Basically Strangers

[6] Stranger with a Flashback

[6] Stranger with a Flashback
3rd POV
2 months later…

A young girl entered a smoky bar, a singer on the stage below. She weaved through the crowd with her H/C hair and E/C eyes not catching the attention of anyone around her. Maybe a minute or so after you entered the bar, a man entered behind you with red hair and green eyes. The two wore fancy outfits, Arkin in a black tux with a dark, silky red bow tie, and you wearing a red studded dress and heels.

The two of you approached the bar separately, listening to the music floating through the small nightclub as they gracefully weaved through the crowds to a man in a blue tuxedo with a matching tie and blonde hair with striking blue eyes and blonde stubble. He had a fake rolex watch on his left wrist, which lifted a crystal glass of amber looking liquid.

The man turned to see Arkin whose eyes were also trained on him with a determined smirk on his lips. The man, seeing the ginger fast approaching, gasped slightly and tried to play it off cool. You walked by a table, going in the opposite direction of Arkin, who kept his eyes trained on the blonde man. Arkin was also using all of his self control to not look over and check on you. That would give the plan away.

The Arkin made it over to the man, who had surely not seen him glance the young girl. The blonde man gasped lightly and tried to cover it by coughing into his elbow as Arkin sat beside him. You sat on the other side of the man, a couple chairs away. To any onlooker, you and Arkin would appear to have no connection whatsoever.

You asked the bartender for a glass of water, slipping him a fifty dollar bill to say you were ‘the legal age’ to be in the bar. Arkin ordered a whiskey as the blonde man swirled the rum in the crystal glass in his hand..

“Alex Simmer?” Arkin said, not looking at him. The blonde man jumped at the sound of Arkin’s voice. Arkin invisibly smirked at the man’s jumpy state.

“U-Uh… it’s… it’s Xander,” he said. “Xander, not Alex.” Arkin glanced at him, finally. The man, still scared, wasn’t expecting such a forward interaction from the stranger.

“Well, Alex Xander,”  Arkin said, teasing the man with the misuse of his name. “I believe you know why I’m here.” Xander nodded frantically, his leg wrapping to protect a brown leather suitcase sitting at the base of his seat.

“I do.” Arkin smiled and took a swig of his drink.

“Good. You have my money, I assume?” Xander nodded. There was a brief silence, and Xander didn’t have to say anything for Arkin to know what he was thinking. “But you’re not planning to hand it over. Am I correct?” Confidence clearly skyrocketing, Xander nodded. Arkin bit his lower lip rather hard. Not hard to be too noticeable. He had always hated people would thought they were bigger than him.

One look over Xander’s shoulder at you, silently sipping a glass of water covered in water droplets, and Arkin took a deep breath to stop those thoughts from penetrating his head. He had been doing so well not thinking people were useless maggots.

“Look, Alex Xander,” Arkin said, turning his attention back to the man beside him. The ginger reached into the breast of his suit jacket and pulled out a large orange envelope. “Give me the money, I’ll give you your… images.” Xander took a deep breath, confidence soaring. “Don’t you dare say what I think you’re going to say, Alex Xander.” Xander stared at the glass in his hands.

“No,” he said softly. He looked up at Arkin, eyes now unafraid. “No. I’m not giving you the money.” Arkin laughed a cold, hard, and cruel laugh and put the envelope back in it’s hiding place within his coat. Arkin leaned in, uncomfortably close to Xander.