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It was either the fact that Sam was gone for the day, off doing God knew what, or the fact that she was looking for an escape that she'd ended up at the bar. Typically she just holed up in her room with a bottle of Jack, away from the dozens of devices that were buzzing nonstop in her roommates' possessions. She'd heard more gossip via cellphones and laptops than she did directly from the girls' mouths. Sooner or later she knew she was going to have to get her own apartment before she found out a way to make their cellphone a transformer that would stab them. Not that she'd thought about it or anything.
Glancing around the bar, she took relief from the fact that it was only cellphones that she had to worry about humming in the back of her mind. Everyone was dressed differently, some dressed nicely, others looked like they rolled in right off the street. Either way, she couldn't do much judging, she hadn't tried all that hard either. A tank top, leather jacket and jeans with combat boots was basically her go-to no matter where she was at. Why waste perfectly good clothes if she was determined to be so drunk that she was puking by the end of the night. So long as the bartender actually gave her that opportunity.
Alex took a seat away from others at the corner of the bar and let her eyes wander over each surface and each face. When she heard a voice, she turned to the bartender and paused. It was not the usual girl that she'd seen around, but the face was familiar and she couldn't quite place why. So she continued to stare at him until she could figure it out, not saying anything.
❝the world gets cold and lonely when no one's around ❞
Another night at the bar. The job had grown on him. He enjoyed serving drinks and talking to costumers. Very laid back and stress free. Tonight had been easy nobody was too fucked up yet.
His eyes followed a brunette as she walked in a sat away from the rest. He stopped wiping the inside of a beer mug and made his way down to the end of the bar. He threw the towel over his shoulder with a calm,"What can I do you for?" She stayed staring at him. "Uh-" His eyes shifted from side to side. "A drink, can I get you a drink?"
He didn't even take the time to recognize the girl as he stood their waiting for her to say something.
Her eyebrows pulled together when he spoke and she frowned. The voice, she knew the voice better than the face, but she couldn't for the life of her remember what his name was and she figured she probably should have known that. It was hovering at the edge of her mind and it took just a split second longer before she heard It's Evan, you twat coming from the cellphone that she'd thought she'd turned off upon entering the bar. Her eyes widened and she leaned back.
"No fucking way," It wasn't meant as an answer to his question, but when she realized that is what it sounded like, she shook her head. "Shit, sorry, uh Jack and Coke." Alex tried to say something else, but she wasn't exactly sure what she was supposed to say. She'd known him years ago when she was a little more volatile and a little less composed. She hadn't thought she looked that different from then, but based on how he had grown up, she figured she must have too.
Which would explain the perplexed look on his face rather than recognition. "That's all I need. Thanks."
❝the world gets cold and lonely when no one's around ❞
She seemed confused so he could help but crack a grin as he mind seemed to be searching. As he stood there enrolled in her facial expressions he recognized her. Layla Harlow Alex Harper. She was a little younger than him he recalled. A pretty one for sure.
No fucking way? He smirked, "You know you're in a bar ri-". Somehow the first remark was a mistake. Evan cracked a chuckle. "Coming right up." He walked over to pull the jack off the shelf and fixed her the drink. He placed it in front of her and whispered, "You don't happen to have superpowers do you?" He leaned over the bar and raised a brow.
He couldn't stay serious. That was always a funny way to reintroduce himself to old Bellefonte faces. Most didn't know how to respond.
The moment that he leaned over the bar and whispered to her, she narrowed her eyes before rolling them, "Oh piss off, Evan." She took her glass and tipped it back against her lips. The Jack burned as soon as it traveled down her throat, but she appreciated it. When she set it back down, she traced the lip of the glass with her finger, focusing on that rather than him.
It was safe to say that Alex had found him relatively attractive when she was younger, but she'd never thought of doing anything about it. Least of all when he disappeared for however many years it had been. She glanced up at him and chewed on her lower lip, "How long did it take for you to recognize me?" Because she was sort of embarrassed by the fact that she hadn't recognized him as swiftly as she typically recognized people. Her brain cataloged faces and placed names with them easily, like a database of people. But his had escaped her momentarily.
"This is good by the way," She felt awkward without having her twin beside her to make fun of her for being awkward.
❝the world gets cold and lonely when no one's around ❞
The blonde cracked a smile at her response. "Me? Piss off?" He raised his hands in the air and stepped off jokingly. He reached down and grabbed another glass to wipe down and made his way back over.
