The Alpha Prince Next Door.

Asteria's POV. " Mandy you can't keep hoarding your customers on me. I've got places to be" I teased the only other person I ever conversed with. My friend Mandy. Mandy and I had been working in this coffee restaurant for the past 5years. We had grown incredibly close and she made working here easier. " I'm sorry doll. You know I would have done it if I can. I have some interesting customers coming in at the club today" she replied still applying more lipstick on her already painted lips. Mandy works at the restaurant during the day and at a Stripper's club doing the night. She had invited me severally but there was just somethings I could never do. I was not always like this; reserved and scared to try new things but then again, life happened. " Are you going to come watch me?" She asked. " I would have, but I'm just going to sleep. Bobby said that more people were going to be coming in plus you know I'm house hunting" Bobby was our boss, a breath of fresh air from the other bosses in Golden city. He was like a big brother to both Mandy and I. " Yeah about that. How is it going? You know with the house hunting?" Mandy asked " I found a house, but it's rumored to he haunted with ghosts which is ridiculous but the rent is low so I'm going to check it today" I replied. I have been house hunting ever since Jude and I broke up. I needed to get away from him. " Doll why would you want to leave in a house rumored to have ghosts in them?" Mandy asked looking at me worriedly. " Mandy bee, do you really think stuff like that exist? Besides the rent is cheaper than most house in the city, I'm not passing such opportunity babes" I shrugged as I stood sorting out cups" " Has He called again?" Mandy asked me. The 'He' being my abusive ex boyfriend who I wasted the 3 years of my life dating only for him to cheat on me and when I caught him, he beat me instead. " No Mandy, and I hope to the heavens that he doesn't ever again. " " If I see him as close as two feet to you, I'm going to cut his balls off, he better not try me" Mandy stated. I laughed loudly because I knew she could do it. Mandy was my other half, I loved her so much. " Okay right now, I've got to go doll. I promise to pack some makeup things from our room today. Wish me luck" she kissed my cheek and she was off. I wish I was daring like Mandy. I wish I was able to live my past behind and all the voices in my head and just breathe. Baking helped me sometimes; most times especially during my relationship with Jude. He always complained when I baked saying that I always made a mess of our kitchen; the kitchen we both paid for. I remember a night before his birthday I stood up all night to bake his favorite cake only for him to wake up during the day to tell me he didn't like it. He didn't even as much as spare a glance to the cake and was out all day doing God knows what, and now I was so sure that he was out cheating on me. This was the little amongst the many things I had to endure in my past relationships. It even got worse after my grandmother died. It was bearable living with my mother when my grandmother was around but then she died. Things took a turn for the worst. My mother burnt all my baking books, especially the ones my grandmother gave me. She disposed all my utensils and my father just sat and let her do what she pleased. He had never for once stood up against my mother when I was being shouted at and bullied. I could not take it anymore so I ran. I ran as far as my legs could take me and I found myself in Golden city, into the hands of another abuser. For seven years I had been in this city. It didn't get any easier from there but that would be another day's story. Customers kept trolling in and out and since it was just myself and Kyle, we were not so fast. Kyle was just as lonely as I was, he hardly said anything to Mandy or I and just worked. He was a young boy in his early twenties and I wondered why he was not out partying and chasing girls like his mates were doing. I have tried severally to converse with him but he always seemed uninterested. The only time I saw a smile on his face was when I baked for the first time for him. He smiled so bright and took all the cupcakes not keeping anyone. It made me happy and even though he still didn't talk, each time I baked, he ate it with gratitude and just seeing the smile on his face made me happy. The day was finally over and I breathed a great sigh of relief at the late nights air. I loved the darkness that the night brought. It made my head empty and made me believe that someday things would be fine in my life. That I would not be this lonely, I would have someone who would love me to death and always be around whenever I called. These had been my wishes since I was a little girl, I had always believed in love and finding the one for you but I had never gotten such luck. I was beautiful no doubt, men always came knocking at my door, but they all wanted the same thing. To smash; I would have been all for the attention if I was younger but I was no longer the young girl I use to be. I was no longer the