by Simone Elise
“ALEC! I said help me up, not carry me.”
“Just be grateful.” Alec said, his humor seeming to be returning. When his smile turned into his usual smirking grin, I knew what was coming next. “Now you join the list of women who have been in my arms.”
“And here’s me thinking my life couldn’t get any worse.”
Alec’s husky laugh filled my ear, and I couldn’t stop the dull smile that crossed my lips.
Chapter 23
Sleep was overrated. I had finally come to this conclusion after hours of staring up at Alec’s white ceiling. To be fair, it wasn’t thoughts of Xavier, Dan or Maddison that were keeping sleep at bay. It was Alec.
“Would you put that damned thing away?” I sat up on his couch and yelled across the room at him. He looked from up the glow of his phone and in my direction, his trademark smirk in place.
“Still not asleep?” Alec spoke to me, but his attention was on his phone. Who knew the boy had a serious addiction to his iPhone, or that an unhealthy amount of people to talk to at this time in the morning?
“You know, usually the guy sleeps on the couch and gives the girl the bed.” I sat up on the couch, pulling the blankets up with me. To be fair, the couch was actually comfy, but who can sleep with a glow like Tinkerbell in the room?
“My bed.” Alec shot back, his eyes glued on his iPhone.
“WOULD YOU STOP THAT?” I was fed up. The lack of sleep and all today’s events had me at the boiling point! “Put that damned thing away!”
Alec looked up from his phone, and from the glow of the screen I could see his smirk and teasing eyes. “Ok.” He locked the phone and the light disappeared.
“For real, you’re putting it away?” I was shocked he was agreeing so quickly. I expected a bigger fight.
“Only had to ask, Chloe.” Alec faked a yawn and slid down the bed before lying on his side, a mountain of blankets wrapped around him.
Falling back onto the couch, I frowned, annoyed. Hours I had put up with it, and he stopped because I asked him. Alec was more twisted then I thought.
Sighing from tiredness, I closed my eyes, wanting sleep to wipe this day away and let me wake up refreshed.
Alec’s room I had to admit was a bit smaller then Dan’s and a lot messier. I swear he had to remove about a ton of clothes from his couch to find it.
“In here?”
My eyes shot open. That voice.
“You sure it’s ok I’m here?”
My mouth dropped open. “Alec!” I whispered in the darkness, “is that?”
“Daniel?” Alec had a bored tone to his voice. “Yes, it is.”
“But it’s so clear! And your rooms aren’t even next to each other.”
“Vents,” was Alec’s simple answer. “Go to sleep, Chloe.”
It was hard to sleep when I knew Dan was across the hall with…
“Do you think that’s Maddison he’s talking too?” I whispered.
“And you were telling me off seconds ago for keeping you up.” I watched Alec sit up and flick his bedside light on, faking annoyance. “Of course it would be her.”
“So, are you ok?” Dan’s voice was soft, so tender.
“I need earplugs.” I cursed and quickly got up from the couch. “I can’t stay here and listen to him talk to her.”
I picked up one of Alec’s sweaters and threaded my arms through it. It looked freezing outside.
“Fine, where are we going?”
I whipped around to see Alec putting his pants on. “What do you mean we?”
“Don’t want me to come?” Alec raised an eyebrow, watching me questioningly.
“I didn’t say that, I just…” I sighed. “Fine, where are we going? Any ideas?”
“I, unlike you, actually have an idea.” Alec’s smile turned wicked. “Do you think you can make it to my truck without being noticed? I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Ok.” I frowned, watching his expression. Clearly he was up to something. He flung the keys at me. Catching them, I quickly made it out his door and down the hallway, not stopping till I was clear of the house.
***
Cruising down the highway, I had to admit it was calming to be out of Dan’s house. Glancing at Alec, I couldn’t think or focus on how attractive he looked tonight. If I paid attention to every feature and thought about how his hair was tousled, I wouldn’t be able to hide the desire. I gulped and directed my eyes out the window. Why did he have to always look so attractive?
