C H A P T E R O N E - S T R A N G E R

Alicia Jones drives along the fully crowded roads of Roslyn in her beat up Prius, packed with everything she owns. Heads turn as she slowly passes by. The radio spews out Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black' as she anxiously grips onto the steering wheel.   Memories of the town fleeing into her head all at once. They're too painful for her to deal with at the moment so she shakes her head and sings lowly to the lyrics to take her mind off it.

She slowly pulls up into an empty parking space in front of a 60s themed diner. She turns off the engine to her vehicle and grips the car keys in her hand tightly. Inhaling deeply, she climbs out of the vehicle, shuts the door and steps out onto the pavement.

She walks into the diner and smiles brightly when she instantly catches a glimpse of her father. Her father, Richard enters from the kitchen and stops in his tracks. Their eyes meet and a smile that mirrors her own makes its way onto his face.

Without a word, they embrace one another in a hug. Alicia chuckles when her father places tender kisses on her cheeks and forehead. Lifting her up in his arms to spin her around.

"Everyone, my only daughter, Alicia. Pride and joy of the Jones'. My beautiful daughter, you're finally home-"

Richard beams at the customers who momentarily look up at Alicia before quickly going back to their meals. As he speaks, Alicia focuses in on the way he's cradling his arm against his side and notices that theres a large bandage wrapped around his hand.

"What happened to your hand?" She reaches for his hand but he swats her away.

Richard hurries back into the kitchen and Alicia is right on his tail.

"Nothing, just burned myself on the stove." Richard waves her off as he chuckles. "No big deal."

"I almost didn't recognise you with your hair black. It looks good though. It suits you." He grins.

Alicia, still unconvinced decides to overlook it.

"Just needed something different."

She leans against the counter and looks out at the customers. The place is packed, but it's nothing she can't handle. She opens a familiar drawer and pulls out an apron.

"Take a break, I can go on from here."

Richard instantly shakes his head and heads over to the stove. Alicia chuckles at his stubbornness and instantly blocks his way. She places her hands on his shoulders and begins to push him to the exit that leads up to the Jones' home.

"I'm back now. I want you to rest dad please." She smiles at him gently and kisses his cheek. "I know you're exhausted, just let me do this for you."

Richard looks down at his daughter and sighs, giving in. He was in need of some long awaited rest. He's been working for most of the year without any breaks because he didn't trust anyone else to run his business. Besides Alicia, Jones' Eats was his pride and joy. He knew that Alicia would be able to run the place for the day. She's done it plenty of times before.

"So bossy." Richard chuckles as he removes his apron.

Alicia places the apron around her waist and begins to tie a knot in the back but Richard scowls at her. She looks up at him in confusion.

"What?"

"Girl, get up there and put on your uniform."

Alicia cringes and instantly shakes her head.

"Dad there's no need for all that. This apron works just fine."

Richard eyes his daughter momentarily before placing his apron around his waist.

"Fine!" Alicia sighs.

She makes her way into the back and rolls her eyes when she hears her father's laughter. Walking up the staircase, Alicia opens the door and heads for her old bedroom. She bypasses the dining room and hallway making sure to not look at the family photos that decorated the walls.

She enters her room slowly and eyes the pink room. She slowly walks over to her desk and smooths her fingers over the white surface. A picture frame catches her eye and she grabs ahold of it. Her eyes begin to water and she quickly slams the picture face down onto the desk.

Alicia shakes her head and shuts her eyes. She inhales and exhales deeply before heading to her closet. She rummages through it and laughs when she finds her old uniform on the wired hanger. She undresses herself and shimmies herself into the tight dress.

When the dress is zipped up all the way, Alicia breaths out deeply and walks over to the body length mirror stationed besides the counter. The dress is way too tight, but she knew that the chances of it still fitting the same were slim. She shrugged. She was no longer a teenager and her grown women curves stretched the mustard coloured dress out to the max. I'll have to ask dad for a new one next time. She thought.

Time passes and Alicia continues to make her rounds within the diner. The doorbell chimes letting her know that the last customer had just left. Sighing in relief, she decides to clean the kitchen first and then tackle the tables and floors before making her way out of the diner and into the direction of her vehicle.

She opens her trunk first and grabs the first brown box. She extends a thigh and places the box onto it before bringing the heavy weight into her arms.

"Need some help?"

Alicia, startled drops the cardboard box and jumps back with her hand on her chest. She turns to the stranger that had just spoken and breaths deeply.

"Oh my god." She screeches. "You scared me."

The man doesn't speak and picks up the cardboard box. Alicia goes to stop him but their eyes meet and she freezes.

"D-do I know you from somewhere?"

Alicia, because of their height difference, looks up at the man and and squints. Something about him seems so familiar. She isn't able to put her finger on it.

The man looks down at the hazel eyed beauty and quickly shakes his head. He chuckles and quickly goes to grab another box from her trunk.

"I don't think so."

Alicia follows behind him as he enters
the diner. He places both large boxes on the counter that separates the kitchen from the rest of the diner and turns to face Alicia.

She stands in front of him with the same look of confusion she had when she ran into him outside. This was someone she did not know. A stranger. She would've instantly declined his offer to help had this been any other day, but she didn't. She couldn't. Something about him felt like...home.

