To start over.
That's what Alex Rose needed, after that night.
That's what drove her out of her home in London, to New York, halfway across the world, to start her second year of college in North Regal University.
A whole new world greets her, ne...
"I like the way you dance, You got me in a trance, My baby she don't mind at all." She Doesn't Mind — Sean Paul
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Alex Rose. Will you be my girlfriend?"
As soon as the words leave my mouth, my throat goes dry instantly, anxiety surging through my body as I blink away the tears that are welling up in my eyes, looking down at her. She's so beautiful, even now, standing in just her pretty little bikini and cover up, her hair damp and flat against her back, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.
The next few seconds feel like eternity, my stomach twisting with the anticipation, and my head screams at me, telling me that she's going to say no and rip my heart into pieces.
Slowly, Alex's hands curl around the stem of the rose, and she looks up at me, tilting her head to the side slightly.
"Yes, I will." She breathes out. "I love you too."
Her voice is so soft, that I almost don't hear it. But I do, and a flood of relief rushes through me as a smile blossoms on my mouth, and she smiles too, that gorgeous, heart stopping smile of hers. My hand comes up, settling behind her neck as I pull her closer to me, covering her mouth with mine.
My body ignites when our lips connect and she kisses me back. My hands drop to her waist, pulling her tightly against me, breathing in her soft scent, tasting her on my tongue, feeling her soft, damp skin all over mine. Just letting myself be consumed by her because I've spent way too fucking long without her.
The kiss feels like a breath of fresh air, a warm fire in a cold night. All the parts of me that have been dormant and dull for the past few weeks sparks to life, because I have her back in my arms, where I belong and where she belongs.
"I love you." I breathe against her mouth, the words feeling so right rolling off my tongue, like they're made for her.
"I love you," She whispers back, eyes fluttering open. Hearing her say it back feels ten times better, like electricity in my veins. A purpose.
"I um," Alex pulls away slightly, her hands coming to the back of my head, fingers curling into my hair and I almost let out a sound of bliss. I love it when she does that.
"I want to say something to you too." She peers up at me, and I nod as her hands drop from my head and she threads her fingers through mine.
Alex pauses to draw a breath, looking down at our intertwined hands. "I want you to know that I understand why you did what you did okay? You thought it was the right thing to do and you were out of any other options. I got hurt, but I know it probably hurt you ten times more."
I swallow the knot in my throat, squeezing my eyes shut. Flashbacks strike through my head, my mom on the floor of my parents bedroom, unconscious after my dad taking out his anger on her. I was nine years old when I first started noticing and seeing that something was wrong. I never understood why my father was so angry at us. At such a small age, all I could do was curl up next to my mom on the floor and hold her until she got enough strength to stand up and go to bed. I would ask her every night why Dad hurt her.
