Alternate Ending

city spell

Eleanor's POV:

How silly of me to be walking down dark alleys in New York City at 12 AM. Long story short, I went to a college party I have been invited to (Mind you, I never get invited to these things, so it was a pretty risky thing for me to do) and my ride decided to ditch me to pursue a conquest.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Eleanor Hastings, the hopeless geek lost in the city that never dies. God forbid that I get mugged at this deadly hour.

Thoughts came cruising through my mind, building up the anxiety within me. I have got my med finals to prepare for, I haven't planted my orchids by the window, nor have I started on a 15 page essay about the rhetoric in Pride and Prejudice. I am most definitely screwed.

Walking through what seemed like a labyrinth of lights, I overhear a bunch of people making exciting remarks about an "event" around the corner. If I wasn't distracted by their attires, the words I was able to muster were "hot" "intense" and "boxing." Friends, to me, that sounded like a well heated secret underground boxer fight event that were quite common in New York. This was the event I was planning to look forward to.

I find myself making my way towards the big event and a bit of regret and excitement came coursing through my veins. The idea of me at a boxing event, with hundreds of sweaty people waving their betting money in the air did not seem like my ideal Thursday night.

I was wearing a black dress and sandals, which was quite inappropriate considering the vast numbers of shirtless men checking me out every now and then. Their libidinous stares made me feel uncomfortable, stirring up second thoughts in my head. What exactly am I doing here... I already know I'm going to regret this.

Shaking off my thoughts, I make my way to the arena, only wishing for the best.

On the way to find a seat to watch men endlessly trying to beat each other up for the sake of earning money, I am alarmed by a tall man who pulled me into a dim lit room.

If this is my death, I sure do hope I can become a spirit so I can haunt this psycho jerk who just decided to take me.

Before screaming, he places his large (and dirty) hands over my mouth, attempting to conceal it. Behind him is two other men, one who looked severely beaten up... and my guess the cause of it was boxing.

"Please help us." The tall man who covered my mouth pleaded, locking the door behind us.

On the bright side, at least he wasn't going to murder me.

"Um, what makes you think I can help you?" I say, but he says nothing and simply points to my campus ID latched onto the side of my purse.

Eleanor Hastings. Human Biology Major. Dorm 314.

"Um- but- I-" I stutter out of great fear, but my eyes linger on the beaten man.

"Please. My friend here needs some help and if we do care to contact the police, we would get in trouble. Including you princess." Goosebumps rush through my shoulders at the word "princess."

I'm good person right? And good people help other people...

"Fine." I blankly say, making my way towards the beaten boy.

I looked over his jaw, marked with bruises and scars here and there. The fact that he was wearing a hood made it harder for me to see the damage done to the deeper side of his head.

"Um, I'm going to need for you to remove your hood please." I demand, as the two other guys were staring intently at me. I try not to focus on them but another distraction comes to sight when the beaten man removes his hood.

Shit. His shrivelled dark chocolate hair and magnificently carved jawline posed as a weakness to my inner hopeless romantic.

With a heavy breath, I reach over to the first aid kit the guys have provided with me with and take out a few gauzes and an antibiotic ointment. As I carefully apply the ointment to the cuts alongside his chin, I felt his dark eyes on me. Well, isn't this awkward.

"Are you done yet?" The beaten man impatiently said. Someone has a little attitude huh?

"I am almost done. I suggest you take a rest, your bruises could get worse." As if on impulse, he stands and makes his way to the door. Does he not understand the part when I said, 'your bruises could get worse?'

"Zach, not now." The blonde insisted.

"You heard her." The other one, with hair similar to the beaten guy said.

"I don't take orders from petty freshman college students rummaging the city at 12 AM." He rolls his eyes and heads out the door. Although he may be very handsome, his attitude completely changes that.

"I'm sorry about him. He's just frustrated." The blond adds. Geez, I'd like to know his name instead of referring him to 'blonde.'

"Yeah, he just lost a fight. I'm Zander by the way and this is Alex." Zander says as he shakes my hand and points over to Alex, who I've previously noted as 'blonde.'

"Why do people fight anyways?" I question, but endless possibilities flow through my head and it's best if I keep them to myself.

"Well, Zach here fights for money and some good old redemption." Zander smiles, handing me the first aid kit. Why the hell are they giving this to me?

Alex looks as if he were to say something but shuts his mouth. A devilish grin is evident on his face and he whispers something to Zander.

"If you're trying to keep a secret from me, you both aren't doing a very good job." I laugh.

"We have an offer for you, Ms. Hastings." What am I? An old lady?

"How about you be our little medical helper for Zach." Alex smugly smiles. I have a feeling this isn't going to end well.

"And what's the catch?" I ask, but the boys kept giggling like little school girls giggling over seeing Jesse Mcartney for the first time.

"You see, we've noticed something very interesting about your campus ID." Zander laughs, making me a little uncomfortable as he circles around me.

"There's no 'Dorm 314' in NYU. NYU stops at 300, So that means this ID is a complete fake." Alex adds, snatching the card from my purse.

I take a deep breath, obviously underestimating the intelligence of these two. It's true. My ID is fake.

"Does that mean you don't have a place to stay?" Zander asks.

"Um- I'm temporarily staying with my best friend who lives 30 minutes from here." I say, keeping my head down. Driving 30 minutes every day just to get to classes has been one pain in the ass.

"Well, how about we offer you a roof over your head and you just got to make sure our little buddy Zach gets medically recovered after every fight... you know, since you're a human biology major."

"The part about being a human biology major is true, I assure you."

"Well, is it a deal Eleanor?" Alex asks, looking quite excited.

New York City, your psychedelic spell has fallen deep within me. It's 12 AM, I've just helped a god-looking boxer who actually has a terrible attitude, and his two friends are offering me a place to stay, for they've noticed my fake ID. Could this night get any more interesting?

"My parents said I shouldn't accept any offers made by strangers..... But...." I say, placing my finger over my chin to think.

I look over to Alex and Zander, who both look like they are getting a tad bit impatient.

"I want to see the place first, just to make sure I'm not going to end up living homeless under the freeway or something."

"Fine, meet us at the cafe right around this corner tomorrow morning." Alex and Zach smiles, heading out the door.

What have I just gotten myself into?