Fire Meets Ice

Chapter 2: Warming Up

Alexa ran back to her apartment after awkwardly walking out of that gym. She was totally perplexed by the guy that spoke with such radiance and self-confidence towards her. Her mind was telling her to not care, but her guts would say the opposite. Deep down, she couldn't deny she was turned on by the sight of Marcus.

What was it about him? she mused as she paced her living room. It wasn't my intention to come off as irritable, she thought, shaking her head at her own reaction. He's one headstrong lion, that one.

He seems like the type who would play Russian Roulette and snatch victory without even breaking a sweat, she chuckled to herself, feeling a rush of heat at the thought.

But then, doubt crept in. Am I really letting him invade my thoughts? she questioned, the realization hitting her hard.

No, Alexa, she scolded herself, taking a deep breath. Snap out of it! You just met him. You can't say he's caught your attention.

Her phone rang once again. However, instead of her nosy mom calling her, it was her lifelong best friend of 2 years whom she met back in undergrad university. Her name was Megan Valenick and two years older than Alexa. They were almost total opposites in personalities. While Alexa was reserved as a hermit crab, Megan was the feisty and social butterfly who would die from a lack of talking. She remembered the day they first met when Alexa was just an undergrad sophomore. Awkward and closed off like Alexa always was, Megan was the first to approach her with warmth and kindness near Starbucks inside a library. She saw how lonely Alexa was and wanted to keep her company. Megan stood tall at 5'10 with a healthy, proportional curvaceous build and the perfect breasts size. She was also very fashionable as she loved dyeing her hair in various colors and changing her acrylic nails from time to time. Unlike most girls, the word insecure doesn't belong in her dictionary.

"Hi, bestie!" Megan's excited tone burst through the phone. "It's been a few days since we last talked. How's Sweden?"

"It's one of the coldest countries I've ever visited, that's for sure," Alexa replied, her voice lacking its usual enthusiasm. "I'm just waiting for my classes to start."

"Are you okay, Alexa? You sound kinda dry. Did something happen recently?"

"I went to the gym, and a guy interrupted me while I was exercising," Alexa confessed. "He almost made me do a double take, and I just... left."

She lowkey cringed at the memory of the awkward encounter.

"Oooh, he probably had his eyes and soul locked on you," Megan teased. "I think he was trying to be friendly, but you mistook that for flirting. You never know—he might be the guy you've been looking for your whole life! What was his name?"

"He didn't say," Alexa admitted. "He asked my name, but I left before I could answer. I dunno... I think I was being a little defensive."

"It's hard for me to trust guys," she continued, her thoughts spilling out. "I'm just not sure if I'm willing to give someone the power to drown me one more time."

Megan's voice softened. "Bestie, I get it. I understand that being alone feels like a good option for you right now, but eventually, you'll need someone dear to love. I'm not saying you'll never be sad again, but one day, you will get over your anxieties and doubts about love."

When their phone conversations were over, Alexa thought about what Megan said. When I find true love, will I truly heal? I just don't want to be hurt again.

As she sat on her bed, the familiar sound of her phone vibrating broke the silence. With a sinking feeling, Alexa glanced at the screen. A text message from her ex, Hayden Garcia, flashed ominously in bold letters. He had a knack for switching to new numbers, a tactic that never failed to startle her. The message read: "I'm not gonna give up on you. I still miss you. I'll get you back soon. Wherever you are."