Chapter 12 – This is not going well.

Beck's POV

The last few leaves crinkle underfoot as I make my way out of the woods and back onto the concrete smoothness of the road. It's late Tuesday morning and I need to get back to the pub because, as Alex informed me yesterday, Jenny is officially coming back from her holiday today. Apparently she wants to sit down with me and have some kind of chat later but, as we're not too sure of what time she'll be arriving, I have no idea when 'later' is exactly.

It doesn't take too long to get to the main town centre and when I do, I find myself glancing over at Pete's shop as I pass it, thinking back to Saturday's journey back from my run. I don't know why I went over to wait for Alex when I saw her walk inside, my feet just started moving and before I realised what I was doing I was stood outside the shop. Maybe it was because she'd just looked so fed up and exhausted and I wanted to give her a chance to take a break. Anyone can see how much she does to help out her family, between that and work she barely ever gets time to herself, which can't be all that fun.

My lips form into a small smirk as I remember how freaked out she was when we snuck into the Cinema. I could tell that she enjoyed every single second of it... the exhilaration at the possibility of being caught makes the whole cinema experience much more fun than if you were to simply walk in and buy a ticket.

I'm not really one for movies, definitely being more of a book person myself. I mean, the idea of sitting down for an hour and a half to watch some people acting in front of a camera has never really made much sense to me. I do, however, enjoy watching other people watch movies. Am I weird? Probably. I don't care, though. Alex's reactions on Saturday were pure gold.

I was glad I'd spotted her outside Pete's; it made my day a lot more interesting. Although, to be fair, my morning before that hadn't exactly been boring. I've gotten into the routine of getting up at the crack of dawn so I can go on a run and let my wolf loose for a few hours. Usually it's pretty normal: dirt, trees, birds, rabbits, the occasional deer... that kind of thing. Saturday had been a little different, though, when I'd run across the scent of another werewolf. It was very faint, a barely there smell, but there it was. I thought I recognised it slightly but I wasn't completely sure, though I've met a lot of wolves throughout my life so it wouldn't be impossible. I followed it for a while, out past the perimeter of the town and down into a thicker set of woods before it eventually faded to nothing. My guess is that it's just another lone wolf on their way to find a place to settle, probably clearing off when they realised there was one already staying nearby. I've come across a few others of my kind before, most of them just wanting to stay out of trouble. Whether ex-rogue, banished from their Pack or something else, we all have our solitude in common, and so we usually just keep out of one another's way. Regardless, it was a nice change from the usual circuit I run.

When I get back up to the apartment I head straight for the bathroom, stripping off my clothes and throwing them into the corner to be washed later. I climb into the shower and switch the water on, it runs cold for a few seconds before warming up to the right temperature. I'm not going to lie, it's nice to have such easy access to a shower.

Growing up outside, I quickly became accustomed to washing in whatever water I could find. It was the same at the rogue camps, as well. Those of us who preferred to be clean, as opposed to smelling like sweat and blood all the time, would seek out nearby ponds or lakes whenever we got the chance. A shudder runs through my entire body as I think back on it now. It was horrendous. Not the water itself although, I'm not going to lie, it wasn't always the cleanest, but the fact that whenever you were washing you had to constantly be on watch for anyone trying to rip your throat out. It wasn't a rare occurrence, let me tell you. It almost happened to me once, some bitch thinking she could sink her teeth into me while my back was turned. She was a newbie and made the mistake of thinking she could prove herself to the others... she didn't get that chance again; I snapped her neck before she got so much as a scratch on me.

Sighing, I run a hand through my hair and close my eyes, shaking my head as if the motion has the power to shake away the memory. It's not one of my fondest.

I finish washing and step out, grabbing a towel to dry off before wrapping it around my waist. I walk out of the bathroom and head to the bedroom, opening the top drawer of the dresser and pulling out a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt. Glancing over at the small clock by the bed, I'm surprised to find it's quite a bit later than I'd thought at half past one in the afternoon.

I start to get dressed, hearing the door to the apartment open and close as I'm pulling on the pair of jeans. I don't think too much of it, guessing that it's just an employee from downstairs coming up to grab something. The hallway's still being used as storage for stuff that can't fit downstairs.

"Beck, you in?" I hear Alex call out, followed by her footsteps walking down the hall. "The door was unlocked."

I'm reaching for my T-shirt as she turns into the doorway of my room, her eyes flicking down to my bare chest as she stops walking. Then her eyes move to the damp towel lying on the floor.

"Uh, sorry," she then says, looking back at me.

It doesn't take a genius to realise that she's seen the scar but it doesn't bother me. She's not the first to see it and she won't be the last.

"Alright, Blondie?" I ask, pulling the T-shirt on over my head and taking in her now slightly rosy cheeks as I pull it down to cover my torso.

Is Blondie blushing?

I can feel my lips turning up in an amused smile but, for her benefit, I try my best to keep a straight face. It's difficult, though, especially when I notice her eyes quickly scanning over me.

