(This chapter is a prequel to the whole story, the first time Alex and Penny met)

I was late, very late. I had overslept my alarm causing me to get the later train from Washington DC to Richmond Virginia. I was still living in my apartment in Washington, I was in the process of moving down this week but I had one final interview with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, I had done my senior internship here and they had hired me after my senior year of college. I was guaranteed the job but for management, I still had to do the interview.

I wouldn't recommend running across the city in heels, I was going to have serious blisters. I could've used my old roommate and best friend's car but she hadn't had come in time so I had to take the train. Savannah and I had been best friends since we were ten, we went to the same high school, college and rented out a shared apartment, but Sav got a job with a publishing company in Quantico, so our time as roommates was sadly over.

I was lucky enough to snatch a studio loft twenty-five minutes away from the Museum. So I was close to Savannah which lessened our separation anxiety because we did have separation anxiety with each other.

As I skid into the museum and head for the elevators, I flatten down my outfit, a navy blue pencil skirt and a simple white blouse, my straight hair looked like I had just run a marathon because in some way I did. I knew I should've just taken my heels off, I'm actually an idiot.

Thankfully I made it just in time and the final interview had gone successful. I would be told I'd get an email by the end of next week about when I'd start and all those adult stuff. I was excited to have a real job at a place I love, working at a museum with beautiful art was technically a dream job of mine, my biggest was to own an art gallery-like, my mother. I wanted to it for her.

I called Savannah as I exited the museum, "Hey girl!" My best friend answers after the second ring.

"Well I made it on time, and it went very well so," I tell her and squeals. I laugh. Sav's enthusiasm could be matched for no one I knew. She can be a smiling and outgoing person at five am if she was given the chance.

"Well your apartment is all set and the movers came and gone," She tells me.

"Oh shit," I say as I walk down the stairs, wincing a bit at my feet, "also next time I have to run across the city, remind me to take off my heels," I sigh.

"Girl, you didn't take off your heels?" She questions in a serious tone.

"Don't scold me over the phone, I understand okay," I mumble and she sighs.

"Well there's no use you coming back to Washington, just chill out there," She says.

"Are you heading back?" I ask and she hums. "You are helping me unpack right?"

She chuckles, "of course I am, we don't need help with that, we've gotten this far just by the two of us,"

"Damn right," I say as I lean on the building of the museum. I slowly take off my heels and let out a pleasurable sigh.

"Ummm?" Savannah questions and I laugh.

"I just took off my heels, but since your coming down, want me to wait to buy food or?"

"I'll be a couple of hours so you can go ahead and buy some, I'll just pick up something when I'm closer," She tells me and I reply with an okay. "Hey Pen," she says in a softer tone.

"What's up?" I ask as I continue to walk down the street.

"Your parents would be so proud," she tells me. I stop in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Yea, thanks," I mumble as I blink and begin to walk again. We finish our phone call with quick goodbyes and see you later's. I headed for a deli shop that I loved, especially when I was an intern. I would just take a cab to my apartment later afterward.

I slowly shoved on my heels, wincing at the fact that I had to put the heels on again before I walked into the shop.

"Hey sweet thing, need help?" A voice calls out. I huff annoyed and turn my head, flicking my hair off my shoulder.

"No." I deadpan, the man raises his eyebrows as he sips on his coffee. He gives me a challenging stare and I glance over him, seeing a gun attached to his hip. "Don't you have to go do your job? Instead of hitting on a woman?" I question him and he smirks. "I'm sure you know all about harassment," I point out.

"Dude keep your dick in your pants," another voice says. I glance up to see another male walking towards the idiot and the black SUV. "I'm sorry for my partner, he's a real idiot," The male says, I couldn't see him underneath his Ray-Bans but from what I could see underneath the black t-shirt, cargo pants that he was extremely fit.

"Yea, great partner, real fucking dick," I mumble as I move past him and into the deli shop.

Men were disgusting, absolutely disgusting, that goes for all my past boyfriends. Not like I had many serious ones, one in high school and two within my four years of college, and even those ones weren't serious.

I bought myself my favorite sandwich and slide into a cab, heading for my new apartment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So he works with you?" I question Savannah confused as we continue to unpack the kitchen, both cradling glasses of wine.

"No!" She laughs, "he works in the building across, met him getting coffee,"

"Ew, he's a nine to five desk boy?" I tease and she whacks me with a dishtowel.

"No, not really. I'm not sure, he said it but it blew completely over my head,"

"Wow," I laugh.

"Well I'm sorry, I was mostly looking at how hot he is," She shrugs with a smirk and I chuckle.

"What's this dude's name again?"

