"Let's see how the second time goes," Alex breathed into Piper's ear.
"Mmmm…."
Alex leaned in and began kissing the blonde's neck. She worked her way up past her jaw line and back to her lips. Piper's lips and tongue greeted her happily. As they continued to make out, Alex's fingers still lightly stroking Piper's pussy, Piper began to wonder how this was even real. How she could feel this happy. She had only met Alex nine weeks ago. Only known her name for five weeks. Only really spent time with her for three weeks. But here she was, wondering what her life even looked like 10 weeks ago when Alex wasn't a part of it. Piper couldn't picture it. All she could picture was the night she and Alex met. She felt like her life began that night.
Alex was at a pub with Nicky, her best friend since high school, and Nicky's new girlfriend, Lorna. Alex on one side of the booth, Nicky and Lorna snuggled into the other. Nicky was trying to sell Alex on the idea of a committed relationship.
"Hey, I never thought I'd like it either, but it's kinda great. I always have someone to talk to. Someone who actually wants to hear about my day. Someone to go out and get a drink with. Someone to help me put my damn Ikea bookshelf together. Someone to put up with my wise ass and listen to my complaining. And the sex! I never have to go out and pick up a girl to fuck because I already have one!"
"Charming, babe. I definitely like some of those things on your list more than others," Lorna teased.
Alex laughed as she watched Nicky. She couldn't believe this was coming from the same woman who once had a contest with their friend Carrie to see who could sleep with the most women in a week.
"So whaddaya say, Vause? Have I convinced you to have your very first relationship that lasts longer than a few random nights?"
"As heartwarming as your speech was, I remain unconvinced. You know me, Nicky. I like my space. I like my freedom. I like doing what I want when I want. Nothing to hold me back or tie me down. The idea of even meeting someone I would actually want to see everyday is so-"
Alex lost her train of thought as she watched a stunning blonde woman walk into the pub. She was the kind of beautiful that didn't seem possible. Her entire body was gorgeous. She was dressed in tight gray skinny jeans, black boots, and a cozy black sweater. Her straight blonde hair fell just past her shoulders. Alex's gaze traveled up the blonde's body and eventually to her eyes. They were a shade of blue she couldn't even describe. Alex studied her face. The woman seemed sad. Upset. The woman scanned the pub, presumably looking for someone she knew. Not finding who she was looking for, she took a seat at the bar.
Nicky and Lorna just stared at Alex. They had no idea what could have caused the brunette to become so distracted. They followed Alex's line of vision and soon saw the blonde who had stolen her attention. Nicky and Lorna continued to look back and forth between Alex and the blonde in amazement. Alex's eyes were the only part of her that was moving. She appeared to have even stopped breathing.
"Uh…Vause? Earth to Vause." Nicky snapped her fingers in front of Alex's face.
Alex blinked and shook her head.
"What?"
"So tell me more about this absurd notion of you never possibly meeting someone you would want to see every day."
"What?" Alex was lost. It took her a moment to remember what they were even talking about. "Oh, right, not going to happen."
Nicky and Lorna exchanged a look.
"Riiiight," Nicky said.
"She's beautiful. I think you should go talk to her, Alex," said Lorna.
"Who? What? No." Alex's mind was racing. She felt nervous and unsure of herself. And if there was one thing Alex Vause was, it was sure of herself. She oozed confidence. She didn't get nervous. She never felt unsure. Her mind didn't race. She was the personification of calm, cool, and collected. So why was this blonde woman having this affect on her? Alex thought again about the sadness she saw on the woman's face. Alex felt this need to wash it away. To make this woman happy. Alex never really cared about the women she took home. They were just there for a good time. No long conversations, no emotional entanglements. It was what she knew. What she liked. So why was this woman different? She felt like she was in an awful rom-com; Nicky and Lorna the audience swooning up at her; hoping she'd get the girl.
"Ah, come on," encouraged Nicky. "Where's that textbook Vause charm and charisma?"
Alex grabbed her beer that she hadn't touched yet and swiftly downed the whole thing. She took a few deep breaths. Without another word to Nicky and Lorna, she stood up and walked to the….jukebox.
She could practically hear Nicky throwing her hands into the air in frustration.
Alex stood at the jukebox, pretending to browse through the songs, but really looking out of the corner of her eye at the blonde who was still sitting alone at the bar. She glanced behind her to Nicky and Lorna who both nodded eagerly. 'God, this really is the rom-com from hell,' she thought. Alex stood there for another moment, gathering her thoughts and trying to calm her nerves. 'You can do this, just go talk to her. Not a big deal. Who cares?'
Alex turned to her left and headed towards the bar. She saw the blonde's head down, staring without purpose at her cell phone.
Alex stood next to her.
"Rough night?"
The blonde didn't respond. She didn't even register Alex's presence. It would be too pitiful to just walk away, so Alex tried again.
"Rough night?"
The blonde heard her this time and exhaled. Keeping her head down, she noded. "Yeah, you could say that."
"What would you say?"
Surprised by the question, the blonde looked up for the first time to see who she was talking to.
They made eye contact and Alex's nervousness immediately vanished. Her heart rate slowed. Her breathing evened out. 'What the fuck?' she thought to herself. But at least she felt better. Felt normal again. Maybe even better than normal.
Alex determined her nerves had transferred to the blonde, who seemed to be staring at Alex without the ability to answer her question. Alex made a note of how adorable it was that the blonde's nostrils flared slightly when she was nervous.
