Don't Give Up

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

                Alex wasn’t exactly happy during the rest of the Christmas morning, until we had to go to his father’s house for dinner. Alex’s mother called us to tell us to get dressed, and I was debating on whether or not to wear something casual or formal. I knew Alex’s father wasn’t exactly on the average side when it came to money, in fact, he was higher than average.

                “Don’t worry too much about what you want to wear.” Alex’s mother poked her head into Alex’s room, sporting a scoop neck, cherry red dress that went just past her knees. She was wearing a pair of elegant pearl earrings with a matching pearl necklace. 

                She looked rather beautiful.

                I nodded, as I decided to wear a simple black dress that went just a few inches above the knee, and had laced sleeves a few inches past my elbows. I paired it with a pair of red ballet flats, since I knew I would be tripping all night if I decided to wear heels.

                “That looks lovely.” Alex’s mother gave me a small smile. “Tell Alex I’ll be waiting for you two in the car outside.”

                She stepped out of the room, as I quickly scrunched up my wavy curls that I took the time to do an hour ago. A few days before Christmas, Clarice presented me with a new tube of blood red lipstick. I swiped it across my lips, giving me quite an exotic look. I smiled at myself in the mirror, thinking of how proud Clarice would be if she saw how put together I looked without her help.

                “Alex.” I knocked on the bathroom door, where I had last seen him. “Your mother is waiting in the car.”

                I heard Alex muttered something I could understand. I knocked again, and this time, Alex swung open the door, looking annoyed and irritated.

                He was wearing a buttoned down black shirt, tucked into a pair of black trousers. I licked my lips, loving the way he looked in a dress shirt.

                “Can you help me put this tie on? I’ve been trying for the past half hour.” He grumbled, a loose red tie hanging around his neck.

                I bit back a laugh, as I nodded. I stood closer to Alex, as I began to wrap the tie around his neck. I felt his shoulders tense when my fingers brushed against his chest, as I held in a deep blush that matched the color of his tie.

                “There,” I breathed, pulling the tie tighter around him, “all done.”

                Alex gulped, as he nodded. “Thanks.” His warm breath tickled my cheek, as I adverted my gaze down to my red flats.

                “Let’s go.” I mumbled, already turning to head out of the bathroom. “We’re already running late.”

                As I began to walk down the hallways, towards the stairs to go down, Alex called out my name softly. “Aerial, wait.”

                I turned around, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

                Alex let a small smile slip across his lips. “You look beautiful.”

*

                Two hours later, we arrived at Alex’s father’s house, which was all the way across town. It would’ve taken us a shorter time if there wasn’t such traffic today.