Little Lady

Chapter 4

Alice had not seen Xander in years. He had grown up well, she thought to herself. Xadner's facial features were distinct. He had beautiful eyes that could send goosebumps all over her body and lips that begged to be touched. It didn't matter if she was a prostitute. She wasn't going to woo the boy that had so captivated her attention a mere three years ago. Alice's milkshake arrived first, and thunder rocked the diner back and forth as Alice hunkered deep down into her seat. 

She watched as Xander carefully pulled out a chair and sat in it, crossing his legs and peering out the window. He ran his fingers through his copper colored hair, breathing out a heavy sigh. Everything he wore looked untouchable. His khaki pants and wool jacket screamed that he was from a well-to-do family. Alice didn't know what he was doing here, so early in the morning with it sopping outside. He flagged down the waitress, who, instead of spatting at him in harsh tones of discord, greeted him warmly and batted her eyelashes. He smiled a charming crooked smile, and asked for a cup of tea.

Alice looked away, and a part of her heart began to hurt. She put her lips on the red straw in the dirty glass that contained her precious chocolate chip milkshake. She took one sip, and then another. The plate containing her sandwich arrived abruptly and practically slid across the table. The waitress walked away swiftly as Alice caught it with her finger. She rubbed her hands together, cold and lonely. She didn't know how much longer she could avoid Klaus before he would track her whereabouts from the chip in the earrings she wore. If she took the earrings off, he would know. If she came home too late, he would know. If she tried to run, one of his goons would leap out of the corner and punish her in the worst way possible.

She shook her head back and forth. Alice didn't want to think about that. Not now. The melody of the hauntingly familiar jazz tune in the background soothed her and she closed her eyes, ripping a piece of the sandwich apart and putting it into her mouth. It's going to be fine, Alice. You're going to be fine. 

For the rest of the time, Alice had to fight to tear her eyes away from Xander, who remained next to the table by the window, quietly stiring his tea. Something was bothering him, and she had an urge to go over there and comfort him and talk to him even though she knew that she couldn't. Her life did not know the meaning of the word friend. His normally crystal clear blue eyes were trouble today, like it was a shipped trapped in the ocean during a violent storm. 

"This bagel is on the house, sir," the waitress said to Xander. She put a plate of a whole wheat bagel on his table with added cream cheese and walked away. Alice didn't bother to ask why she didn't get a bagel, she was grateful for what she had. Her mom had taught her that. Alice peered down at her golden locket. She missed her mom and thought about a phone call. Klaus would be able to hear her conversation but it didn't matter. He expected her to check in with her mom and to tell her how great she was doing. He was a sick man. 

Alice finished the last of her slightly burnt sandwich and downed her milkshake, pulling out her cell phone out her velvet lined pockets. Her fingers were practically numb. If possible, they seemed even paler and ghostly than before. Before Alice knew it, the cell phone seemed to slip out of her fingers in slow motion. It landed by her uncomfortable chair and skidded over the muddy red and white checkered tiles all the way to Xander. Xander jolted and looked down at the floor to see Alice's cell phone.

Alice froze. "I'll get it," she practically whispered, hoping that beautiful Xander could hear her. She didn't want to cause him any trouble.

Xander's eyes met her and he smiled and shook his head. "I'll get it," he said, and picked up the cell phone, putting it back into her thin fingers. "You look cold." He took off his fancy looking wool coat and gave it to her. 

"Oh thanks, but no thanks," Alice said and smiled. She was quivering. What did he want from her? No man had never been nice to her without wanting something. "I have a coat of my own."

"I can see that," Xander murmured. "Please. Take it. You look like a girl I knew, from a few years back." The words struck a flame in Alice's heart. She needed to walk away now. She could not sell her body to this man, and Klaus forbidded her from talking to men that didn't have interest in her. 

Alice reached out and took his wool coat, hoping that Xander would stop talking to her now. Coat in one hand and her cell phone in the other, she was ready to turn on her heel and walk away. She had to. She was no good for him, and he could not be a part of her life. "Thank you."

"Wait, what's your name?" Xander asked, and he stuck out his hand. "I'm Xander." Alice stuck the phone in her coat pocket and reached out to touch his hand, for what she knew should be the last time. 

"Alice," she mumbled, hoping that she could leave now. The handshake electrified her, made her feel like she was alive again. She looked up into his eyes, getting lost for a fleeting moment, only to realize that she needed to leave and get enough money for Klaus. Now. "I, uh, I have to go. It was nice meeting you!" she sounded as cheerful as she could have and a smile broke onto her face.

"I thought you looked familiar," Xander said, and he smiled. "Could I offer you a ride to wherever you're going?" Alice smiled at his offer, but in reality, she didn't know where she was going. 

"I remember you," Alice said at last. "I actually need to call my mum." At those words, Alice ran out of the diner into the pouring rain. Tears soaked her cheeks like they did three years ago when she first met Xander. The old Alice would have tried to pursue a new adventure that Xander could have been. She would have been a lot more courteous to a man that offered her his coat on a rainy day. But she couldn't. Klaus had eyes. He had eyes everywhere. 

Alice slipped out her phone and dialed her mum's number slowly and steadily, the choking sobs filling every crevice of pain. She didn't want this life anymore. All she had to look forward to every morning was Klaus's screams filling the air and the fake love he made to her every Friday night in his black Mercedes. 

But before she could hit the call button, a strange man with a brown pipe in his mouth came running up to her, and her petite body flew off of the ground and her neck was suddenly pinned to the old brick wall beside the diner. Alice dropped her phone and it  shattered into a million pieces. Let it all end now.

"Hey!" screamed Xander, all the way from inside the diner. He ran out, and Alice heard the bells jingling as the door shut behind him. But Alice's heart began to slow as the man squeezed the life out of her, and most of all, she didn't want Xander to save her. She didn't want to live anymore.