I go to make some quip about how taking a picture would last longer before thinking better of it. That joke is overused and I'm not going to stoop to it. Instead, I just raise an eyebrow at her until her eyes return to mine. When they do, her blush deepens.

Huh.

This time I don't bother reigning in the amusement.

"Uh... I just came to let you know that Jenny's back home," she informs me, apparently shaking off her embarrassment and pushing through to the reason she's here. "Just got the text. She's heading over within the next hour, I thought I'd give you a heads up."

"Great, thanks," I reply, picking up the towel and moving past her to the kitchen to put it in the washing machine, talking over my shoulder to her as she follows me. "You came all the way here to tell me that?"

"No, don't think you're that special," she replies, clearly mocking me. I chuckle and shake my head slightly. "I was downstairs, actually."

"You working?" I ask, frowning slightly as I chuck the towel into the machine and turn to face her.

"Yeah," she replies, lifting her shoulders in a small shrug. "Jodie called in sick last night and asked me to cover for her."

"Are you working tonight, as well?" I ask.

"Yeah but I don't mind. Jenny and Stuart are back now so it shouldn't be so hectic, anyway," she says.

"You work too hard, Blondie," I tell her, shaking my head again.

"Meh," she says, shrugging again. "It gets me away from the house for a while so it's not so bad. Means I don't have to put up with Dylan's shit."

I chuckle slightly at that.

Those two definitely have the whole sibling rivalry thing down.

"Anyway, I should probably get back downstairs," she continues, glancing at the door. "Head down in a bit so Jenny gets the chance to meet you, yeah?"

"Will do," I agree, watching as she leaves.

After pulling on some socks and my boots I make my way down to the bar, deciding that Alex could probably use my help. The lunchtime rushes can get pretty mad if you don't keep on top of them and she's flying solo down there.

When I reach the bar the first thing I notice is Alex exiting the kitchen, a plate of food in each hand. She smiles when she sees me, swiftly depositing the meals to the correct people before circling round to me.

"Hey," she says. "Jenny's not here yet."

"Yeah, I figured," I reply with a shrug. "You need a hand?"

"Really?" she asks. I nod. "Yeah, that would be great."

"Okay, where do you want me?" I ask.

"Um, you can take the bar. I'll keep serving," she says.

"Sounds good," I reply and, with that, I get to work, taking payments and handing out drinks.

Alex gets back to waitressing, taking orders and delivering the food that Bruce is currently cooking in the kitchen.

I find myself smiling as I lean against the bar and watch her, taking note of the way she so easily jokes around with the customers, making them all smile too. She glances over at me then, momentarily distracted from the conversation she's having with the couple in the corner when she realises I'm looking at her. She smiles slightly, tucking her hair behind her ear as she returns her attention to the customers in front of her.

Speaking of customers...

"Hey, man, what can I get you?" I ask the guy who's just walked up to the bar.

"Two regular cokes and a pint of Fosters," he replies, handing me the money.

"Sure, coming right up," I reply, handing back the change and moving the get the drinks.

Half an hour passes and, gradually, the lunchtime rush dies down.

A few more minutes go by before the front door opens, revealing a slightly peeved-looking Darcy shortly followed by and amused Mitchell. I can hear their conversation from here.

"Seriously, why are you following me? I've just spent a whole shift putting up with you, do you really think I want to waste more of my time with you?" Darcy asks, her frustration clearly growing as Mitchell laughs.

"Seriously," he copies her, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm not following you. I'm meeting some friends here. We just so happen to be going to the same place." He nods over to the group of guys at the far end of the room, one of whom waves him over to the table. He returns his eyes to Darcy. "See?"

Realising that she's been bested, Darcy simply rolls her eyes and mutters a resigned, "whatever," before making her way over to the bar.

Instead of joining his friends, however, Mitchell follows her over to me. Alex soon moves to stand beside me at the bar, apparently also finding the little scene interesting. When Darcy realises that Mitchell is still attached to her like a bad smell, her scowl returns.

When her eyes fall on me, though, her expression brightens a considerable amount.

"Hi!" she chirps, taking me off-guard slightly.

"Hi?" I reply questioningly, trying to decipher what the hell is going on. Apparently I'm not the only one either as, out of the corner of my eye, I notice Mitchell looking back and forth between the two of us with a frown quickly forming.

"Iverson?" Alex pipes up after a few more seconds of me being stared at, handing over a freshly poured glass of cider to the girl in question.

"Yeah?" Darcy replies, glancing over at her friend as she hands over the money for the drink.

"Piss off."

"Right. Pissing off now," Darcy agrees, grabbing hold of her glass and moving to sit at one of the booths, completely ignoring Mitchell as she does so. He sighs and walks over to his friends, a defeated scowl taking over the frown.

Um... okay.

"Don't mind her, she just thinks you're a God or something," Alex says in means of an explanation for her friend's odd behaviour.

Fair enough.

"Hey, can't deny that," I reply with a shrug, my lips turning up into a smirk as I watch Alex raise a brow at me.

"You're a moron," she announces with a laugh.

"That also can't be denied," I say with a grin, chuckling as she shakes her head at me. "So why am I a God?"