They stood in silence as Alicia intensely examined his face. Blonder hair, blue eyes paired with a blonde stumbled beard. His tall anatomy towered over hers despite her wearing her 4-inch leather boots. Alicia's eyes slowly trailed down his exposed muscular arms.

"Michael."

Alicia is snaps out of her trance and instantly becomes embarrassed. Her cheeks turn a hue of pink as she quickly places her small hand into his large one.

"O-oh." She chuckles nervously. "I'm Alicia. It's nice to meet you."

Michael seems amused. He looks down at the women in front of him and there's a hint of sadness behind those blue eyes. Alicia, seeing this squints.

"Are you sure I don't know you fr-"

"I'll get the rest of your things." Michael cuts her off.

Alicia turns as she watches him exit. She stands frozen as she watches him through the large windows. Here she stands, alone in a diner with a strange man. He could've been a rapist or a serial killer, and she allowed him to help her and enter the diner in the dead of night. What am I thinking? She thinks to herself.

Michael enters with the last box and places it on the floor due to the counter top being packed with Alicia's boxes. He turns to Alicia and their eyes meet once again.

"Thank you so much. You didn't have to do this."

Things become awkward as they stare at one another. Alicia feels her hormones begin to race and she quickly averts her eyes. What's wrong with me? She scolds herself.

"I wanted to." Michael finally speaks.

Alicia looks up at him and her eyes trail to his lips and then back up to his eyes. She's surprised to find his blue irises settled on her plump pink lips. She finally snaps out of it.

"I'll get you a milkshake." She smiles softly. "As a thank you."

"There's no need really." Michael shakes his head, but Alicia insists.

Michael stands awkwardly and peers around the diner as Alicia prepares the milkshake. She soon appears with a delicious looking chocolate milkshake.

"Thank you again, Michael."

She places the glass in his hand and he except. She watches intently as he places his lips onto the straw and sucks in its chocolaty contents. Michael moves the glass over to her and he smiles suggestively.

Giggling, Alicia places her lips over the straw. She drinks the chocolate liquid and their eyes meet. The straw leaves her mouth and they continue to stare at one another in complete silence. She can't help but think that they've met before. They had to have. That was the only reason to explain why she felt the way she did. From the moment he spoke to her, she felt drawn to him.

"I-"

Gunshots are fired into the direction of the diner and Alicia screams in complete shock as the window shatters. Alicia feels the impact of the bullet collide into her chest. Michael quickly throws himself in front of her and falls to the floor.

The continuous gunfire gunfire stops and Michael quickly looks down at Alicia. Her eyes roll to the back of her head as the look of horror on her face slowly diminishes.

"Alicia. Alicia." Michael calls out in a panic.

Her eyes are now closed and she is unresponsive. He sees the tiniest of red dots on her uniform covered chest become larger as blood begins to spread to the rest of her uniform. Michaels heart drops when he quickly moves the soaked material to the side and discovers the bullet hole.

"No!"

He places his large pale hand onto her chest and over her blood stained chest. He squeezes his eyes shut and groans out in pain.

"Come on baby. Open those eyes for me." He breathes out in panic.

His palm begins to glow a bright white light as he feels himself become lightheaded. Suddenly Alicia gasps and Michael quickly lets out a breath of relief.

He searches for something on the counter as Alicia is discombobulated and quickly grabs ahold of a glass ketchup bottle. He smashes it into the side of a table and quickly pours the thickened liquid onto her chest.

Alicia's eyes quickly shoots opens and she screams bloody murder. Her hands reach up to her chest and she begins to sob.

"It's okay. It's okay." Michael quickly assures her.

He takes her shaking hands into his own and it instantly calms her down. Alicia continues to sniff as her eyes frantically search the diner.

"I-I w-was shot." She croaks.

Michael instantly shakes his head and shows her the broken ketchup bottle near her on the floor. She looks down at it in confusion. Ketchup? She could have sworn that she had been shot. She felt it.

Michael takes ahold of her face and searches her eyes. His breathless.

"Tell me that you're alright."

Alicia ignores him and continues to frantically look around the diner. She's terrified.

"Alicia!" Michael snaps and her eyes quickly meets his.

"Tell me you're alright." He lowers his voice as his fingers softly trail over her cheek.

"I-I'm alright."

Police sirens are heard and Michael quickly stands up. He brings Alicia up and places her in a booth before painfully making his way to the exit. Alicia's tiredly follows his every movement with her eyes, she opens her mouth to speak but he's gone.

She hears the back door open and she sees her father hurriedly making his way over towards her. Richard in a panic kneels down in front of his daughter and grabs ahold of her hands.

"Alicia!" Richard screams. "Oh my baby are you hurt?"

Alicia shakes her head and breaths in and out hoarsely. As the police sirens become louder her, all that she thinks about in this moment is Michael.

Richard stands to his feet when he sees the red and blue lights outside. As he rushes to the door, Alicia frantically searches and pats around her ketchup covered clothing. She places her finger underneath her buttoned up dress and freezes when she is able to snake her index finger through a tiny hole.

_________

Alicia Jones

Michael Allen

_________

I've been thinking about writing this book for quite sometime so I'm extremely excited. One of my favourite shows is Roswell New Mexico. It's kind of similar to the show with a bit twist.

I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! Please vote and comment! Let me know what you're thinking!🩷

Please excuse any errors!