I Choose Alex

Whirlwind

*(PPOV)*

Pale blues and pinks of the dawn kiss the city skyline of London, caressing the tall and proud architecture with a softness of nature. The sun beam entangles itself amongst the soft pale fabric of the curtains, pulling me out of my sleep. 

Not long after I began to wake up did the flashbacks from the previous night unfold in my muggy brain. Struggling to open my encrusted eyes, I stare blankly towards the curtains. In the midst of pleading with myself just to open my eyes, I finally blink long and hard, rolling my eyes to the back of my head almost like a cartoon character. I jerk my limp body up from the warm bed, my back instantly shivers. The London city weather caresses my skin with a cold finger. As the city begins to wake, I drag my feet clumsily one over the other to the kitchen to make myself a cup of Joe. Or as the British say, coffee. 

Boy I needed it after last night. How can one simple mistake end up as an epic show down in a theatrical drama? I click the kettle, becoming alive as the bubbles thud against the inside of the glass. As it became to a stand still, I slowly pour myself a cup, as knowing me I would burn myself to a crisp. 

Cup in hand carefully, I make my way over to the small balcony. Huh. I squint my eyes shut and open again to regain clarity of my otherwise impartial sight.  The balcony door was already tugged ajar, making it aware that someone was already awake. I cautiously step my bare foot out onto the cold stone, and slowly peep my head around the glass pane to see who had beat me in the game of early bird catches the worm. To my surprise, I was met with a mousy brown mop of hair. 

Sam.

Why the hell is he awake so early?

Quietly, I observe his behaviour, like David Attenborough narrating a rare species of bird or some hock of shit that would bore me to sleep. Sam blissfully unaware of my stealthy presence, goes about his routine none the wiser,  a harsh slurp of his coffee, a flick of ash from his cigarette, and a heavy sigh escape from his lips. 

"Hi." I softly spoke, trying not to spook him.

"ARGHHH!" He screams, the noise echoing around the barely waking city. I quickly rush to the front of him. Like the idiot he is, he had jumped and split boiling coffee down his white vest. Whimpering, he struggles to get the burning material off his pale skin. I place my coffee down, the liquid swirling around my cup, smooching the porecelain sides but not spilling over. I help a flailing Sam get the stained vest off and he sighs, fanning his red skin with his cigarette adorned hand. 

"Now there's no use crying over spilt coffee." I sigh, pushing my coffee in his direction. 

He looks at the cup, then at me, back at the cup and then blinks as if all life ceased to exist in his brain. Raising an eyebrow, I drag the metal deck chair over to him, and place my bare cold feet onto the table. My toes begin to warm up, thanks to the big yellow ball of fire in the sky that is bound to kill us one day. 

As I patiently wait for Sam to return, I watch the city wake up, people from all walks of life filling up the once empty streets of Camden Market Square, setting up their independent businesses, getting ready for the day ahead, as the sun finally breaks through the buildings. I do like people watching, its tranquil but intriguing at the same time. I often wonder of the lives I am catching a glimpse in to. Are they happy? Are they feeling fulfilled?  Or are they loved? 

Sam all of a sudden manages to bring himself back.

"Ouch." barely escaped his mouth. I glanced over to him, his chest that was a salmon pink had now turned into a rose red. I suck my teeth in at the gnarly sight. I stand up with an authority that I even questioned, and stride over to the kitchen. I glance over to a cocooned sleeping Alex in the big white bed, and turn the cold water tap on. As the water sputters out of the tap, I grab a kitchen towel, and drown the thing in water, and quickly wring out any moisture from it. Folding it as I walk back out onto the balcony, Sam wasted no time in lighting another cigarette. Before he could pull it away from his mouth, I grab the end of the cigarette, and swap the cigarette to a cold damp towel. 

"Hey!" Sam scowled, but then realised what I had given him. His scowl softened, looking at the damp towel in his hand. He softly placed it on his burnt chest, grimacing as the towel touched his broken skin.

Taking a drag, I looked at him. "So what are you doing up so early?"

He shrugged in reply, reaching for the pack of cigs and lighting one up. He takes a deep slow drag, the smoke twirls in to the city below, obviously avoiding my simple question.  I begin to poke and prod his visible ribs, trying to get an answer; no matter how short, out of him. 

He pleads, "Fine! Fine, you win!" He held one arm up, the other holding the towel, admitting defeat. 

"Truth be told, I haven't slept Pipes... I've been sat out here well after you and Alex had fallen asleep. I cannot help but replay what happened last night in my mind." His expression stiffens at the thought.

"Riiiight... What did happen after I left, I thought Alex left you because she was not far behind in following me to bed." I reply, puzzled.

Scornfully, he hesitates in justifying what I had not witnessed. 

"He was fine, there is nothing to worry about." A different voice enters the conversation. Sam whips his head around to find an unamused Alex stood in the doorway with the duvet wrapped around her. He bowed his head low, as if he was a naughty Omega, retaliating to the Alpha in a pack.

Alex tutted and rolled her eyes, "Well then, you are fine? AREN'T  you."

He hesitantly nods in reply. I squint my eyes, to the extreme change in the atmosphere, and no it was not global warming at fault this time. It was scary how dense it became, to the point where I felt I could not breathe...

"Come on. We've got to go sell. Now." Alex barks out an order as she retreats back into the small apartment. I quickly stand on my feet and Sam does the same but with a demeanour that is almost hard to put my finger on. The towel falls of his chest and lands with a deafening squelchy thud on the balcony floor. We both huddle into the doorway, like cattle in a over crowded cattle market.

*(SPOV)*

Disgruntled, I drag my feet lazily one after the other, behind Pipes. My mind wanders, as it does reliving the events of last night like a broken record. In all the years I've known and worked with Alex and Piper, I have never seen such denseness between us three. Yeah, I mean Alex provided me with a better future, when she met me I was walking the streets I used to call home. I had been kicked out by my waste of space alcoholic father, and had no where to turn, no friends to rely on even just to couch surf, a place I could kip for the night and be on my way the next morning.  I have everything to be thankful for Alex, she provided me with financial stability, and a roof over my head, even if it's from country to country.

I sluggishly get my things together occasionally wincing every time I accidentally brushed against my chest from the coffee accident prior. Slinging my bag on my shoulder, I wait for Alex's command to commence the sale. I mean after all that's why we're here.

It didn't take long for us to board the plane that I have nurtured with love care and affection. Piper (the plane that is) was rusting away in an old military airfield. We was selling $10,000 worth of cocaine and heroin in this massive abandoned air craft carrier and she was stood there standing pretty albeit glazed with a layer of rust. As soon as I saw her I fell deeply in love, and wanted her so bad. Soon after the deal went through I pleaded with Alex as she has the gift of gab, and managed to convince the customer to give me the plane, he simply agreed, as long as the next deal was possible. I had never gathered a deal so fast in my life! Within 72 hours I had accumulated $100,000 worth of Class A drugs to the cartel that I had previously worked with.