Locked in Love

Chapter Eight- For as Long as you both Shall Live

Elnora chewed her food slowly. She seemed more interested in staring at Alice than enjoying the roast lamb she had prepared.

Alice shifted her glare from her mother-in-law to her father-in-law.

Fabian was slowly cutting his meat. He kept looking nervously from his wife to his son. Avoiding Alice’s eye.

The young woman turned her gaze on Jason, who seemed determined to stare at his plate all evening.

Finally, Fabian broke the uncomfortable silence.

“So.” he said “Last night went well?”

Alice snuck a look at her husband. His eyes remained transfixed on his plate.

“Y-yes.” Alice replied, forcing a smile.

“Indeed.” the balding man responded, not picking up on the uncertainty in Alice’s voice.

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Alice collapsed onto her bed. The rest of the evening had been uneventful. It was strange how exhausted it had made her, despite the fact that they was practically no conversation.

Stop pretending your confused and helpless. You could have remained in control. You know exactly what is going on here. So end it. Now.

Alice pouted like a spoilt child. She hated it when her inner voice was right.

Almost as though the world was determined to bring her down, at that exact moment, she heard the familiar tap of a pebble hitting her window. And knowing exactly who it was, Alice heaved herself off her bed and opened her window.

“Stay there! I’m coming outside.” she hissed, and before Caleb could even nod in response, Alice was out of her bedroom and creeping towards the back door.

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“I love you.” Caleb whispered.

Alice did not mimic his words. 

An uncomfortable silence fell over the two people, as they sat on the grass under the stars.

Ignoring the nagging voice of common sense, that was pawing angrily at her train of thought, Alice moved closer to her ex-boyfriend.

“What made you change your mind?” 

Alice was 90% sure she saw Caleb flinch at the question.

“I mean...” Alice tried, not wanting to scare the man away. “What made you come back?”

Caleb looked Alice right in the eyes.

“It doesn’t matter.” He said slowly, in a voice so sickly sweet it didn’t seem real. “I’m here now.”

The small, young woman wasn’t entirely satisfied with the answer she had been given. If it could even be called, an answer. But before she could argue, her words were blocked by a second pair of lips, as Caleb kissed her till she had forgotten what she was going to say.

“Stop interrogating me.” Caleb said firmly. But it seemed necessary for him to add, “I love you.”

Alice gazed at Caleb for a long time. Finally, she accepted what he had said. She could feel her inner guard being let down. And she knew she was close to forgiving her ‘ex’.

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Alice paced restlessly around her bedroom. She bit her lip. She wound a loose section of hair between her fingers. She perched on the edge of an armchair. She stood up. She frowned at herself in the mirror. She bit her lip again. She sat down on her bed, and flopped down onto her back.