“So what took you so long?” I kept looking out the window, hoping that talking would distract me from his good looks. Plus I was interested in finding out.
“Had to get some supplies.”
I glanced at him and his smirk told me I was in for a surprise.
“Right.” I gave him a questioning look before reaching forward and turning his radio on. Instead, a CD started playing.
“Seek and Destroy.” I grinned at Alec, who looked surprised that I knew the song. “I reckon Metallica’s best album was Kill ‘Em All.”
“Me too.” Alec’s voice expressed surprise. “Didn’t know you were a fan of Metallica.”
“Didn’t know you were,” I shot back, leaning back into the car seat. Well what did you know? Alec and I actually had something in common. Who knew?
“Have you heard of Slayer?” I asked, thinking of keeping the conversation going.
Alec shot me a dry expression. “Seriously. You just asked me that?”
“Favorite song of theirs?” I asked, ignoring his slight insult.
“Raining Blood.”
“I only like the first few minutes. The intro is the best part of the song, I reckon.”
“Agreed.” Alec grinned at me, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
“So, Alec, what evil plans are we up to tonight?” I laughed lightly, knowing whatever he had planned wouldn’t end well. But I had to admit he was keeping my mind off Xavier and Dan.
The car began to slow down, and Alec pulled up to the curb. Looking out the window, my mouth dropped.
“What the heck are we doing here!” I yelled at him in shock, looking between the house and Alec’s smirk.
“Settle down, would you?” Alec unclicked his seat belt and got out of the truck.
Cursing to myself, I unclicked my seat belt and got out too. Leaning over the flatbed, I watched as Alec pulled a large bag out of the back.
“Are you insane? Of all the places in the world, you thought that I would want to be at my mate’s house!” I glanced back briefly at the house in darkness, thinking for a second that my mate would be sleeping in there, with his wife. That turned my thoughts bitter immediately.
Glancing back at Alec, I saw he was now walking to their front fence. I quickly followed him, quietly and angrily.
“Have you lost your mind?” I cursed at his back. “Get back in the truck!”
“Hold your hand out.” Alec came to a stop at their white fence, and placed the bag on the ground.
When I didn’t hold my hand out, Alec grabbed it, opening it for me and placed a ball in it. As I looked closely, I realized the ball was actually an egg.
I looked up at Alec, my expression completely dry. “Are you serious? We’re going to egg his house?”
“Trust me, it helps. Think of it as therapy.”
“I’m not doing it.” I folded my hand over the egg, there was no way I was egging his house.
Alec’s eyes sparkled in the night air and his lips curled so gently, as if he a backup plan, should I refuse.
“He’s in there, you know.” Alec was clam, his eyes burning into mine. I knew what he was up to. “Lying asleep, in a warm bed. A bed he should be sharing with you. Instead, he’s sharing it with a human.”
My hand not holding the egg was clenching into a tight fist.
“A human he loves more than you.” Alec’s voice lowered as he spoke that sentence and that sentence created s
omething alive in me because I turned around, and with all my anger, hurled the egg through the air. A small crack was heard as it landed on the roof.
“He would have heard that,” I said, looking at Alec. He smirked charmingly and handed me another egg.
“We better move fast then.”
“You know, I have questions for you after this.” I raised an eyebrow at him, making sure he knew I wasn’t letting slip how he knew where Xavier lived or who my mate was.
“Deal, buttercup.” He winked and then sent a roll of toilet paper flying in the direction of Xavier’s house.
I reached down and picked up another egg. And one after another I hurled them at Xavier’s house, thinking only one thing. He loves her more than me. And with each egg I threw, I had to admit I did feel a little better.
***
“Ok, ok. So how long have you been listening to my and Dan’s conversations?” I turned in my seat and looked at Alec as we drove out of the McDonald’s drivethrough.
