Blood River Chapter 3.
The only thing on Alexa's mind at this particular moment was whether or not the butterflies in her stomach were actually visible from the outside. She sat, legs folded under her, on an overstuffed couch in the "reading corner" of the local coffee house. She'd ordered for herself already, not wanting to give Dean the opportunity to spend money on her before Alexa was sold on him as a potential boyfriend. She wanted to be, but her past trauma still wasn't allowing her to clear her mind.
The barista, who Lexi didn't know but recognized from school, brought her coffee in an off-white ceramic mug. She exchanged a pleasant smile with the girl, making a mental note to try to introduce herself before leaving. She would've right then, but the young woman working at Hennig's Perfect Pour seemed almost overwhelmed that Sunday night.
Coffee was one of Alexa's most treasured indulgences. She had hours of fond memories stored away in the far recesses of her brain of time she'd spent in the early mornings with her father, drinking coffee and talking. She'd began routinely consuming the beverage at the tender age of thirteen, and despite the jokes about how it stunted her growth, it'd become as much a part of her daily preparations as anything else. She lifted the ceramic apparatus to her face, taking a deep inhale of the steaming liquid.
She smiled to herself. The brew was strong, but not burnt. The "house blend" could be an adventure at some places, but whoever this Hennig guy was, Alexa decided then and there that he knew his shit. She added some sweetener, just a dash of skim milk, and took her first sip.
"Amazing," she intimated to herself. She'd given up coffee for a long time after the incident, as some sort of self-flagellation for surviving the house fire that had taken her entire family. A second sip followed, with a soft moan of complete satisfaction gracing the tiny blonde's lips with abject contentment at the mild jolt she felt coursing through her veins. For the first time in weeks, Alexa Bliss was in absolute heaven.
Her good mood was lifted even further as she watched Dean Ambrose saunter through the glass door of the establishment. He greeted the barista with a grin before grabbing a green glass bottle of Coke from a cooler in front of the register. He slid a ten dollar bill across the counter, waving dismissively for the haggard employee to keep the seven dollars and change he was entitled to from what was left over after his purchase.
"Hi Alexa," Dean began, trying not to convey his level of joy at finally getting to see his crush again. He'd meant to go by her house the night before, and even texted Alexa, informing her of his intent to do just that, but an issue with his best friend had postponed his intention.
"Good to see you, Dean. And here I was afraid you were gonna stand me up again. Like last night."
As the miniscule beauty's face lit up with humor, Dean shook his head from side to side and rolled his eyes.
"First of all, we didn't 'officially' make plans. You gotta get me early." He winked at Alexa. "I'm popular. Secondly, Roman Reigns is one of the toughest guys at our school, but he was blubbering like a middle school girl at a Backstreet Boys concert yesterday."
Alexa couldn't suppress a giggle. "What happened?"
Dean snickered. "Guy woke up yesterday morning with a voicemail notice on his phone. His girlfriend Nattie called him at six AM yesterday to break up with him. Apparently her old boyfriend, Tyson, graduated basic training last weekend. He's back in town and she couldn't be bothered to call Roman before jumping back into Tyson's back seat. Roman was crying like a bitch when we showed up for medical treatment yesterday morning."
Alexa grimaced. "That bad, huh? You needed medical attention after the game?"
Dean shook his head, more vociferously this time. "I didn't. Roman did. I go to get my knee looked at after every game. I hurt it playing baseball in the eighth grade and it's just smart to not let up. But Roman was staring at his phone like he watched it kill his cat and trying not to let anyone else see tears in his eyes."
"Awww," Alexa muttered, her sympathy for Roman welling up within her. Throughout her high school career in Ohio, Alexa had always been known as a fount of compassion for anyone who needed it.
Dean chortled again. "Yeah. That's about right. Don't feel too bad for him, though. We all tried to warn him."
Alexa tried to suppress a smile. Deep down, it was somewhat gratifying to hear from someone else what she'd suspected about Natalya since the day the two blondes crossed paths for the first time.
"Yeah. I didn't get the best of vibes from her at Brock's the other night."
Dean grinned his head mischievously. "That's because she's threatened by you."
"What?" Alexa asked, unaware of any run-in she'd had with Natalya that would've made the Senior uneasy. "What did I do?"
Dean shook his head again. "Nothing. She's just one of those girls who automatically hates anyone she sees as prettier than her."