"Edmund,"

"Sounds medieval," I murmur. "You wanna finally get serious after your hook up's?"

"Hey, I am a changed girl, I'm starting over," she shrugs. I close a cupboard and lean back on the counter.

"So it doesn't make sense why I have to come on this date," I begin.

"It's a double date," She rolls her eyes.

"You simply can't have a double date without a fourth," I point out.

"He's bringing a friend, that's how it fucking works," she laughs.

"Oh fun," I muse swirling my wine.

"He's an FBI agent apparently."

"Ouuuu, now that's fun, you should've said that," I tell her and she sticks out her tongue. "If this 'date'," I air quote date, "goes wrong I will never let you set me up on a date again,"

"You said that back in high school,"

"Exactly and look where it got us, three crappy boyfriends,"

"It's not really a date, I think I just mentioned you because I was nervous," she confesses. I gap.

"You pimped me out?? Sav!" I exclaim and she laughs. "This isn't funny! I'm not a whore for you,"

"Girl please, we all know that's wrong," she tells me.

"Great so this dude's friend and I are gonna be hardcore third and fourth wheeling?" I ask and she gives me an innocent shrug. "I hope your date knows he's pimping out his best friend too,"

"Oh come, it'll be fun," she waves me off. "Now go change so we can head to mine," she says and nudges me out of the kitchen.

Savannah and I had spent the majority unpacking everything and mostly everything was done, my couch would be delivered by the end of the week and my dining table would be here tomorrow. My room and kitchen were finished, and mostly all decorated. The only thing I haven't touched was my 'office' area which is gonna be my art room. It was just a small room behind my living room with a sliding door, that's all.

I sigh and push off the counter, "and while your changing, take the paint off your hands please," she tells me.

"No, the paint stays on, just be happy I'm even coming," I grumble.

"Okay fine," she sighs and I smile as I walk towards my new bedroom. I slipped out of my sweat pants and t-shirt into a simple flower dress with a high neckline and sleeves and shoved my feet into Doc Martens, my feet were still in pain from my heel marathon today and I knew they'd hurt for a good amount of time.

I hadn't seen my best friend be this nervous and giddy for a date in years, it was kind of funny. Sav wasn't known for relationships in college, she didn't sleep around like a lot but she had a few hookups here and there.

"I have circulation Sav, and I'd like my wrist to paint," I mumble as we near the diner-themed building. The classic-looking fifty's diner was cute and definitely fitting for a double date.

"Sorry, sorry," she sighs and stops us. "Oh god, what if I'm not ready for a relationship, what if I'm just doomed for hook up's?" She stresses. I laugh.

"Sav, you are seriously so nervous for this double date, like honestly, let's just go in there," I sigh and grab her arm, pulling her forward. We enter and soon I see a male waving us down, I glance over him and his black hair, brown eyes. It was no wonder my best friend was obsessed with him, his brown eyes soften as we approach them and anyone could melt immediately.

We go through formal greetings "I'm sorry, my friend. He got stuck at headquarters, FBI agents, you'd think he'd have a better grasp at time management?" Edmund tells me with a light smile.

"That's fine," I shrug, "not my date," I joke and Savannah kicks me. "But I mean he is an FBI agent so that's a busy job?" I question. The male across from Savannah in the booth nods.

I clasp my hands on the table and lean forward, "so Edmund, tell me what you do," I smile. I use to love to intimidate Sav's one-night stands when they'd walk out.

"Fuck I'm sorry," a new male voice says and I glance up to see him slide into the booth beside Edmund. His navy t-shirt hugged his biceps and chest well and I cursed myself silently.

"Oh yea, it's heels." The man says. I make a disgusted look and tilt my head.

"You two know each other?" Savannah asks.

"You were the girl from today in front of the deli shop, putting on her heels. My idiot partner cat called you,"

"He did?" Edmund says shocked, "Matt's never been able to keep it in."

"Yea I didn't appreciate the catcalling and I'm Penny, not heels," I tell the man sitting across me. He had the audacity to smirk.

"Alexander but I go by Alex," he winks at me.

"Oh god, strap it in," Savannah rolls her eyes with a chuckle.

"Alex is a womanizer," Edmund chuckles.

"Yeah no shit," I nod, "so is his partner," I tilt my head and Alex smirks again.

"Matt is switching teams so you'll only have me to flirt with you Pens," he winks at me, again. Oh god.

I cringe and sit back "please I wouldn't want you to flirt with me, I'm not your type,"

Alex snorts a laugh, "not your type? How would you know that?"

