University was a huge step to take in life, and one Alex was eager to take. Being somewhat of a loner, Alex had never let anything hold her back when it came to her education, it was the only constant in her life. Although she had never 'wanted' for anything, Alex's life hadn't been easy.
Born to wealthy parents who from the moment she arrived made it very clear she wasn't wanted and not to expect them to be parental figures. Raised by childminders, who, at best, were clinical and cold towards her. By the age of 5 she was immediately carted off to boarding school without so much as a by your leave. Her parents simply paid for her education like it was nothing, just another bill to them that was easily taken care of, especially if it meant Alex didn't hinder their life. That wasn't to say she went without, she had everything she could've possibly needed, school supplies, clothing as well as what was considered a generous spending allowance.
Granted, she was well off in comparison to many kids but Alex had no concept of what it was like to love or be loved. She wasn't from a loving home, she had never experienced the warmth of a motherly embrace when she needed a cuddle. Never had her father read her a bedtime story, kissed her forehead and whispered "goodnight angel, sweet dreams."
Emotionally and mentally she had been neglected. When other kids around her would be on the phone or sending letters to loved ones, Alex had no one. She rarely communicated with her parents, if ever, it all went through the school. She needed new shoes? The school made the call and the next day a new pair would be in Alex's possession.
Now, she was in another new place, new faces, no friends, organising her new living accommodation waiting for her new roommate to arrive. She had been used to sharing dorms for as long as she could remember, it never really bothered her as she kept to herself, a habit she wasn't about to break.
Lost in her revelry, staring out at the students milling about the campus, Alex failed to hear the door unlock.
"Uh, hey," came the gruff Mancunian voice from behind her.
Alex jumped slightly but quickly regained her composure, turning around she came face to face with a human wall of black leather. Craning her neck upwards she was met with the bluest eyes she'd ever seen, crystal clear like the shallows of the Mediterranean sea, truly incredible, beneath a veil of dirty blond hair.
"I'm lookin' for Alex Price, is he here?"
Her eyes widened at the realisation that this leather-clad creature had mistaken her name for a guy. Beyond embarrassment, Alex's cheeks flushed an alarming shade of crimson, she wished the ground would swallow her up whole.
"I, I'm Alex, Alex Price," she timidly responded when she finally found her voice.
"But yer a bird, a pretty one at that. Every other Alex I've ever met has been a bloke."
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "sorry to disappoint, but I'm not a bird or a 'bloke'." She held up her fingers doing air quotes around the term bloke, "I'm a young woman and you," feeling brave she paused for effect and pointed a slightly shaky finger in his direction, "you, are an obnoxious prick."
"Wow… that's a big word for a lil' girl, but I gotta admit, this whole badass attitude kinda turns me on," he leaned in close, his breath smelling of peppermint with a smokey undertone, "I don't know if yer gonna kiss me or punch me."
Alex's eyes flared, she was lost at sea dealing with creatures, boys, like this, "I swear to all that is holy, if you say one more derogatory thing towards me you'll be sorry."
"Sorry as in, oops I drank the last of the milk! Or, sorry I ran over your cat?"
His peppermint scented mouth morphed into a smug dimpled grin, Alex took a moment before growling, her petit nostrils flared as she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room. Within a beat, the leather-clad irritation was following close behind heading in the direction of the school offices.
Without knocking, Alex stormed into the office barely stirring the receptionist who appeared to be in her own little world.
Gene leisurely strutted down the corridor, whistling whilst keeping the somewhat neurotic brunette just in his gaze up ahead mentally contemplating how he had ended up in this situation, he had only signed up for University to appease his mother. Why couldn't his life be simple?
"You've got me sharing a dorm with a Mancunian Hells Angels reject and you wonder why I'm upset?!" Alex all but screamed at the receptionist who was well and truly caught in the headlights.
"Miss Price, all dorms have been assigned and are full. There's nothing I can do…"
"This is your mistake, damnit! Phone my father...now."
Now stood in the office doorway, Gene shook his head, wow this girl is a real firecracker when she gets goin'.
The receptionist quickly pulled up Alex's record and dialed, putting the phone on speaker mode. The phone rang out twice before it was abruptly answered with a harsh tone.
"This better be important."
"Dad? It's Alex. The University has made a mistake and have got me sharing a dorm with some obnoxious boy!" She spun around hearing Gene cough and mouth 'boy' making her scowl back at him.
The line remained silent on her dad's side, "Dad? Are you still there?"
"What do you expect me to do? You haven't been kicked out of University, so what's your issue? Cos this sounds like some petty, immature bullshit that I could do without," came his monotone reply.
"But Dad…"
"Do not call me that! How many times do I have to remind you?!" Mr Price viciously spat down the receiver making Alex wince and cower.
"Sorry Sir," she whispered back, desperately blinking back the tears.
"After everything I've done for you, you're still being an ungrateful brat. Maybe I should cut you off completely, really teach you a lesson…"
"No! No, please Sir, I'm sorry." Alex begged.
Gene couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. This guy was a cold-hearted piece of shit to be able to talk to his daughter in such a way. He could feel a hot bubble of possessiveness and overwhelming urge to protect this girl and he barely even knew her.
"That's what I thought. So I suggest you stop your whining and fuck off, you're disrupting my holiday."
And with his final word, the line went dead.
"Well, I guess that's that," said Alex, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her cardigan. Crushed and beyond embarrassed wishing the ground would swallow her whole, she turned and left the office, avoiding Gene's gaze.
Alex was curled up on her bed, sobbing into her patchwork comforter when Gene cautiously entered their room. Standing awkwardly by his own bed, suddenly struck by an unfamiliar bout of nerves Gene cleared his throat, "Uhh...Alex?"
"Don't, I don't want your pity," Alex glanced over her shoulder, trying to avoid Gene's sympathetic blue eyes, "just because we're stuck sharing this room doesn't mean I want your friendship and I certainly don't want your pity. You keep out of my way and I'll keep out of yours."
"That's fine by me, I won't lose any sleep over it," he snarked, grabbing his car keys, "you have a nice day."
University was off to a great start….not.