How long did it take him to recognize her? No time at all. His mind had been trained to categorized faces directly with names and association. "It took me a little bit." He scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "Ya know, it's just been so long since high school." Lying about what he knew what more of a habit than anything. Also, he didn't want to be creepy of course. With that said, she already seemed a little awkward. Evan knew it was nothing he had done so he tried to help with some sarcasm. What better solution?
"Ah, thanks. It's taken years to perfect that one. Very complex drink."
Alex's lips twitched into a sort of smile at his response. She responded well to his sarcasm and her awkwardness eased slowly. Taking another drink, she nodded as she was filled with a bit more fire which had her relaxing further. The more she could feel the tension slipping, the easier she knew it would be to actually talk to him. It wasn't her fault that she was basically a hermit and couldn't for the life of her interact smoothly with people the way she could with devices.
Her teeth sunk into her lower lip and she looked up at him, "You look different, ya know. Kind of. I think you were scrawnier before." She could feel herself smirking because she was definitely joking, just to see what kind of reaction she would get. It was trial and error with people, she found. Some people she vibed really well with. Others, she couldn't for the life of her figure out how to act. They were either judgey or pretentious and she knew that she wasn't really meant for those types.
"Not bad different. You look good bulky. With a bit of meat on your bones," The alcohol was starting to reach her now. Even if she wasn't even really intoxicated, any little bit helped.
❝the world gets cold and lonely when no one's around ❞
Evan never really considered himself changing as he grew older. Once he manifested he always felt the same. Well, not at first. In the beginning he was buzzing like a bee from place to place almost high off of his Physical Prime. Nowadays, he was used to it. Sure he could never really get sore, and it would take another plague to get him sick but it all just felt...normal.
"Different huh? Yeah. I can thank my ability for that. After high school I uh-" Evan had to keep it vague. He knew he did. "Well lets just say I started working out... a lot." He rubbed the scruff on his face. "This is new though," He paused with a sigh, "It only took until about age 23 to grow in."
Evan smirked at the brunette. Alex's compliment was quirky and comically put. "I appreciate that. Truly." He told her as he brought his glass of water up to his lips for a drink.
Alex could feel her smile widening when he received her words well. Her eyes watched the way he rubbed his jaw where the new scruff he'd grown was and she nearly missed everything else in his answer. He looked better with facial hair, she decided. It fit the new look he had going for him, but she pressed the glass to her lips before she could say so. At least she still had some of her filter left.
Averting her eyes, she glanced over her shoulder and chewed on her lower lip. Her face felt hot, but she didn't feel embarrassed and she couldn't tell if it had anything to do with the alcohol because she hadn't even drank that much. She looked back at him when he said that he appreciated her compliment and she smiled, "Well, I mean, yeah. You're welcome." She looked down at the glass and tapped her finger against it.
"So, how's life been? Obviously you're doing well working at a hot spot like this, yeah?" Alex lifted her eyes again.
❝the world gets cold and lonely when no one's around ❞
Evan smiled at her. He couldn't talk much about his past. The ex mercenary couldn't really talk about it at all. Everything he had been doing since age 19 was strictly classified. Strictly. The company would definitely find out if he was running his mouth to every cute girl at the bar. He didn't want that. Not after how he left like he did.
"Life's been uh... Interesting. But yeah, I must have done alright I mean look at this fine establishment." Evan smirked at his own words. It was nothing more than a bar. Just a plain, old, by-the-book bar.
She appreciated his sarcasm once again and found herself smiling a little easier. She was terrible at small talk, honestly, she hardly paid any mind to those around her. Typically their devices gave away what little information she cared to use or know, but in this case she had nothing to go on. Therefore, she was stuck searching for things to talk about.
"Please," She responded to the drink question first, for obvious reasons. What was she supposed to say in response to how she's been? Hidden away from the world, looking after her sickly brother to make sure his heart didn't burst while also trying to maintain her own sanity from all the voices that swirled around in her head. But, really, all she could say was, "I've been okay. School, ya know. Still trying to figure adulthood out. So far all I've learned is that Jack is my best friend and beer doesn't cut it."
Alex shrugged, there was really nothing else for her to say about her current situation. "Also that I can't stand to drink at home alone, it's really depressing."