confident Asteria that every girl in the neighborhood wanted to be like, that every guy wanted to date. My light had deemed and I didn't think it would come back up again. Today was the day I would be moving into my new house. I had paid for everything and since today was my day off, I decided to move in today. The house was on the rich side which was in contrast to the rent I was paying. However I didn't mind, I just wanted to move as soon as possible to a place Jude would never find me. If there were ghosts then I might as well be living with them. The house beside mine was said to be occupied but no one had ever seen who was behind the doors. But I was going to change that. It was just as if I was leaving in that whole block alone. I had not seen the sight of my neighbor, not even by mistake or coincidentally. The only way I knew someone was living in the house was the constant banging I heard at exactly 1am every morning. I was tempted severally to knock on the door and demand to know who I was sharing a block with and how someone could be cooked up in a house for weeks unend. " So you are telling me that for weeks now, since you moved, you haven't seen your neighbor but you hear a constant banging at 1am in the morning?" Mandy asked me after I finished ranting about it to her. Frankly speaking I should not be bothered, it wasn't my business but I was known for being nosy plus it was my block, I needed to know whoever the person was and if he or she or them were fine. " Well that's awfully strange. Who would want to be cooked up in a house for weeks without seeing sunlight" she replied " Right? I can't seem to understand it. What if they were vampires, you know vampires hated sunlight?" " I'll say you should cut down on your love for twilight doll, such things do not exist" Mandy scolded as she stood cleaning trays and glasses. " You can never tell Mandy bee" I replied. " Or Maybe they are ghost, you know since you said the house was being haunted by ghosts" Mandy replied whisking her head to look around my house in search of the so-called ghosts. I shook my head at her scoffing loudly. Today was just like every other day, customers trolling in and out of the restaurant, some men chatting with Mandy and I, most men offering to buy us drinks if we followed them to parties or their homes. You know the usual. I was getting bored of the routine, but I had no other choice and I had Mandy and Bobby to help in case I needed their help. Customers had relatively died down so we had some time to ourselves. " I have an idea" Mandy blurted out to me the previous day. " Please let it not be one of your crazy ideas Mandy, I'm really not in the mood" I smiled warmly at her. Mandy was known for giving crazy ideas or advises that has put us in not one, but many troubles. There was a particular time a guy hit on me and I refused, he then proceeded to pour his drinks on me in his anger. Mandy saw it and refused to let it rest. She coerced me in jumping into his house, don't ask me how she found his house, she just did. So we broke in and broke his car glass, bursted his tires and ruined his Windows. Mandy took a video of it and posted it animously on a group that was filled with rich men which the bastard happened to be one of. Those were moments before I became a mess. Now tell me to do something like that and I'd cry in your face. " No trust me. It's something you'd loveee to do" she replied betting her eyes on me. " Fine. Shoot" I replied turning to face her completely. " You said you only hear bangs at a particular time right?" I nodded my head for her to continue. " So I was thinking you know how your cupcakes can literally wake the dead?" I let out a laugh at her complement shaking my head softly. Mandy loved my cupcakes, she had always told me that whenever I was ready to open a bakery or cake shop, she would give all her savings plus her boobs that she loved so much to make it happen. God I loved her. " As I was saying. Your cupcakes are to die for, why not bake whoever your neighbor is some. You can never know that might be the thing that would draw you guys together" I was surprised it was Mandy that was giving an advice as this. Mandy was a woman with a large heart but she never took s**t from anyone especially men, she could smack you in the face if you as much as looked at her or me wrongly. Her advice was entirely me, I wondered how I never thought about it. It was something I would have entirely done if it had crossed my mind. I mean I made the ever frowning Kyle smile even if it was just twice a week. I smiled brightly at her, my heart exploding with joy at how happy I was. Each time I had to bake cake for someone I was always excited, the look on their face and the comments I received afterwards, whether good or bad was something I was always looking forward to. Mandy was uncomfortable with my constant staring and the grin on my face so she scoffed whispering a little "what"?. " I can't believe I never thought of that. I mean I'm grateful you did Mandy bee, thank you" I crooned. " Yeah. What would you do without me!" She smirked fixing