Alexa fought the grin forming at the edges of her lips, but ended up having to lift her coffee mug, taking a sip to hide her satisfaction at Dean telling her she was pretty. Seh decided in that instant that she could get used to that.
"That's…" She paused, reforming her thoughts. "I knew a lot of girls like that back home. They were the worst kind of horrible. One even sent me a card when I was in the hospital that said she hoped I died so she could be Sophomore class Princess at Homecoming."
Ambrose's eyes grew wide. "Holy shit. Really?"
Alexa chuckled, recalling the incident with the sort of grim fondness she wasn't sure how to define yet.
"Yeah. Her name was Britt Baker. She hated me because she wanted the lead role in a musical we did in middle school. No one had the heart to tell her she sounded like a sick walrus when she sings. So when I got the part, it put me in her crosshairs."
"Girls can be assholes," Dean muttered in response.
"Yep," Alexa returned, a tight lipped smile adorning her face. "I got a dozen roses from her, with a card in a pink envelope. She had the most perfect cursive handwriting I'd ever seen. She wrote 'maybe it would be best if you just passed on so the rest of us could dare to dream of achieving.' Like it was my fault she sucked."
Dean laughed. "Ha! Well, I'm sorry that happened to you. I wish I could tell you we didn't have girls like that here. I do think it's probably less than most places. Really only Natalya and Sasha. And sometimes Charlotte, but I can't figure out her criteria for who she likes and doesn't."
Alexa waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, I already met Charlotte. We actually IM'ed a good bit yesterday. We're in the same history class and we're gonna study together this semester. She's a sweetheart."
"Well then, sounds like you're all set." One more thought occured to Dean. "The girls that Sasha hangs out with are actually pretty okay. Liv and Mandy. They knew Sasha back before she sold her soul to be 'the boss.'"
"The Boss?" Alexa asked, puzzled.
"Yeah. Some shit she wanted us to call her in eighth grade after she got named cheer captain. None of us did, but she called herself that, so it kinda just became something we got used to. Doesn't make it not stupid, but we got used to it."
Alexa laughed louder now, before taking a second giant swig of her coffee. "I understand." She reset, hoping to ask Dean about something he said two nights previous. "So, the other night you mentioned the 'tragic history of this town.' Do tell."
Dean shook his head. "It's not as interesting as you think. Honestly."
Alexa grinned brightly. "Try me."
"Ok," Dean returned, taking a long swing of his Coca Cola before beginning his tale. "So, you know how this town is called 'Blue River,' even though there's a big-ass lake like a mile from here?"
Alexa giggled. "Yeah."
"Well," Dean continued, "Georgia isn't a lake state. We actually have zero naturally occurring lakes here. We're a river state. Lake Lanier is man-made."
"That's...interesting, I guess," Alexa returned cautiously.
"That's not the interesting part," Dean asserted. "So, I guess in the twenties, when they were doing all that 'New Deal' shit to get people back to work, they built a big hydroelectric dam up near the north end of the county."
"I think we've driven over it before," Alexa countered.
"I'm sure you have," Dean volleyed in return. "Anyway, the story goes that right before the lake was dammed up, the folks that lived in the town of Rocky Creek were told they had a week to pack their belongings and find somewhere to live."
"That doesn't seem fair at all!" Alexa exclaimed, a bit more loudly than she'd meant to.
"Oh, it wasn't," Dean agreed. "But I guess that's how things were back then. Anyway, there was a small but vocal faction of townsfolk that refused to leave. Said they had nowhere to go. My grandpa told me when I was a kid that he knew some of the families, and that they all thought the state wouldn't authorize the lake filling if people were still in town."
"I'm guessing they thought wrong," Alexa mused sadly.
Dean nodded grimly. "Yep. Almost exactly a hundred and sixty eight hours after they were given their final warning, the army corps of engineers allowed the dam to finish plugging and the reservoir to be filled. When the lake filled up, there were twenty three people who'd drowned. They'd refused to be moved and they paid the price for it."
"Oh my God," Alexa managed to push out. "Did their families sue?"
Dean shook his head in the negative, more emphatically this time. "For what? They were told. It's messed up that they died, but the state warned them. All the lawyers saw were a bunch of people who'd put themselves in harms way by choice. The families didn't get a penny." Dean continued his tale, a far-off look in his eye as he remembered the accounting his grandfather had given him. "From then on, it was like the town was divided. The relatives of those people that drowned always seemed to resent the ones that didn't lose anything. And they HATED my great-uncle."
