Alec
Bracing himself on straight arms, Christopher leans over me, his hair blocking out the light behind him. Our surroundings seem to blur and fade away, him being the only thing in focus. His sharp, blue gaze watches me intensely even as a wide grin spreads across his face. The cheerful image makes him seem even younger, like a kid. I feel an answering grin automatically form on my own lips.
"I told you this bed is better." He tells me.
Beneath me, I can feel the mattress he picked out. Covered in fresh sheets, it curves and supports my body. Feeling weightless, my smile widens further.
"You're right," I reply, my hands stretching upward towards him. "Come lay with me on it."
Lay with me?
Wait.
What's going on-
"Ungh!" Pain strikes my elbow, shoulder and knee as I open my eyes. My heartbeat is racing with the short burst of adrenaline from what caused to wake up so suddenly. Pushing my hands against the hard floor, I sit up and orient myself. I must have fallen off the sofa, where I slept last night.
I should have been sleeping in my new bed! Remembering the events after work yesterday still leave a bitter taste in my mouth. I didn't have an appetite and had stewed over that presumptuous weasel's actions the rest of the evening.
I hadn't calmed down even after a long shower and preparing for sleep. It had taken what felt like hours to settle down enough to fall asleep last night. The sofa wasn't too uncomfortable but I'd been wanting to sleep in a bed, dammit!
What was with that dream, anyway? We were on a bed for crying out loud. Also, the fuck was I reaching for. Thinking over it again, it gives me the shivers. Pushing to my feet, I glance into the kitchen to check the time. I only have a half an hour before I need to open the clinic. It's a good thing my commute is literally nothing.
I get dressed quickly, making sure my shirt is tucked in properly and there's no lint on my outfit. It may seem odd when I'll end up covered in mud and fur through out the day but I was raised to always present myself at my best.
Combing my hair in the bathroom, my eyes catch on my chin. I might need to shave a little today. It takes very little time to scrape off the small patches of pale hair that sprouts up every few days. For the millionth time in my life I wonder if I'd be less of a target for bullying if I could grow a proper beard. It would at least stop me from looking so damn young.
My thoughts stray again to the furniture dilemma. Buying me furniture like that, what kind of way to mess with me is that? It's not as if I was bullied excessively in my life, but it was through understandable means. I remember being teased on the play yard when I found a dead frog and started crying in elementary school.
The boys in my class were merciless in middle school when they found out I drew pictures of animals in my notebooks. High school seemed to settle down, as teens we all became immersed in our own lives. Its possible I'd just grown into enough confidence not to be bothered by any comments or teasing that came my way.
College had its struggles because my petite frame hadn't progressed in puberty as I would have liked and many thought I was a high-schooler still. All in all, it could have been a lot worse.
At least I always had the gentle understanding of my parents.
As if.
I'm sure they do love me, in their own way. I haven't spoken to them in a while, life has been so busy for me lately and they've always been very...self-indulgent.
I come from a rather well off family, my father is a powerful businessman and my mother is a housewife. Together, they're a very loving couple. I always felt like I was in their way. Possibly, even, an after thought.
I spent a lot of time alone growing up, even after entering school. I loved animals of all kinds, always trying to lure squirrels and birds to me in the backyard. Finally, for my birthday, at another large, rather lavish party my mother insisted on, I was given a puppy of my own.
It was a little purebred, Australian terrier. I loved its tiny little paws and its silky black and tan fur. I named it Cutie. Yeah, that didn't help my eight year old reputation, I had read that dogs respond better to names ending with the hard 'e' sound and he was just so cute!
Even though he was a puppy, I was working with him to do little tricks and he would come along with me everywhere except school. I fed him each day, giving him fresh water and combing his fur. He would curl up into a little ball at the foot of my bed each night. It was the best.
Only, he was gone before a year had passed. He didn't die, instead, he was given away!
I'd come home from school one day to find out my mother had given Cutie away to a friend of hers.
"You don't still play with that dog, do you? My friend said she'd always wanted one and she has two younger kids that would love a little dog like that. I don't understand why you're getting so worked up like this?"
That... was just the first time my parents didn't understand my feelings. It became obvious as the years went by that my parents also didn't pay much attention to what I did either. There were more pets, too.
I stray cat that I had convinced to follow me home by feeding it canned salmon everyday. It was given to the daughter of one of my father's business partners when they came to visit one summer.
A squirrel I had found injured in the yard one day. Turned into the local animal shelter.
A garter snake found by a class mate at recess. Squashed.
I'd long ago given up having a pet of my own. I'd moved into a campus dorm after high school and hadn't bothered to return home. After finishing up my first degree in veterinary science, I left my parents financial support altogether, working hard while finishing up grad school and starting my career. I've been so busy that I couldn't properly keep a pet all this time either.Now though, I'm satisfied with taking care of everyone else's beloved pets, helping them live long, healthy lives.
My parents were find with my choice to purse being a vet. Though, to be honest, they don't really care what I do as long as it doesn't involve them losing out on their own lives. My childhood only reinforced that I need to make my own plans for life, that I have the number one interest in my future. I would have wasted my life if I waited for my parents.
I'm proud with all that I've accomplished so far in life, through my own efforts. My accomplishments keep me moving and happy, even if I spend a lot of time alone. I've made my own family of sorts and its not as if I don't have friends. Well, more like colleagues. Plus, I have dated, even if both times ended in disaster. No, I have to keep moving on with my own plans. I can count on myself.
Putting on my shoes and grabbing my keys, I search my pockets and come up empty for my cell phone. I remember tossing it aside after calling that pain in the ass. Finding my phone on top of the unwanted dresser I check it for notifications. I'd heard it ring several times but had ignored it. It was Christopher of course. He'd also sent a text message.
I'll pick up the mattress you wanted this morning and will stop by the clinic to take care of everything after my afternoon class. I'm sorry, Alec.
This senseless man, really. Well, at least he's attending to the problem he caused promptly.
I'm sorry, Alec.
Is he really? Isn't this just some sort of messed up game to him? That's how it feels to me, that its just some game and when he's here this afternoon, I'm going to end it.
A/N: Hella hello, it's been a while. (Do... do people not say hella anymore?) I have added another chapter and have hopefully worked past my plotline block. I have ideas for later in this story, but I wasn't sure how I was going to get there.... whoops. Updates will still be slow due to a demanding work schedule but I have not quit! *Raises fist triumphantly*
I skipped over Alec having to go to the bathroom first thing in the morning, lets all just assume he does like every other human, okay.
I'm also going to work on getting An Idol for the Omega updated this month just to submit it to Wattys because I think it would be fun and I've gotten so much support for that story that I want to keep sharing it. Thanks for reading!