"No, no! Can't you two do anything right?" Heather yelled, grabbing the stapler and posters from TweedleDee and Tweedledum, AKA her "friends," Becky and Lindsay. "Place the poster on the pole, staple poster to pole! Okay!" She instructed, then shoved the posters that read, "Vote for Heather Chan," back to the girls and turned away from them, absolutely exasperated already with the duo, and it was only 11am.
"Is this good, Heather?" Lindsay asked. She had managed to staple the poster to pole, but the paper was upside down.
Heather threw her arms in the air totally fed up (patience was never a big virtue of her's). She was just about to throw everything on the sidewalk, when a sleek, shiny limo pulled up. A tall, dark, and handesome Latino stepped out of the car, one Heather knew by name, and therefore hated that name.
"Ladies," He said charmingly and smiled, showing off a set of dazzling white teeth. Her two friends practically swooned, Heather rolled her eyes at both of them.
"What do you want, Aaaal?" She asked, purposely elongating his hated nickname and smirked when she was rewarded by seeing one of his green eyes twitch. But he showed no sigh sigh of further discomfort, moving forward toward her in an overly friendly manner, some may even say a seductive manner.
"Did you come here to gloat about how your campaign is such a better success? Because if so, you can take your limo and 50 foot posters and shove them!" Heather yelled.
"Neither!" His tone was overly pleasant and Heather concentrated on stapling her poster to another pole Alejandro smirked. He could tell he was getting to her by how hard and overdone she was doing the stapling. "I merely wanted to ask you if you wanted to join me in my campaign." At this exact moment, a brunette stepped out of his limo.
Heather scowled, recognizing the woman. She asking asked herself sarcastically if this day could get any better.
Courtney's hair was worn in a neat, tight bun at the nape of her neck. She wore a professional and modest matching black knee length skirt, blazer and heels. In one hand she held a PDA next to her ear; in the other, a notebook full of papers. Courtney managed to talk on the phone while still writing in her notebook at the same time. Heather would lie if she said she wasn't at all impressed with her multitasking skills.
"Courtney, schedule in a meeting with Heather- I mean Ms. Chan to my appointments. Two o'clock this Tuesday at-"
"La Maisonette sound good to you?" Courtney wordlessly handed her his card. Before Heather could answer him, he and Courtney both had taken off in his limo only leaving a cloud of grey exhaust behind them.
Becky was the first one to say anything. Her brown eyes were large in wonder, "Wow." Was all she could say.
Heather's thin dark eyebrows scrunched together and her mouth tightened. The nerve of that guy! "Let's get back to putting up posters!" She said, determined, to the girls while crushing his business card in one hand.
"Heather, you actually know him?" Lindsay asked looking absolutely star struck.
"Unfortunately." Heather answered with a dismissive scoff.
Becky said, "It seems like it would be a great opportunity for you to have a chance to join with his campaign."
Heather chose to ignore this statement, only adding after slight pause, "What did I tell you? Back to work!"
"Heather?" Alejandro's head lifted up as soon as he heard the door click and open. If Heather didn't know him better, she would have said he looked nervous while impatiently glancing at down his gold Rolex wristwatch. His foot tapped nervously as he sat, waiting for her earlier. Heather raised an eyebrow. The Alejandro she knew was never impatient or less than over confident. She gave him at best a blank stare while he smilied at her from across the room. Alejandro was stationed directly in the centre of the large, fancy dining room, before rushing around the table to pull out the cushy, red seat that matched the dark, red and black, romantic decor of the restaurant.
Heather hesisantly stepped closer, receiving the first good look at him since high school. His long, stylish hair was traded for shorter hair, combed neatly and jelled perfectly to the side. Jeans were traded to black slacks, a button up red shirt and white tank top were traded for a black blazer and a red satin tie. And the boots, well somethings never change, she thought as she saw his shiny, black leather boots peeking out from his slacks.
She wondered if he'd like the changes in her since high school. her once poker-straight dark hair was in cascading and highlighted waves, which was all the style. To be taken seriously in politics, her body was covered up more than the revealing clothes she wore as a teenager in a matching business suit. And her makeup was kept at a minimal; mascara, foundation, pink blush, and lipgloss. Heather preferred having a sexier look, but for her career plans that look was just unsuitable.
Heather tried to not appear nervous as she adjusted her black leather purse on her shoulder, noticing with awl, the entire restaurant except Alejandro's table was completely vacant. The window blinds were down and the atmosphere around the fancy restaurant was one of a very quiet and private rendezvous. Alejandro didn't want any publicity surrounding their meeting and she knew he always enjoyed being romantic. What better way than renting out the most exclusive restaurant in town?
Heather had to remind herself to scoff and look impressed as she took her seat across from him. "Don't you think it's kind of cheesy and overdone to rent out a restaurant?"
Alejandro only smiled at her attempt to insult him. But her insults never seemed to have the intended affect on him. "You don't know how hard it was to get my staff to not join us."