her hair in a proud manner. " Absolutely nothing. So I'm gonna go, so I could bake it and give it to them tonight, maybe tonight I would finally get to meet this mysterious person" I rushed. Mandy nodded her head almost pushing me out as she promised to cover the rest of my shift. I thanked her and I was off. I ticked all the things I was going to be needing and if I had them at home. The little I didn't have I rushed over to the market, the old lady who always sold to me attending to me speedily and even offering me a discount as she always did. I walked home briskly with a new motivation in my mind. I passed by my mysterious neighbour's house again not seeing anyone coming in or out, I shook my head lightly knowing that it was about to change. I got to work immediately. With Elon Chris basking loudly in my speakers I did the most favorite thing I loved to do. I baked. I baked and baked until I could not no more, I didn't only bake for my neighbor but for myself, Mandy, Kyle and Bobby as well. I finished everything with a loud huff plumping myself on my sofa. I was extremely exhausted but I felt accomplished. I quickly showered to remove the scent of butter and vanilla from my body, it was a scent I adored but not everyone might like it, especially my neighbor. I packaged the cakes the way I normally did and I was ready. Taking in deep breaths I pressed the little button at the side of the door. No one responded, I pressed again, shuttling between knocking and punching the button, but I got no response. My heart sank a little in sadness that I was not going to get to meet my neighbor. I signed with disappointment and turned to leave but then a noise stopped me. It was the banging I normally heard by 1am every morning, but this was just 7pm. It came early. With that in mind, I dropped the bag of cupcakes at the door of my neighbors. I hoped and prayed that I would not come to see it spoilt or eaten by rats or something. I walked back into my whole apartment not happy but not sad either. I knew that one way or the other I would get to meet whoever was behind that door. ... With constant tossing and turning it was finally morning, I rushed out of my bed like there were thorns on it and got ready for work, not because I was late but because I was eager to see if my cupcakes were still outside or my neighbor had eaten them. I had never rushed so much in getting ready but I did almost tripping severally on my own two feet. I let out series of breath as I reached my door preparing myself for whatever I was going to see. Finally convinced I was ready I pulled my door opened, squinting my eyes like a little kid afraid of what I might find. Yes I was dramatic, sue me. My eyes opened properly and I could not imagine what I saw. The bag of cupcakes was gone. My heart surged with excitement and rushed happiness flowed through my veins. It was only myself and my neighbor that had access to the block, any other person that wanted to come in would have to pass through me or my mysterious neighbour' so I was very convinced that my neighbor ate my cupcakes. My neighbor ate my cupcakes I still could not believe it. With a heart so full and a smile so bright I went to work. I told Mandy all about it and she was happy for me. I knew to some it was no big deal but to me it was everything. This was the little way we could communicate; myself and my neighbor and I was grateful it was positive. I continued baking cupcakes for my mysterious neighbor days later, dropping it at their door only to find it gone the next day. It became a routine to me, a routine I was happy about until I got fed up with it. I thought this would bring us closer but it was doing nothing but making me more curious. I wondered who was behind that door that didn't want to associate with anyone or let anyone see them . It even affected my sleep because I was always tossing and turning, hoping to hear a knock on my door. It was pathetic really but I had had enough of it. So today I planned on spying on my neighbor, yes you heard me; spying. It was the weekend and Bobby gave us a day off because he wanted to hang out with his wife and kids. So I had enough time on my hands. I baked like I usually did, baking a strawberry cupcake this time, packaging it I dropped it after I rang the doorbell. I didn't go back inside like I usually did after several rings, I hid behind the little fence that was beside my own door and waited. I waited for so long sighing uncontrollably at my pathetic life. I didn't know why I was interested in whoever was behind those doors, but I could not deny that I was. With my thoughts all over the place and tiredness creeping into my body, I heard the sound of a door unlocking, my body froze along with my mind at the unexpectedness of the door opening. I hid quietly watching and waiting until the door pried open completely and the mysterious neighbor came out. Seeing the head of my neighbor I jumped out from my hiding place immediately catching my neighbor and myself off guard. " I got you" I said happily. My eyes almost bulged out of my sockets at who was standing before me.