Chapter 18: Liberty City

After my shift the next day, I walked into Liberty City. A bell rang when I opened the door, alerting people of a new customer. "Welcome to Liberty City!" a perky saleswoman says as I enter. "All shoes are Buy One, Get One half off. Enjoy!"

I smile and thank her before stepping fully into the store. It wasn't a little dress shop like I originally thought; it was pretty big with clothes and shoes lining every isle and wall. Man, I could really have a major shopping spree in here on another day but I'm on a mission right now.

I turn back to the saleslady. "Um, excuse me. Do you know where I could find Mitzi Woods?"

She didn't question my intentions. "She is most likely stacking the new on sale shoes towards the back," she stated, putting extra emphasis on the words 'on sale'. Geez, these sellers are not very subtle nowadays. I thank her once again and make my way towards the back. There are like eight isles here so I just peek down each one. By the time I looked down the fifth isle I found her.

"Hey, Mitzi," I cheerfully greet. Mitzi glances up and her gaze is only surprised for a moment before she puts on her normal sneer.

"Well, if it isn't Blondie," she replies back. "What are you doing here? I didn't think someone as prissy as you would shop at this kind of store."

What? I am most definitely not prissy. I narrowed my eyes slightly but only said, "I actually came to talk to you."

She raised an eyebrow. Is that like a Woods family trait or something? "I would love nothing more than to listen to you bore me with… whatever you're about to say, but if you haven't noticed, I'm not off the clock yet so I have to keep working."

"I can talk while you shelve. Please, I'll be quick," I rushed out. She stared at me for a hard five seconds before rolling her eyes and giving me a hand motion to continue.

I smile. "Okay, so do you know about the Christmas party Alfea Corporations is throwing?"

"Yep."

"And you know that this year it's being thrown at Brandon's house?"

"Yep."

"So… do you plan on going?"

"Nope."

I frowned. "Is it because you weren't invited? Because I'm officially inviting you."

Mitzi snorted. "The last time I checked, you aren't the host of the party so you don't have the right to invite me."

"True but you are related to the Woods family which really gives you an automatic invitation," I pointed out.

"Look, Barbie," Barbie? "I don't know what your goal is here but the bottom line is that I'm not going. Never have and never will. Especially considering it's at Brandon's house."

"That's exactly why you should come," I insisted. "You and he might be able to work some things out."

She stood up and put some shoes on a higher rack. "Trust me; that man won't even want to look in my direction. You've seen us together before so don't act like you haven't noticed the tension."

I couldn't argue with that. "I just think that talking this out would be a step in the right direction, don't you?"

Mitzi sighed. "Blondie, you don't understand the things that have gone down between us. He isn't ready to forgive me and he probably never will so would you just buzz off?" She turned from me and bent down to grab another shoe box. Even though I do know what went down between them, there really wasn't any use in trying to convince her anymore. At least I tried.

"Fine, Mitzi. Have a good day," I say dejectedly to which she didn't respond. I walked back towards the front and tried to cover my disappointment. This girl was so impossible! She more stubborn than Brandon and I never thought I'd meet someone more stubborn than him.

As I walk on to the door, a man is walking in. I didn't really look up to see his face but said, "Excuse me," as I past him and step outside.

"Stella?" I froze. No, no, no, no, no. Please tell me this isn't who I think it is.

I turn around slowly and look up at the unmistakably tall form of my ex-boyfriend, Steven. He hasn't really changed at all since I last saw him. His jet black hair is greased backward and the ends are slightly curled around his neck. His crystal blue eyes stare at me intently for a moment before his impossibly white teeth are shown in a wide grin.

"Stella," he says my name like a caress, so smooth yet powerful. A few months ago, I would've done anything he wanted if he said my name like that but I'm definitely not that girl anymore. "It's good to see you, Sweetness."

I internally flinch at his old nickname for me but on the outside I just fix him with a cold, indifferent stare. "Steven," I greet evenly and quickly let the door close behind me as I fast-walk back towards Alfea Corporations.

I hear footsteps close in behind me and a hand grasped my elbow, urging me to stop. "Stella, hold on-"

I snatch my elbow away from Steven and fix him with a glare. "Leave me alone."

"I just want to talk."

I look at him incredulously. "Talk about what? There is absolutely nothing I want to either say or hear from you." I try turning again but he grasps my elbow again.

"Stop touching me!" I nearly shout. Man, I'm talking about Brandon having all this built up hate but the truth is all my anger about to explode. Just seeing him again brings back all the bad blood between us.

"I've never seen you around here before," he continues, changing the conversation. He always used to piss me off when he changed the subject like that and it's pissing me off right now.

"Don't worry; now that I know you come here, I won't be visiting again," I hiss.

He tilted his head to the side and smirked. You smug son of a- "You were here to see Mitzi, weren't you?"

My eyes widened in surprise. Why would he automatically assume that? But more importantly, "How do you know Mitzi?"

"I come to see her here every day for lunch. She and I are… friends," he says with another infuriating smirk.

"Friends? Friends like your other friend? You know the one I caught you in bed with? The brunette?"

"I told you we were just going over some paperwork. In the bedroom."

"Naked?"

"It was a dare!"