"Courtney especially, I bet." Heather interjected, a jealous undertone coming out of her words. She crossed her arms around and directed an icy glare at him.
Alejandro offered her no reaction. "Courtney is helpful in my campaign," He said in an even, neutral voice.
"I'm sure she is." Heather quickly remarked, all the while scowling at him. Just then, a young waiter approached them.
"Ciao and welcome to La Maisonette. My name is Billy and I will be your waiter. Can I get you two anything to drink? We have a wonderful red wine from Tuscany, Chanti." His eyes directed solely on a now smiling Heather.
"Yes, I'd love the wine please," Heather said to the blonde in a far too polite and friendly manor for it to be genuine. She smiled flirtatiously and batted her eyelashes at the young waiter. Billy looked pleased by Heather's answer his gaze was lingering on her that Alejandro had to clear his throat to get his attention.
"... Oh, and you signore?"
"The same," Alejandro said between gritted teeth. He was reminded of his position as a People Elected position and managed a small, forced smile before Billy left to fetch the wine.
"What's wrong, Al?" Heather asked, amused as she saw Alejandro's flushed face and the way he was gripping the chair's arm rest his knuckles white.
Alejandro knew Heather was laughing at him and refused to let her win. He put on a wide smile and assured her nothing was the matter. But when the young, handsome waiter approached their table, wine in hand, and started, of course, to serve Heather first, Alejandro grabbed the wine bottle from him.
"That's alright. I can pour for her. But thank you." Alejandro said, his voice as polite as can be. He was born for politics, Heather decided; he always had a knack for appearing nice at the same time that he was secretly plotting their demise.
She had been the only one in school to see through his act. Everyone else thought he was perfect, a model student. But Heather had always known what he was, because she was the same way.
They had always been such jealous of one another. In high school, they shared an all consuming, unhealthy love/hate reationship relationship, filled with jealousy, envy, possessiveness, passionate fighting, teenage angst, and hormones.
Sometimes they wondered if they should really be together. If they were bad people alone, did being together only make them worst? Yet, they had this connection, this pull to each other.
To Heather, there was no other man worth her time, and there would be no other. Because no one had matched up to Alejandro. No one had his charisma, his beauty, his wit, his drive. And no one could make her feel the same way.
"You don't know how refreshing it is to have a dinner like this with no staff, lobbyist, and PACs. A dinner for pleasure." Alejando remarked in a geniunly happy voice, now that they were alone, while moving onto his crystal glass and filling it half way up.
"Pleasure?" She repeated angrily, "This is supposed to be a business meeting!" She shouted indignantly at his imply.
"Of course I know it is business, but whenever I'm around you, even business seems pleasurable." He grasped her hand and lay a soft kiss on it Heather blushed. Alejandro pulled away because the waiter was coming to ask what they'd like for dinner. Before he went into a big schpeel about their specials or anything Alejando ordered for them both. Heather wanted salad instead of soup; instead of dressing, she wanted white vinegarette; and instead of spaghetti, she wanted a side order of zitti. He even rembered remembered her favorite Italian dish: Tortellini Primevera Chicken Parmesan. Heather would have insulted him, but she was too impressed that he got her order completely correct.
This time, when the young man presented her with her plate, Heather paid him no attention, muttering a when he handed Alejandro's plate of food with a crestfallen face. the Latino grinned triumphantly.
It was an awkward meal. Heather was refusing to engage in small talk with him. Alejandro refused to be ignored though; he wanted Heather for years now, and by the end of the night he swore to himself, he would have her.
Heather had finished her last bite of pasta when she heard music start to play in the background. Curious to where it was coming from and what it was she turned her head and noticed a small band was playing in the corner of the room. Next to them was the deep baritone of an older famous Italian singer, who she recognized from the pages from her tabloid magazines where he was pictured singing at star couple's wedding.
"Dance with me," Alejandro said seductively and stood up his arm was already reaching out to hers.
"Thanks, but no thanks." Heather said and sipped more wine.
Alejandro took the wine glass from her, "One, I wasn't asking. Two, don't you think you had enough wine, Mi Angel?"
She tried to reach for her drink, but Alejandro grabbed onto her wrist quickly and used it as a means to pull her up. Heather felt like her head was spinning, either from the wine or the sudden movement. Heather was prepared for a fall as she felt her high heels slipping on the polished floor. But Alejandro caught her spinning her to him, quickly his hand had a firm grasp on her lower back.
Heather tried not to blush as she realized how close they were. "The tax payers couldn't afford to bring you a mariachi band to serenade me with?" She asked bitingly, but made no effort to back away from him.
Alejandro laughed her insult off and started slowly dancing, pressing himself closer to her while they gliding together around the room. "Put the claws away Heather. why are you being like this? I know you can't still be holding grudges from high s-"
"You slept with my friend and sabotaged my senior class president campaign so you could win!"
