Chapter One: Back To Life

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     It was safe to say Amanza stood out in a crowd of people; specifically to a man.  There was something about her that entranced men like the sirens at sea.  This was an accurate assumption since she was very defensive about herself and only allowed herself to get close in order to get what she wanted.  But this night was headed in a direction she very much did not want it to.  Abort mission.

     "Men," Amanza scoffed to herself, watching as the man whom she just turned down angrily walked away from her.  She was outside on the patio of a nice bar that seemed to be pretty busy and popular.  Not that she'd ever even set foot inside, but she'd been frequenting the area as of late.

     "I hear you," one of the bartenders said.  "Would you like a drink?"

     Amanza found herself nodding almost instantly.  "Several, please."

     An hour later, she was sitting comfortably inside the bar, watching people come and go.  Amanza never much worried about being on her own, she was so used to it.  Sitting alone in a crowded room was nothing.

     It wasn't long before she spotted him, and boy was she glad she saw him before he saw her.  He was obviously running late for his shift, rolling up his sleeves frantically as Amanza glared at the time on her golden wristwatch.

     Normally, when someone sees their ex in public they would get flustered, but Amanza wasn't your ordinary girl.  Instead of her face turning beat red, becoming a stuttering mess, she made a plan.  She assessed her exits, and within seconds, she was gone from the corner booth she had been sitting in... like she was never there in the first place.

     Amanza shook her head as she hurried around the corner, but she was caught off guard when she ran into the chest of a thicker man.  Sully.  Her eyebrows knitted together in disbelief.  "What are you doing here?"  She wasn't sure why she asked.  She already knew.

     She took a step back as Sully started talking.  "Thought I'd talk to him."

     "He doesn't even know who you are," Amanza shook her head.

     "Well, he doesn't know who you are either," Sully countered, tilting his head as he watched the girl's face drop.  "To be fair."

     "Leave him alone.  Hasn't he been through enough?"

     "He's got the answers," Sully shrugged.  "We've talked about this before."

     "You're messed up in the head, old man."

     Sully sucked his teeth.  "Why don't we tag team him?"

     After a moment of thought, Amanza spoke up again.  "What is this, a game to you?"

     "No, it's a game to you," Sully said with pointed eyebrows.  He was right; in all the time he'd known her, Amanza Cortez had been nothing but an adrenaline junkie who loved making games out of the most ordinary things.  But this wasn't just a game anymore, it was Nathan's life.  "Isn't it?"

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     "Not him," she said so quietly that Sully barely heard her.

     "We need the key."

     "You need the key," Amanza shook her head.  "I don't want any part of this."

     "Look, either way, I'm going to talk to him, and tell him what I know," Sully said, stepping closer to Amanza.  Her heart pounded hard at the thought of Sully sitting down and telling Nathan everything he knew — which she knew if it came from his mouth then he wouldn't be good.  If Nathan was going to forever look at her differently, she at least wanted a say in it.

     "At least let me talk to him, yeah?  Before you start filling his head with nonsense?"

     Sully put his hands up to his chest, palms out.  "Go right ahead."

     Amanza gave the man one more uneasy look before turning right around and marching her ass back to the bar where Nathan was working, where she had just been.  This time 'round, she was going to have a more watchful eye out.  This time 'round, things would be different.

     Whatever helped her sleep at night.

     Amanza balled her hands into fists at her sides, digging her short fingernails into her palms as she tried to calm her nerves.  Who would have known stumbling in the bar for a drink would result in running into him again, he with his rolled-up sleeves behind the counter, showcasing his fit figure.  She had no idea he would be there.  Like absolutely zero.  But she should have known.  There was no way she could have, but she still wanted to slap herself for putting herself in this situation now.

     If only she never lied to him in the first place.

     Amanza watched from the distance as he talked to some blonde at the countertop.  She rolled her eyes, blonde girls always found their way toward him.  But this one was different, this one was dressed head to toe in daddy's money — and she was sure Nathan took note of that fact too.

     She then decided to sit on the patio outside, occupying a table in the corner where she hopefully wouldn't be spotted for just a moment longer.  Anything to stall talking to Nathan.

     Eventually, Nathan made an appearance, when most of the drunken girls found their way into taxi cabs and the rush hour was over.  Hardly anyone was coming or going, only a couple of people lingering around with friends or dates at spaced out tables.  Nathan took this as his time to tend to the tables, taking a damp towel to the tabletops outside, wiping up spilt cocktails and rings of alcohol.

     The blonde girl from earlier sat by herself as well, bringing a cigarette to her lips.  "Here," Nathan offered.  "Come on."

     Amanza watched as Nathan offered to light it for her, her neat eyebrows knitting together as he came closer, bringing his trusty lighter to her face. Amanza could recognize that lighter anywhere — it was one of the last things he had from his childhood, that and the necklace that always adorned his neck.  

     "Y-You know what?  It's for the best.  I've been trying to quit," the blonde girl said when his lighter wasn't working.

     "Well, maybe it's a sign," Nathan smiled.  Amanza rolled her eyes.

     "Or maybe you just need to get one that works," the girl retorted.

     "This old thing?  Oh, it works."

     Amanza had been watching every move his hands made so she was able to catch the moment he slipped the girl's bracelet off her wrist.  Gotcha.

     Nathan chuckled as he slipped his trusty lighter back into his pocket.  As he tried to walk back inside, he was stopped by the raven-haired girl sitting with her legs crossed sitting at the table in the corner.  Nathan stopped immediately in his tracks as he took in her appearance; long hair pulled into a tight ponytail, silver hoops, glossy dark red lips, a white tank top tucked into black pants, black pants that accentuated her white heels.  Surprise, surprise.

     "Classy."

     Stunned where he stood, he struggled to find the words — any words.  "Wh... what are you doing here?"

     "I always loved a good vodka tonic," Amanza shrugged as if this was a regular occurrence.

     Nathan shook his head.  "You hate vodka tonic."

     Amanza stared at him.  "I could like vodka tonic."

     "You came all the way down this way for a... vodka tonic?"

     "Among other things," she said, folding her hands together on the table in front of her.  "By the way, I saw that."

     "You didn't see anything," Nathan maintained.  "Go home, Amanza."

     "Sure wish I could, but I need to talk to you about something," Amanza batted her eyes.

     Nathan ignored her as best as he could, but Amanza could see his body stuttering just from her presence.  "What could possibly be so important right now?"

    Amanza's devilish lips curled into a smirk.  "Oh, wouldn't you like to know?  There's a big job that's going to go down, and we need your help.  There's a man sitting inside who's going to tell you about it."






yayy some amanza/sully content to see how they work together and amanza/nate reuniting!! jeez i wonder what happens next...

yayy some amanza/sully content to see how they work together and amanza/nate reuniting!! jeez i wonder what happens next

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