Chapter two

Anger. I felt the urge to retaliate, to split his whole body into two. But just then, I remembered that would be the dumbest thing to do right here in the open. Charlie says not to ever get noticed. He'd said "not everybody loves to have werewolves lurking around the neighborhood"

"Patrick! What is wrong with you?!"

I heard boots urgently skating towards me and a second later, she's kneeling before me and grabbing my arm. I'm forced to look up at her but all I see is her hairs as she's turning towards scumbag and saying "do you always have to do this Patrick?"

"Get away from there, kitty" he yelled.

"No! You get away from me, okay?" She snapped. She pulled at my arm and I let her lift me off the floor.

She starts pulling at my arm and dragging me towards a store.

The moment we stepped into the dimly lit room, I smelled the reeking odor of native medicines all over the room. Even though I wasn't hurt at all, I let her lead me to a booth around the corner of the packed room. 

Heads snapped towards us the moment we walked in, the bell tied to the door jingling to announce our presence.

"I'll be back," she said after helping me sit on the chair. She turns around immediately, hurrying away and I watched her. She was impossible not to watch. I watched as she walked towards the counter up front and as she went and I watched, everything suddenly seemed to be happening in slow motion.

My eyes moved to her brown boots as her legs moved in slow motion, up to the long and moderately slim exposed legs which shone under the room's dim lighting. My eyes continued its journey up her legs and up her lower thighs which were on full display, running down her mini yellow dress. Her hair flew around her as she went, stopping just before the counter, the lady behind it smiling at her.

'excuse me?' i heard her say to the counter lady 'can I please get an ice?'

The woman smiles with a nod and turns away to get her the ice. I forced my gaze down the moment she turns around to see me again.

And my heart actually beat way faster because I thought she'd caught me staring at her. I decided fixing my gaze on this damn old table in front of me would be the best thing to do as I started hearing her walk towards me. I felt her press the ice against my chin where the douchebag had hit me earlier. I looked up immediately to find her eyes perched on mine. Her oval eyes had the deepest shades of Auburn, encased with Toffee outer casing shades. I could suddenly see the different shades of brown her eyes were made of. They were the most beautiful pair of eyes I'd ever set my eyes on and I just couldn't tear my gaze away. But despite all the beauty in them, I saw fear.

I forced my eyes from her and took the ice from her, my hand grazing hers as I did for a split second "I got it" I told her.

"I'm so sorry about Patrick," her voice fidgeted "he can be......like that most of the time"

Something about how she talked like she was unsure of her words made me smile secretly.

"You two seemed to know each other," I told her boldly "he your boyfriend?"

"Well," she said uneasily and I got my answer immediately "technically, but......I mean, I'm sorry okay?"

"It's alright, really. See?"I take the ice from my face "I'm okay"

She smiles for a moment. I watched, fascinated about how her doe eyes went into a line as she smiled, like a snail coiling back into its shell, her thick lashes overcasting her face. It was the sweetest smile I'd ever seen. And it happened right in front of me. I took a moment to watch her, to see her. Her bottom-heavy heart-shaped lips are a bright shade of pink, soft and succulent. They moved in the most sensual way, revealing her perfectly white teeth.

"I'm glad you're okay" she finally replied.

I continued to stare at her, not minding that I was being a complete creep to a strange woman I'd just met off the streets. I would probably scare her away by the time I'm done staring at her exquisite beauty.

She had an elfin fair face, her nose pointed and slim, her lashes full and thick, giving her cheeks a shadowy reflection from the dimness of the room's lightening. Her dark hairs Cascade her chest and back, giving her Petit body a spark. My eyes moved down to her chest and suddenly, I could hear her heartbeat slowly but loudly like she was scared and excited about something. I could picture her heart as it beat continuously, the blood in her system running and vibrating throughout her neckline, setting off a hunger inside me. I was suddenly thirsty.

"Your heart is beating fast", "I told her, my eyes not leaving hers "why?"

She blinks hard, her perfectly oval eyes staring blankly at me. "Are you scared?" I pressed.

"How'd you know that?" she asks, traces of amusement in her voice.

"I was just...., "I shrug my shoulders "... asking"

She flashes her perfectly white teeth at me in the most mesmerizing grin I'd ever seen and I found myself staring harder at her lips.

"Alright," she said, leaning over the table now "well you might wanna stay away from that guy outside"

"You mean I should stay away from your boyfriend?"

"Yeah, technically" she replied, her smile disappearing behind her eyes.

"I'll just heed your advice then" I replied, giving her a liplined smile.

She smiles down at me again. She had the most beautiful doe eyes, I'll never get over that. We locked eyes for what felt like ages before she broke the building silence.

"I'm Alessia" she points her hand out to me "My friends call me Leesha"

I stared back, my smile seeming to be frozen and it felt like the time suddenly waited. Waited for me to take that hand into mine and hold on to it.

"That's a really beautiful name, "I replied as I took her hand in mine, amazed by its softness and warmness "I'm Collin. I can call you Leesha right?"

She doesn't reply and all I could hear was the thoughts in her mind. She was contemplating whether to say yes or no. It caused me to smile. In the end, I'm still some stranger to her anyway.

"Sure" she replies "you're new here right?"

"How did you know that?" I slowly let go of her hand.

"Trust me I know practically everyone around here. Especially around this quarter and your face isn't one I've seen around. I can swear I've never seen you before. Plus, you didn't know Patrick. Everyone knows him"

"Well, your boyfriend is quite the popular one, isn't he? And You're right, I did just move here today. "

She smiles "Well, Collin, It's nice to meet you"

"Same goes for me, Leesha. You should go and not worry about me. Your friends are probably waiting"

"They're gone. Patrick knows I'm not coming with him"

"Why is that?"

"Are you seriously asking me?" she throws me another smile.

"Yeah, "I replied, "I hate to be a reason why......"

"Don't," she holds her hand up to me "I can go home alone"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to....."

"No it's okay" she replied firmly, her eyes moving over my chest before looking back at my face and pointing to my chest again "where'd you get that?"

I look down at the antique circular ball connected to the golden necklace around my neck, draping down my chest. It consisted of a series of metal strings, bounded in interlocks to form a ball. In real sense, it was a cage housing a golden stone in the middle of it. It was a gift from my mother.

Looking up at her, I replied "I got it from someone as a gift"

Her voice catches mine immediately "it's beautiful"

"Thanks."

"Okay. But you've got to be careful with that though," she points to the necklace "rubbery is way out of hand here and that necklace seems priceless."

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind" I gave her a reassuring smile.

She nods "I'm running late. I better go home" she stands up straight.

"But it's barely 10"

"I know, trust me" she replied uneasily "I'll see you again...." She turns around and I watched her walk out of the store.

I hurried out after her. She has made a cross towards the other side of the road and is now standing for a cab. I crossed to her and walked up from behind, causing her to jump in fear.

"God, Collin you scared me" she breathes hard. There was just something about how she breathed.....

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure you go home safely"

She smiles tenderly "thanks."

Just then, a cab stops before us and she turned back to wave at me before entering the back seat, me shutting the car door after her. I watched till the car disappeared from sight.

And I couldn't stop chanting her name in my head.

Alessia.....