"Why?" Alexa inquired, puzzled.
"He was the Mayor when all this went down. A lot of the wronged families thought he could've done something to prevent all that death. He couldn't, but they always blamed him."
Alexa nodded, contemplating what she'd been told. "And what does that have to do with the town today?"
Dean snickered. "Well, this is the South. Small town drama tends to have a way of lingering on, even a hundred or so years past its expiration date. There are still folks here who resent my family for the small role they played. And then there's the 'lake deaths.'"
"Lake deaths?" Alexa repeated, clearly intrigued.
"Yeah." Dean shook his head at the recollection. "It seems like every year a handful of people go out on Lake Lanier and die mysteriously. The lake police will go out and find boats capsized in calm water, or bodies that look like they were swimming for shore when there was no reason to. Some of them get chalked up to 'BWI's, but some never get solved."
"You think the lake is haunted?"
"I don't," Dean answered. "But a lot of people here do. And even if the lake itself isn't haunted, the deaths serve as a regular reminder of how much this town lost on that day. And I think it keeps those old wounds from ever completely healing."
As he finished speaking, Alexa became conscious of a large figure over her left shoulder, rapidly approaching Dean.
"Dean! What's up, baby?"
Dean chuckled and stood to his feet, before exchanging a short but multi-step handshake with the young man. "Have you met Alexa?"
The massive boy shook his head. "I think I would remember meeting a woman this beautiful."
Dean rolled his eyes. "Save it, Keith." He turned his gaze to Alexa. "Lex, this is Keith Lee. You might recognize him from chorus, but he's also a monster on our defensive line. You probably heard his name a lot Friday. How many tackles you have, Keith? Eleven?"
Lee snickered. "Thirteen solo. Two for a loss. Two sacks. Brock got all the attention, but I get results, motherfucker."
Everyone involved in the conversation allowed at least a giggle. Keith had played a whale of a game the previous Friday. He'd been a late addition the season before, with his dad moving him into Blue River's district just before the first game of the year. Fast forward one season, and now Roman, Brock, Keith, and Titus O'Neil formed maybe the most formidable defensive line in the state of Georgia. They were definitely the biggest, fastest, and angriest.
"That you do," Dean agreed. Even Alexa let a bright grin cross her face.
"I probably heard your name twenty times over the speakers, Keith," she intimated, letting her bright smile do the talking. In her mind, she was currently "Dean or nothing" as far as romantic excursions were confirmed, but there was no reason not to be nice to this new acquaintance.
"You damn right, babygirl," Keith returned. He turned back to his teammate. "Yo man, a bunch of us are going up to the drive-in movie tonight. They're playing Casablanca. I know you love that classic shit…"
Dean snickered as Keith trailed off. "I do," Ambrose fired back. "I do love that classic shit." Keith laughed loudly, which made Alexa smile, and the big man continued.
"Everyone's coming, bro. Roman, Seth, Zack, Brock, Christian, Big T, Big E, Woods, Kofi, D-Bry, everyone. I know Ro tried to call you."
Dean nodded resolutely as he glanced at his phone. "I was gonna call him back as soon as I was done with this lovely young lady here."
Alexa fought with everything in her not to blush as she took in Dean's kind words. "Well," she lilted, "a drive-in movie sounds fun. I've never been."
Keith nodded forcefully. "Oh, it's dope. We order pizza. Brock or Big E sneak in beer. It's cheap as hell."
Dean signalled his agreement. "It's true. I had no idea Gerry was playing the hits tonight." By "Gerry," Dean was referring to Gerald Brisco, owner and chief proprietor of Brisco & Patterson's Starlight Drive-In. Located in a prime spot overlooking the most picturesque location on Lake Lanier, the long-enduring business had become a beloved landmark amongst the conservative town's young people.
"I've never actually seen Casablanca," Alexa confessed.
The look of mock indignation on Dean's face was unmistakable. "What? Well, we just cannot have that," Ambrose asserted. "I insist you accompany me tonight."
Alexa rolled her eyes, though she wasn't at all disappointed with this turn of events. "Only because you insist, and because I don't want to turn you down in front of your friend."
