Collateral Damage

6

A few weeks later, Alexander was finally on a regular schedule again, because Audrey was in college, in a dorm, and living her life, far away from him. Order had been restored to his life, and his digestive system, everything was back on track, finally. He sat at his desk, quietly working, his phone, tablet, and desktop open. 

She had her first class at 8:00 am. He glanced at his clock. 8:30. Well... halfway through. He wondered if she was nervous. If the other kids were playing nice. 

Not that she would. She was never nice. He stood, grabbing his coat. No way she could walk alone back to her dorm in the cold, not with her heart like it was. It wasn't far, just about 10 minutes away. He drove to her, waiting outside the building until she walked out, surrounded by a group of people her age. Her crop top had a faded image of TLC on it, her jeans were ripped, showing bits of her thighs, and worn sneakers were on her feet. 

She was smiling, holding books in her hand. He grimaced at how much she looked...so young. Like a real school girl. Alexander sighed, shaking his head himself, rolling down the window.

"Hey little girl, you want some candy," he yelled out the window. 

Audrey stopped, raising her brow. "What are you doing here, Steel? Pretending to have a soul?" 

Her friends dispersed, as she approached the car, leaning into the window. 

"Where's your coat?" He asked, leaning over.

"Hey, Audrey! Catch you at your dorm?" A man called out from behind her. She waved her hand and nodded.

"Yeah."

Alexander's eyes followed the boy. "You're popular for your first day."

Audrey shrugged, her arms resting on the window, highlighting her cleavage. His eyes dipped for a moment before he raised his gaze to her eyes. "You don't have to pick me up. My dorm is right over there," She nodded to some apartments across the street.

He didn't note that he signed the lease and paid for it, so he knew exactly where it was. He just opened the door and nodded to the seat.

"Get in. You need a coat." He grunted. Audrey shrugged, sliding into the heated leather seats, melting into them with a satisfied groan.

Alexander closed his eyes and shook his head. That sound was more interesting than he thought. He turned up the heat. Whenever she got in the car, Audrey always looked out the window, as if it were entrancing, as if she were seeing something more, something beautiful even.

"So you don't even have a girlfriend," She said finally.

Alexander stopped at the light. "No. Why so interested?"

Audrey shrugged. "Dunno. It seems odd. What's wrong with you? Other than..y'know everything."

He smirked and shook his head. "Work too much, care too little. I have...commitment issues. You writing this down, detective."

She made a motion as she was scribbling, nodding for her to go on.

With a humored scoff, he did. "I like sex, everyone likes sex, but I wouldn't say I need it. I don't need anything. And...apparently, that just doesn't go over well. But if I do need it, there's no shortage of willing participants. So why ask for more?"

Audrey put her hands down, her dark curly hair settling on her shoulders, framing her round face. She chewed on her lip. "I see. I'll add playboy to your list of flaws."

Alexander chuckled. "I wouldn't call myself a playboy. Who even uses that word anymore? No...I just know what I want, and I look for similar-minded people. People who want the same thing."