Mr. Hollingsworth.

Ch. 23 Notes.

When I got home, I changed into comfy clothes and started cleaning. My apartment was a little messy, with dark blue chipping paint on all the walls, cement floors, my bed was just stuffed in the corner of the apartment because it didn't have a bedroom, there was chest that held all my clothes in it at the foot of it. There was a large oak dresser that I put all my antiques in. Like I said, I collected odd knick knacks. At the top of the dresser was a battered jewelry box that was once my mother's, and a glass jar, filled with all the notes Alexander had given me, then there was a worn out gold wrist watch that was once my father's. When I really cared about people, really cared about them, they earned a spot at the top of my dresser, it used to be only my mom and dad's stuff were up there, but Alexander earned such a place in my heart, he got a spot up there.

My kitchen was connected to the room, and there was a small space for a battered and worn dining table. The only separate room, was the bathroom, which I always made sure was spotless. I hated bugs, and bugs love dirty places. I had my hair in a sloppy bun, with stray strands falling around my face. Then I heard a knock on the door, thinking it was my neighbor I opened the door. My eyes widened.

"You're early." I was surprised by my nonchalance. Alexander shrugged, "I got bored." He responded, and he inspected me with a raised brow and I realized what I was wearing. Just a giant baggy flannel shirt that barely went mid thigh, pants were a no. I just wore that shirt. "Have a boyfriend I didn't know about?" His voice held an odd edge. I smiled shyly, letting him in. "No, this shirt was actually my father's. I like to wear it." Alexander's eyes looked at the small apartment, and landed on my dresser as I slid on leggings.

He walked over to it, inspecting it. I walked up behind him, "That's were I keep all my antiques." I explained, he looked down at me, "Antiques?" He asked, "I like find beauty in odd things. They make me happy, I have a lot of odd drawings, picture frames, little statues. I even organize, the bottom drawer is least valuable, and the top is most valuable." I answered. His eyes went to the top of the drawer. "So on the very top...?"

"That's where I put things that I hold most dear to me, closest to my heart. It's been collecting these things for years, so far nothing I've ever bought has ever been put up there except for my parent's old belongings." His eyes landed on the jar. "Then what's that?" He asked, "Something that made it's way to the top." The closest to my heart, I added mentally. "I need to do something really quick." I said, walking into the bathroom.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I looked pretty average. My heart was pounding fast, my love for Alexander was deepening. We've only known each other for a couple months, but every time I was around him, my heart always did this to me. I just need to calm myself down. So once I was calmed, I walked outside. Alexander was holding the jar in his hands, but it was closed. He looked really... blank. His expression was completely unreadable.

"Alexander...?" I asked warily, approaching him. His gaze flicked up to mine. "Over this whole month, you've kept all these notes?" he asked, he opened it. Well, now he knew he was really close to my heart, no turning back now. "Yeah, I'm a sap like that." I gently took the jar from his hands, and placed it back on top of the drawer. "And you put it on top of your dresser, where all the really, really, really important people go?" I smile sheepishly, "Yeah, I care about you, a lot." And not just in the friend way, I thought as I met his gaze slowly. He looked really emotional, "I thought you just threw them away." He said slowly, I shook my head, "I'd never do that." I didn't add the fact sometimes I re-read them, and they made my body fill with warmth. For some reason I couldn't look away evasively, but I couldn't confess my feelings. "How do you care about me Alice?" He asked, I fiddled with the hem of my shirt, still unable to look away. "Well, I don't really know, I've never cared about someone like I've cared about you before. Whenever I'm around you I'm just automatically happy, and you help me get rid of that inner monster I was talking about before, you help me remember that even if life is fragile, it's still worth living. Whenever you look at me, my heart just thumps, and whenever you touch me it feels like I'm about to die. Whenever you're upset, I'm upset, and I really care about you. I just want you to be happy." When I focused back in his expression, it hadn't changed.

I'm pretty sure I'd just confessed my feelings, and now we were just standing here.

He took a step forward, but this time I didn't move. My heart was pounding but I wasn't scared. Well maybe I was.
"All my life Alice," He started, taking my hands in his, "I've tried to make myself happy with material things. Clothes, people, women. All my life, I've hated myself. Then I met you, and you were like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. No matter what you did, it always made me happy, and I just wanted to be around you all the time, you weren't looking for me because you wanted money. Hell, you ran away from me. You talked to me because you wanted to. It was refreshing, you helped me believe I was more than my money. I was actually human. You make my life better than it ever was." I hardly realized he was stepping closer, because his words enveloped me.

"Alexander." I said, unsure what to do. He leaned forward, and pressed his forehead against mine. "Can I please kiss you?" He asked, "I don't know how to kiss," I responded sheepishly.

"I'll show you."

At that, he pressed his lips against mine, and even bit at my bottom lip a little until I opened my mouth. He wrapped his strong arms around me, and pulled me close against him, like he never wanted to let me go. Eventually, I stopped caring about screwing up a kiss. And I melted into his embrace.