Alexa regretted the joke as soon as she made it, but her mind was put at ease by Dean's big, friendly laugh. "I guess I'm lucky he's here then. What time is the movie playing, Keith?"
The giant's smile grew wide again. "Seven thirty. I'm ordering takeout from Ryder's, but the concession stand will be open, so it's up to you I guess."
Dean smiled and nodded in the affirmative. "See you tonight, man. Save me a parking spot."
Keith offered his fist for bumping. Dean accepted gladly, then the two young men exchanged a "bro hug," consisting of the pair beating the hell out of each other under the guise of playful affection.
"I think you might be a bad influence," Alexa offered as Keith walked away.
"Probably," Dean agreed, nodding slowly. "I've heard that before." He managed to twist his face into a serious expression, though he didn't at all mean to be serious. "So," he continued, forcing the current issue; "you wanna go to the drive-in movie?"
Alexa tried not to smile. "Only if you promise to be a gentleman and keep your hands to yourself, sir." The tiny blonde emphasized the word "sir" as though it were the most important statement she'd ever uttered.
"Alexa, I wish I could promise that, but I make no guarantees," Dean returned quickly. The two continued to discuss their second date, which might've actually been their first date, depending on who you asked. What the pair of young folks WERE sure of, however, was that they were intrigued by the possibilities the future held, and that they had no idea of the events that would unfold that very evening…
…
Alexa was REALLY glad Bayley and Dana had come. That was her very first thought. Not only did the petite cheerleader enjoy the company of the pair of girls, but as much as she was enjoying spending time with Dean, having some females she was on friendly terms with to talk to put her at ease.
With every second that passed, however, Alexa grew more impressed with the unkempt Junior she'd fallen in with. He was currently sitting in a camping chair, next to her, in a large semi-circle of students. What made him even more attractive than usual in Alexa's eyes, however, was that he was holding the leash of her faithful companion Macy. She'd felt bad for her poor pooch, who'd been longing to spend the evening with her owner, and so Dean graciously agreed to allow the dog on their excursion. Truth be told, Dean adored four legged animals of all varieties, and Alexa had been a good sport, taking Macy for a somewhat lengthy walk to stretch her legs upon their arrival. But Macy needed tons of attention, and Alexa wanted to talk to her new friends, and so Dean offered to keep the dog with him for a while.
As the evening progressed, and the sun sank low over the crystal blue water of Lake Lanier, the large reservoir that Blue River fed, Alexa found herself instinctively moving closer to Dean Ambrose. Not that he was all she paid attention to; she'd had a very fun conversation with Keith Lee, who paused between bites from the massive pizza box he had spread over his lap. He'd gamely offered his new friend a slice, but Alexa had packed some peanut butter and honey sandwiches while picking up Macy at her house. Her stomach was unsettled over the sudden changes in her diet brought on by being around people her age again, and she wanted to take it easy tonight. At least, until Ettore Langston, known to his friends as "Big E," showed up with his two best friends and a pony keg of some skunky light beer hidden in a Gatorade cooler. He'd backed his Ford Expedition alongside Dean's SUV, and kept his libations carefully concealed from any authority figures.
Alexa, Bayley, and Dana conversed, trying their best to keep away from the flood of testosterone. As it often happened, however, the flood of testosterone made itself known. Just before the heavy evening sun finished it's descent over the horizon, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns made their way from Seth's car into the semi-circle of young people. Seth was as cordial as Alexa had seen him, during their brief acquaintance, but Roman simply grunted a crude greeting, while grumbling a phrase that sounded alarmingly to Alexa like "I'm gonna fuckin' kill them…"
After a moment, once the big Samoan was well out of earshot, Alexa turned to Seth, who'd unfolded his camping chair between Bayley and Dana, and listened as her cheerful latina friend launched into a casual inquiry.
"What's wrong with him?" The hugging guitarist asked her drummer.
Seth shook his head, before snickering. It wasn't a humorous sort of laugh in the least.
"Oh, we saw Tyson's Mustang when we were pulling in here. He and Nattie were making out in the front seat. It was pretty clear that she wanted everyone to see her with her 'true love,' back from basic training." Seth laughed again, a bit more demonstratively this time.
"It would not shock me even a little bit if she were pregnant by Christmas. They are really getting after it over there."
