8
Little Vipers!
Alex awoke with the smell of lavender lingering on her cheeks, clean crisp sheets wrapped about her and a content smile on her face. She’d had a pleasant night, void of frightening nightmares or late night heart wrenching conversations with her sister. She yawned and reached for her watch only to find that there was no bed side box as she’d hoped, and then she remembered she wasn’t at home. That meant that the figure snuggling her back wasn’t Nicole.
She turned and the mound behind her made a sound like a cat, having been shifted from its comfortable position. The figure turned to the side and the bed sheet shifted from her face, revealing a sleeping girl.
Alex looked at her in horror. It really did happen; she wasn’t at home anymore. She fell back against the pillows and pressed her palms against her eye lids, as she pieced together how she’d gotten here.
They’d left home later than planned, so Ryan’s house was in darkness when they’d arrived; no welcome carpet and brazen trumpets with banners, just a dark, quiet, very large and beautiful house. She lifted her hand and peered over at the sleeping girl beside her and tried to remember her name, Rachel it was, as it turned out, the Viper had young ones, one of which she would be rooming with. For how long? God only knew. Alex had already learned something about her; if she talked so much while sleeping she didn’t want to know how much she yapped during her waking hours.
Alex shoved her face into the pillow and groaned, pouring out her frustrations into the cotton pillowcase. She then threw off the covers and climbed out of bed. The door to her right was the adjoining bathroom Rachel shared with her sister, which meant the other was the way out.
The house appeared even grander with the morning light streaming through the multi panelled windows in the living room, it wasn’t a cut out from a magazine but it was definitely more than she was used to. She found her way to the kitchen, and walked into a boisterous conversation between a dark slender boy and a colourfully dressed woman.
The boy was the image of Ryan with a plain longitudinal face and a pair of thick framed glasses perched on his nose. The girl was of a creamy chocolate brown complexion with perky eyebrows and slanted, deep set eyes that gave her a sly fox-like look. They had both stopped talking and were now staring at her with a boldness that was most definitely bad manners.
“Hi,” Alex greeted, squaring her shoulders. She hoped she did not look as scared as she felt.
“Hey,” the boy replied, he had short, wavy hair, the kind that comes from wearing those caps.
The girl nodded her acknowledgement, but Alex was sure she saw her lips curl, and was that a fang? Alex made a mental note to keep away from her.
“You’re Alex?” the boy asked.
“Yeah,” she replied.
“Damn gurl, aren’t you a looker!” he said with a flirty grin, “I’m Leon, this is my sister Sonti,” he gestured to the girl next to him who was casually surveying her red fingernails.
“Nice to meet you,” said Alex, having recovered from Leon’s outburst.
“Yep, try not to steal anything huh,” said Sonti as she picked up her red handbag, batting her long plastic lashes tauntingly at an insulted Alex.
Alex glared at her, not only did she have terrible fashion sense, but she was disgustingly smart mouthed, and Alex’s gut told her she wasn’t a safe person to be around. As she watched her exit the kitchen, she thought of the height of the house, the bone chilling distance from the tallest window to the ground and Sonti looking out of it, an evil smile pasted on her flawless face. Shaking the horrid thought from her head she turned to Leon. It wasn’t as though Sonti would grab her by the hair and throw her out a high window; too many witnesses, right?
“Wait a minute!” the squeal could be heard all the way from the living room, “nobody said nothing ‘bout a roommate!”
They turned to find a scrawny girl with dark, coarse hair, braided in two fat short braids, standing under the arch; her thin arms perched on her hips authoritatively. She couldn’t have been more than nine.
“Shut up Rachel,” Leon demanded easily, “you’re too small for your bed anyway.”
Rachel rolled her eyes at him and turned to Alex, the annoyance melting from her face as the realization dawned on her; she was noticing the strange face for the first time.
They stood silently staring at each other until Alex stepped toward her and introduced herself, an amused look on her face.
“I’m Alex,” she said and extended a hand.
Rachel took it and shook it briefly, “Just Alex?” she asked with a frown.
“Yeah, actually it’s Alexis.”
Rachel smiled, “Oh you must get confused for a boy a lot,” the girl reasoned.
“Not so much, I go to an all girls’ school. Plus my real name’s Angel.”
Rachel looked thoughtful, “Okay, guess that’s good too.”
“I hope I didn’t gross you out last night, Leon says I sleep like a troll so...”
Alex smiled, “no, it was fine, I didn’t even know you were there... half of the time,” she lied.
“Good then, when am dressed I’ll give you a tour of the house and tell you all you need to know.”
“Thank you, I...”
