Chapter Text
1978 - December
Nyx Alandros had never seen a kilo of cocaine. She’d not felt the iron grip a hunk of white powder had over Miami. Her and her virgin nose were happy with knowing nothing about it. Blissfully ignorant, even. Alcina fucking Dimitrescu ruined that.
One could describe Nyx’s life as pedestrian - nothing to write home about. A 26-year-old woman living in Miami, Florida with courageous aspirations of becoming the proud owner of Alandros Business Accounting once her father, Paul, passed it down to her. Until then, she was happy going over the accounts behind closed doors, crunching the numbers and informing her father if they just didn’t add up. She could even be labeled as their client’s saving grace during tax season.
“Nyx, it’s a crime those cheekbones weren’t used for modeling in Vogue. You’ve done your mother, the great Lucy Alandros, a disservice.” Her friend Rosalie was sitting on the edge of the couch with a cigarette dangling between two fingers. She’d been holding a magazine up and comparing Nyx’s neutral facial expression to that of the models for the past 15 minutes. Nyx had yet to leave the entryway of the front door due to Rosalie stating the light was better by the door.
Stacy, her best friend, joined in on the teasing from the kitchen. “I second that statement. Your green eyes always hold a question you don’t seem to voice. You’re observant and expressionless.”
Nyx raised her hands in surrender. She’d already been told several times that month she looked exactly like the female version of Eric Roberts from the new movie ‘King of the Gypsies’; unsure how to take a compliment that she looked good as a female version of a man. “I can’t just change my career path now. Alandros Business Accounting will need me one day, and I’m there to answer the call.”
Both of her friends giggled before Stacy continued, “That’s very ‘ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country’ of you, which is off-putting, for sure.”
She rolled her eyes, very aware that she wasn’t winning their argument. “I’m not-”
“Oh, we’re just teasing you. Sit down already, Beth should be back from Family Video any second with the movie.” Stacy left the kitchen with a large bowl of popcorn, placing a 6 pack of beer on her coffee table next to the bowl.
The group had movie nights every Friday once each had finished work. It was Beth’s turn to pick the movie and Stacy’s turn to host them. They had done this tradition since they’d all graduated from Miami University and had fought to remain in each other’s lives. So, Fridays were movie night and Saturdays, on occasion, were when they’d hit the clubs on the strip.
Nyx removed her shoes, adjusting the belt around her high waisted jeans and pulling on her tucked in shirt to loosen it. She sat on the floor with her back to the front of the couch, her legs extended out underneath the coffee table.
Rosalie smiled down at her, squeezing her shoulder in greeting. She extended her cigarette down to Nyx’s lips, holding it as Nyx slotted the filter between her lips and took a drag. As she exhaled, Rosalie leaned down, her black hair curtaining around them as she used two fingers to push Nyx’s chin up to force her head back. The stream of smoke blew directly into Rosalie’s face.
Nyx’s cheeks burned as Rosalie smirked down at her, leaning back into the cushions of the couch to create space. Rosalie had always been an odd one in Nyx’s book. She’d been friends with Stacy first, since childhood in fact, but neither labeled the other as their best friend. Nyx had found it best she kept her distance from her. Rosalie had a fast tongue, wandering eyes, and a smirk that gave away her intentions.
“Rosalie, quit being weird with Nyx. Either you fully kiss her on the mouth, or you leave her alone. Don’t go playing with her heart or you’ll have an ashtray thrown at you.”
Rosalie giggled, taking another inhale of the cigarette with a wink directed towards Nyx. Stacy forced herself between them as she finally sat down, her fingers squeezing the back of Nyx’s neck in a greeting. Nyx glanced back at her, offering a smile.
“How were the kids today?” Nyx asked, grabbing a beer from the pack. She opened it and extended it for Stacy to take.
Stacy groaned, shaking her head. “They were very excited for break. I had a kid throw his textbook out the window because he didn’t think they would be coming back in January.”
She opened her own beer as she laughed. Stacy was in her second year of teaching third graders in the public school system. To say she had crazy stories was an understatement. There were fights, kids smoking, and parents that dropped their kids off at school and never showed back up.
The front door opened, Beth stepping in with a bag from Family Video in her hands. Her long blonde hair was swept back as she pulled the VHS tape from the bag. All three women on the couch stared at the movie choice with raised eyebrows.
