#lexissrose

Alexis scrunched her nose as she looked around the crowded room. She was never the party type. There wasn’t any time to think about partying, being a stupid teen, or making choices that would potentially be detrimental or harmful to your health. Sure, she had the occasional slip-up with drinking too much on lonely nights to cope—She couldn’t help it. She was the granddaughter of a Liao. But the idea of drinking to have fun in a room of young adults only spiked her anxiety, despite the edge she had to her appearance now. 

It was hard to focus when music was blaring and there was no space to breathe. The room smelled of alcohol, cigarettes, and cheap cologne. It was dimly lit with a dollar-store mirrorball taped to the ceiling as if to imitate a dance floor. But, with the way people were packed into the room like sardines, it made it hard to dance at all, if not grinding on the person behind you. 

For fuck’s safe, Luc. You were right that I’d be hot in this room, but… I almost feel more miserable. She thought to herself as she ran her fingers through her purple hair. Every time she looked in any visible corner of the crowded room, there was a couple licking each other’s faces. In the past, that life might’ve intrigued her. But, the ups and downs of her ‘relationship’ with Ax detoured her more than ever in this second year of college. The first year, Lucinda couldn’t pry Alexis off the men on campus.

Now, the idea of making out with a stranger made Alexis shudder.

And she had no hopes in the ‘guy’ that Luc wanted her to meet. 

Anytime Lucinda tried to introduce her to someone in the past, the description was always the same. Sure, it may have reminded her of a faceless figure from her dreams, but light brown hair and ivory skin just didn’t sound appealing. Especially not when there was a history of it in her family. Why would she want to be with someone who reminded her of family? Surely, that was the last thing she needed in her life. 

Watching girls drunkenly dance with the boys in the room, giggling and teasingly prodding their fingers at the chests of the men in front of them, made Alexis miss Ax even more. 

Ax was her childhood friend. A Polynesian boy from Hawai’i, like her parents. He grew up in Nanakuli, a place that Alexis didn’t know much about. 

Alexis was a self-proclaimed haole-Hawaiian, having been born and raised on the mainland. And while she didn’t know anything about growing up in Hawai’i like her mom and dad, her mom always said that the boys from Nanakuli were the most rowdy. It might’ve not been the best idea to get involved with a guy like Ax—He was loud, charismatic, and a playboy in all senses. But maybe it was the chase that she loved the most. 

He made her feel connected to her roots, despite the ways he would make fun of her for never being able to speak pidgin properly. Even her drunken pidgin sounded like an auntie with a fat tongue, tripping over her words, slurring, and trying to scrap with shaky hands. 

Braxton Kull was a dark-tanned young man who stood at 6’1, towering over Alexis in the form of wide shoulders and biceps that curled around her frame when they’d hug. He had raven black hair, wide amber eyes, a strong jawline, and a gentle smile that contrasted with the dashing smolder he would flash at girls he was trying to hook up with. Alexis was no stranger to the gaze either. 

Although he was foul-mouthed and often times conceited, she was in love with him. And going to a dorm party hosted by a guy with whom Lucinda was a high school buddy wasn’t going to make her fall out of love. But a pair of blue eyes just might. 

“Luc, who’s that?” 

Lucinda turned her head, face souring as she finished her shot before gagging. “What the fuck is Gene doing here?” Lucinda scoffed. Then, realization dawned on her face as she looked down at the small glasses in her and Alexis’ hands. “That idiot. Of course—It was the only way he was gonna get alcohol.” She shook her head before turning back to Alexis. “Have I introduced you to Dante yet?” 

Alexis blinked, feeling a little fuzzy after three shots already in the last hour. “... No..? Isn’t that the guy who's hosting this thing? For a host, he kinda sucks.” She bluntly said, covering her mouth afterward, realizing in the moment how loose she was becoming. 

“Yeah, he’s really not hard to spot. Dude’s been dying his hair blue since middle school. I’m surprised he still even has hair with the amount of times he had Gene help box-dye it.” Lucinda rolled her eyes before setting their shot glasses down and scanning the room. “Ah, there he is—And there’s—!” 

Lucinda stopped mid-sentence, her bright eyes filling with a dead gaze as her red-painted lips pressed into a tight line. “What is Sabrina doing here? I thought they were broken up!” She muttered the last sentence under her breath as she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she swung her head back toward Alexis. “Does no one listen to me when I try to matchmake!?” 

“Meddling in other people’s love lives isn’t healthy, Lucinda.” Alexis clicked her tongue, playing with the rim of their glasses. 

