Strangerville Stranger ~ An Alice x Karson Story

Chapter One: The Boy With The Van

All characters belong to Clare Siobhan. 

Hi, so this timeline is a little weird. It takes place in Alice's my story but Zoe and Spencer are together. It's kind of a merge of Alice and Zoe's my stories so if the timeline is a little wonky, that's why. Also if you're here from the wiki, I am rowancrw. Enjoy!

"Bleep! Bleep! Bleep!" my phone alarm screams. I rub my eyes and slowly sit up. Ouch, my back is stiff. What can I say, sleeping in a van isn't exactly the best night's sleep. I hit my phone, telling it to shut up. I want to stay in the van a little longer but I can't. The person who owns the van always comes to drive somewhere at around 7:15. I jump out of the van, a stray dog following behind me. The dog always follows me. I wish it would just go away.

I work at Joe's Mechanics. He's a father figure to me and was good friends with my mom, Bella. My parents are dead. I have a pile of clothes I get changed into when I get there. I work for him and in exchange, he feeds me, lets me take showers there, and even sometimes lets me crash on the waiting room couch if the van is gone. Joe is a cop (owning the mechanic is more of a side job) so he's really strict with me. He's like an overprotective father when he's not even my father. 

Anyways, I get changed into a baggy sweatshirt that says: "The University Of Foxbury" on it. It was my mom's. She went to Foxbury, that's why she loved red so much. I've worn this sweatshirt since I was thirteen. I can still remember Mom telling me all of her adventures there. Since I was thirteen I've wanted to go there. I laugh at the thought. I can't pay for my own food, there's no way I can pay for university tuition. 

Joe lives at the mechanic so one building is the mechanic and the other building is his house. I walk into the mechanic part but he's not there. Wierd. After a while of waiting I knock on his house door. "Come in!" He yells. As I walk in I smell something amazing. Something incredible. Bacon. I head into the kitchen to find Joe cooking over the stove. 

"There's the birthday girl! Happy birthday, Alice!" He smiles. It's my birthday? Jeez, that means I'm 19. 

"Wow," Is all I say. I can't believe I forget my own birthday. "So, what are you making?" I ask.

"You're favorite. Order up, One Alice special." He slides me a big plate of bacon. 

"I'll work extra hard today to pay for this," I ask, feeling guilty about taking it my hunger overtakes my guilt. 

"Don't. I'd be fine if you didn't work today at all. Any plans?" Joe laughs.

"Working extra hard in the garage. My cousin is flying in to stay in Strangerville for a couple of weeks. She's bringing her boyfriend so I'll probably spend some time with those two. Then I'll come back here and when all my work is finished I'll beat you at foosball and darts." I smile at him between bites of bacon. 

"I let you win last time!" He exclaims. I roll my eyes and giggle. "Sure, sure." 

Joe laughs and then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small box. "Happy birthday!"

I shake my head and give him back the present. I cannot accept this! But he shrugs and drops the present on my plate. I know it would make him happy if I opened it.

"You have grown into an ambitious, driven young woman. Your mom would  have been so proud of you." His smile turns sad. I open the box and find a black string chocker. "Woah it's just like the one..." Joe interrupts me. "It's Bella's necklace."

I find my eyes getting wet and I tie the choker around my neck. "Thank you. I, uhh, Zoe texted me. She wanted me to meet her at the Plaza." Joe hands me the bus money. "Thank you! I'll work so hard tomorrow to pay all this off. But today you want me to have fun." I roll my eyes. "That's right!" He cheers.