Even with her confidence and "normal" feeling back, Alex was surprised that she still felt the need to make this woman feel better; to take away her sadness. Alex offered her a smile, hoping it would make the blonde more comfortable.
The blonde woman was immediately taken with the tall brunette standing near her. She was at a loss for words, her eyes transfixed on the bright green eyes of the other woman. She felt like an idiot just staring at her, but then the brunette smiled and she felt at ease, even comforted. She regained her thought process. She wasn't sure why she was about to tell a complete stranger about her problems.
"I would say I just broke up with my girlfriend. I walked in on her…" Piper waved her hand, dismissing the rest of the story, assuming the brunette, or anyone else for that matter, would get the gist
"Fuck," Alex said softly.
"—ing someone else. Bingo. So, yeah, rough night." Piper put her head down again.
Alex wanted to reach out and comfort her, but stopped herself.
"I'm sorry." Alex couldn't think of anything else to say. Piper only noded. "Can I buy you a drink?"
Piper snapped her head back up, giving Alex the most insulting look.
"Shit! No! I'm sorry. I didn't mean it in the 'hey, can I buy you a drink' kind of way. I'm not hitting on you. I'm not an asshole," Alex tried to get the words out as fast as she could. "It's just, you had a bad day, you're in a pub, the implication being that you came here to drink, so I was just-"
As if on cue, the margarita the blonde had ordered when she sat down finally arrived.
"See? I knew it! I was right!"
The blonde let out a small laugh and smiled up at Alex in spite of her sadness. The smile wasn't as big as Alex had hoped, but she took it as a small victory. Alex wondered how it was possible that the blonde was even more beautiful when she smiled. Alex also wondered why the fuck she was thinking this and what was wrong with her.
The blonde couldn't get over how cute the brunette was when she was fumbling with her words. It was endearing to see someone who seemed so put together show a small ounce of vulnerability.
"Yes, you were right. But as I already have my drink, I will have to say 'no thank you' to your offer."
Alex noded, "OK."
After a moment without any further conversation, the blonde spoke up. "Hey, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm waiting for my friend and I kind of wanted to be alone for a while before she got here. Just to think."
"Sure, of course. No problem." Alex saw that the sadness had crept back into the woman's face and realized it was best for her to leave and not bother the woman any longer.
Alex turned to leave, but stopped and placed her hand on the woman's forearm. The blonde immediately felt the warmth of the other woman through her sweater. Alex wished the woman wasn't wearing long sleeves.
"I'm usually pretty good at reading people. You're a good person. She didn't deserve you."
Alex walked away. Her words were still floating in the air. The blonde woman sat stunned, unsure of how to react to this stranger's proclamation. 'She doesn't even know me,' she thought. The blonde tried to just dismiss what the other woman said, but it sounded and felt so sincere. Like this woman, this random stranger, did know her. Like she cared about her. Like she genuinely believed she was a good person. Without really knowing why, the blonde's eyes welled up with tears.
Alex sat back down with Nicky and Lorna. They both immediately stopped talking to each other and couldn't wait to hear whatever Alex was about to say.
"Well?!" They asked in unison when Alex didn't start talking.
Before she began to tell them what happened, Alex realized she was sad. She wasn't sure what exactly she expected to happen with the blonde, but she knew sitting here, not with her wasn't what she wanted. She never even got her name.
"It didn't work out." Alex shrugged her shoulders. "She just broke up with her girlfriend. Bad timing."
"Oh, Alex," Lorna offered.
"Yeah, sorry, Stretch."
It was unusual to see Alex so downhearted. Nicky and Lorna didn't really know what to do.
"Do you wanna get out of here? We'll take you home," Nicky asked.
"No, we're out. Let's stay out. More drinks!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes! Nicky you're buying!" Alex smiled as best as she could.
"OK then! If I'm buying, then we're doing shots!"
Alex was thankful for the distraction. She'd have plenty of time to think about tonight and about the beautiful blonde woman she met, she didn't need to figure it all out right now.
Across the pub, the blonde was still lost in the thoughts of what Alex had said when her best friend showed up.
"Piper? What the hell happened?!"
"Hi, Pol."
Polly pulled her friend into a tight hug and sat and listened to Piper for the next couple of hours, expertly fulfilling her best friend duties.
Two hours and several shots later, Alex, Nicky, and Lorna made their way to the door to leave. They paused at the door to grab their jackets from the hooks on the wall. Alex took a chance and looked in the blonde's direction, wondering if she was still at the bar. To her surprise she was and the blonde was actually looking at her too. Piper gave her a small smile and waved goodbye. Alex returned the gesture and walked out of the pub.
"Who was that?" Polly asked.
"Oh, no one. I didn't even get her name. She came over and talked to me before you got here. She was really nice. Sweet." Piper fondly remembered the brief encounter they shared. She wondered what would have happened if they had met on a different night.
"She's hot!"
"Pol…" Piper laughed and shook her head. 'You have no idea,' she said to herself.
"Hey, where are you?" Alex was still kissing Piper when she realized the blonde seemed distracted and wasn't really kissing her back.
"Oh, sorry. I guess I zoned out. I was thinking about the night we first met."
"Good memory?"
Piper nodded quickly and smiled at Alex. "Definitely."
"Good. So about that second time…"
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed, and commented!
And I realize it's Piper's memory and she would therefore have no knowledge of Alex's actions or thoughts, but come on, don't be a spoil sport and just play along.