Neither is being with someone who isn’t right for you. But, what do I know? I’m just a skilled witch with premonition! Lucinda sighed before grabbing Alexis’ hand, watching as the Casanova whisked Sabrina into a neighboring bedroom, leaving the bluenette alone with the famous siblings that Lucinda hadn’t seen in a few months. 

“Dante!” Lucinda called out, watching the tan-skinned boy turn his head, the panic slightly fading. 

“Lucinda! You made it! And you brought..?” ‘Dante’ looked over at Alexis, who was slightly flushed. Not quite as messed up as the raven-haired girl next to him who was being helped up by her blond brother, but still enough to have a slight wobble just by standing still. 

“Lexiss!” Alexis said, shouting over the music while giving her nickname instead of her full name.

Dante furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at the heterochromatic eyes in front of him. It wasn’t every day that he had seen eyes like that, and the last person he remembered was Blaze, who had gone out of state for school. He shook off the expression and offered a goofy smile. However, his smile sort of dropped when he realized that Lexiss was looking back at him with narrowed eyes. Did he do something wrong? Was it his initial facial expression at her? He couldn’t help the fact that he had his mother’s judgmental looks. And there was something familiar about the look in her eyes, a look he had seen one too many times from his Filipino aunts on his dad’s side. Wrong foot, Dante. Shouldn’t have looked at her that way. The gears in his head turned despite the alcohol making him equally as foggy as the rest of the people at this party. All he could muster was another toothy grin to try, and lighten the air as he awkwardly laughed. 

What he didn’t realize was that Alexis wasn’t mad at all. It was simply just her face, and the fact that her contacts were bothering her eyes and making her squint more than usual. She was sure she’d go back to her frames after college. 

Lucinda brushed past Dante, almost pushing him out of the way as she steadied her hands on the pale girl whose face was flushed with shades of red on her freckled cheeks. The girl blinked her crystal blue eyes, a silly grin lacing her lips. Her voice came out in a bundle of choked giggles as the blond man beside her sighed. 

To Alexis, there was something familiar about the tipsy girl who was koala bear hugging her roommate, nearly squeezing the life out of the ginger witch. Maybe it was the fondness in her eyes or the moments when those same eyes would harden whenever they caught a glimpse of Dante’s awkward smile. She had a necklace that sat just past her collarbones with the letter C. Alexis didn’t know her name, but something in her writer brain was repeating a name over and over. Cass… She doesn’t look like a Cass, though. Alexis hummed to herself, watching the girl shudder with a laugh against Lucinda’s body. Be ironic if she had my character’s name, right? Cassiopeia’s pretty uncommon, though. She thought with a shrug. 

“Hey, Sweet. Looks like someone had a bit too much to drink. Girl, I haven’t seen you this messed up since senior night.” Lucinda chuckled, her voice low in the girl’s ear.

Alexis watched as the girl’s eyes went wide before letting go of the man beside her and throwing her arms around Lucinda with a cheer. Who was this girl? Why did she seem so familiar? She looked like someone that she met during her senior year of O’khasis Prep during her editor-in-chief days. But senior year was a blur, and it was hard to keep up with every face she saw in the hallway, let alone their graduating class. It had been at least two years since then anyway.

She tapped Lucinda on the shoulder, “I’m gonna go grab another drink. You mingle with your friends.” 

“Lex, you don’t want me to come with you? You don’t know anyone—I don’t want you going off on your own.” Lucinda frowned for a moment. 

“I’m good. Have fun. It looks like your friend really missed you.” Alexis chuckled as she pointed at the girl whose hands were squeezing Lucinda’s forearms like her life depended on it. She turned on her heel, heading over to the drink station. 

It was messily arranged with different types of alcohol splayed on the table. There was no way that she was going to touch the mystery punchbowl, fearing that one of the idiots at the party slipped something into the red-colored concoction. She didn’t feel like waking up with stomach issues in the morning.

Alexis quirked her head, noticing a bottle with Korean-like symbols on it. What’s that? Alexis grabbed a red cup, grabbing the bottle by its neck before popping it open. She sniffed the opening, not getting a hint of anything. She wasn’t dumb enough to drink from the punchbowl. But, a random Asian alcohol? She didn’t mind the odds—Especially when she was feeling as shitty as she did without Ax. 

She poured a bit into the cup, watching it fill about a third of the way before twisting the lid back onto the bottle. Alexis brought the rim of the red cup to her glossy lips, taking a sip as her nose scrunched. It was fun feeling like a bobblehead, but the process of getting there was always nasty to her. She sipped a bit more, familiarizing herself with the taste, getting a hint of grapefruit and fermented rice, a bitter aftertaste that urged her to stick out her tongue.

