CHAPTER FOUR
Alex Vause was done wallowing in self-pity. It had been a week since Piper had crashed her NA meeting and found out about her drug use. Alex has replayed her last encounter with the blonde that never seems to leave her thoughts everyday over the past week. Alex remembered those tear-filled eyes and the heartfelt apologies that came from the beautiful blonde's mouth. Piper's question regarding if the two of them can be friends plagued her thoughts. If Alex was being honest with herself, she knew that she did not pay enough attention to Piper towards the end of their relationship and she understood why Piper felt that she had to leave. It just stung that Piper left her the day her mom died. She was left all alone and part of her has never recovered from the emptiness that was left behind. Alex also played back their debate on whether or not people can change. She felt that she had changed for the better even though her ex-lover may have not see it. After Alex's close encounter with death, she promised herself and her mom that she would get her act together and live a life that her mom would have been proud of.
Piper has been living in a worried state for the past week. After Alex walked out of the NA meeting, the blonde has not seen the brunette. What if Alex remembers how much she hates me and wants nothing to do with me and is laughing at the being friends suggestion? What if she is using drugs again? What if she relapsed because of me? Oh my god, what if she's dead because she overdosed? Bile rose up her throat at her last thought.
"Earth to fucking Piper," her best friend snapped at her. "Go help that customer."
Piper snapped out of her daydream (or nightmares) and helped the lady inquiring about their best selling scents.
After the lady purchased baskets of PoPi's products, Polly's smile quickly turned into a scowl as she focused her attention on Piper. "Do not tell me that you are thinking about Supercunt or so help me God, I will smack you in the face." Piper looked sheepishly at her enraged best friend and told her that she was just worried about Alex since their last encounter. "You should not waste your time worrying about that bitch. Focus your time on your fiancé, LARRY, and your wedding."
Piper rolled her eyes at her best friend. She did not share Alex's drug use with Polly because she did not want her best friend to have more ammunition whenever she wanted to bash Piper's past decision in following a certain woman around the world.
"Polly, it is not like that. There were some hurtful words that were exchanged between the two of us and I'm just worried since she owns the bar next door and there has not been any sign of her." Piper has been walking in, out, outside of, and around Blue for the past week trying to find Alex, but she was not going to tell her best friend or anyone that.
"There's so much history between us and I just want to make up for the way that I left her. I figure since our stores are right next to each other, I would have to see her often, and I don't want any bad blood so I suggested that we try to be friends."
The next thing she knew, her best friend had smacked her in the face.
"Ow, what the fuck, Polly?!"
"Oh shut up, it was just a tap. You are even more naive than I thought you were when you decided to follow your drug smuggling girlfriend around the world and carried a suitcase full of drug money across international borders if you actually think that you and Supercunt can be friends. I can only see two things happening: 1) you fall under her Supercunt-like spell again and your engagement and life falls apart or 2) you are disappointed when you realize that you and Supercunt can never be friends because she is still the same selfish cunt from all of those years ago."
Alex took a deep breath before setting foot into PoPi. Her nostrils were hit with a delectable array of scents. Emerald eyes scanned the large store and a smile adorned her face as she looked around at what her beautiful ex-lover has accomplished. Alex felt that the store and business choice suited Piper very well since the younger woman always wanted to purchase everything organic and she chuckled to herself remembering all the attempts Piper had made to try to get the older woman to eat healthier. She felt her heart rate increase when she remembered how happy the blonde would be whenever she agreed to substitute one item for a healthier one and how the blonde would thank her in between the sheets.
Alex heard a pitch-perfect voice that could only belong to a certain long-legged blonde helping a customer. Alex did not want to intrude so she grabbed a basket to purchase soap products for Blue. When she looked up, her eyes met blue ones that showed relief, fear, and uncertainty.
"Hi," Piper said skeptically as she took a couple of timid, long strides towards the brunette.
"Hi, friend," Alex said sincerely with an adorning expression on her face.
Piper's lips formed into a bright, wide smile that the brunette thought was one of the most beautiful features the blonde possessed. Hell, everything about her was beautiful.
Piper excitedly asked, "Really? You are willing to try? You're not just messing with me, right? Because that would be really fucked up but I guess I have done some really fucked up things to you so I would deserve it, but I'm hoping that you're not because-"
"Piper," Alex said while chuckling at Piper's characteristic nervous rambling. "I'm serious. I want us to be friends if that is what you still want."
"Of course, I want! I want us to be in each other's lives. I want to know what happened and what you did these past eight years."
"Be careful what you wish for, kid." Alex laughingly said along with her beautiful signature quirked eyebrow that Piper missed so much.
"I want to get to know you again and I hope you want the same."
"I do, Pipes."
Pipes. She never thought she would hear that nickname come from that voice since Paris. She could not stop the increase in her heart rate at her nickname that sounded like it was made only for her to say. It never felt the same coming from anyone else.
The taller brunette held her hand out offering to shake the blonde's in friendship. The blonde happily put her hand in the brunette's. The moment their hands touched, they both knew they were in trouble. Jolts of electricity ran down each of their arms. Their eyes met but their gazes deviated once Polly screamed out for Piper from the backroom.
Polly barged into the front of the store to tell her tall best friend to retrieve something from a high shelf. Polly stopped in her tracks when she saw Alex.
"What are you doing here, Supercunt?"
"Polly!" Piper screamed.
"I'm a paying customer, Holly. Unless you don't want me to buy your products. I was even thinking I would have your store exclusively provide my very busy bar with your products." Alex said with one eyebrow raised.
Polly narrowed her eyes at Alex. "Fine, Supercunt. We will do business. You better not be messing with us."
"Scout's honor, Dolly."
"It's POLLY, Polly huffed, while storming back into the backroom."
Alex could not help but laugh. She loved pushing her buttons.
"Alex-"
"Hey, I agreed to be your friend not hers."
"Fine, deal." Piper said while rolling her eyes at the childlike behavior between her best friend and her beautiful new friend.
AN: I've been MIA for work and vacation. You guys still interested in this story? Let me know!