Caden’s POV

So far so good, I thought, placing the last can of pet food on the shelf. I took the basket with which I’d carried the containers and headed towards the storage, checking the isles as I went by for anything that could be running out of stock.

The first week was indeed going well. I had not had a quarrel with the clients, my co-workers or our manager. Having Keegan and Asher share shifts with me made things easier even though Kee was not here today; it was four days after we’d started at the store yet that lucky bastard already had a day off.

Then again, you don’t get paid on your day off.

I paused as I was passing the candy stand; they had some of Alice’s favorite lollypops here, the ones with the juicy filling at the center.

I grinned, remembering the first time I’d seen her have one.

I’d been about a year ago and we’d just introduced her to Cillian. I’d gone to hook up with some girl – I didn’t even remember her name or how she looked now – and when I came back Alice had just been telling my favorite bartender and some of the patrons how the best part of sucking it was when it was all over and the juicy liquid spilled in her mouth. Having just walked in the pub and hearing her talk about sucking, I’d thought she’d meant a whole other type of “juicy liquid”.

That had probably been the first time I saw her as a sexy teenager and not little Alice.

Why had I wasted my time on the other girl that night instead of spending the whole evening at Cillian’s with Alissa?

Anyway, water under the bridge now.

I should buy some of these lollypops for her once I was done with my shift which was… Well, what do you know? In five minutes.

“Excuse me, young man?”

I turned around to see the perfect depiction of a sweet old lady: quaint long brown skirt, a knitted vest, white locks showing underneath the time-worn hat and a polite smile on her wrinkled face.

“Would you be so kind as to hand me the canned beans from the top of that shelf?” She pleaded.

“Of course,” I replied, reaching for the ones with in the red can.

“Oh, no, dearie; the ones with the green label,” the old lady corrected. “Yes, those. Now could you go to the opposite isle and bend down to take some flour for me? My joints hurt, I would not ask you otherwise. Yes, that brand will do.”

I put both items in her overflowing shopping basket.

“Are you done shopping?” I inquired.

“For today, yes. I found everything I needed in your lovely store.”

“Would you like me to carry the basket to the cash register for you? It looks rather heavy.”

“Thank you, dearie, you are such a nice boy,” she surprised me by patting me on the cheek. “But there is some life in this old girl yet; I’ll carry my groceries myself. Such a nice boy indeed,” she kept on murmuring whilst turning around and sauntering away. I’d moved to follow but her next words rooted me on the spot:

“Such a nice young boy with such a nice ass.”

The old lady kept on walking and muttering to herself.

“Should’ve made him get me more things just for the view. But there is always tomorrow…”

She swirled around the shelves, leaving me to gape at the spot where she’d been.

Such a nice boy with such a nice ass?!

Was I meant to hear that?

“Looks like you have a fan,” someone behind me stated and I turned around.

“Galya? What are you doing here?”

“Shopping, what else?” She waved the red plastic basked to show me. “Who was that anyway?” She questioned.

“No idea. I’ve never seen her before and I’m not sure that I want to see her ever again.”

“I vote with both hands that she’d be back tomorrow,” the redhead commented and began to walk. “And that she’d seek you out.”

“Thanks, that really makes me feel better,” I sneered, catching up with her. “Is this what you are having for dinner?”

I pointed to the sweet pastries in her basket.

“Yeah, why?”

“Well, my shift is over. How about you come to the apartment and have dinner with Alice and me? We can stop by Alfredo’s on the way and get some pizza,” I suggested.

“How can I say no to Alfredo’s?”

“Oh, so you won’t come because you want to spend some time with me and my girlfriend?” I teased and she huffed. “For that insult, you are paying for the soda,” I said just as we were passing by the bottles of pop.

“Okay,” she put one in her basket, smiling at my ‘evil’ punishment. “Are we all done here?”

“Almost. I have to go grab some lollypops for Alice.”

“Wow, a man who brings home candy… Alice is a lucky girl!”