Our egging and toilet mission was successful. When their front door opened, we both bolted to the truck and took off and since then I hadn’t been able to wipe the grin off my face. Just thinking of Xavier having to crawl all over his roof cleaning our mess off made me smile. Also I made sure I stood on some of Emily’s flowers. I know. I was that low.
Alec pulled the straw from his mouth and grinned back at me. “We have lived in that house our whole lives.” Alec arched both eyebrows and my mouth dropped open.
“You’re telling me you have been able to hear everything since, like, always?” Embarrassment and shame now washed through me, because I remembered a time when I had a strong crush on Alec and, well, I didn’t refrain from telling Dan all about it.
So that explains the looks Alec used to give me in the morning. “Well, that’s just great, isn’t it?” I grumped and quickly began sucking in my Coke, trying to hide my red cheeks.
“If it makes ya feel better, I thought it was cute of you.” Alec sent a wink my way and it only made my cheeks flame a darker shade of red.
Alec had explained to me he overheard Dan and me talking about Xavier. How he knew where he lived was beyond me. But, needless to say, Alec was very much up to date on my life.
“Though lately I have to go out when you come over because you and Dan…”
“SHUT UP!” I covered my ears, not wanting to hear what Alec had been hearing. Alec’s laughter did however reach me even with my ears covered.
“This is so unfair.” I crossed my arms and put my Coke down. Alec reached over and ruffled my hair, which I shot him a death glare for.
“Cheer up, Champ.” He grinned, before stuffing his face with a hand full off hot chips.
“I hope you choke on them,” I muttered.
“Not gonna happen.” Alec spoke through a full mouth, sending me a good view of his munched up food.
“You’re disgusting.”
***
“I didn’t invite you in here,” I reminded Alec, as he fell back onto my bed, yawning. Though the cute tired look he was displaying was hard to say get out to.
“Sleep time.” He yawned. “Can you take my pants off?”
“Heck NO!”
“Chloe?” He looked at me after pulling his t-shirt off, which looked like it was a massive challenge to him in his current state. “Please?”
Sighing and displeased, I walked over and pulled his pants off with one pull and tossed them on the ground.
“You’re not sleeping there. Couch.” I pointed to the couch with a firm voice as I watched him pull my blankets back and get in the bed.
Grumbling to myself, I got in next to him. “Move one inch to my side and you will be on the ground so fast, got it?”
“Threat understood,” Alec mumbled. “Night, Chloe.”
Even though it was nearly early morning, I yawned softly, sleep not creeping over me. “Night, Alec.”
I had to admit I actually had a good night and I got reacquainted with an old friend.
Chapter 24
I woke up alone in the bed. I couldn’t ignore the disappointment I felt when I realized Alec wasn’t here. But, then again, it was Alec. Sighing, I pushed the blankets back and got up. It was mildly depressing to realize I had nothing to do today, no one to be with.
I was sure Dan would be with Maddison, considering they were together last night. I pushed the feeling of regret back. I couldn’t regret what happened, Dan was never mine to lose in the first place, which sucked.
My door was flung open and I spun around, startled by the sudden entrance.
“Alec?” I looked completely and utterly stunned to see him.
“Chloe?” He replied with a smartass tone to his voice, closing the door he strolled towards me with two cups of coffee.
“Thanks.” I took the coffee out of the hand he was offering me. “I thought you had left.”
“I went to get coffee.” He grinned slightly, amused by my surprise at seeing him again. “Miss me, did ya?”
“Hardly,” I scoffed, sitting on the edge of my armchair.
“What are you doing today?” he asked, before taking a gulp of his coffee.
“Nothing, you?”
“Surfing, wanna come?”
“Surfing?” I arched an eyebrow. “I don’t surf.”
“Don’t surf or haven’t surfed?”
“Haven’t.”
“Well, today you’re going to learn.” Alec placed his coffee cup on my bedside table. “Put some bathers on that skinny butt of yours and get ready to learn the waves.”
