^^Alec
The next few days passed quickly, a blur of diners, her new nickname and school gossip. Apparently the story was,
'Alec and Valerie went way back. They met in Juvee together and were the feared couple. They dealt drugs together, stole together and broke laws together. But when Alec got sent away, Valerie spiralled at first and eventually decided to 'start fresh' in her new school, only to find he was there too.'
Who the hell had the time to make these detailed stories?
Purposely, she'd hidden from Piper and Alec--and everyone but India and Trina. But even Trina snatched the occasional question.
Valerie popped bubblegum between her lips with her elbow against the counter and her palm holding her chin up. The diner payed average wage but she didn't have to do anything since it was only ever an occasional, depressed teen, old man or lost tourist. Either way, she charged them extra.
That same old man was sipping his tea, his regular routine. Sitting in the 5th booth, drinking an english tea with no milk and one sugar. His eyes always looked haunted and she wondered how long this place had been open.
"Excuse me, young lady." He croaked.
"Oh, hi, yeah. What can I do for you?" She said her gum snapping in time with her daze. "Have seen Marie Louise?"
"What does she look like?"
His eyes gleamed, suddenly wonder struck. "She is beautiful."
"When was the last time you saw her,sir?"
He seemed shocked. "What month is it?"
"November, sir."
"November? Is it November the 2nd?"
Vals eyes dropped slightly, he must've thought it was still a particular date.
"Sir, what year is it?"
"Well, what a peculiar question! Why it's 1973 of course!"
Valerie just smiled sympathetically.
"No sir, I haven't seen her."
He nodded, ordered another pot of tea and hobbled back to his seat.
She turned and began pouring the tea into a pot. It was only then the voice curled up behind her.
"That uniform suits you, angel."
Her jaw tightened. She turned to see a very bruised and battered looking Alec.
"But I bet you'd look better without it." He grinned.
Val didn't return his amusement.
"What happened to you?" She said quickly pouring the remainder of what was in the coffee pot into a cup and handing it to him.
"Well, Drai won't be bothering us."
"What? He knows I'm here?"
Alec shrugged, "Of course."
"What did he want with us?" She added the last bit with reluctance.
"He wanted you. Apparently you forgot to mention a little romantic past you had with him?" His words dripped with a venomous calm.
Valerie swallowed down the lump in her throat. You'd think Drai was a pink old man who's spent years building an empire... Wrong. He was a handsome 20 something year old who had had a soft spot for her ever since she came in his sight. He wanted her as his own, another trophy-- but she would never become the 'reigning queen of crime'.
"It was a while ago, a year or two."
He lightly slammed his fist into the counter, "You still should of told me."
"Why? I don't owe you anything."
"Oh? So saving your life is nothing?"
"You didn't know they would've killed me once they got the package." Val argued.
"Yes, I do! I know how they work... And so do you! They cut off any split ends."
His breathing was fast and ragged.
"That's true. Sorry." She said sheepishly. A blush of embarrassment.
"Where is the gun by the way?" He said still icy.
"Hidden."
His jaw tightened at her tone.
She gave the man his tea and returned. Val walked into the kitchen, Alec following her.
"What was his deal?"
"That we deal for him."
Valerie sighed, a sorrowful expression sunk into her face. "I thought it would finally be able to escape all of this."
"Once you're in, you're in."
She hung her head in her palms.
Between this and her sisterhood being back--causing her to have to avoid the house at all times, only returning between the hours 11-7.
"What's wrong, angel?" She ignored the nickname and also the sincerity in his voice. "Nothing."
"Where's the first location we have to deal? And what're we selling?" She asked.
"College party, you're allowed to bring one person, for safety precautions. And it's only pot and a couple pills."
She just nodded her head.
Leaning in and subtly sectioning her into the counter again, he said,"But I wasn't lying when I said you looked good in you're new uniform." He winked before turning on his heel and leaving. And, the Beast was back.
She'd noted the difference between the beast and Alec.
Alec was capable of switching his emotions of knowing what to say at what time, he knew how to charm people and Alec was the one who got girls to sleep with him. However, the beast was the aggressive, emotionless, cold, sarcastic, snarky demon that lived on his surface.
Great, so now she was a drug dealer.
***
She got home earlier than intended.
It was the strangest sight to see her mother and her sister sat opposite each other eating in a civilised manner.
They both looked up at her,
"Why are you dressed like that?"
Alessandra said blankly, referring to her blue and pink diner uniform that was cut slightly too short.
"I got a job at the diner."
Her mother set down her utensils.
"Good. We're going to need it."
"What do you mean?"
The pair looked to each other,
"The firm made some cuts. They brought in a newer, fresher girl to replace me. And I was part of the cuts."
Valerie knew how much her mother feared ageing, so being dropped because she wasn't young or 'fresh' enough must've stung her like a swarm.
"Oh, mum I'm so sorry."
"Don't bother."
Alessandra butted in, "Mums applied to be Ryan Reynolds personal shopper--"
"Let's cut the shit. We're going to be broke in a few months and were all gunna have to work our asses off. So Val I'm sorry but you're gunna have to chip in and that goes for you too Aless!"
Val waited for the floor to swallow her.
Could things get worse?