“You’re at least four shots down. Really think you should be drinking that?” 

She cocked her head, finding deep blue eyes looking down at her. There was a smug smirk on the man’s face; he couldn’t have been any older than twenty-three. He had shaggy black hair that formed into a short mullet in the back, and somehow, he pulled it off, especially with the side part that was common in every Disney star. His sun-kissed tan skin seemed to sparkle through the alcohol-induced haze, and his face looked oddly familiar to one she had seen seconds ago, but it didn’t matter in this moment. Right now, all she cared about was the way his forearms tensed when he crossed them over his muscular chest, flexed biceps showing proudly out of the ripped sleeves of his mock tank top.

He was wearing black skinny jeans with rips along the thighs and a plaid grey flannel tied around his waist. Something shone near his lip—a messily pierced ring that couldn’t have been the proper placement but made him all the more attractive in this moment. His lip wasn’t the only thing that sparkled. His earlobes were filled by silver gauges, and his eyelashes seemed to flutter in amusement at her dazed expression. 

When he uncrossed his arms to swipe the cup away from her, Alexis caught a glimpse of his inner arm tattoo. A long broadsword, shaded to perfection with the words ‘Momento Mori’ detailed around the object, with sloppy swirls and dots detailing the design. The work was amateur, likely done in a rundown shop or—by the looks of him—a friend’s garage. 

Her mouth opened and closed, seemingly dry now that he was towering over her. Just a few sips of whatever was in that bottle, and the minutes seemed to pass like seconds. She felt like a lightweight with the way her head was spinning, finding his cocky smirk to be the most attractive thing in this world. Why did her brain feel like it was under some spell? Why did his eyes remind her of ones she saw in a dream once—Eyes that narrowed down at her in the middle of the woods? 

“How do… You even know how much I–I’ve had..?” She stumbled over her words. Her sentence was barely understandable with the way she phrased it. 

His eyes flickered from each of her eyes. She felt heat come to her cheeks. Is he judging my eyes? She thought to herself, almost insecure, before she noticed his gaze lingering on her pouted lips. He turned his head, looking at her pink gloss coating the cup. He pressed his mouth to the same spot, tilting his head back as he downed the alcohol, drawing the cup away, unfazed by its contents. A lazy smirk curled on his lips as he pressed the cup back into her chest, watching her small hand absentmindedly curl around it. Turning on his heel, he started to walk away, swiping his leather jacket from a nearby chair as he made his way for the door. 

“H—Hey, wait, asshole!” Alexis called after him, setting her cup to the side with furrowed eyebrows. Her feet moved faster than she could think, and soon enough, she was following the mysterious man out the door. It might’ve been her most stupid decision of the whole night, but the spell just wouldn’t stop. 

She failed to notice the dirty-blond, borderline light brown-haired boy with bright eyes approaching the drink table with a frustrated sigh, nearly growling under his breath from the verbal fight he just got into. A certain smell calmed his senses for a moment; the faint scent of roses and coconut lingered where an empty red cup was sitting on the table. Soon enough, the smell was covered by a cloud of smoke as someone danced near the table, a cigarette notched between their index and middle fingers. He only sighed once more before pouring himself something. 

Meanwhile, Alexis shivered as the fresh air hit her like a slap to the face. “Hey, asshole, you can’t just drink from my cup and then walk away—”

He sharply turned around, leaning down to her level as his gaze flickered between her eyes and lips again. He chuckled lowly, “Actually, I can. Bought it all myself. You wouldn’t be that fucked up if I didn’t provide everything in there.” 

Alexis’ eyes widened before she huffed. “So, you’re Gene.”

“You know my name, Sweetheart? Don’t wear it out.” Gene smirked, cocking his head. A hand extended, coming dangerously close to her face, knuckles barely grazing her skin as he gathered some of her purple locks hooked around his pointer finger.

She stumbled backward, face red with blush as she coyly stammered, “W–What in Irene do you t—think you’re doing!?”

“I can’t admire your hair?” 

“You’re invading my space!”

“You followed me outside.” 

Alexis paused. He was right. She glanced down at her feet, silently cursing them for traveling on their own accord, taking her outside against her will. When she looked back up, his blue eyes were boring into her. His eyes held several emotions—Some that she couldn’t even put a finger on. There was amusement and curiosity, and the color of his ocean blues was like a pool she wanted to dive headfirst into. She couldn’t swim, but drowning in his gaze felt right under her drunken state. 

