The Nothing Girl

Chapter 3

"Where the Hell have you been?!" Her mother yelled less than two seconds after Alex had entered the house. "You know I have to be at work soon and here you leave me waiting for you. You good for nothing piece of shit. I have to go before I'm late." Alex stayed silent as her mother bustled around gathering her things to go to work. "Put yourself to some use and have this place cleaned by the time I get back." 

With those last "loving" words she left. Alex looked around the already spotless living room and decided to just go upstairs to her room. Throwing her backpack in the corner, she plopped down on her bed with a huff. She put her music on before starting a new drawing, she had new found motivation after today.

After two hours of drawing in her sketchbook she had finally finished and began to color her artwork. Having colored everything except the eyes she looked down not yet satisfied. She needed the perfect shade of blue, which she did not posses in her poor arsenal of colored pencils.

Heading down stairs she put her jacket on before leaving. She would just walk in buy the color set she needed and return quickly, her mother would never know she left.

She walked into the nearest convenience store and headed to the back where the coloring supply would be.

"Hey,Alex right?" Said a heavenly voice. She knew who it was before she even turned around. When she finally did she was greeted by the perfect shade of blue eyes.

"Uhh, hi." Her response was timid and quiet. She turned back around to look for the set she needed, knowing if she looked into his eyes for too long she'd get lost in them.

"I'm Tristen," he extended his hand to her. She looked at it questioningly. After it awkwardly sitting in the air, he returned his hand to his side.

"So, what are you doing here?" He should have learned from his attempt earlier that Alex wasn't much of a communicator. Still she desided she'd put in effort, something she didn't do often.

"I'm uh I'm looking for um for the perfect shade of uh blue." That was possibly the longest sentence she has said to someone.

"Oh What's the drawing of?" You thought Alex but then she questioned,  Why did he care? Why was he wasting his time on her?

"It's uh It's..." She didn't know how to answer. What she supposed to say? It's a drawing of you 'cause I can't seem to get you off my mind and even still my drawing is nothing compared to the real the thing. No.

"It's ok you don't have to tell me, I was just curious." He saved her from the embarrassment she was sure to face had she answered that simple question. Alex looked down at her watch. 9:55. She was going to be late. Her mother would be home in 5 minutes.

She finally found the set she was looking for. The perfect blue inside. She turned around only to crash into his chest. "I'm sorry." she quickly said.

"You ok? Hey what's wrong?" He sounded as frantic as she felt. "I'm late I have to go." She picked up the set and ran to the front. After buying her set she ran out of the store. She walked quickly, but not fast enough.

"Alex hold on!" Tristen called from behind her.

"I really have to go I'm late. I have to be home." She said quietly.

"You want a ride? I can get you home faster than you walking." Why was he being nice to her? She looked at her watch. 10:00.

"Can you really get me there fast?" It was a dumb question, but she still asked to by her time to make the decision.

"In the blink of an eye," he replied. With that she nodded her head and followed him to his motorcycle.

"Here put this on." He handed her a helmet. That just made this all the more real for her. 

She climbed on the back and he started the bike. The engine roared to life. She gave him her address and then swung her arms around his waist and held on for dear life. He chuckled and asked "You ready?" and with one last nod they were off. She loved the rush of being on the motorcycle. She felt... alive. She loved this. This moment was one she never wanted to forget. She could breath for the first time in what felt like forever. She took in his scent and smiled. Her first genuine smile in seven years and it felt amazing. She felt human again. She felt like she was capable of emotion. Why did she only feel this way with him?

The ride ended all to quickly. Alex never wanted to get off the back of his motorcycle. She knew as soon as she did this feeling would fade, and she would be empty again, not this girl capable of genuine smiles.

Still she knew she had to, so reluctantly she did. She handed him back the helmet and turned to walk away when he grabbed her wrist stopping her. She turned back to face him, a questioning look on her face.

"Look, I'm sorry about earlier, Tiffany was out of line. She shouldn't have been mean to you. She just-"

"You don't have to apologise. It's fine," Alex was back to herself and the high she felt moments ago was now gone. She turned, color set in hand, and walked to her front door. She got inside as quickly as possible. Trying to get as far away from Tristen as possible, she ran up stairs to her room. She was grateful her mother was late getting home.

Opening the color set she took out the blue and finished the drawing. She started on a new one trying desperately to get the perfection she had in her head down on paper.

She drifted to sleep sometime between seeing beautiful blue eyes and pink lips to the front door slamming closed.