A million little pieces

Two

The heavy,wet drops reverberated against every surface they fell on creating a symphony of plops and splashes that echoed along the gravelly field. Alex ran into the used looking black Jeep shivering as the water seeped through her clothes and into her skin. She sat in the brown leather passenger's seat enjoying the newfound warmth.
Her former killer sat beside her and with one fluid motion took the car keys from his pocket and used them to turn the car on. The engine roared to life and the pair were soon on the road.
"So what's your name?" Alex asked hoping small talk would ease the thickening tension.
"Jason." He replied indifferently.
"I'm Alex." The woman left it at that sensing that Jason wasn't too talkative.
She turned her gaze to the window where the pouring rain turned the blurred landscape of browns and greens into a wet mess that resembled a Van Goh painting. She stole a glance at her rescuer and saw his deep red eyes lost in thought. The dim moonlight Illuminated his pale skin and accentuated his already daunting red eyes and black hair. He looked frightful at first. Alex was sure if she had bumped into someone like him in the street at night she would be sure to keep her distance. But he had a hidden attractiveness in his features; his scary appearance made way to a more sexy look upon closer inspection.
"Stop staring." He commanded sensing her lingering gaze on his facial features
Alex turned back to the window after taking one last took at his chiseled jawline.
Jason truly was deeply in thought. But he wasn't thinking, he was trying to rid his mind of the thoughts and memories that Alex had triggered; memories of Katia.
He suddenly turned the car and entered a small roadside grocery store. Alex hadn't seen the small market before since it had been hidden by the ring of tall conifers surrounding it.
"Only essentials." He warmed as he parked the car in the tiny parking lot in front of the blue and white building.
The pair scurried into the store trying not to get wet. Jason seemed used to being soaked. Alex figured it rained a lot in Victoria. She was new to the small island and was still unsure of what was considered normal.
She took a blue basket from the pile at the door and struggled to follow Jason whose long legs made it easy for him to walk much faster than Alex. She handed him the basket and continued tailing behind the tall man.
After a while they reached the snacks and beverages aisle but Jason walked right past it.
Alex couldn't remember a time when she had gone to the grocery store without buying Doritos. She simply loved the cheesy corn chips. She rushed into the aisle and quickly grabbed a nacho cheese flavored bag and ran back to Jason having to go twice as fast to catch up with him.
She shoved the bright vermillion bag in his face with one hand unable to speak as she panted breathlessly.
"No." Jason refused before even listening to Alex's argument and continued walking occasionally putting things he took from the shelf into the small blue basket in his hand.
"Why?" Alex complained persistently
"I said essentials only." Jason reminded her and continued walking.
Alex wouldn't give up
"Please!" She begged trying to look as cute as she possibly could.
"Fine." Jason succumbed, only accepting because Alex's puppy dog eyes reminded him of Katia so much that he couldn't say no
"But only if you can make me laugh before we get to the checkout."he added knowing that it would be a nearly impossible task.
Alex thought it over, "Okay." She decided.
They continued walking, this time side by side since Jason had slowed down for Alex.
He kept an eye on her wondering what kind of prank she would try to pull but she just walked beside him silently, showing no signs of
scheming.

Alex listened to the distantly playing music looking for a familiar son when she heard the distinct opening notes of Ed Sheehan's Hallelujah.
She began humming the first verse when a plan sauntered into her mind fully formed
"Oh I'm in pieces it's tearing me up and I know..." she began dining out loud and watched Jason's face for a reaction
"A heart that's broke is a heart that's been loved..."
His face slowly changed from his former stone cold expression.
"So I'll sing hallelujah!" She belted our the chorus loudly.
Jason's will gradually crumbled and the corner of his mouth raised slightly but returned to a straight line as quickly as it had changed
"You smiled!" She pointed to Jason's mouth
"I guess smiling counts." He said sounding depressed all of a sudden.
"Are you okay?" Alex asked in concern.
"I'll be fine." He brushed her off as he walked to the checkout counter and placed the few items in the basket onto the top of the table.

The lady behind the counter smiled as she watched as the girl continued interrogating the man beside her, the genuine concern clear in her voice while the man continually reassured her that he was fine. The couple was so wrapped up in each other that they didn't notice that all their groceries were already bagged.
"Hey lovebirds."The woman called
Her words snapped the two to attention
"We're not-
"You're stuff's ready" she handed them the white plastic bag and Jason gave her the two twenty dollar bills.
The pair returned to the car driving in silence as the sound of the rain drumming on the roof of the car drowned out even their thoughts.
"That was my favorite song." Jason told Alex
"My fiancée and I." He added.
Jason showed no signs of being engaged so Alex figured something must've happened. She didn't pry knowing that it could be a touchy subject.

At the very thought of Katia a floodgate of memories and emotions
Jason took a sharp turn off the main road and into a dirt road  the car bumped through the slippery path until it fi ally rumbled to a stop in front of a wooden cabin.
Alex observed the cozy looking wooden shack placed in the middle of nowhere. If she hadn't been with someone who was supposed to kill her then she would have probably found the small building more inviting the thick evergreen forest surrounding them didn't make matters any better.
Jason got out of the car car and entered then cabin carrying both the semi transparent bag from the store and a duffel bag she hadn't noticed before.
The rain fell on Alex like heavy drops of lead.  The cold water seeped through her clothes and cooled her entire body. She rushed into the confined cabin leaving a trail of water as she walked from the door way to the sofa where she took a seat beside Jason.

He looked straight ahead completely forgetting about Alex's presence as he tried to push away the ghosts of Katia that haunted him.
Alex merely looked at him swearing to herself that she would find a way to help him.

A/N: how's it going so far? I'm just going where my inspiration takes me so if you have any advice or constructive criticism , don't hesitate to comment.
Word count;1205