Virulent | L.H

the bad guy

Alex's POV:

The after party room is loud with collective chatter, I can barley hear my thoughts. We are in my home away from home away from home. 

New York City

My mother is Italian American and grew up in the Bronx before she moved to Australia where she met my junkie father. I have a lot of family here, like a lot. After the band blew up and we were making good money, I moved my mother back to New York along with my siblings, Annalise and Oliver. She missed it so much and I could not handle being so far away from her. California may be across the country from New York but it is better than being across the world. Now my mother lives in a big ass house. My sister, Annalise, is going to school full time, she wants to be a surgeon. My brother is, well, my brother. He kinda just does whatever. I take comfort in knowing I can be there for my family, financially at least, especially after having nothing growing up. Anyways, New York has turned into one of my absolute favorite places to be. Besides tonight.

My brain has been absolute mush lately, could be drugs maybe, but I am just going to blame it on lack of sleep. Right now, I can not handle the swarms of people and loud, overwhelming sounds of laughter, drunk talk, projection and the occasional angry yelling. 

The boys are who knows where, so I am standing alone on the sideline trying to keep my brain from exploding into graphic pieces all over the graffiti paint styled wall. I look around trying to recognize a face but everyone is blurry until someone comes into focus.

"Hey, you okay?" A tall man with dark hair and venom green eyes breaks through my brain fog. He offers a soft, gentle smile. I am nervous, why am I nervous?

"U-uh yeah, I'm fine," I try to mimic the same friendly smile but it is impossible being in such a trance observing this man's beauty.

"Good, you look a little out of it," he says as he motions at my face, "I'm Zach, nice to meet you," he sends me another smile but this one is more mysterious and flirty.

"I'm Alex," I say waving my hand up then back down, keeping my cool, "hey, you look kinda familiar."

"Ah, yeah I was in a couple movies," he says scratching the back of his head awkwardly. He seems a little embarrassed by this?

"Yeah, that makes sense. I've definitely seen that pretty face once or twice before," smooth, Alex.

"Oh, pretty? I'm afraid that's all you, darling," he says with double the confidence that I had. My stomach swarms and swarms with butterflies. I feel them all the way in my throat, how can I possibly keep my game feeling like this. All I can do in response is giggle like a fucking school girl. "You wanna go somewhere more quiet?" he asks me over the crowd I completely forgot about.

"I'd love to, but where?" I ask tilting my head.

"I might know somewhere, cmon," he waves his hand slightly, still smiling at me. I follow him without question still engulfed in his aura and whatever he has to offer. This isn't like me and it is scary but I am also loving it.

Zach takes me to a terrace over looking all of New York, there are a couple of straggling people looking to get away from the mess inside but it is big enough to get a little privacy. I don't think I have ever seen the city like this. It is night time and every light is sparkling from low to high. I look over to Zach and he is looking out into the distance causing all of the lights to reflect into his face especially his eyes, I can observe better now. 

His eyes are not just venom green, they also have a hint of hazel and yellow, kind of like a tree in late fall time. His eyebrows are dark, bushy and prominent, similar to mine. His nose is bigger, but it compliments his face. He has a strong cupids bow that flows perfectly to plump lips that are so soft looking. Nothing looks even slightly out of place. Overall, you can tell he takes good care of himself which is hard to find in a man. Some think that just water will do the trick, but for Zach? Oh no, he looks like he has a process, a full routine.