Alexa tried to hide a giggle as Bayley and Dana did their best not to look over their shoulders at the navy sports car parked behind them. The sky above the small group of students got darker and darker as the hour grew later, and even more youths joined their gathering. Alexa was especially surprised by a vaguely Asian looking young woman with blue tips setting off her jet black hair. The girl had walked straight through their cluster and taken a perch on the knee of Keith Lee.
"That's Mia Yim," Bayley informed Alexa. "She's on the softball team, the basketball team AND the track team. She's awesome."
Alexa nodded, impressed with the mocha-colored girl's impromptu resume. "And I assume she's dating Keith?" The blonde fired back.
Dana nodded. "Yep. They've been together since January. They were Prom Prince and Princess for our class, actually. It was really cute."
Alexa took this information in, before succumbing to the constant distraction of stragglers joining their party at the last few moments before the picture started.
There was Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan, who Alexa already knew from cheerleading. There was Zack Ryder, who showed up with most of a full pan of lasagna from his parents' restaurant, and who'd set up his own outdoor chair as close to Dana as he could stand. Brock Lesnar showed up with Charlotte Flair, who seemed very content to make small talk with the ferocious boy she'd met the previous Friday. Big E's friends, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, greeted a fresh female set of arrivals to their shindig. From what Alexa could tell, their names were Ember Moon, Alicia Fox, and Big E's date, Nia Jax. Alexa did see some humor in the apparent revelation that Nia was at least a full inch taller than her suitor, but again the zaftig Samoan girl wowed Alexa with her humor and charm.
Kacy Catanzaro and Trevor Mann were there. Alexa had gotten to know Kacy almost entirely by Kacy being the only girl smaller than her on the cheer squad. Kacy could do things athletically that no one else could do. Not on their team, not at their school, not anywhere. But Kacy was also a sweetheart, and shared the giant bag of Doritos she'd procured with everyone interested.
Conspicuous by his absence, however, was Roman Reigns. Alexa had seen him earlier, with Seth, but now it seemed there was just no locating Reigns. As the sky darkened and the screen began flickering, a small cheer rose from the group containing Alexa, as well as the other gatherings across the clearing. There was a substantial shift in seating situations all around Alexa, and she chuckled to herself once again as Dean ended up next to her.
"Hey hey," he greeted her in his raspy baritone.
"Hi," Alexa returned. "I'm excited to see this."
"Me too," Dean said. "It's been a while since I've seen this whole thing. But it's a classic, so we ought to do pretty well." He glanced all around his brand new love interest. "You want anything? Popcorn? Soda? An excuse to leave?"
Alexa laughed loudly, even as the sound from the theatre began to emanate from the car stereos all around the small watching party.
"I'm good, Dean. I have a half a beer from Big E and a candy bar. Now all I need is a cute boy to sit with."
Dean grinned. "Well, as soon as one gets here, I will send him straight to you."
Alexa narrowed her eyes as she shook her head flirtatiously. "Hah hah, Ambrose, now will you scooch a little closer to me? It's cooling off out here."
Smiling, Dean did as he was told. He lifted his camping chair and slid as close as he could to the miniscule beauty without drawing attention. He did lean forward long enough to catch Dana's gaze, winking at her as she did her best to engage Zack in conversation. Finally, the feature film flickered to life, its stark image piercing the night air. As the opening credits rolled, Alexa smiled up at her date, before sliding her hand inside his arm and resting her head on his shoulder….
…..
Natalya Neidhart was in a state of euphoria. Not only was her dream man back from basic training to claim her, but he was currently lightly running his hands over every inch of her youthful, yet supple body. His open hands quickly found their home under her blouse, gathering palm-sized grasps of her still-covered breasts, and her lips were locked onto his, their tongues dancing intensely as the soundtrack of the film they really weren't watching pumped through the state of the art speakers in Tyson Kidd's new Ford Mustang.
"Baby," the lush blonde moaned into her boyfriend's ear, "this is so amazing! I'm so glad you're back!" She continued gyrating her hips as she straddled her boyfriend. "Fuck!" She exclaimed, allowing her emotions to take over for just a split second.
"It's good to have you back, babe," Tyson fired back, pulling his lips briefly away from his girlfriend's. "I'm glad you dumped that zero to get with this hero."
Natalya shook her head. "Did you just quote that fucking Vanilla Ice movie to me?"
