealing the shyness in her voice.
This women was pulling her strings and tearing down her walls – leaving her bare, anxious and restless. And this girl had no clue. Alex was awfully taken aback.
"Not everyone."
She played a soft smile before peeling her eyes away from the women – their warm blue iris lighting a fire to her cheeks. She was hoping the blonde couldn't see the great appeal she had for her laugh, because she was desperately wanting to hear it again.
"I'm Piper."
"Alex."
The Present
(( Alex ))
"You met her one time. One lucky night and all of a sudden you want to throw away any good relationship that comes your way. I don't get how you, of all people, are so captivated by one girl you don't even know." Nikki paused, her voice small and quiet, keeping her eyes away from Alex's – almost respecting the situation. "I want to find her for you, so I can see just how amazing she is and fall in love with her too. Or better yet, help you move on."
"I know."
Alex knew Nikki couldn't understand it, because it was a fragile subject even to herself. She wanted to deny that she wasn't the least bit curious about the women - that she didn't think about her from time to time - but Alex knew very well it had a lot to do with not knowing anything about her. It was only a fascination – nothing more and nothing less. That is why she never talked about it and why she didn't want to talk about it.
"To tell you the truth, it has been so long, I don't even know if I would notice her if she was standing right in front of me."
"So you don't have a picture of remembrance together labeled 'the one that got away'?"
"Shut up." Slowly the tension dimmed and soon they were laughing together.
"Did you at least get her name?"
"Piper."
"Are you sure?" Nikki mumbled while chewing.
"I'm pretty sure."
"So, Piper what?"
"I don't ask all the people I meet what their last names are."
"Well from now on, maybe you should. Have you tried looking her up? Piper who lives in New York?"
"Nikki, I went to every party I was invited to after that night. I asked anyone and everyone if they knew a Piper. A few people said they knew her, but didn't have any contact information."
"Did they know anything about her?"
"They didn't know her know her, it was more of a.. I've seen her around here and there. Honestly, the girl was practically a ghost."
"Maybe you just imagined her and she doesn't really exist. Because I can't imagine anyone wooing you Vause."
"So Clare-"
"Clare did not woo you and if she had, there is no way you'd be stuck on another girl. Isn't that like mind-cheating or something?"
"Mind cheating?" Alex couldn't hold in the laugh this time, it just came right out. "That isn't even a thing."
"Sure it is. And for two years too. I bet she doesn't even know about her, right?"
"It's none of her business."
"Exactly- mind cheating at its finest."
"I can't believe out of all the people in the world, you ended up as my foster sister."
"Fuck off, you wouldn't have it any other way."
"Maybe. Anyways are you finished eating? I have to get back to work."
Nikki nodded with a mouthful about to soak in the beer she just sipped down. Alex shook the imagine out of her head before calling the waiter for the check. Work was calling and it was indefinite.
"Daya." Pause. "Daya." Pause again. "Daya."
Fifteen-minutes Alex had been standing in the same spot, tapping her fingers impatiently on the front desk. Daya was too busy going back and forth making giggly faces with someone she had never seen before. The sight was becoming uncomfortable and annoying.
"Fuck this." Alex stormed away from the front desk, she didn't need an invention to see her mother, and she was not about to stand there for another fifteen-minutes waiting for Daya.
After the semi fiasco lunch she had with Nikki, she easily decided to take a detour for some much needed mother bonding time, and that work could wait. Her foster sister didn't just pry into her love life without good reason, unless it had to do with someone putting her up to it and there weren't many people on this planet that Nikki would do things for. Except for a certain old women.
When she exited the elevator and continued on down the hall, someone was just leaving the room she was headed to. Alex paid no real attention to her, until they passed by and she had to take a second to look back, before slipping through the door.
"Alex?"
A millisecond of catching her composer..
"Alex?"
"Huh?" She turned around after shutting the door, the recent thought vanishing.
"The girl who just left, who was she?"
"Someone whom is non of your concern and you best stay out of it. "
"I'm not Nikki. But now I'm suddenly under the impression that you were just warning me."
"Take it as you will." Red motioned for her to sit and Alex complied. "As happy as I am to see you dear, why are you here at this hour? You should be at work." Her mother gathered the papers that crowded her desk and stored them into a file – secretive as ever.
"Let's talk about how Nikki asked me if I proposed to Clare yet."