“If you’re teaching me, I won’t be learning much,” I chuckled with a teasing tone, amused by his eagerness.
“Whatever you say, buttercup. Now get up and get ready.” Alec shot me a wink before he walked out the door.
“You know the cups don’t take themselves to the kitchen, right?” I yelled as he closed the door. I heard his chuckle from outside the door.
I got up. Well, it looks like I have something to do today after all. But I still wasn’t sure if it was wrong of me to be spending time with Dan’s brother.
***
“STOP LAUGHING!” I yelled with a smile, throwing my towel at Alec’s back. Though he barely noticed because he was laughing so hard. “I told you I didn’t surf.” I dodged the glances from strangers as they walked by.
“But your face…” Alec held his stomach. At this point I was ready to hit him with the darn surfboard I was holding. “It was so tiny and…” Another wave of chuckles came and Alec was once again barely able to stand.
Grinding my teeth, I walked past him, shouldering him and loading the surfboard onto the back of his truck. I leaned against the truck door and glared at Alec who was laughing still! I told him surfing wasn’t my thing. Let’s face it. It was unhealthy to stand on a board on water, clearly unsafe!
I got dumped a million times by the waves, which, I may point out, didn’t get one laugh out of Alec. So, needless to say, when I finally stood up, maybe I was overexcited and yeah I screamed in excitement and maybe I took a little too much pride in the achievement, considering the wave was barely a foot high. But it was still a darn WAVE! Who cares if it couldn’t even knock over a small toddler? A wave is a wave.
“Hurry up, Alec!” I stomped. I was sick of him laughing. He hadn’t stopped since the event happened and yeah my screaming did bring some unwanted attention from onlookers on the beach, which just made this so much more awful because not only was I dealing with chuckles over there, I was receiving shy giggles from the passersby who witnessed it.
God knows how, but finally Alec made it to the truck.
“So…” Alec’s laughter slowly dried up as he loaded his surfboard on top of mine, though his very large grin was still firmly in place. “What do you want to eat?”
“Food,” I grunted before slamming the truck door with a tad more force than needed.
“Is someone a little grumpy?” Alec
teased as he got in the truck. I ignored how attractive he looked with his muscles sparkling with water and his hair towel dried.
I crossed my arms and glared out the window, making sure my force wasn’t on him. “No. I’m not.” I said with a huff.
“Come on, buttercup. Smile.” Alec’s voice had way too much happiness in it.
“Shut up,” I muttered under my breath, with little meaning behind the words.
Alec’s phone began buzzing in the console, and I was glad the attention was off me slightly. I kept staring out the window while he answered.
“Yeah, Mom?” Alec’s voice still held happiness and it was hard to not smile when he was so happy. Mainly because I had never seen Alec so relaxed and happy. Usually he was chasing a skirt.
“Ok, Mom. I will make sure I get her home.”
I spun around and looked at Alec, who didn’t have his eyes on the road. He was staring directly at me.
He closed his phone and his large grin turned into a normal smile. “So your parents are looking for you.”
“I was expecting as much.” I muttered. “Xavier most likely gave Dad a call.”
“He wouldn’t know it was you.”
I gave Alec a dry look. “My scent would have been all over the place. Though lucky for you, he doesn’t know yours.”
Alec took his eyes off me and back onto the road. His happiness from before now dimmed, though I didn’t know why. He didn’t have to go back and face a lecture.
“Do your parents know that you and Xavier are having problems?”
“Problems?” I scoffed. “That’s putting it lightly. But, yeah, they know. Dad’s actually the one who came up with the plan.”
“Plan?” Alec shot me a glance. “What plan?”
“I just have to get through the next few months and then I leave.” I shrugged my shoulders and played with the drawstring on my bag. “I get to travel for a year or longer. Who knows?”
“You’re leaving?” Alec’s voice took me by surprise. My head shot up.
“Not for a few more months.”
“Because of Xavier?”