"You are so full of shit!" I yell.

He sighed. "Look, I apologized for that-"

"Right after you kicked me out," I fumed.

"You were acting crazy! What was I supposed to do, let you burn all my clothes?"

I glare. "I wasn't really going to burn them, asshole. If you would've actually been a faithful boyfriend none of this-"

He put his hands up in surrender. "I don't want to argue with you. I just have some questions."

"I'm not answering any of your questions until you answer some of-"

"Are you really dating Brandon Woods?" he questioned.

"Stop interrupting me! And… what?" I ask, dumbfounded.

"Brandon Woods. Are you two hooking up or what?" I stare at him like a foreign creature. Who the hell is he to ask me about my relationship? "Don't look at me like that, it's just a question."

"One that you don't have the right to ask," I coldly respond. His face falls.

"So… you are," He doesn't question it this time, it's a statement. And he says it like he's disappointed. Should I care?

Because I don't.

"Actually, if you must know then yes I am. And trust me when I say that he is twice the man you will ever be." Just for dramatic effect, I spun around and started walking away again. He didn't follow me but he did shout out, "See you at the Christmas Ball!"

I freeze for a moment before spinning right back around and running up to him. He even took a step back at my charging advancement. "How do you know about the Ball," I hiss.

He raised his eyebrows. "Wouldn't you like to know."

I clench my teeth together and will myself not to punch him in the jaw right here and now. "How do you know Mitzi, how do you know about Brandon and I, and how do you know about the Ball?"

He just stared at me for a moment, extremely testing my patience, before he says, "If you haven't noticed, this information can be known by anybody. Brandon Woods is pretty big around here and everyone knows of his family and the huge company Ball held every year at Christmas time."

I wanted to reply rudely, but that felt stupid because he was right. Everyone could find out about this information just by living here. I felt my cheeks redden slightly in embarrassment but continued on with my accusation. "That's right but I find it to be a huge coincidence that you became best 'friends' with my boyfriend's sister."

He shrugged. "I don't see the problem with it. I can't wait to meet the infamous Brandon Woods."

"OH no, no, no, no, no! You won't come anywhere near Brandon. And what makes you think you are anywhere near invited to this?"

"Well, I'm not exactly invited. But Mitzi is. Hopefully she actually wants to go," he mumbled the last part to himself.

I barked out a harsh laugh, "Ha, good luck with that. If she wouldn't listen to me then she won't listen to you."

He tilted his head slightly, blue eyes probing me. "So that's why you came to see her." Damn it, me and my big mouth. I can't take it back now. I didn't answer back. "Why do you want her to go so bad?"

"The better question is why do you want her to go so bad?" I shot back at him.

"I just told you. I wanna see the guy who stole you away from me."

"Stole me? I'm not a piece of property, Steven and you must have a hard time of remembering things if you can't remember that we broke up before I even met Brandon." I put extra emphasis on the 'we broke up' part.

He decides to change the subject again. "How about we make a deal?"

"How about, no?"

"I'll get Mitzi to go to the Ball like you want-"

"I never said I wanted her to go," I interrupted but he ignored me.

"In exchange for you going to lunch with me."

I just stare at him before busting out laughing. I'm practically clutching my side from laughter. This guy can't be serious right now. It's just… Ridiculous! He doesn't seem to find it amusing, though. He crosses his arms, making his muscles bulge even through his jacket.

I try to pull myself together. "Are you kidding me? Y-you have to be joking."

He looks at me seriously. "No, I'm not."

I clear my throat and stand up straight. "Well, you should've been because there is absolutely no way I'm having lunch with you. Ever." No matter how much I wanted Mitzi to go to this Ball, having lunch with Steven wasn't going to be a sacrifice that I am going to make. That would be just asking for trouble.

Steven just smirks at my rejection. "You say that now but you'll be begging to meet with me soon."

"And what makes you think that?"

That makes him put on a full-blown grin. "Oh, Sweetness-"

"Don't call me that."

"There is just so much you don't know about the cruel world of business that your boyfriend lives in. But you'll soon find out. And when you do, you'll want to know everything I can tell you."

What is he talking about? How would he know anything about business, anyway? Last time I checked, he worked as a Restaurant Manager a few miles away from here. Well, okay I guess that would make him know a little about the business world but his business is nowhere near related to the type of business Brandon has. Before I can ask any more questions, Baltor turns on his heels and walks back towards the store.

"Wait," I shout out. I have way too many questions that he has yet to answer.

He looked back and smiled. "Don't worry, Sweetness. I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other very soon." And with that, he reentered Liberty City.

A/N: Once again I can't thank you all enough for reading and reviewing. I have such faithful readers!

So, what did you think of Steven? Was he what you expected? I have to admit, I kind of liked writing his dialogue in this chapter lol. How do you think he knows Mitzi? Do you buy his story on how everything was "public information" or do you think he is up to something? So many things to consider!

I'm going to warn you before-hand: next chapter is going to be the annual Christmas Ball and it will be drama filled. I don' think it will be suffocating drama, just my regular drama. You know what I mean? Oh, well just read it and you'll know what I mean. But of course, how will I know you want to discover what happens next if you don't let me know you want to?

So… Review!