"She's still buzzing over the whole Tony beat and greet," she informs me, referring to last Monday's night brawl.

Ah.

"Anyway, I should get back to," she motions towards customers waiting for food and I nod, watching as she returns to her job. She walks past Darcy and lightly smacks her on the back of her head, making me chuckle slightly. Those two make a right pair.

The front door opens again and I glance up at the woman who walks in, taking note of the new customer. I haven't seen her before. She looks to be in her mid-forties, her hair clearly dyed a burgundy red colour as opposed to Lucy's natural ginger. It's tied up into a ponytail, the end of which brushes over her shoulders as she glances around the room, her eyes quickly settling on Alex. When Alex notices her, looking up from her conversation with the elderly man who always sits alone, she lets out a small squeal and runs over to envelope the woman in a hug.

Ah, so probably not a customer then. Jenny.

When the two pull apart Alex immediately starts bombarding her boss with questions about her trip, ending with an excited, "tell me everything!" Jenny simply laughs, throwing an arm around Alex's shoulders affectionately and promising to tell her everything later as the two of them make their way over to the bar. I unconsciously stand a little straighter as they approach, the woman seemingly noticing me for the first time. Her smile drops.

"So, you're the infamous Beck, I assume," Jenny guesses, appraising me with an unwavering gaze.

"The one and only," I reply, making sure to keep eye contact and refusing to back down from her unspoken challenge.

It's not hard to gather that she doesn't trust me. In fact, it's plainly obvious. I'm not all that surprised, though; not many people do.

"And you must be Jenny," I add.

"The one and only," she repeats my words.

I don't miss the not so subtle nudge Alex gives her boss with her elbow, a clear 'play nice' warning. I can't help but smile slightly at that.

Eventually, with a small sigh, Jenny holds out her hand for me to shake over the bar.

"Nice to meet you," she says as I accept the shake.

"Likewise," I reply.

Alex looks on with a fairly pleased expression, apparently happy with that small exchange between me and her – our – boss.

Jenny seems to notice her loitering and turns to her with a slightly raised eyebrow. "Don't you have work to get back to?" she asks her.

"Right," Alex agrees with a nod. "I'll just..." She looks back and forth between the two of us nervously for a few more seconds before making her way into the kitchen.

Jenny watches her leave before turning back to look at me, her expression the epitome of seriousness.

"Let's cut the crap," she says, causing me to raise an eyebrow at her. "I don't trust you. You've come to this town from god knows where, running from god knows what, and I don't like it."

"You don't know me," I calmly remind her.

"I know that, which is why I know that I have no reason to tell you to take a hike, but I know your type, Beck. Believe me. You're not the first lost soul to come wandering into this town and you sure as hell won't be the last, but every single one so far has left a dent in this town in one way or another."

I don't know what to reply to that and instead choose to remain silent.

This is not going well.

She sighs and glances over at Alex, who's currently placing a bowl of chips down in front of Darcy, before looking back at me and continuing.

"But, for some reason that girl sees something trustworthy in you. She wants me to give you a chance and, although I don't trust you, I trust her. So here's the deal. I'm giving you one chance. We can keep this unconventional agreement of you staying upstairs in return for working down here, but if I see you put so much as one foot wrong then you're out. Got it?"

"Got it," I reply immediately.

"Good," she says, her face losing some of its seriousness. "So I'd better see you working hard, kid... except for tomorrow. Tomorrow I'm giving everyone the day off. Stuart and I can hold down the fort for a day."

"Sure thing," I reply.

Then, apparently content with that whole conversation, she walks off and makes her way into the kitchen, presumably to say hello to Bruce.

Well, there you go, the one genuinely intimidating person that this town has to offer.

I like her.

"Don't worry, she'll warm up to you eventually," Alex says, coming to stand with me at the bar. "She's just going to test you for a while first." She nudges me with her shoulder. "See what you're made of and all that."

I turn to look at her, a smile tilting my lips up at the corners.

"Thanks, Blondie," I say, genuinely meaning it.

It was only when I was faced with the possibility of leaving that I realised I really don't want to. I like it here. I like the people and I like the town. I've started a new life and I'm not ready to give that up just yet... and the one reason that I'm still behind this bar right now is standing right next to me.

"What for?" she asks.

"You know what for."

She returns my smile.

"You're welcome, Beck."

(Hey guys!!! Well, there you go. Chapter 12 is officially up and running :D  I was kind of worried about introducing Jenny as a character but I'm fairly sure I didn't make a huge mess of it :') Anyways, what do we all think of Beck and Alex? Are they Better than Beck and Lucy, or nah?

Sorry if there are any mistakes in the chapter, I always try and iron out the ones I can find but I'm sure it's still not perfect :') I'm just happy that I got this chapter out so fast :D

Anywho, thanks for reading! If you liked this chapter then don't forget to give it a vote/comment/add/follow :)

I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up but I'll try and get it done as soon as possible, y'all will have to just be patient :)

Anyways, I've not really got anything else to say so, until next time, byeee!)