"Refresh my memory, Heather, because if I recall correctly, you first went out on dates with my own brother. And before that, I sabotaged the voting ballots so you could win homecoming queen with me as your king."
"Ugh! For someone that supposedly doesn't care about the past, you sure have a strong memory!"
"That's because I've loved you since I moved into this dreadful, pathetically, small town and saw you that first day of class." He admitted, dropping the loving community act he developed for his job. He reached a tan hand out and grabbed onto her's tightly. "I'm moving up; first the mayor, next senate, then president, and finally the world and I want to take you with me. You and me together! You'll be out of this dead end town like you always wanted and together, we'll take over the world!" He said, his bright green eyes beaming at her. He was still the boy she fell on love with who was filled with as much drive and hope as her.
Heather still wanted to believe in him. Why not believe in him? Alejandro always had a way of making things happen for him through will power and careful planning. He broke records by making himself the youngest and most popular mayor in history. When they were together, he ruled their school. She hated to admit it, but without him in her life, everything was dull and repetitive.
She felt Alejandro hands wrap more firmly around her and she felt her chest press up closely against his. She lifted her head up and saw Alejandro's green eyes peering longingly down at her. The music slowly came to a close and he slowly dipped her as the singer sang one last word from the beautiful Italian song their lips almost touching.
Reality came rushing back they were reminded they weren't the only people in the world when they heard the singer's and the band's loud clapping,
Alejandro returning his applause for the older gentlemen. He wore a winning smile on his face as he held Heather and introduced her to the world-rounded singer, all the while speaking in Italian to the older gentleman.
Another language Alejandro mastered, Heather thought enviously.
The band and the singer left soon afterwards Alejandro and Heather were waiting at table together. Heather's apathy was gone; Alejandro won her over again and they were whispering to each other, confessing about their life since their separation and how much they missed each other, when the waiter finally approached with their ticket.
Alejandro was tracing lazy patterns across her smooth legs. When waiter offered them dessert, Alejandro smirked, "No thank you. I already have my dessert," Alejandro said, making Heather's ears grow hot and her face turn red. Some things do never change. Alejandro could still make her blus like a school girl.
Alejandro and Heather could have been mistaken for young, miss-guided adolescents as they walked through the restaurant, giggling stopping frequently for kisses or hugs. Alejandro led her to the side exit he used often to escape the press. His limo was already there and parked. He knocked on the tinted black windows and told the driver to let them in.
"Mi dulche. Estoy totalmente enamorado de tí." Alejandro whispered Spanish love phrases in her ear while his hands travelled all over her body. Heather moaned, she needed him as much as he needed her. She clutching him. His expensive cologne drove her wild the scent was as tantalizing and familiar as ever.
Alejandro took her to his house -the mayor's house. The limo crept around the circular driveway, complete with a large fountain in the middle and green lucious grass surrounding it.
Heather smirked and they rushed in through the large double doors together, into the large picturesque mansion. The grandiose staircase, chandeliers and marble floors passed by in a blur. That didn't matter because, God, Alejandro was here with her. And he was even more amazing than before. Even more amazing than when he was in his teens; his shoulders were a little wider, his voice was more velvety and masculine, his movements were a little more confident and purposeful.
Her black stilettos clicked against the hardwood floor between laughter and wet, urgent kisses. It had been too long. Heather hugged his arm as he led her around the hallways and corridors he knew so well. Finally he stopped pushed open the oak-wood door.
Heather smiled and walked in. Alejandro behind her, watching as she walked around the room and inspected it. Bookshelves lined the deep red walls, a large, dark mahogany desk; an equally large, leather chair behind it. It was fit for a king, it suited him.
Heather's head was slightly buzzing with alcohol as she walked to the dark desk and flung papers and pens to the ground, with a laugh, and promptly sat on the desk. She looked at him seductively as she touched her long curvy legs, that he used to love so much. Her legs were dangeling off the desk, hoping he still wanted her a third of much as she wanted him.
A thrill went up Heather's spine when she noticed his hungry gaze following her hand's movement as it brushed accross her legs. Alejandro looked at her so intense and needy Heather knew she still had this man wrapped around her finger; the knowledge excited her. She followed his eyes that lingered up her body from her slender legs, to her heaving chest, to her flushed face.
Licking her lips, she crossed and uncrossed her legs, teasing him. In a second, he had pounced on her, his hands attached to her hips, leaving wet hot trails of kisses down the column of her neck, and bunching up the black skirt above her thighs. Heather pulled at his tie and ripped his button up shirt open. Buttons popped off and bounced against the floor. She quickly unzipping his fly with her pedicured fingers.
When she stroked him, Alejandro moaned and whispered naughty words, lusty words to her in Spanish. His eyes closed, tight with passion.
Unexpectedly, an image popped into her mind about a raven haired girl and a green eyed boy who were hopelessly and madly in love with each other.
This wasn't all about power or sex. You never forget your first love, and neither of them had.
A/N: Thanks again for your help Spliced-Up-Angel betaing XO.