“The Godfather? I thought you’d said you were looking at Halloween or Grease.” Stacy had been the one to vocalize her confusion at the choice.
Beth looked at the VHS tape then back at the group. “The guy at the counter said it’s best to watch with someone else! He also gave me his number, though, so now I don’t know if he was just flirting with me.”
All women groaned at that, Rosalie grabbing a handful of popcorn and hurling it at Beth. “Beth, you tin can, either you get a man soon or we’re all going to reap the consequences.”
“Oh please, like you’re one to talk. All you want to do is is kiss every guy that talks to you but commit to none of them.”
Rosalie freed a beer from the plastic holder and cracked it open. “I like to keep my options open. Keeps me-”
“Yeah, you like to keep your options for men open while holding out hope Nyx will fall in love with you.” Stacy retorted, tipping the bottom of the can up to spill some beer on her.
Rosalie groaned, wiping the alcohol from her jacket. “What’s my status on that, Nyx?”
“Not even close.”
Rosalie slapped her knee in mock frustration. “Damn. It’s an uphill battle, that’s for sure.”
Beth still remained by the door, dusting the popcorn kernels from her clothing. “Should I go back to the store then? I can bring one of you with me-”
“No, just pop it in. Come sit, don’t forget to take your shoes off.” Stacy tapped Nyx’s shoulder to hand her the TV remote. Once it was passed back, the tape was rewinded to ensure it was set at the beginning before they started the movie.
Rosalie and Beth had fallen asleep on the couch, Stacy and Nyx lounging on Stacy’s bed with an ashtray between them and a shared cigarette. Nyx was holding it, exhaling the smoke through her nostrils.
“Is Rosalie too much? I can ask her to back off.” Stacy was winding a strand of her long red hair around her finger. Her hazel eyes were watching Nyx with a familiar warmth.
Nyx sighed, passing back the cigarette. “No, I’m used to it by now. If I’m being honest, the attention is nice since I’m not getting it from anyone else at the moment.”
Stacy flicked the ash into the ashtray with a nod. “You remember what I said, right? She’s the one you don’t want to fall for. I’ve known her long enough to see that it doesn’t end well.”
Nyx turned to lay on the back, staring up at the popcorn ceiling. “I know, there’s no attraction towards her from me. It’s just endearing, is all.”
“I think it helps that you don’t reciprocate the advances. If you did, I think she’d be actually heartbroken. You’re just this thing that she can’t have but likes to fantasize about.”
She nodded, reaching her hand back to support her head on the bed. Nyx had never considered Rosalie an option and had been resolute with that decision. Rosalie was not a lover Nyx wanted to add to her list.
She turned to watch Stacy as she exhaled a stream of smoke toward the ceiling. “What about that guy at the school you liked? The fifth-grade teacher.”
Stacy chuckled, snubbing the cigarette out in the ashtray. “Found out he’s married with a kid on the way.”
Nyx audibly groaned, “I swear it’s like you have a talent in find married men itching to step out on their marriages.”
Stacy giggled, moving the ashtray before she leaned over and slapped Nyx’s stomach to make her tense up. “It’s not like I mean to! I asked him if he was married on the first date and he’d told me no. I just need a private investigator on standby to actively investigate each guy I talk to.”
“Wow, you’d keep him in business for an entire year, then.”
Another slap. “Nyx! Not everyone has people yearning for them.”
“Rosalie is not yearning for me.”
Stacy scooted closer to Nyx, laying on her side to face her. “Rosalie has her own intentions, I think. Has anyone else caught your eye at all?”
Nyx extended her arm out, encouraging Stacy closer to lay her head on her chest. Stacy moved closer, keeping her head on Nyx’s shoulder as her arm draped over her stomach. “I go to work at my father’s office then go home. I haven’t seen anyone that’s caught my eye during the times we do go out. It doesn’t bother me, though. I like my independence.”
She felt Stacy nod against her. “There’s no rush.”
“There’s always a rush. My parents would like to see me married off at some point.”
Her best friend scooted closer, offering Nyx her presence as reassurance. “And I’d like to see you happy. It’s clear one of those things is more important to you than the other. Either way, you and I both know a woman will be occupying your mind at night, even if a man were in your bed.”