Crashing Waves

31

"Can I ask you something? It doesn't matter what the answer is. I just- want to know." Alec nodded, his eyes looking like they were searching my soul as his gaunt face looked damn miserable. Taking a deep breath, I composed myself for a probable mistake.

"Do you love me?"

Well, I'd said it now. There was what seemed like an eternity of silence, followed by us both looking away.
"Forget I said anything." I said, realising how stupid I had been. But, at least now I knew he didn't feel the same.

"Don't be like that. You can't drop that on me and expect me to reply at the drop of a bloody hat." He retorted, leaning back.

"Well if you had felt the same way, you would've done." I glanced at him through the corner of my eye, seeing Alec stare out to the horizon.

"Alice I've only known you for a few weeks." I heard him sigh, he was trying to think of what to say. "I'm not- Argh! I don't know what to say, Walker. You don't love me, you haven't known me for-"

"I fall quickly, ok?" I shouted at him, getting up slowly and beginning to walk away before stopping, my side stinging slightly, but a bearable pain. "I don't know what the hell it was, but I started to like you after that first night. I've never had someone return my affection before and when you eventually kissed me..." I stopped, turning to see him standing behind me. "Like I say, forget I said anything." I paused, standing strong and looking him in the eye. "Please." He didn't nod or shake his head, he simply began walking down the cliff, an arm out behind him incase I needed it for support.

We both walked down in silence, my arm wrapped around my side to help the dull ache I had. I was running around in my head yelling at myself, wishing I could take that moment back.

"Alice!" I heard Ellie's voice over the waves, making us both look up to her making her way over. "Where the bloody hell were you?" She looked worried, and as I stepped into her arms to hug, I could feel her mime something to Alec.

"I'll take you home." Alec said, clearly wanting to get me away from Ellie.

"We can't go to court together tomorrow." I turned to see him, unable to look him in the eye. "You know that."

"I also know that you need a good night's rest." He said, and with that I couldn't argue. With Miller living at her parents, along with Tom and Freddy, the last thing she got now was peace and quiet.

"I know." I paused, turning to Ellie. "Can we go and grab dinner?" I asked, looking at Alec. "If that's, er, ok." Ellie turned to Alec, his eyebrow raised as he shrugged.

"Sure. Just make sure you aren't back too late." I felt like he was talking to me as his daughter instead of a woman he was supposedly protecting, but right now I needed to talk to Ellie about it.

"Thank you." I nodded, starting to walk away towards the local pub just off the beach, noticing that he was watching us walk away.

"I'm sorry for worrying you." Taking a sip of my lemonade I sat forwards to the table we were sat on, deciding to come here with Ellie was a good idea, I just needed to get it off of my shoulders.

"It was Alec that you worried. I knew you wouldn't do anything stupid." Ellie smiled at me as she sat forward, taking my hand.

"I told Alec I loved him." I had to get it out, and by Ellie's open mouthed reaction, she wasn't expecting that.

"Oh, I bet he took that well." She replied, clearly sarcastic.

"He didn't say anything. He said he couldn't lump this on him, which I suppose he's right about. But Ellie, I honestly don't know what I feel. He said I've only known him a few weeks which is true but- urgh!" I lean back, holding my side as I put a hand in front of my face. "I'm such a bloody idiot. I'm sorry for dumping this all on you." I sighed, seeing Ellie shake her head.

"I can't help but agree with the idiot statement, but your his bloody idiot. Trust me when I say you are the only woman I've seen him remotely interested in. Not to mention when I walked in on-"

"Ellie!" I whispered, trying to shush her as we broke out into laughter, my side aching afterwards. "I- I know he comes across as solitary and.. well, Alec. But I think that's why, you know. Alan... he was nothing like that. He was an extremely confident, cocky bastard that knew what he wanted and always found a way to get it." I trailed off, thinking about tomorrow. He wouldn't have changed in a few weeks, so he and my father would be doing everything to get him off with minimal sentencing. I just hope the jury looks at the evidence.

"Blimey Alice." Ellie scooted over her chair nearer to me, taking me in for a hug.

The rest of the evening was spent talking about Ellie's kids, and the general troublemaker Tom is turning out to be. With what advice I could've given, our night was interrupted by a phone call.

"Hello, sir." Ellie answered, and I rolled my eyes. "Yup, I'll send her out right now. Be sure to tuck her in and say goodnight too, you bloody old man." She taunted, hanging up.

"Well, if he wasn't mad before he will be now." I joked, and we both shook our heads as we headed out, leaving cash on the table and thanking the landlords and staff. He was parked right outside, waiting like a chauffeur. "How posh, I have a ride home." We both started giggling, and immediately he got out the car, looking like he was on a war path.

"Ok, I better get home, gotta put the boys to bed." We hugged goodbye, a few encouraging words passed on in our exchange.

"Did you really just go out drinking before the trial tomorrow?" He asked, his eyebrows raised and his eyes wide. He looked more worried, than angry, although anger was definitely still present in his features.

"No. I stuck to lemonade, as did Ellie." I said, disappointed that he would think so low. "I like my drink but with the trial and my side, the last thing I want right now is alcohol." I snapped, getting into the car and putting my seat belt on before he had even opened the driver door.

"You need to get a good night's sleep." I rolled my eyes, glancing over at him as he pulled off on the short drive to the small house we were both staying in.

"As do you." I replied, still unable to look him in the eye. I knew we wouldn't be able to sleep in the same bed tonight, what with everything that had happened today, it was the right time to just go with where he put me and conk out.