Kidd snickered, then nodded his head arrogantly. "Yes I did." As Nattie lifted her muscular thigh back over Tyson's lap, indicating the concluding of their encounter, both paramours began smoothing out their clothes and generally trying to make themselves presentable.
"Sorry, baby," Natalya blurted, though she seemed less than sincere. "It's just super hard to keep my hands off of you. We can't have sex here, though. Too many prying eyes around."
Tyson nodded. "Agreed. Why don't you go get us a couple of Cokes, some candy, whatever else you want, then we'll finish the flick and get out of here? Go somewhere a little more private and get… re-acquainted?"
Natalya giggled, before kissing her new/old boyfriend lustily. "Absolutely, baby. Can I have money?"
Tyson snickered, but reached for his wallet and presented his preening lover with more pocket money than was necessary for his purchase.
"I'll take Sour Patch Kids and a large Cherry Coke," Tyson reminded Nattie as she bounced excitedly away from his sleek wheels. Tyson watched her lush form prance away, before leaning his seat back slightly to better enjoy the movie.
…..
The classic film ended far before Alexa was ready to say goodnight to her new friends. There was a sense of finality hanging in the air, along with the late summer evening humidity that all the locals seemed used to. Alexa doubted she'd ever get used to the oppressive moisture in the atmosphere and how it affected her. She tried to help Dean pack her folding chair and the small cooler she'd brought for herself and the young man, but Ambrose would hear nothing of it. So instead she made idle small talk with Bayley while Dean got their vehicle ready to go.
"Thanks for the ride back, Dean."
Ambrose paused from his labor to look up at his stepsister, not quite believing what he heard. "Dude, we're going to the same house. You live one bedroom over from me. Why wouldn't I take you home?"
Bayley shrugged and giggled at her longtime friend and family member. "I dunno. I thought maybe you'd want alone time with Alexa. I mean, you really shouldn't be out late because we have school tomorrow but…"
Bayley giggled as she trailed off. Both Dean and Alexa looked away, hiding their reddening faces. "I've got to get to bed soon," Alexa finally returned through almost clenched teeth. "And I know Dean has early workouts."
Ambrose nodded. "I do." He shut the back hatch of his SUV a little harder than Bayley thought was called for, as Alexa gently led Macy into the backseat.
"You can sit up front, Lexi," Bayley lilted playfully.
"Uh, ok. You don't mind sitting with the dog?"
Bayley grinned. "Not a bit. I love puppies."
And that's how Alexa found herself in her current position; in the front seat of Dean's Explorer, with Bayley jabbering nonsense behind her at the Golden Retriever he's made her way from Ohio with. Dean and Lex made awkward small talk for the duration of the ride out to the James-Cena home, while Dean's step-sister did her best not to make them feel like she was watching. She clearly was, and would even inject herself into their conversation from time to time, but she didn't want to make her obvious desire for the two to begin a relationship quite so apparent.
Finally, Dean turned onto the street that Alexa resided on. He took a left into the desired driveway, then parked his vehicle close enough to not be a hike for Alexa while being far enough away so as to not wake up any of the home's other occupants.
"Thanks for the ride, Dean." Alexa expressed, as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
"Let me help you with your stuff," Dean returned quickly as he shot out of the driver's seat. Bayley couldn't hide her smile as she watched her "too cool for school" step-brother almost literally trip over himself to assist his crush.
Alexa corralled her puppy, who was itching for a short romp in the backyard, and Dean hastily lifted the tiny blonde's small cooler out of the back hatch and lugged it clumsily to the aging but well kept front porch.
"Just leave it out here so it can drain," Alexa offered softly. "The ice hasn't melted yet."
"No problem," Dean rasped as he set the heavy box down as quietly as physics would allow. Macy trotted gleefully into the house, heading immediately down the stairs that led to Alexa's room.
Alexa giggled. "She's a good girl. She's just tired."
Dean snickered. "That makes three of us." Ambrose found himself torn. He really, really wanted to ask Alexa to spend some time with him this week, but he also knew Bayley was waiting in his Explorer. Picking up on his indecision, Alexa tried to ease the tension. She reached out and gently grabbed Dean's hand.
"Thank you," she said, raising her eyes to meet his.
"For what?" He replied, not entirely sure what she was talking about.
