Under A Black Veil. ( Ashley Purdy) [on hold]

Chapter Three

Ashley decided to leave me alone for  tonight. On his behalf, it's a bad idea but a great opportunity for me to leave explore the streets of Los Angeles.

What Ashley doesn't know won't kill him... Right?

I scavenge through my drawers, fishing my keys out by the sliver loophole thing. I dwindle the keys within my pale fingers; a smile began to grow on my face. Ash means well, I know he does but I don't like admitting it but one of his major plot-holes is how he thinks I'm going to stay within the walls of the house.

Hell no! I want to experience what this city's like. For once; nothing drug or cigarette related - I just want to explore. Pulling a gray hood over my head, I leave the house with only my phone in hand. Though, before I left I got hounded by Tokyo and Killer which are basically Ash's guard dogs to keep me in reign.

I began walking down the street, staying under streetlights with my head hung low. It was growing nippy and cold. My fingertips were growing numb so I shoved them into the pockets of the hood I was wearing - lucky for me it was fleece, it was warm and soft.

It was pleasantly quiet apart from the odd bark of a dog and screech of a car angling a corner - way different to what it's like back home in NYC. I guess I'm considered a "typical city kid" but Los Angeles seemed much calmer - or maybe it was just the area that Ashley resides in.

Anyway, I enjoy the solace, though it gives me time to think and I particularly don't like doing that - normally all the drugs and cigarette fumes cloud my thoughts so I can not think.

I begin to gently kick pebbles that adorn the sidewalk like a small child does when they're waking to school or the park. See, I never really experienced a childhood. We were constantly moving from place to place with Mum's job. But I guess it was a given; I was given shelter, food and so much more. I never saw much of Mum as she was always working, so she hired a nanny to take care of me.

I went through many of these nannies as I seemed to scare them off with my suggested scribbles of a small figure holding a knife (dripping with blood, y'know the full effect) and their body laying in a pool of blood with x's as a substitute for their eyes. I enjoyed their individual reactions. I went through so many that at one point Mum had to bring me to work with her.

I guess I was always "over the rails".

"Woah! Watch where you're - "

I snap out of my trance and look up. It was difficult to see under the light but I could estimate that they were my age, possibly older.

"Oh shit, sorry dude I - "

"Hey no, it's fine. I'm Jace." He introduces with a light laugh.

"Alice. Pleased to, uh, meet you."

"Pleasure. What's a girl like you doing out so late?" Jace asks curiously, something about his voice made me... I don't know? Lust maybe? But it was a really nice voice he had.

"Could ask you the same thing," I respond dryly. I didn't want to seem that I was weak because I'm a female, because I'm not weak, far from it.

"Touché, New York, touché"

"Really? We literally just met and you've already given me a nickname?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Well what's next? You taking me to your house and rooting?" I inquire, a smirk on my face. I'm thankful that it's really hard to see, but I kinda want to see his face. Like what if this is just a one time thing?!

Oh god.

"Nah, that usually follows the first date, M'lady. Anyway I best be going? Will I see you 'round?" Jace sounded hopeful.

Hey maybe LA isn't as bad as I thought.

"Depends, if you recognise my voice. Which you won't because I'm basically a vampire, creepin' in the darkness."

"Well I'm sure that one day I'll meet the face that this angelic voice belongs to,"

Woah, he's a charmer! Nice!

"Yeah sure. Well see ya Jace,"

"See you Miss Alice,"

I turn around on my heels, my cheeks growing hotter and hotter as I start to gnaw the interior flesh of my mouth.

"Oh my god," I whisper aloud. I was dumbfounded... Hopefully he lives close by so maybe we will reunite soon. Just have to remind myself to not allow Ashley to know anything.