“So you’re like, gonna be my new sister huh?” Rachel interrupted again, her excitement burning behind her pupils like torches.
Alex gave an awkward grin, “uh... roommates, sisters... it’s all the same,” she stuttered, ignoring Leon’s look of amusement.
She’d never had a younger sibling, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about Rachel just yet, she did know that she wasn’t about to call her, her sister.
Rachel frowned, going over Alex’s response in her head, then she nodded, “okay, see ya.”
When she left, Alex exhaled deeply. She didn’t even know she was holding that in. She turned to Leon who was still smirking at her.
“You get used to it,” he assured her.
Alex nodded and her gaze fell on the open book before him.
“Chemistry?” she asked.
He smiled up at her and extended a hand, “Doctor Leon Hubbard, Cardiologist.”
Alex laughed but took the offered hand, “Doctor Angel Moore, Haematologist”
“Ahhh a fellow science lover,” he said, his big goofy eyes, bulging with interest, “what form are you in?”
“Five,” she replied as she sat down on the chair opposite to him.
“I’m at the Community College, final year. Maybe I can help you with your studies now and then; SBA’s are probably weighing on you by now.”
“Yep, just kinda wrapping up I guess. Got a couple labs to work on for the holidays,” she replied.
It was good to finally meet someone she could relate to, Leon was like the brother she never would’ve wished she had but would really love to have anyway. She smiled up at him and nodded, feeling ecstatic at this new prospect.
“What about your sister, what does she do?” she asked, afraid to lose the moment with an awkward lapse in conversation.
“Believe it or not she’s actually a pre-school teacher,” he replied.
Alex’s eyes grew wide with surprise, “really?”
“She hates it,” Leon added, “but grand ma made it completely clear that if she wasn’t going to head off to college, she had to get a job, a respectable one,” there was an amused, mocking tone in his voice and he topped it off with a wink.
“It seems to measure up financially and well, it gives her enough leisure time to party. In case you’re worried, she’s never at home long enough to torture you.”
Alex grinned, “that’s good, kind of like my sister, only she’s always working, work she does because she needs to, not for anyone’s pleasure... just her survival.”
“Hmmm, is she hot?” he asked, wiggling untamed brows.
“Let me guess, two years of college and not one girl friend?”
>
Leon feigned surprise, “how did you know? So is she?”
Alex shook her head, amused, “she’s pretty,” she replied.
“She’s not interested though, Nicole doesn’t care much for younger boys. Plus she’s got a boyfriend.”
“Pity,” he said, just as Rachel marched back into the room, clad in jeans and a T-shirt.
She went directly to Alex’s side and looked up at her expectantly, “I’m ready, let’s go,” she said, reaching for Alex’s hand.
Alex looked over at Leon, with wide pleading eyes, he only grinned as he got up, “you’re on your own. Don’t worry, she’s only dangerous after eleven.... AM,” and he left, his laughter of doom trailing after him dramatically.
Alex looked over at the smiling girl and smiled uneasily, “Hi,” she squeaked.
It was the Christmas season and though Alex wasn’t much of a partier, Nicka and she always made it a must to attend a concert or Christmas bash every now and again. Which was fun enough with the two of them; they had never needed another person to enjoy themselves.
Yet here she was sitting on a bench at the most uneventful party she’d ever been to, popping skittles and staring at everyone enjoy themselves and each other, as Nicka shared her drink and all of her jokes with her darling Robbie.
Robbie Davis was a tall boy with big elf ears, caramel brown skin and his power tool, deep set, cheek dimples. According to most of the girls he was the most handsome boy to walk the street; Alex just couldn’t see it, mostly because she couldn’t stand him.
“I’m going to get a drink,” she muttered, as another annoying giggle floated over to her.
“Oh, I’d really like another coke,” Nicka said glancing at Alex then at Robbie.
“I’ll get it,” he offered and he handed her his empty back pack in preparation to get up.
Alex looked over at her friend, who was wearing a ridiculous grin, “He’s so sweet,” she mouthed behind his turned head. Alex rolled her eyes.
She allowed Robbie to follow her to the drinks stand; walking stiffly and silently ahead of him. They had never really talked before, except for that one time when he’d approached her on her way to the bus stop, but as always her cold manner must have turned him off, and two weeks later Nicka had introduced them. Nicka was actually surprised when Alex had told her they’d met before. It was weird though, the way Robbie never spoke to or acknowledged her, when he was clearly interested at a point in time. It was even stranger now when he fell into step with her and began to speak.
“So how about them Spurs?” he asked with a broad grin.
“I don’t like basketball,” she replied blandly.
“You know I think you’re real hot and stuff,” he said suddenly.