"Everything," she sighed, releasing his hand and running hers up his sinewed arm. "For being so nice and not expecting anything in return. For helping me with Macy. For not dwelling on all the messed up shit that happened to me…"
She trailed off, fighting the familiar feel of tears.
"Why would I be a dick about any of that?" Dean asked, truly puzzled.
"I dunno," Alexa returned, wiping the tears from her eyes. "It's just… I had this whole thing played out in my head where I wasn't gonna get too close to anyone and just keep my head down and graduate. But you, and Bayley, and Dana…" Her stream of consciousness decrescendoed again, as the wave of accumulated emotions washed over her again.
"Hey, hey," Dean whispered, taking her free hand. "We all really like you. You don't have to do this alone if you don't want to."
The suddenly exhausted girl nodded. "I know." She gazed back up at Dean. "And I appreciate that." Alexa turned to her left, hearing Macy scratch at the door to the backyard.
"I need to let Macy out and get to bed. But I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"
Dean grinned and nodded, squeezing her hand a final time. "Definitely."
Alexa bit her lip in indecision, before coming to what might've been a hasty act. She rose up on her tiptoes, smiling softly, and lightly pecked Dean between the corner of his mouth and his cheek. It still wasn't much of a kiss, but it was more than Dean was expecting, and miles ahead of where Alexa thought she would be at this point in her new life.
"Goodnight, Dean."
Before Dean could fully process what had happened, Alexa closed the door. Dean chuckled to himself as he heard the deadbolt slide into place. Glancing over at the car, he could see Bayley pantomime a cheering fan of Blue River's football team, pumping her arms over her head. Ambrose, now fully embarrassed, gave his sibling through marriage a hasty middle finger as he walked to the vehicle.
As he pulled the door open, Dean cut off any smart comment Bayley had to make about the situation. "Don't say a fuckin' word," he muttered, trying not to make eye contact. Bayley heeded his wishes. Instead, she smiled like a goof and tried her best to stare a hole into Dean as the Explorer pulled away…
…
The next few minutes were a blur for the exhausted Bliss. She took her dog for a final bathroom walk, before quickly changing into her makeshift pajamas, which were actually an old cheerleading t-shirt and pair of gym shorts, before brushing her teeth and taking care of any other need. After her adrenaline settled, she was finally able to reflect upon the evening's events. She liked Dean. She could now say that with certainty. She "liked" Dean as so much more than just one of the many friends she'd made that first week at Blue River High. She blushed as she thought of the myriad times her heart skipped a beat as he walked by, and how gentle his touch always was, even if his voice and manner were both rougher than she was used to.
These emotions in and of themselves hadn't upset Alexa. In fact, she'd done a good job of keeping it together that first week of her Junior year. That was until the notion that she should call her mom and tell her about the new boy in her life.
It all came flooding back after that. The fire. The funerals. The mental health facility. The feelings of utter loneliness and despair that had filled her every day from the incident until she was allowed to leave with her loving Aunt. Before long, it was all the tiny girl could take. The sobs came from deep within her, manifesting themselves as choppy wails, not loud, but not so quiet that she couldn't feel the footsteps of her Aunt Mickie rattle the flimsy wooden wall that separated her room from the staircase.
"Oh, sweetie," Mickie cooed as she rushed to throw her arms around Alexa. She rocked back and forth, doing everything she could think of to comfort the distraught young woman who'd come to live with her. After ninety or so seconds of unfettered tears and body-shaking sobs, Alexa began to calm down.
"What's wrong, Lexi?" Mickie asked, as gently as possible.
She could feel Alexa's head swinging from side to side, signalling in the negative. "I don't know, Aunt Mickie. It just hit me all at once that I'll never be able to talk to my mom or dad or brother or my Buddy ever again! It's just so hard. I miss them every day and I feel bad for being out having fun while they're cold in the ground…"
She trailed off, her words becoming indistinguishable. Mickie "shhhh"ed her niece, gently, while rubbing her back and continuing the comforting rocking she'd begun a few minutes ago.
"I know, babe. I wish I could tell you it's all gonna be okay. I know it's hard. But you're safe here and we love you and we'll do anything for you. Won't we, John?"
Alexa glanced to her right, where the massive frame of John Cena was leaning to one side. "We sure will, Lexi. Do you want to come sleep on the main floor? We could make up the couch or you can sleep in Bryn's room."
