One Of A Kind
~
May 1st, 2019
New York, New York
New York Public Library

Third P.O.V.

10:29 pm.

Alia was promised to be picked up by one of her friends, Tamara, outside the library she was studying at all day.

Some birthday; she thought.

Her phone buzzed which caught her attention. One of her arms was wrapped around her midriff. She wore a crop-top with a cardigan carelessly thrown over her shoulders. She underestimated the city's weather today, and she regretted it deeply.

"Oh, come on!" She muttered, seeing a text received from Tamara.

Tamara Hudson: I am SO sorry, but something came up and I can't pick you up! I'll tell you in person, but it's an emergency.

Alia groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. She wasn't sure what was going to be her back-up transportation.

Tamara Hudson: I'm sure you don't have money for a ride because your parents thought you were spending too much, so I'm going to send you some. I owe you that much at least.

Tamara Hudson has sent you $50 for: Ride for Home

Alia felt immediately guilty once she received the notification. She wanted to send the money back, but Tamara was right. Alia's parents took away her debit card privileges. She does admit to herself that she did spend over the limit her parents set for her a few times. She knew that the city was too dangerous for her when the sunlight falls from the sky.

She finally decided to order a ride home. The wait was five minutes which was surprisingly faster than usual. When she saw that her driver was on her way, she exited from the app to text Tamara once again. Alia thanked her, promising she would payback. She told her to take care and don't worry about tonight.

Alia leaned against the wall that belonged to the closed library. She wished it didn't close early tonight, but the man who was the owner of the library had an emergency came up. It seemed that everyone was beginning to face personal emergencies at the wrong time for Alia. Deep
down, she did seem irritated, but she did understand. She was upset at the timings instead of the people.

Her phone buzzed, notifying her that her driver is near and about to pick her up. She examined the type of car and driver for her to identify as soon as the car pulls up. Her desire was to go home and sleep in her soft-warm bed.

The drive was longer than anticipated, but anyone driving in the city feels the same way. There's always traffic no matter the time. She glanced at her phone, seeing her music play and the time. She mentally groaned at how late it was getting. Her parents would be incredibly upset with her if they spot her sneaking back in.

She leaned her head against the passenger window, having the city flash before her eyes. Her fingers hovered over her phone screen, waiting for a text message from a certain someone. Yes, she was young, but being a vixen ran in her family starting from her ancestors. The women in the Paxton family could have a man easily wrapped around their finger, and their man would have no complaints. Even from her father's side, they were quite the ladies' man themselves. Her whole family was scandalous.

She unlocked her phone to go into her and Xavier's private chat. He was incredibly shy, but Alia was sure he's aware of the fact that how much of an effect he has on other girls. He couldn't be blindsided on that true of a fact.

And she was proud to admit to herself that she was one of those girls.

The last message was sent by her which was almost an hour ago. She sighed in defeat knowing he hasn't seen it yet. She was fiddling with her thumbs hovering over the keyboard that displayed on her screen. She was deciding if she should double text, but that would make her seem like an idiot.

But then again, she was proud to be his idiot, if anything.

She shook her head softly at her cringe-full thoughts that were swarming her mind. She couldn't help herself to which she softly grinned at the thought.

Her eyes glanced outside, noticing that she arrived in her neighborhood. She pulled her backpack closer as they neared the security gate into the neighborhood that belonged in Great Neck, New York.

"Dropping me here is great." She clarified to the driver. He nodded with no other verbal response. She was relieved that her driver didn't converse at all. She didn't like to talk to many people at night. Already, she was too exhausted to breathe, so she wouldn't be capable of holding up a conversation.

The driver stopped the vehicle right in front of the security gate. She stepped out and threw her backpack over her shoulders before closing the door. As the car began to drive off, she typed in the security passcode on the keypad. She glanced down at her phone when a notification popped up. She clicked five stars for her driver as the gates slowly opened for her to walk in. At this time, she was thankful her house was nowhere near the end of the neighborhood.

She treaded dreadfully as slumber began to consume her body. She yawned, covering her mouth as her eyes felt droopy.

She unlocked the gate that sat around her family's wealthy mansion. She inferred she would be alone since her parents were away on a business trip. They promised to come for the weekend to celebrate their last child's birthday. She wasn't sure if Norah was home with Luca. Even if they were, she figured they would be asleep, anyway.