*****

Alice’s POV

I was running.

Through the hallway and up the stairs, trying to get to safety in my bedroom.

I could hear them behind me. Their footsteps sounded nearer and his shouts were getting louder.

Would these damned stairs ever end?

No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t get to the landing.

No matter how much I tried, new steps kept appearing, faster than I could climb them, forming an endless spiral of obstacles that stood between me and safety.

I was tired, so very tired, yet I knew I had to keep moving; the moment I stopped would be the moment my pursuers would catch me.

I closed my eyes but kept running. The next time I opened them, I was finally on the landing.

Now if I could only get to my room…

I could already see the carvings in the wooden door…

I just needed to turn the handle…

The loud sound of the gun firing was what had awakened me.

I looked around. I was no longer at the second floor of my aunts’ house; I was sitting on the couch in the apartment that Caden and I had rented. Cold, sticky sweat was covering my whole body and my hands were shaking.

No, it wasn’t just my hands; all of me trembled.

“It was just a nightmare, Alice,” I attempted to soothe myself. “That man is in prison. Even if he was not, he wouldn’t know where to look for you; you are in Aberville now and he doesn’t know that.”

I got up and started to pace around the living room. I needed to move.

“The nightmare wasn’t even realistic,” I went on. “The staircase back at home doesn’t form a spiral.”

I took a deep breath.

No matter how senseless my bad dream had been, it reminded me of something very real; something that caused my heart to still race and my hair to get glued to my forehead due to perspiration.

I couldn’t let Caden see me like this; he’d be so worried.

It was strange how our roles had switched. Not so long ago he had told me that I was the strong one, the one to help him out and these days he was the person who cradling my shaking body each time I’d had a rough night.

I was no longer there for him.

I couldn’t even be there for myself.

This trauma was taking its toll on me. It made me feel like it was forming a gap between me and the boy I loved.

What if my unstable psychological state set us apart for good?

I shook my head.

I couldn’t let such grim thoughts take over me. I was just stressed, that was all. I’d feel so much better once I calm down.

I wouldn’t feel so helpless and useless.

Maybe I should make some tea.

But first I should take a shower; I really couldn’t allow Cade to see me like this!

*****

The cold water had done little to clear my head. Grim thoughts were still running through my mind an hour later and I dreaded the moment Caden would be back. I was too tired to pretend everything was okay.

“I’m home,” my boyfriend announced as he opened the door. “I brought you a present and a surprise.”

He was carrying a large box of Alfredo’s pizza with both hands so I went to close the door behind him, making sure my hair was covering my face as I passed by him. I didn’t want Cade to look in my eyes; I was afraid he’d see just how upset I still was even after several cups of calming tea. Yet I knew I shouldn’t avoid looking at him too much; then he’d figure it out because I shunned him. I had to find the right balance. The best option right now would be to sit in front of the TV and hope he’d get distracted by some of the shows that aired tonight.

“My surprise wouldn’t happen to be the same as my present, would it?” I asked, walking by him but he placed the pizza on the table and grabbed my hand to swirl me around.

“No,” Caden intertwined his fingers with mine and kissed my forehead. “This is your present,” my boyfriend handed me about a dozen of my favorite lollypops which he took out of the back pocket of his jeans.

“And I am your surprise,” someone announced gleefully and I turned back towards the door to see a redheaded girl standing in its frame.

Oh great! Caden had brought Galya over for dinner.

Now I had to pretend to be cheerful in front of both of them.

*****

A/N: I’m probably going to get a lot of hate for bringing Galya back. But hey, maybe she’ll find a way to help Alice out?

Or she might see her weakness and use it against her to take over Caden and then the world… Mwahahaha!

Anyway, tell me what you think in the comments, vote if you like the chapter, follow if you enjoy my work J

PS: In the Multimedia section, I’m posting a picture of Alice and Caden’s apartment. I might add more details or change the position of the bathroom later on.

xoxo

CatMint5