Alex looked over at him quizzically; confused at the direction this conversation was going. She chose not to respond; instead she hastened her footsteps so he had to hurry to keep up with her.
“Yeah I just don’t want you to think that guys don’t check you because you weren’t hot or anything. If it makes you feel better I’d like to get your number, maybe I could hook you up with one of my friends, they’re good guys Alex,” he persisted.
Alex shook her head in disgust and continued walking, she couldn’t believe Nicka was discussing her personal life with Robbie, he sounded like a tone downgraded recording of her.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. Especially, if they can’t find a better word to describe me than… stuff.”
Robbie chuckled, “You’re funny, and very beautiful I mean that, if I weren’t with Nicka....” he said with a broad smile.
She blushed despite herself quickly masking it with a dry chuckle. Nicka was right though; he did have a gorgeous smile. It was so gorgeous she had to turn away to prevent any unwanted swooning, and that was when she saw him.
He was standing near the drinks stand, with the same red cap pulled down over his eyes, he wore the same baggy jeans and sneakers, and this time his eyes were even more disguised, with dark sunglasses. Was he looking at her? She couldn’t tell. He was facing her but with his eyes so well hidden, and his expression so unreadable, she couldn’t tell whether he was. She stopped now, she was certain he was the man who had rescued her from the pit-bull. Robbie was still talking to her, his charmed droning floating over her head powerlessly.
Then she saw him turn and saunter toward the exit, he had a slick gait, like he was walking to a rhythm only he could hear. His movement was masked with mystery, like he was actually trying to be invisible and he would have succeeded too, if Alex wasn’t so determined to meet him again.
“I’ll be right back,” she said and she hurried after him.
She saw him leave through the exit but no one else acknowledged him, he was like a ghost, a light breeze, a faint odour if he had any presence at all. She squeezed through the crowd that he’d so easily slipped past, and then pelted out onto the side walk, looking about her frantically for the familiar figure, until she glimpsed him going around the bend. She dashed after him without giving much thought to her decision. He was too far ahead of her to catch up, and at a certain point she lost him.
“Oh come on,” she groaned, planting both hands on her hips as she turned about her, she turned and looked at the direction she’d come from with a tired frown, just about ready to return.
Just then a faded red car pulled up beside her, and a young man leaned out, wearing a big grin, that made his eyes look like slits.
“Hi, I know you,” he said gaily, “you’re the umbrella girl.”
Alex looked at him blankly, she remembered him alright, how could she not. He hadn’t changed much from that day in the rain; he was just as handsome, same warm smile, penetrating dark brown eyes and an initiating baritone that she felt all the way to her toes.
“You’re drier than I remember,” she retorted, her tone void of humour and her face just as blank as it.
He laughed and shook his head, “that’s right, nothing like some sunshine.”
There was an awkward pause then, with both of them waiting for the other to say something else. Alex suspected it was her turn to speak, she hadn’t said much anyway, which meant she wasn’t giving him much to work with; still he was the one who broke the silence.
“You missed the drama,” he said.
Alex snorted, “Like you were looking for me.”
He frowned, as if she’d suggested the most ridiculous thing, “of course, I invited you didn’t I?.”
Alex only stared at him; she was never any good at meeting new people, more specifically, men. Her conversational skills always wound down to zero.
“So how’re you enjoying the holidays?” he asked.
Why won’t he just leave already, she shifted her weight and shrugged, “It’s fine, me and a couple friends are just chilling at this party back there,” she replied.
He looked about and frowned, “Oh, okay. You don’t look like you’re having much fun,” he said with a grin.
Alex shook her head, “not really, my friend’s got this new boyfriend who’s trying to set me up,” she replied with a wry smile.
Even though she was wary of any thing male that spoke and had arms, she prided herself on being honest with this particular person. Maybe it was the knowing look in his eyes, or the fact that she knew he was a Christian. Her parents had taught her from her early childhood to respect God and well... she assumed that that respect extended to his people.
“How about this then, come with me. We’re having a little hang out down at the church, it’ll only be for a little while. I’ll bring you right back.” he said.
She hesitated for a moment. She could’ve easily walked back, gone back to drinking soda and staring at Robbie and Nicka snuggle, or she could go to a place, no doubt filled with holier than thou young people, with a handsome, stranger with kind eyes. Suddenly she felt like living on the edge.
“Sure, why not? You’re not a d
angerous man are you?”
He laughed, “Will you take my word for it?” he asked.
She smiled, walked over to the passenger’s side and climbed in, “nah,” she replied, “but I can trust my instincts, plus am armed.”
He looked over at her with a quirky smile, “Are you now?” he asked playfully.
“Just drive.”