On a seemingly ordinary summer day, timid Alice Gardner crosses paths with Kai Anderson, a notorious figure in their small town. As serendipitous encounters bring them together, they find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other, driven by a mutu...
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It was only eight in the evening when Alice got a call from Esther's classmate, informing her that Esther drank waay too much and asked her to take her home before she gets any more messed up. Alice couldn't believe that Esther would be so drunk this early.
Not wanting to enter the building with all the stench of hard liquor, nicotine and expensive men's cologne mixing in the air—not to mention the huge crowd—she decided to wait for Esther outside.
Alice could barely even stand the surroundings of the place. People were smoking cigarettes out front under the neon sign with the club's name on it while some people smoke pot at the back, where no one can see them. You can even hear moaning, bottles breaking, and coarse screaming coming from the dark alleyways. Such places are her worst nightmares.
And those are the very reasons as to why she still stuck around. She wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Esther, drunk or not. It might sound brave of her, but she's somewhat gotten used to it. It wasn't the first time Esther had to be taken home from a club, and Alice had already gotten over going to these kinds of places without first feeling anxious and suffocated. But that's only touching on the outside of the club—going in was another ordeal.
Alice had to look twice at the man who suddenly popped out from the alleyway beside the building. She didn't expect him to appear there, of all places. Nor did he.
"Kai?"
He coughed, smoke fogging up his face.
"Peanut?" Startled, Kai glanced up at the neon sign and back to her, "I'd say long time no see, but I think you're not supposed to be here."
Alice would like to reply the same but she hesitated. Maybe Kai actually goes to these kinds of places, maybe not. Either way, it just proves that she doesn't really know him that much for her to say such a thing.
"What're you doing here?"
"I, uh . . . Esther! I share an apartment with her. She's inside, wasted. I'm here to take her home." Alice explained. Kai let out a big exhale, appearing relieved.
"What about you?" The girl asked, fumbling with her fingers, "Do you—Are you frequent? Around these parts?"
"Psh!" He grinned to himself, "No! I was just taking a shortcut back to the academy."
Alice raised a questioning brow, "A shortcut? Through the alleyways?"
"I know the ins and outs."
"Isn't that dangerous?"
"I told you, I'm infamous."
"Huh." Alice nodded to herself. He leaned his body slightly forward to get a good look at her face, "What? You think just because I have so much time in the world I go partying, get high and sleep around or some shit?"
