London

3 - "Please don't go."

Alex

The moment we step inside the shop Pascal seems to know Harry has arrived and appears from the crowd like some Jesus. It is also the moment Harry let's go of my hand.

"You brought a customer?" Pascal says smiling to me.

"This is Alex, remember?" Harry frowns as he takes my coat to hang it. "I thought I'd bring her to show the shop. She is a tattoo fan after all."

Pascal's smile only fades a bit, the good actor he is. "Sure I remember you. You look great," he says leaning in to kiss me on my cheek. "Welcome."

He walks to the impromptu bar and shows me with his hand that there is a great variety of drinks. "Sprite," I say quick not even wanting to hear the names of whatever he has stocked. The sprite is probably used to mix drinks with so I get the reaction Pascal is giving me.

"We have wine or a beer if that's more you style," he speaks with clear disgust at the thought of a woman drinking beer and I almost want to order it just to shock him, but I only smile.

"She doesn't drink," Harry says. "And me neither for the night. Sorry mate."

Harry places his hand on my back and it feels like I can breathe properly when he's near me. "I've got your back," he whispers and it shocks my system so much that I could easily cry right now which is ridiculous, but I guess it pinpoints my state perfectly.

We both accept our drinks from Pascal and I smell it just to be sure there's nothing funny in it.

"So, how are you enjoying you stay here, Alex?" He makes it sound as if I'm only here for a week or so and I wonder if that's what he wants. I answer him in a way just so he knows I'm not going to return to Palas and am here for the long run.

"It's nice to be back home," I tell him. "Just trying to find a job."

"And how is that working out for you? Is there anything you're good at?"

I'm not sure if he's doing this on purpose or is just genuinely asking me, but I feel myself lock up. I never truly spoke to Pascal when Harry still lived with him because the whole vibe there made me uneasy. I'm not the type to party although my history in Palas makes it look otherwise. There I had a group of people to hang out with and only in my darkest days did I ever socialize with tourists. Only to fuck them and that didn't really take any work. Here, I'm out of my comfort zone and Pascal is making damn sure that it stays awkward.

"Not really," I say with a laugh although it is has been my biggest insecurity the past days.

In Palas I didn't really bother to start applying for jobs here because I thought it would be better to do it once I was back, but it is harder than I expected. The economy has gotten a little better than when I left England, but there's still not much work with or without qualifications. It only would make me feel better about myself if I did have diplomas to rely on. If only to rub it into people's faces like Pascal.

"Must be easy to have a rich boyfriend then," he laughs and I wonder if he's sarcastic or means it. I can't read him.

Harry's finger starts to make circles on my back as he must feel the tension radiating off of me.

"Alex was a great lifeguard. She served for almost five years," he says.

"But there's no sea here," Pascal feels the need to counter back.

"Still, she has great qualities that I'm sure she'll find something with," Harry defends me and I like the way he's sticking up for me although it also feels a bit patronizing.