Alex had been partying and hooking up since thirteen, and in the five ensuing years, he'd had several flings, and several "girlfriends," but he'd never been particularly interested in seriously dating anyone. It was mostly his budding criminal life that held Alex's attention. Girls were fun, but required so much... work. Time. Attention. Time and attention better spent pushing drugs, fighting, and drinking. So when this girl bumped into him, spilling her books everywhere, a scathing oath rose to Alex's lips.

"Watch it, you f--" and was cut short by the girl's wide blue eyes. In fact, most of the air left Alex's lungs and his usually cold, calculating mind was suddenly befogged by hormones. Animal magnetism, he reckoned, was the name for what he felt: the tingling in his fingers, the queer warmth in his cheeks, the tickle rising to his lips. Very few people had ever caught Alex off-guard, and even fewer of them were female. But [i]this[/i] girl... [i]this[/i] stupid American girl, with her feathery blonde hair and conspicuous cleavage... had bewitched him, instantly, completely, and without warning.

"Ehm...." he said stupidly, as his brain kicked back into gear and he helped her gather her books from the floor. "S'alright, luv," he said with a sheepish grin, clutching Ellie's books to his chest.

"Hey, you're Ellie, right?" Brian interjected with his slow smile, his faintly bloodshot eyes roving over Ellie's body without restraint. "I met you at Ahmed's party last weekend, I think. Heeey, man," he said, elbowing Alex's ribs, "this chick can [i]smoke[/i]."

"You like to par'y?" Alex asked, recovering from the hormonal rush somewhat but still stupidly clutching Ellie's books. The corners of his lips curled in an impish smile as he remembered the acid in his jacket.