Black Glitter *Completed*

He Was Right There...

(LexiTheGlambert has kindly written this chapter with me using her character, Amaris, from Life Of a Glambert! I love the amazing ideas this girl can come up with! So HUGE thanks to her! Go check her now!)

NIX'S POV

Flashback 2009 (roughly)

My last day of freedom, of being stress-free before finally shipping out all my stuff to my dorm in New York for my first day of college. And to start it all off was a mocha from my favorite little cafe tucked away down one of the many historic alleyways here in Boston. It wasn't totally hidden, but if you were one for what met the eye first, you would never spot it. It was out of the way and quiet, and those who found it rarely ended up going anywhere else.

I hitched my bag up further on my shoulder, listening to the peaceful 'thump thump' of my boots as I treaded down the slightly sloping brick walk towards my hideout. Ten minutes later, I stood outside and grinned at the familiar sign of the fictional character from Alice in Wonderland clutching a cup of coffee between its talons: The Javawocky.

Yep, that's right. Epic, isn't it?

The cheery bell above the door signaled my entrance and the barista, Rachel, gave me a sweet smile.

"Well hello there Miss Phoenix! You're earlier today."

I nodded. "Hey. Yes, I am. Leaving for New York tonight so that I'll be all settled in by the time school starts."

Rachel, who had messy brown hair, hipster glasses and always wore her trademark orange hued lipstick, shook her head in disbelief. "My lord. Girl, I can't believe you're up and leaving me for some fancy-shmancy place in the city!"

The pang I had been holding back for the past few days hit me hard again. I'd been coming here since I was 16, and Rachel had grown to be like another sister to me.

"Yeah...me neither."

"Aw, don't get all teary on me, Red. Come on, whatever you like is on the house."

I swallowed back the lump in my throat and tried a smile. "You're too sweet, Rach. I'll have my special, please."

"Extra whipped?"

"Yes ma'am!"

I took my usual seat by back, right where the long window ended, with my back up against the brick wall and feet propped up on the booth.

I took out my current read; The Picture of Dorian Gray, flipped to my bookmarked page, and began to read. After a few moments of being totally absorbed in the tantalizing, beautiful writings of Mr. Wilde, Rachel set my drink down on the table, along with a fresh, hot cinnamon roll.

"Oh, Rach, you shouldn't have!" I said as my mouth watered at the smell of the delicious treat.

"But I did!" Rachel chirped.

I sipped on my drink and returned to my book to find myself at one of the best quotes:

'The world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold. The curves of your lips rewrite history.'

Gah, so beautiful!

Before I knew it, my roll was gone and my coffee also, yet still I read, ignoring time as it raced by, just like the characters did. I could post-pone everything, make everything slow down if I tried hard enough. While the world just outside of the Javawocky kept spinning on in the form of cars, runners, stop-watches, movies, clocks at every turn, I could lose myself in the magic of beautiful words and tragic sins.