Other Side of the Tracks (Jules)

Not certain at all that she was looking in the right place, Lyra seemed to be in a section of potions devoted to digestive issues. Definitely not what she was looking for. Luckily the shop attendant must have sensed her confusion and come to assist her, a surprising turn of events in an establishment like this. She’d played it up in her mind that shopping at Slugg and Jiggers was going to be nothing like anyplace she’d ever gone before, from the dirty floors to the grime on the windows to the dingy sign out front that looked to be in need of replacing. She wasn’t far off in her vision of how this would all go down, but she’d not pictured such attentive staff. Nor such an attractive one.

Lyra put on a smile, the sort of smile a man responded well to from a woman, feigning a need to be rescued without looking completely like a lost puppy. “Yes, actually.” She glanced at the little name tag he wore on his chest then back to his golden colored eyes. “You see, Julian, I’m looking for a calming draught to settle my nerves a bit, and clearly I don’t know where to look.” Referencing the bottles and vials surrounding their immediate area, clearly labeled for problems Lyra would have been mortified to admit to in front of such a handsome bloke. “I’ve never had a need for such a potion before, you see.” The last thing Lyra needed, on top of a stalker who was coming ever closer approaching her in person, was for her fans to think of her as stoner. Sure, she’d partook in a little fun here and there, she was in the entertainment industry after all. It was one thing to smoke a joint or take a hit off an elixir at a party or cast dinner, and quite another to be blazed all day and having to resort to personal trips to the apothecary on your own in order to get your fix, no matter your preference.

Normally, the man’s forward comment would have been correct. Lyra was not regularly anxious over much of anything. She had more confidence than most people her age, and so long as she was made the center of attention, she was quite happy with herself. She was stunning, and not just being arrogant when she thought so. Her beauty had graced magazine covers and there were fan clubs devoted to her, not to mention the hordes of people who queued up for her performances like she was the sodding Beatles. There were times when she got down on herself, as everyone had, but nothing to the point of needing to be medicated, and certainly not frequent enough to be slapped with any sort of label. She took the man’s remark as a compliment, though it could be viewed in a different light were she in another mood, and she followed him to another section of the shop.

The man stopped and looked over the labels on the shelves where they now stood, Lyra looking over his shoulder as he plucked two different potions from their place on the wall. He held them up in turn and gave her the layman’s description. Lyra wasn’t certain what she needed, exactly, but she was educated enough to gather his meaning had he spoken more eloquently and professionally about each elixir. She wondered if he was dumbing things down for her sake – the dumb blonde trope was quite popular – or if he was so under educated that this was the most accurate description he could muster. Brains didn’t mean all that much when you were attractive, though she liked to fancy herself as possessing both, and she was sure this gentleman (the term used rather loosely in this case) didn’t need to rely on much of anything with a face like his.

Insinuating that she’d not given him enough details of her situation in order for him to make an appropriate recommendation, Lyra’s brow raised slightly. “I was under the impression it depended on the size of my coin purse,” she said with only a slight hint of superiority in her words. “I’ll take that one, please.” She pointed to the plum colored vapor and turned away from the man, her hips swaying effortlessly as she walked away toward the register. She didn’t bother to look back, but certain the man was watching her walk away, unless he preferred men in which case his good looks were a waste as far as she was concerned.

She assumed their interaction was nearly over now that she knew which potion she would be purchasing and she was standing at the check out counter. Lyra didn’t give it a second thought as she shifted her weight to one leg while she waited on the man, the movement accentuating her perfect backside. Looking down as she unclasped her clutch bag to retrieve her money, his voice pulled her attention. It was just as confident a tone as he had used while explaining to her the potion options as if she were a simpleton, but the words were much more enticing. She looked up and caught a mischievous grin that made her straight up ever so slightly. He waved the potion at her, imagining he was the reason for her need of it. She gave a small, airy laugh as she watched him lean against the counter full of swagger and bravado. Lyra licked her lips subtly and turned her eyes towards the counter, taking advantage of her position to quickly glace around the store. Empty. That was unsurprising, given the dinginess of the shop and the presumably outturned pockets of the regular clientele. Emerald eyes lifted and found his; shockingly blue. She hadn’t noticed before. He was obviously an attractive man, but she’d been focused on his other features. She leaned forward as well, resting her elbow on the counter and her chin in her hand. “You don’t look like much of a beast to me.” Her thoughts began to wander to what other handsome surprises this man might be hiding, beneath his robes perhaps. She returned his smile, clearly taking the bait.