Mayhem

Chapter 2

I stare back at the man in front of me, eyes wide. 

No fucking way.

Did they put something in my coffee or something? Alex sat in front of me, looking as fine as always, signature smirk spread across his face.I have to say, although it had only been two years, time had done him well. I never imagined a person could get any more attractive than Alex in high school, but he has outdone himself for sure. He had more tattoos, a few peeking out of his collar and on his neck, others down his arm. His eyes were as blue as I remember them and his hair... Wow.

Wait... What the actual fuck was I doing? This whore abandoned me! Left me in my desperate time of need! Left me to be tortured by Ace for fucks sake! As much as I was overjoyed to have stopped drooling over his facial features, the amount of emotions that rushed in the second I had returned to reality was overwhelming. I almost wanted to cry. I was fucking enraged. I wanted to stab him as much as I wanted to stab Ace right now, and that's saying something.

"Bounjour mon amour," his voice was smooth and deep. Oh my lord... My glasses hide my glare, and thankfully enough because a plan pops into my head. I prop my chin on my hand and shoot him a small smile.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" I speak slowly layering on the thickest French accent I could muster. This fucker actually has the audacity to show up here and give me that stupid smirk, after everything he did... Scratch that, didn't do.

"C'mon babe, don't pretend that this is a face you could forget." He had a point... A stupid point... A point that made me want to try slice a stick man into his face with my butter knife.

"No Anglaise," I cough, glancing away. He rolls his eyes and snatches the newspaper out of my hands. "I know what your doing Yvette," his voice had lost the joking tones and he looked a little sad. Yvette? He never calls me Yvette...

I open my mouth but nothing comes out. What the hell was I supposed to say? What did he want to hear? I blink a few times and compose myself. "I'm sorry, my name is Esmé. Please, excuse me," I mutter, keeping up the accent as I grab my purse and phone off the table. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that my name is Esmé now?

The gangs were still talking but no way in hell was I going to hang around here any longer. 

I take off down the street, not looking back to see if Alex was following me. I only make it one block down before he sneaks up behind me and tugs me into a side alley. He continues to tug on my arm and it had began to ache. I finally lose my temper after my heel gets caught in the bricks and I yank him back, elbowing him in the stomach and then shoving him up against the wall, pressing my arm against his throat. 

Wow, I don't ever remember him being this tall either. 

"What the fuck do you want from me Alex?" I spit, pressing harder against his neck. He raises his hands next to his head and smiles slightly. "I'm just wondering what you are doing at a cafe only a few meters away from gang members," he says slowly, looking me up and down. 

"Not that you care or anything, but it's none of your business." I glare up at him and sigh. Where the fuck did he come from? "I do care about you, Munroe," his voice was sad. He just looked down at me, sad smile and eyes.

"Just leave me the fuck alone Alex." And with that, I let him go and turn, walking out of the alley and down the street again. This time, I did turn around. He wasn't following me. At this point, I didn't know whether I was pleased or disappointing that he wasn't behind me. I guess I kind of just wanted him to fight for me, which is bloody stupid because I have been perfectly fine without him all these years. 

I make it home and shut out the thoughts and questions that were swirling through my head. James. I can't let James know. 

Much to my dismay, he shortly realizes something was off. "Esmé?" He grabs my hand as I had gone for my fourth time cleaning the island. He takes the cloth out of my hand and throws it into the sink. "Are you alright?" His voice was gentle.