Something Special

Chapter 14

"Alex. Get out here." His mothers voice calls up to him and with a sigh he exits his room in just an old pair of trackies. She was in the kitchen, her hands on her hips. "You can't stay in there for ever you know." She tells him.

"Why not." He asks, his voice dull. He wanders over to the fridge and pulls out some ham. "Because you have a movie premier on Saturday night and you haven't gone to-"

"Can I eat this?" he enquires, cutting her off midsentence. She glances at the chilli he has and nods. "Are you even listening to me?"

"No. Where are the spoons?" she throws her hands up and lobs a fork at him. He catches it with one hand and continues rummaging through the fridge. "Alex." She declares, her voice stern. He glances up at we with half lidded eyes. "What do you want women?" he asks. She slaps his bare shoulder and wags her finger in his face. "If. You. Ever. Talk to me like that again young man, your acting career will be so short lived you won't ever live to see the movie premier. Do I make myself clear?"

"Mum-"

"Am. I. Clear." Her voice was getting shriller every second so he nods. "Yeah. Crystal."

Content, she take the Tupperware container of leftovers and puts it in the microwave. He puts bread into the toaster and boils the kettle. "Now," she says when he had started to eat his chilli on toast with a cup of tea. "What's wrong?" He frowns at her.

"What- nothing mum! God, just a hangover." He says moodily, inhaling his food in a way only teenage boys can. "Alex. It's Tuesday." she says matter-of-factly. "Well I'm having a long weekend." she rolls her eyes.

"Michael Bay wants a meet. I'm thinking Ruccardi's-"

"No, no, nope. No. Not Ruccardi's." She raises her eyebrows at him but doesn't say anything. "Fine. The Savoy for afternoon tea?" he wrinkles his nose and stabs his toast angrily. "I wish it was still acceptable to just have a Macdonalds."

She chuckles and types away at her phone. "Okay. Tomorrow at 1545 you are going to be at The Savoy and you'll be eating scones and drinking tea."

"Fine. But I'm not going into school on Friday."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes. You. Are. And you will do this because I'm your mother and I say so." And like that the conversation was finished. He rolls his eyes. "That's such a naff reason." But he knew it was a losing battle. She was just as stubborn as he was. "And you will shave because stubble is unattractive on you." She informs him. He swears lightly as he drops burning chilli down him, choosing to ignore the remark about his lack of personal grooming.

The actual reason he hadn't gone to school yet was because he couldn't face Tara. Oh Tara. Even thinking about her made his heart race. He had been so sure she was this innocent waif and stray. Yet there she was. Dressed in 7" heels and the tartiest costume he'd ever seen. After leaving her room he had dropped Buster a text telling him to grab a taxi back because he wasn't feeling great and left. A prostitute! Tara Lincoln. The most innocent girl he had ever met, a whore.

He walks back to his room and flops onto his bed, thoughts of Tara swimming round his head. He hadn't been able to miss the large amount of thigh she had been showing off. But still. She wasn't a hooker. She worked at a restaurant. She was a waitress. Wasn't she?

...............................................................

"Ah. Mr Cross. How lovely of you to grace us with your presence. Please take your seat next to Miss Lincoln." Tara's heart was pounding so hard she though it might jump out of her chest. Her knuckles go white with how hard she was clenching them as Alex returns to his place next to her. She smells his scent of lynx and diesel. "Tara." He whispers softly in her ear. She doesn't respond but her hands were visibly shaking. She stuffs them into the long sleeves of her T-shirt.

After a while he gives up trying to get a response and just takes notes. They weren't as neat as Tara's but he was pretty proud. When the bell goes he packs up and was about to leave when he feels a light touch on his shoulder. He turns and gasps when he sees Tara there. Her golden eyes shining. "Come with me." She leads him out of the lab and onto the empty rugby pitches. He rubs his hands together and blows heavily out of his mouth, his breath forming a white cloud in front of him. She leans against the brick dugout and digs her chin into her scarfed chest. Despite the cold weather, she had on a short skirt with tighted legs and a scuffed bomber jacket. Her tartan scarf was dark green and navy. After a moment he goes and stands next to her.

They stand in silence until Tara says, "Questions?" he frowns at her.
"What?"
"Do you have questions?" He rubs the nape of his neck and nods. "A couple."
"Go on."
"Are you a prostitute?" he asks bluntly. She winces. "No."
"Then why-"
"I needed the money."
"But you're a waitress. You have a normal job." She rolls her eyes at him despite everything. "I'm never getting to uni on a waitress wage."
"So you work at crystals for pocket money!?" he says incredulously. Her face flushes and she lowers her eyes. "Shit. Tara I'm-"
"Sorry? That's what you were going say isn't it. Sorry. Well trust me. No ones as sorry as I am."

They stand in awkward silence. And then "I went back with Reggie on Friday." He sucks in air and nods.
"I know."
"Is he nice?" she asks.
"Does that mean- will he call me back. Or will he not date rape me?" Tara scoffs. "I just don't want to find out that I had sex with a physcopath who has a nose fetish or something." Alex guess her a sideways glance and chuckles. "What?" she asks self consciously. He was looking at her weirdly, as if he wanted to tell her something. But instead he shakes his head.

"So. If that's all. I better go." She says, turning to leave. He walks with her and she frowns. "Why are you walking with me?" she asks.
"Because I want to." he answers simply.
On there way Alex fills the silence up with babble about nonsense. Apparently he has a meeting with Michael Bay later today at the savoy. "And then I remember I have a movie premier Friday night!" he exclaims. Tara nods, trying not to seem to interested. Inside she was bursting with questions. Like what movie? And where it was? And who was gonna be there? And why did he look so perfect? Well, maybe not the last one. He walks with her all the way to lunch until Andie catches sight of him. He turns to greet her and when he turns back to Tara she was gone.