"I'm not the type that's gonna fall onto my knees and beg you to give me attention," I tell him and lean forward, "I am not your type so pack it in,"

Alex leans forward on the table as well "bold of you to assume I'm going to pack it in,"

"Bold of you to assume I'm just another girl on your bedpost you can flirt your way to get inside their pants,"

"I'd love to see that pretty ass in pants," he says, glancing down at me, "personally the dress is too modest,"

"Please," I scoff, "you wish you could see all this," I say gesturing towards my body.

"Pretty, I will be seeing it, you just don't wanna admit it, and I know you wanna see all of this, every girl does," His eyes flicker with humor and lust.

"All I'm going to admit is that you are narcissistic and egotistic and you think way too highly of yourself," I flash him a fake smile before leaning back.

"Okay, I've never met anyone who is as bold as you Penny," Edmund chuckles, "I like her," he tells Savannah.

"Yeah me too," Savannah chuckles. I watch as Alex flickers down to my hands.

"You get down and dirty Pens?" He tilts his head. I roll my eyes.

"It's Penny, Xander," I mock and I actually see his jaw tick at his nickname I dubbed him, "I'm an artist,"

"So is every five years old," He scoffs.

"I'm fucking good at it thank you for much," I tell him. "I find you infuriating," I tell him.

"I'll be here all night Pens," He says tapping the table.

"Joy," I mumble and turn to my best friend, she gives me a pleading look and I sigh. I stick it out for my best friend and silently hope she and Edmund don't last long even if Edmund was a classic gentleman.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I swing my long blonde curly hair off my shoulders as I round the corner and I was stopped by a crowd of people "fuck," I mumble as I slowly push my way through to a barricade.

"What's going on?" I ask a police officer in front of me.

"detected bomb," He tells me.

"What?" I exclaim, "I have to get to work,"

"This road is closed off,"

"The whole road?" I question and he nods. I mumble a small great and pull out my phone. I text my co-corker, Lea who I've recently made friends with before calling my manager, she had told me a few people would be late, and don't stress about it.

"Folks! We are gonna need you all to clear back!" A police office yells as they push the crowd back, including me. This was unbelievable, this was something in a movie I swear. A few black SUVs pull up just as the police finished pushing us back.

The ones in the SUV's pile out and I watch them, this was definitely a movie scene. To my utter surprise, I spot Alex coming around the SUV, slipping on a pair of sunglasses. I hated to admit but he looked good in his work outfit, and the FBI vest on his chest looked so good on him.

Alex and a woman, look towards us and nod before stepping away from the older male "Penny!" A voice exclaims, I turn and see Rachel, another co-worker rush up to me.

"Folks!" I hear Alex's voice, again I hated to admit it but it made my knees want to clash together. "We understand your frustration," he begins and I turn back to him.

"Some of us have work to do!" Someone yells and I roll my eyes.

"Yes, we understand, and the road will hopefully be open in a few minutes" Alex assures. "We just need your patience!" Alex smiles and everyone grumbles.

Alex and the woman he was with, glance at each other and move to the side, closer to me.

"Copy," The woman says before turning to Alex, "sucker," She taunts him. Alex flips her off with a chuckle before she walks away.

"So when the hell are we gonna be let through?" An annoyed voice asks. I roll my eyes.

"Why don't you go and try to defuse a bomb?" I snap turning to the man behind me, he was probably around my age. I low chuckle comes from behind me and I turn around. "Something funny?" I ask.

"Course not Pens," Alex smirks and crosses his arms. "Just that, are you a firecracker to everyone?" He asks.

"No Xander," I mock, "just to people who can't under my skin, like you," I point out and my co-worker Rachel stifles a laugh beside me.

"I can surely get under your skin pretty, make it my own that is," he shrugs and I roll my eyes. I don't miss how his head moves down and up, clearly checking me out.

"Don't you have a job to do?" The same annoying voice asks. I roll my eyes. Alex sighs and takes off his sunglasses.

"My job, is to make sure the crowd, which includes you doesn't leave this barricade," he points to the barricade we were behind, "but if you'd love to go ahead and trigger off the bombs that are most likely placed on this street, please go right ahead."

I hold on to my own laughter and turn to the annoying man, "you might as while go ahead and run it nude," I tip my head back towards the road. The man looks between Alex and me and shakes his head, scoffing.

"He either doesn't have a hot body or he's realized he's been one-upped by a girl." I turn to Rachel and she chuckles.

"I'll gladly run it nude Pens if you promise to give me a nude catwalk," Alex smirks picking up the walkie on his shoulder and I flip him off as he walks away.

Alexander Phillips may be a pain in my ass but god damn he can keep up with my fiery personality, and his ass was fine as hell but I wouldn't tell him that even if I was held at gunpoint.