The Limits of Forever

Chapter 27- The Boyfriend

I hear a knock on my front door. I look at the time, 6.00 pm. 

Alice isn't back for two days. Sebastian wouldn't knock, and neither would my parents. So who could it be? 

I open the door and Theo stands there with a small white gift bag in his hand. 

‘Hey.’ I say with a smile. 

He steps forward and kisses me. ‘Hey. How was your birthday?’ 

I hesitate before answering. ‘It was good. I had dinner with my parents.’ 

He smiles. ‘Good. I’m sorry I missed it.’ 

I shake my head. ‘It’s fine.’ 

I step to the side to let him pass. He walks through the doorway. He stops at the counter and holds a bag out to me. 

'I got- Happy Birthday Lexi.' 

I smile at him and take the bag. 'Thank you.'

I open it up and see a small square box.

Again with the jewellery. 

I pull it out and open up the box. 

A necklace with a ring attached sits inside. I look at him. 

'It's a promise ring.' He says sheepishly. 

'What are you promising?' 

He looks away shyly and then looks back at me. 'That when the time is right, I will make you mine.'

I give him a smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes.  

I don't know why I feel disappointed that it's Theo who is promising himself to me and not someone else. 

'Do you want me to put it on you?'

My hand flies to my neck, where Sebastian's necklace is sitting. Theo’s eyes follow. 

‘Do you think I could just hold onto it?’ I ask 

‘Who gave you that?’ 

‘It doesn’t matter.’ 

He blinks at me. ‘What did you do on your birthday?’

I sigh. ‘I already told you, I had dinner with my parents.’ 

‘Oh so, you sat around all day in a restaurant till dinner.’ 

‘Theo…’ 

‘Alexis, it’s just a question.’ 

I stay silent. If I open my mouth, I’m scared I’ll say something that will break his heart. 

I move to pick up the necklace box and my sleeve rids up my arm, revealing the tattoo I got with Axcel. 

I pull down my sleeve way too quickly but he doesn’t say anything. Theo doesn’t say a word. 

He’s just looking at me with narrowed eyes, I know he’s trying to unpick my lies. I’m not stupid, and neither is he. 

When he finally opens his mouth to speak, he doesn’t ask me about my tattoo. He asks me about the bracelet. 

‘Who got you that?’ He asks, taking my wrist in his hand. 

He pulls up my sleeve. 

‘My parents.’ I say as I try to pull away. 

He scoffs. ‘My parents actually care about me and they would never spend thousands of pounds on a diamond bracelet.’