Excerpt 1: 
Rolling onto my side, I was met with thin air falling to the floor letting out a groan as I hit the floor. 

How did I fall out of bed? 

I opened my eyes seeing I was in the living room. The memories of last night finally came rushing back to me. We had been binge-watching my favourite reality television show and fell asleep. 

Looking behind me, Alex was still fast asleep. He looked so peaceful. With him asleep, I had time to admire him without him knowing it. It had taken a bit for Alex to get comfortable after the incident again. I could tell he was fighting with himself. There must’ve been a huge part of him that wanted to run and hide, whilst the other part of him wanted to stay. 

What scared me the most is that I wanted to know both of those parts of him. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I wanted to know it all. I wanted to know him. 

Then, there’s the secret. 

Could I cope with not knowing what his secret was? 

It was obvious he had one, no adult had a grown babysitter without a reason. The security that had suddenly appeared around the campus, it all coincides with when Alex started at university. 

I couldn’t figure out what the reason was. 

Did he have a famous and important family? 

Was he secretly a political figure? 

Would I end up hurt?

I wanted to google him so bad. I reached for my phone, opening up the browser and stared at it. 

Could I break my promise? 

I told him I wouldn’t. 

I let out a groan, throwing my phone back on the sofa.

I stood up, made my way to the bathroom, and showered quickly. I wrap the towel around me heading to the bedroom changing into some clean clothes. My body ached so much. Sleeping on a small sofa with someone else was not the best way to sleep. 

After finishing getting ready, I made my way downstairs, Alex was still asleep on the sofa, and into the kitchen. I grabbed a can out of the fridge, opening it and taking a small sip. 

Maybe I should prepare some breakfast. 

I know Alex brought breakfast things I couldn’t believe he went shopping for me. I don’t think anyone would top what he did for me. I walked into the living room and saw he was sitting up looking confused. 

“Hey.” 

“Hi,” he said. “I was really confused about where I was then.” 

“Do you often wake up at random houses not knowing who you’re with?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Not happened in a few years,” he admitted. “Do you have plans today?” 

I shook my head. 

“Do you want to go on that date?” 

“I’d love to.” Butterflies filled my stomach, this was my first real date. 

“Great,” he smiled. “I’m going to go home and then I’ll come pick you up” he looked at his phone “around midday if that’s alright with you?” 

“Yeah, that sounds good,” I said. He stood up, stretching his arms out. 

I made my way over to the door and let him out. “I’ll see you soon.” 

“Yes, you will. Just so you know, I had fun last night,” he said. 

“Me, too.” 

He got into his car and drove off. 

I headed into the living room, grabbing my phone. 

Megan answered straight away. “If this isn’t life or death, I’m going to fucking kill you, Melinda,” she mumbled. 

“Does Alex asking me on a date count?”

 

Excerpt 2: 
I walked into the store room to grab the cleaning trolley wheeling it in, I got the dustpan and brush cleaning up the spray of shattered glass before depositing it into the black bag attached to the trolley. I swept up the remaining glass before grabbing the mop and bucket off the trolley and began to mop. 

Something crashed into me pushing me forward into the mop bucket and falling to the ground. I felt something heavy land on top of me. “Ow!” I snapped. I felt the heavy presence lift off me and turned to see a man wiping himself down. 

“You idiot!” 

“Alexander!” I heard someone shout. 

“Excuse me!” I stood up ignoring the soaking wet apron I was now wearing spinning around to glare at the man. “You ran into me, maybe you should watch where you’re going and use your walking feet inside like a normal person.” 

Anger flashed through his brown eyes as he clenched his fist. “Who do you think you’re talking to?” 

I stayed silent trying to keep my temper in check. I wasn’t sure how Daisy would feel with me yelling back at a customer. I clenched my hand into a fist using my nails to keep me centred. 

“Are you deaf? I’m talking to you.” His nostrils flared. “Who do you think you’re talking to?”

I stopped closer to him. “Did I not make it clear?” I raised an eyebrow. “You.” 

“Do you have any idea who you are talking to you stupid—”

“Alexander,” a voice cut through. “Don’t be rude. Apologise.” 

“Why? She’s just a cleaner.”

“Okay, number one, I am not a cleaner. I am actually a waitress where cleaning is a part of my job. Number two, even if I was, you don’t get to look down at me like shit on the floor.”

He stared at me, his mouth falling open as he stepped back. 

“Now, if you don’t mind, could you please leave this area, so I can mop the floor to stop it from being a hazard?” 

“Alexander, go to the car,” the other man said. 

I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, a grown man having to be told what to do. 

“Jones—”

“Now Alexander, you can not be late for this meeting.” Alexander rolled his eyes but followed this Jones man’s direction. “I am truly sorry for his behaviour.” 

I shrugged picking the mop and bucket up and began to mop the water up. I was just glad I hadn’t filled the bucket all the way up. 

“What’s your name?”

“Melinda Brown. Why?”

“Very nice to meet you, Miss Brown, again I apologise for his behaviour,” the man said. I watched as he walked out the door and I couldn’t help but frown, what interesting people. At least one of them was nice. 

I focused on mopping all the water back up before putting it away in the store room. I walked into the kitchen peeling the wet apron off. “I fucking hate people!”

“Girl,” Dave said, appearing from behind the cooker. “Do you have any idea who you just yelled at?”

“Some arrogant dickhead,” I said, clenching my fist slightly. 

“He’s the—”

“Nope,” I cut him off. “I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to think about that stupid man for a second more.” 

Dave just stared at me shaking his head. “Alright, your next order is up.”