Was that… Red..? She furrowed her brows, lip pouting more as her thoughts became even hazier looking into his eyes. No, No—No, must be the alcohol…

The more time that passed gave opportunity for the alcohol to settle more into her system, causing her knees to buckle. She felt his palm rubbing against her cheek, his thumb brushing over her bottom lip. With a chuckle, he leaned close to her ear as hot air tickled her temple. “You’re cute when you’re drunk,” He murmured softly. There was still grit to his voice, but also, oddly, genuine interest. 

Then, he backed up just enough so that the tips of their noses were touching. That shit-eating smirk trailed along his pierced lip again, showing off a single dimple underneath his smile from this close-up. 

“But, I think I’m a little old for you.”

Alexis breathed in the musk of his cologne and the smell of her earlier drink on his lips. She leaned forward, challenging Gene, staring into his eyes with her mismatched ones. If Ax was a thought, he certainly wasn’t one now. 

“You say that like you know my age.” She quipped.

“Can’t be more than eighteen—”

“Nineteen.” 

So, it is you. 

“Twenty in a few months.” 

Her finger pressed against his chest, feeling the mound of his pecs underneath the thin material, trailing shapes as she leaned closer.

The purr in her voice caused heat to stir in his gut. His smirk broke into a wolfish grin, a voice enticing him in his head. It was like all that had changed about her was her appearance. That sassy, confident, and annoying attitude remained. The attitude that challenged him in all ways. 

“Ever rode a motorcycle, Sweetheart?” He whispered, hand moving to cup the back of her head gently, but with a hint of possession. 

“Dreamed of it. But, I think I’d rather ride you.”

Alexis felt his chest vibrate as a growl rose from the base of his throat. She gasped as she felt him pin her against the brick wall of the building, one hand dancing down her lower back until it reached the mound, constricted in her tight miniskirt. He kneaded at the skin, fingers digging into the black fabric, wanting to lift it over her hips and touch the skin bare. Was this even the same girl he saw all those years ago? The studious, uptight, nerdy brunette who couldn’t wait to get away from the groups of delinquents? Now, she was mewling into the delinquent’s mouth, raising one leg as Gene’s hand slipped under her thigh, hand curling underneath her knee to keep her steady as her back arched against the cold wall.

 Her tongue danced against his as they swapped spit, devouring the taste of soju and cigarettes that were hanging out of Gene’s jacket pocket. The familiar scent of Capri cigarettes overloaded her senses, making her push against his kisses, nipping at his top lip before licking his bottom lip, tongue trailing along the silver ring. 

He kissed the corner of her lips, trailing down her jawline in sloppy kisses that made her whine. Like a bitch in heat… The voice in his head cackled as he tried to wave it away, pressing his hardened length against her pelvis. The only thing separating them was his black jeans and her lacy panties underneath that skirt. 

Gene growled against her neck, biting down softly to elicit a sharp cry from the younger woman. His tongue flattened against her skin, soothing the red mark that would soon bruise into an unmistakable hickey. Still fucking mine, still under my brainwash… The voice hissed as Gene internally groaned. It almost made him feel bad about enjoying this moment. He continued to ignore the dark voice as he trailed down her neck, kissing her exposed collarbones. 

“Could fuck you right here, pretty girl.” He muttered against her skin, teasing her with a kiss on her chest. 

“Why don’t you—”

Gene growled, “Irene, you’re such a—”

“Gene! Gene, fuck, bro, I don’t know what to do! She’s in there giggling and trying to dance on me, and I can’t think straight, and I think she wants to talk, but she can’t talk like this. And, oh, Irene, the look in her eyes, I just—” The voice trailed off as Gene and Alexis turned their heads. “... Lexiss?” 

Bro… Brother… Brought the alcohol… Oh, mother of Esmund! Alexis’ eyes widened as she pushed Gene off, trying to adjust her skirt as she fixed her hair over the bite marks on her neck and wiped the smeared lip gloss from the corners of her mouth. She looked between the two brothers, now aware of the similarities and the worries she had earlier before stealing one last glance at Dante. She huffed, pushing past both the brothers, and shuffled into the house to find Lucinda before Dante could spill his discoveries. Fuck… Fuck, what kind of guest am I!? I nearly fucked the host’s brother! Irene, you whore, Lexiss. Alexis yelled at herself internally as she pushed through the group of dancing people, finally finding Lucinda sitting with an albino boy with green eyes. 

“Lex, where were you—” 

“I need another shot… Several. Just… Just fill me a glass.”