Charming by Haig Moses (1st Draft)

Chapter Twenty-Two

I pouted. "Last one for the night I promise, beside you're the only person I can study with and—"

I froze when Beau suddenly stopped in the middle of my hallway.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, but my question is for the six foot pink-faced guy standing outside my dorm room holding a bouquet of flowers.

"We have a date remember," Alexander smiled, his eyes glancing over to Beau who turned to me with a shocked expression.

I groaned and rolled my eyes, having completely forgot about this. "It's not a date," I quickly said to Beau before turning back to Alexander. "It's not a date."

Beau shed me a smile that told me he believed not one word coming out of my mouth. Bidding me a farewell, he promised to be up early to squeeze in one last study session before leaving me alone with Alexander.

He raised his hands in surrender as I unlocked my door. "So, what are you two doing together?" Alexander asked as I pushed inside my dorm.

Not only did I have no plans on answering, but I was mildly enjoying that fact that it piqued his interest. Going into my room, I set my things on my bed as Alexander leaned against my door frame. "Where are you taking me?"

"That's a surprise."

"What should I wear?"

"Something comfortable."

"Are you always this glib?"

"When the situations calls for it, I like to deliver."

Shaking my head I shoved him out of my room and closed my door to change, ignoring his comment about how he wouldn't be a bother. Taking lead on Alexander's business casual attire, I knew we weren't going to any place that was out of my budget, so my own wardrobe would be good enough.

Quickly changing, I didn't bother much with my hair other than unbraiding the two braids then running my fingers through it before shoving my necessities into my satchel. "Wow," Alexander breathing jumping up from his place on our couch he occupied while waiting. "You clean up nice."

"Tell anybody and I'll have to kill you," I joked as we stood before each other. "Okay, so... should we go?"

"Yeah..." he said still slightly dazed until he shook his head and chuckled. "Yes, erm... these are for you."

Handing me the bouquet of roses, then scent blossomed memories I didn't want to resurface. I watched them wearily, the pitter-patter of rain against wood haunting me as Alexander holds them out expectantly. I have to will my hand upwards and my fingers to clasp around the stems and when he releases his grip, it feels like a twenty pound weight had been left in my hands instead of a bouquet of white roses. "Thank you," I say tensely. "I'm gonna put these in some water, why I meet you outside."

Nodding, he treaded lightly over the the door before looking back at me in playful suspicion. "This isn't some trick to get rid of me is it?"

I huffed. "Well, not anymore," I teased as he closed the door behind him and I let go of a breath.

Walking over to our kitchenette, I set the flowers on the counter my hands now unable to release them. "You're fine. You're fine. You're fine," I breathed as the pitter-patter grew into a storm. The presence of the faceless man stood behind me as we watched the casket being lowered into the ground. Folded flag clutched in my hand at the time I hadn't known the difference between the rain and the tears, or death and work. My mother was always gone for months on tours, so what was the difference between this and that. I recalled asking everybody who would pay attention how long my mother was going to be dead for until my grandfather pulled me onto his lap and explained that was wasn't.