Alexa nodded. "I'll sleep on the floor in Bryn's room. That way I won't wake her up."
John nodded and gave a tight-lipped, joyless smile. He turned and began the short climb up the stairs, with Macy following close behind her. Right behind them, Mickie helped Alexa to her feet, while still keeping an arm around her, and the two followed John, with the smaller girl trying her best to dry her eyes and regain her composure….
….
Across town, in a wooded inlet far removed from any remaining excitement, Natalya Neidhart and Tyson Kidd were finishing their first round of coitus as an official (albeit reunited) couple. Natalya bounced in her man's lap, her pelvis slamming against Tyson with a violent rhythm.
"Fuck, baby!" She cried out into the night air as she reached one of her multiple climaxes that night. This time, however, she was joined in her release by her erstwhile first love. Before the shapely softball player could protest, Tyson let go of everything he had inside her.
"Shit, Nattie, I'm sorry," Tyson offered as he caught his breath. "You're still on the pill, right?"
Tyson wasn't currently looking Natalya in the eye, but he could feel her laser-focused gaze on him. "I am, Tyson, but you shouldn't take that for granted. What if I weren't?"
Kidd snickered, his glib nature betraying him. "I'd give you a ride to 'Planned Parenthood' or the adoption agency of your choice?"
"Very funny, motherfucker. Let me out," Nattie returned huskily, now crossing the line from mildly irritated to irrationally angry.
"Where are you going?" Tyson asked with mild amusement in his voice as Nattie dismounted. In just a few efficient movements, Nattie straightened her skirt, pulled her thong underwear up her leg and back into its proper place, and stormed off in a huff.
"What the fuck, Nattie? You gonna walk home?" Tyson called after her, almost mocking her outrage. He briefly considered following her, before remembering all the times in the past she'd needed to blow off some steam after becoming annoyed with him.
"I'll be right here!" Tyson called in the direction Natalya had disappeared in. Shaking his head and chuckling again, Kidd pulled a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket and lit one in the same practiced motion all smokers employ.
Ten minutes went by.
Then fifteen.
By minute twenty, Tyson Kidd was officially worried. "I'm gonna fucking kill her," he muttered to himself as he unfolded his compact frame from the driver's seat. "I'm gonna make sure she's okay, then I'm gonna kill her."
Grabbing his jacket from the backseat and his snub-nosed pistol from the glove compartment, Tyson sauntered off into the thick woods his girlfriend had stomped into some time before. It occurred to Tyson after a hundred or so yards that he could no longer see his vehicle, even with its headlights remaining on and its engine running.
Finally, he approached a clearing. Squinting in the pitch dark, Tyson was sure he could see what looked to be the lovely form of Natalya sitting on a felled tree.
"Babe, you scared me," he asserted, approaching Natalya. After waiting for an answer, Tyson decided to reach out and nonverbally alert Neidhart to his presence.
"Nat-"
The rest of his dearly departed's first name never escaped Tyson Kidd's lips. The instant his hand landed on Natalya's shoulder, the girl's body fell into a limp heap on the log. Letting out a bloodcurdling scream, Tyson turned away from the scene, now dead-set on running full speed to his car. As his head turned with his body, however, a hooded figure entered his field of vision. Tyson Kidd had zero time to think before a long, heavy metal object cracked his skull.
The young man was dead before he hit the ground. Blunt force trauma to the cranium is often, unlike what one sees in the movies, a fatal occurrence. Kidd's body crumpled underneath his head the very moment of impact, forcing an awkward landing for the earthly vessel that once contained Tyson's soul.
The next half an hour was marked by a ghoulish silence. The same hooded figure that ended the lives of both Tyson Kidd and Natalya Neidhart now worked to clear his or her mess, dragging each body back to Tyson's car before stuffing them both into the trunk. After searching for valuables, and finding Kidd's gun, the figure slammed the trunk into a closed position. Producing a gas can from a separate vehicle, the killer doused the parked Mustang with gasoline, before also pulling a road flare from up his or her sleeve. Igniting the flare with a dramatic motion, the killer dropped the flare through the sunroof, watching with malicious glee as the flames grew past normal heights, a cruel and satisfied smile parting his or her lips….
There you have it. Ep 3 is in the books. I'll try to get Episode Four out a little quicker. Response has been good, but y'all can do better. Who do you think the killer is now?
