Hold Me Closer

Chapter 20: Sam

     I'm sitting on my bed looking at Alex. We were talking until a minute ago and now he's looking at my room again. I use the moment to look at him, look at all his features. I do that, until he notices me staring. Of course he does. He raises his eyebrows.

"Is something wrong?" He asks.

     I shake my head. "No. It's just.... I'd really like to draw you. If that's okay for you."

     Alex stares at me and I think he'll say no until he starts grinning. "Sure," he says and then ads, "Draw me like one of your French boys."

     We hold each other's gazes for a moment and then we both start laughing.

"Definitely not," I tell Alex between my laughter. "And sorry, but I'm not taking you onto a trip with the Titanic, princess."

     I wink at him and when he eventually calms down, I start searching for my sketchbook.

"I didn't know you could draw. " Alex tells after a few minutes of silence.

"I've been neglecting it. And I hadn't anyone to draw."

"You could have asked me." Do I imagine Alex sounding a bit mad?

"I just did. And may I remind you that we didn't get along until a few weeks ago."

"I didn't have a problem. I liked you before. You just didn't get your shit together," Alex explains and then blushes, when he realises what he just said.  I did my grin behind my sketchbook.  I really enjoy drawing Alex. And it also gives me an excuse to look at him properly. I think he notices but he either doesn't care or enjoys it.

     When Alex leaves it's already dark outside. We had dinner with my family and now I'm standing in the doorway, Alex in front of me.

"That was nice," I declare, "we should do things like this more often."

"Oh definitely." He grins a bit.

     I don't realise that he's kissing me until he's turned away from me.

"Hey, wait!" I say, pretending to be mad.

"I can't. I'm already late. I'll see you in a few days."

      He turns around, grins at me and winks before he disappears in the dark.

"Asshole," I mumble, but I'm smiling.