She reached her doorstep before grabbing out her keys. When she stepped inside, the whole resident was living in the dark with her keys jangling echoing throughout. She softly closed the door as she noticed a dimmed light down the hallway. She made her way after dropping off her backpack.

Norah sat in her skimpy nightgown as she sipped from her water bottle. "You're incredibly late. Maybe, think of shooting a text my way next time?" She suggested as she raised her eyebrows. Alia sighed before explaining herself. She knew she was in trouble at this moment, but she couldn't help the time go by fast.

"I'll do it next time," Alia mumbled, answering Norah's rhetorical question. Norah nodded her head before standing up. "You have a package in your room, by the way. It's pretty big."

Alia's eyebrows join together for a moment. "I didn't order anything." She mumbled. Norah shrugged her shoulders. "It has your name on it."

Norah walked off slowly with a slight limp. Alia's faced scrunched as she figured out why her sister was walking the way she was. Alia may turn fifteen, but she still had desires she wished she had. Her hormones were changing, so she could barely help herself.

She grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and several grapes to snack on her way to her bedroom. She turned off the light and grabbed her bag where she left it in the main corridor.

Her bag felt as if she was carrying bricks. She had her laptop, a couple of textbooks she dreaded to carry, and her supplies along with her beauty essential such as perfume.

Once she made it to her bedroom door, her eyebrows furrowed on the birthday card that was taped to her door. She carefully tore it off. She tried to open her door, but the door was locked. She groaned, thinking, "Who would lock her door? Seriously, at this time?" She slumped against the door before her eyes went back to the card.

She slowly slides it out of the envelope, seeing the card filled with glittery hearts. She smiled as the front read, "To the girl who has changed my life drastically, in the best way possible." Alia bit her lip as her cheeks felt warmer than before. She flipped the card, having a key fall out. The key seemed similar to her doorknob's lock. Her eyebrows furrowed before she held up the key. As she was about to open the door, her eyes caught "Don't open your door yet!" written at the top of the card.

Her eyes flew over the words that had been in someone's familiar handwriting. She felt all giddy when she knew who exactly was behind this.

"The day you stepped into my life was truly a blessing. From that day on, you've brightened my world each and every day.

I'm grateful to know the beautiful person that you are, inside and out. Without you, where would I be?

If ever we part, I wish for our paths to cross once again, and to never say goodbyes.

Happy 15th Birthday, Beautiful.", with a small heart drawn at the end. On the bottom, "From your secret admirer" was written and she giggled before sniffling. She didn't realize her eyes were glossy until she felt a tear threatening to drop onto her rosy cheeks.

"Now you may open the door." With a drawn winking emoticon next to it. She carefully unlocked her door.

As she pushed it open, she couldn't help but gasp at what was before her eyes. Her bed was covered with bellflowers with a white small gift box wrapped with a red bow atop. She dropped her bag next to her chair and gently closed her door before locking it. She placed her previous birthday card on her dresser before her eyes catch the small little chocolate kisses mixed with small daises spread across the surface. Alia pursed her lips as her fingers brushed against the gentle flowers. heartfelt it was racing, and she liked every second of it.

She leans over her bed to grab the gift. She sat down in the chair that was placed in one corner of her room. As she pulls the lid, she's met with a small note laying on top of the parchment paper covered gift.

"For the girl who deserves more." She found her fingers carefully unveiling the gift before she gasped.

There it was, the eye-blinding, yet eye-catching items of jewelry. Her fingers carefully picked up the delicate bracelet filled with diamonds. Even from her low lit room, you could see the jewel sparkle under the light. She but her lip, inspecting the bracelet before her eyes caught the matching set which included a necklace and small pair of earrings.

She sat in her room in awe. Her blurred vision shot between the note and the sparkly set that he had gotten for her.

At this moment, she knew her secret admirer caught her heart completely.

• • •

i shouldn't be posting where i am now LOL i'm actually at work as we speak! but i'm not going to leave you guys hanging! now we are done with xavier's life for a bit and focus on vera because after all that's who the story is based on!

looking forward to the next chapter because the next one is all on the met gala!!!!

love you all and i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! happy early thanksgiving and black friday! i'm curious to know what you guys are going to do for thanksgiving 2019!

thank you for the support once again!!!

Don't forget to Vote, Comment, and Share!

- alli