Noughts and Crosses (All Time Low Fan Fiction)

Chapter 9

Wendy’s laugh rings loudly in my ears and I am grinning like a fool just because I am with her.  Her long brown hair is pulled back in a pony tail and her tired eyes are shining brightly.  We spent the afternoon at a local coffeeshop – not Starbucks – just sipping drinks and talking.  When she got hungry later, we went out to get some burgers.  Lastly, we went to a local beach and played with Peyton and Sebastian.  Wendy had an amazing time, I think.  She’s never had a dog, she said, but she loves them.  Now we’re in the car headed back to my place so that I can get some things and drop my dogs off.

“So where are we going Alex,” Wendy interrupts my thoughts.  She’s still giggling a little bit.

“I told you, we’re going back to my house.”  I smirk.

“No,” she whines.  “I mean you said we were going to your house to get some things but then you said you were taking me somewhere!  Where are we going?”  I continue to smirk.

“I can’t tell you!  It’s a surprise.  What good would the surprise be if I just told you?”  I laugh as she lets out another whining sound.  “Don’t worry Wendy, we’ll be at my house soon.  And then we can head out to where we are going.  But I warn you, it’s a pretty long drive…”  I drift at the end because I’m not sure how she’ll feel about taking this trip.

“A long drive,” she questions.  “What do you mean?  Where are we going?”  I can tell she’s very confused.  I suppose I would be too, if I were her.

“Do you mind,” I ask.

“No,” she replies.  “I told you earlier, I need some time off after these past few days.  Plus, I’m having too much fun.”  Her smile is shy and I can barely see it in the dark.  I smile back at her quickly before looking back to the road.

We arrive at my house and I hop out.  Peyton and Sebastian are happily asleep in the back seat, but I wake them up and drag them out of the car.  I unlock the door and enter into my house.  My dogs make their way to the couch and go back to sleep; I’m glad we’ve managed to tire them out somehow.  I run up to my bedroom and dig through my closet for my giant beach blanket.  When I find it, I shove it into a big duffle bag.  I keep digging through my closet and find a couple blankets.  Then I move on to my dresser and grab two old t-shirts and two pairs of sweatpants.  I turn to leave my room and find Wendy standing in the doorway.  I freeze.

“Oh, sorry,” Wendy says.  “I didn’t mean to scare you!”

“No don’t worry.  I was just grabbing some stuff and I thought you had stayed in the car.”  I smile at her.  She looks so shy as her eyes scan my room.  I’m sure she doesn’t see anything impressive; it’s not the type of room one would expect a rockstar to have, I think.  My walls are painted a light green; my favorite color is green but I was told that if I went a brighter color of green, then it would be too much.  My bedding is gray, white, and black.  All of my furniture is white (I wanted black but that was denied to me because at the time, someone else was living with me).  “So,” I interrupt her.  It looks as though she was in a completely different world.  “Do you want to get going?”

She smiles brightly.  “Sure.”

We make our way back out to the car – Wendy kissing my dogs on the way.  For most of the trip, Wendy and I talk.  The conversation drifts from topic to topic, never lingering anywhere for too long.  I want to ask her how she is, how she really is, but I don’t know that she’s ready for it.  I don’t want to push her into telling me something that she isn’t completely comfortable with; we’ve only just met after all.  But eventually, Wendy’s eyes get heavy and droop closed.  I’m also fairly tired, but I can stay awake however long I need to.  We’re only about halfway to our destination, so I’ve got another hour and a half of driving to do.  I let Wendy sleep and I just drive.

When we finally pull into the parking lot of Assateague Island, it’s one in the morning.  I park the car and grab the duffle bag out of the back seat.  Then I go around to the passenger’s seat and find a fast asleep Wendy.

“Wendy, love, we’ve made it.”  She mumbles a little in her sleep, but I can tell she won’t really be waking any time soon.  I gently pick her up and cradle her against me.  I somehow manage to lock the car and I amble on with Wendy fast asleep in my arms.

I soon arrive at the marshes where I intended for us to camp out.  I lay Wendy down gently on the grass while I get the camp out site ready.  While I’m making the “bed” of sorts, Wendy wakes up.

“Alex,” she mumbles.  “Alex where are we?”

“Hey Wendy, you’re up sweetie.  We’re at Assateague, in the marshes.  I love coming here.  It’s a bit of a drive and then a hike after the drive, but I fell in love with the view years ago.”  Wendy sends a shy smile my way and my heart melts a little.

“It is a beautiful sight,” she replies.

“You’re beautiful,” I mumble.  As soon as I’ve said it, I blush.  That was pretty corny and even I know it.

I finish getting the bed together and invite Wendy over.

“I packed some extra clothes for us both, so that we have PJs to change into.”  I hand her a t-shirt and pair of sweatpants.  She smiles at me.  “I’ll just look away, so that you can change.  May I also change?”  She giggles a little and nods.  We both change into the PJs I’ve packed us.  “May I turn around?”  I receive no spoken answer, but Wendy taps me on the left shoulder.  Just as I go to turn around, she whispers for me to stop and then kisses the left side of my neck.  I sigh with content.  “Wendy,” I say.  I turn around and wrap her in my arms.  She’s fairly short, so she stares up at me.  Her eyes look sad.  I slowly begin to lean in for a kiss.  Her lips have just barely rubbed against mine when her breath catches.  I pause for a moment…then press my lips lightly against hers.  Our mouths move slowly in sync.  When we pull away, I can see her eyes are wet.  She sniffles softly.  “What’s wrong Wendy?  Did I do something wrong?  I’m sorry, I’ll bring you home if you want.”

“No Alex.  You did nothing wrong.  In fact, you did everything perfectly.  If anything, I’m the one who’s wrong.  I shouldn’t be crying right now.  I don’t want to go home either; home is the last place I want to be.  I want to be here.  With you.”  She smiles up at me and cuddles into my chest.

“Do you want to lie down,” I break the silence after a few minutes.  She nods silently and we go lay down on the beach blanket I’ve laid down.  It’s a large, thick, soft blanket and it’s so unbelievably comfortable.  Wendy shivers a little bit and I pull the other blankets over us.  Wendy still snuggles into my chest, and I hold her tightly.  I kiss the top of her head and sing to her as she falls asleep.  I can hear her breathing slow steadily.  “Goodnight Wendy,” I say just before I drift to sleep myself.